sweet ride to P-town

This past weekend I took a quick trip down to Cape Cod. (For those not familiar with New England, its a beautiful peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation and resort location for folks that love beaches, water sports, seafood, sun and fun.) I never made it into the water. My goal was to get a nice long bike ride in. I love riding on the Outer Cape, the part of Cape Cod between Orleans and the tip where Provincetown (better known as P-town) and Race Point are. There are miles and miles of quiet back roads that parallel the main highway and which get very little traffic. While the terrain of the Cape, is relatively flat, the roads are almost like a roller coaster constantly going up short climbs and then descending again, as the roads hug the salt marshes and creeks or rise up to the highlands and the tops of sand cliffs.

The weather was perfect - well almost perfect. The sun was warm and the skies were clear and blue. The only down side was the strong winds - the weather report said 10-20 mph winds with gusts up to 30! yikes! Riding in a headwind can make for a long day in the saddle, but this was my one chance to ride on the Cape this year, and I didn't want to miss the opportunity. I started early in the morning from Orleans, and started on my journey. On the way out, I avoided the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a well paved bike path, because I wanted to ride on the back roads and enjoy the varying terrain and see the coast. I figured I would probably ride the CCRT on the way back, when the flat path and straight route would be a welcome relief for a tired body!

I stopped in Rock Harbor for a quick breakfast and watched the sport fishing boats all lined up in port, waiting for high tide. Then on through the salt marshes in Eastham. The birds were chirping and the flowers were in bloom - heavenly! Past the Wellfleet Drive-In and then onto the Rail Trail for the quick link up with the roads to Lecount and Cahoon Hollow beaches. I stopped for a bit at the top of the cliff overlooking Cahoon Hollow and watched the ocean (nearly glass smooth - too bad, no surfers to watch) but I did see a seal popping up a couple of times in the kelp beds near the shore. And it's always funny watching the tourists struggle to get up and down the steep sand path that goes from the beach up to the top of the cliff and the parking lot

Then I rode into Wellfleet and for an early lunch. I bought a sandwich at the grocery store and rode down to the commercial pier to rest, eat and watch the fishing boats. With all the regulations that restrict the number of days that fisherman can actually go out on the water and fish, most of the boats were tied up along the pier. I hope they make a lot of money when they do go out to fish, because I don't think they get to do it very often.

From Wellfleet, the route becomes my favorite part of the ride, The roads between Wellfleet and Truro are almost abandoned of cars. The roads twist and turn climb and descend constantly. and the green from the plants and trees enveloped me as I rode. Once I got to Truro, I stopped once again for a drink and a snack, and then I had to make the big decision - should I go on to P-Town or turn back? What the hell, it's only a another 10 miles or so, and I've got nothing else to do, and wouldn't it be sweet to have a coffee on the sidewalks of P-town and watch the world go by! On to P-Town!

I had to ride for several miles right on Rt 6 because the Cape is so narrow, there aren't any other roads! It's not the most enjoyable part of the route, but it didn't last that long. And then onto Rt 6A along the border of North Truro and P-Town. This tiny road is lined with cottages that face the bay, and the constant sight of the water and tiny cottages is pure joy. Then onto Commercial Street, the main drag in P-Town. It's a very narrow, one way street, with folks walking every which way and folks on bikes darting in and out riding both ways, stores and galleries, high art and crass t-shirts, the strong smell of ganja near the combination head shop / sex shop, the couples walking arm in arm, gay couples playing in P-Town able to be gay in public without fear or shame, the old gay couples who have lived like that for decades. the couples that dress alike (why do they do that? do they really need to wear matching polyester slacks and T-shirts?) the hot straight chicks (oh, so hot!) who want everyone to know they are straight with their BEBE shirts tight across their beautiful tits, holding on tight to their oh, so straight boyfriends. I tell you, if you're not hung up or homophobic, P-Town is a gas!

I rode past the pier and stopped at Spiritus Pizza (nothing says "I know this town" than heading straight for Spiritus!) and got a coffee and biscotti and hung out on the benches out front, took off my bike shoes and rested my weary ass. I hung out there for almost an hour before the realization that I needed to face the music - the ride back into the headwind could no longer be avoided. (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I had an almost never-ending tail wind on the ride out - how sweet is that!!) So back on go the shoes, back on the saddle goes my ass, and I head back out Commercial Street towards Orleans. At least riding the wrong way down Commercial Street was a great way to have fun, get my adrenaline pumping and wake up for the ride back!

Damn that head wind was strong! As soon as I got onto 6A and along all the pretty cottages lining the shore, the wind was relentless, damn! So down into my lower gears, scrunch my body down to stay as low as possible in the wind and peddle onwards! I skipped a few of the scenic backroads and stayed on Rt 6 for more of the route. Yeah, riding on Rt 6 sucks, but I wanted to trim some of the miles off the route. Then in Truro I ducked back onto the back roads for a bit, until my addled brain got me on a wrong turn and I ended up back on Rt 6 - oops! Finally I made it to the start of the Rail Trail near Lecount Hollow and then it was head down, eyes only partially open, and soldier on for the remaining 10 miles. Not quite a death march (I kept saying to myself "don't let this turn into a death march, the wind sucks, rather blows, but enjoy the ride") until I finally made it back to the cottage where I was staying, and got to take a quick "power nap" on the deck, shower and eat before the drive back to Boston.

the end.

how sweet was that!