Cape Cod was calling. Pristine spring Saturdays demand extraordinary diversion, so we took advantage of the low-season traffic and headed to Cape Cod… where the sky is bluer, the birds sing sweeter, the food smells better, and the bicycling seems safer.
Mr. P planned an ambitious cycling excursion on the Cape Cod Rail trail that started in Harwich and continued 16 miles to the terminus in Wellfleet (and then, of course, back). So I dug out my dorky cycling shorts with a formidable sewn-in butt pad, because the last time I cycled 30+ miles in one day with no additional cushion, my crotch was sore for a week. Yes, I know, too much information, but dammit there are lessons to be learned here.
It’s been well over 9 months since I’ve been on a noteworthy bicycle ride, but my mornings at the gym with a spinning bike and the New York Times are paying off. Not only could I sustain a pretty good pace, I could also simultaneously discuss Arizona’s immigration statute with a nuanced, informed viewpoint.
After reaching Wellfleet, we jumped off the path and cycled to a nearby beach. We descended a steep wall of sand to reach the nearly deserted shoreline.
Ah, Cape Cod. In the ocean we spotted dozens of whales and porpoises diving the water. They proved difficult to photograph, so here’s another picture of nice, stationary wood.
We enjoyed a picnic…
And frolicked…
And then hiked back up the cliff (gratuitous butt shot)…
And headed to the bike path for our return trip. Since we were making good time, we decided to take another side trip off of the path to visit the Nauset Light (here), which is one of those old lighthouses that have been relocated to the inland for historical preservation purposes.
Total mileage for the day: 40 miles on mostly flat terrain– probably a record for me, but that’s the sort of personal milestone that Cape Cod was made for…
