I had to cancel (now postpone it seems), my planned summer bike tour of Cape Cod in June. Recently, I was asked to chaperone, or should I say accompany, Nick, a 16 year old member of our bike riding group, to his parents cottage near Provincetown on outer Cape Cod. It’s around 90 miles and Nick wants to do it in one day. I’m fine with that as long as he is not in a hurry. Which he always is, by the way. After spending the night bumming around P-Town, I’ll spend two or three days riding around the Cape and maybe Martha’s Vineyard as I meander my way back home.
I was a bit apprehensive about finding a place to stay on the return trip. Hotels and Motels are extravagantly expensive, ranging from $325 to over $700 per night, often with multi night minimum requirements. They are pretty much all sold out so that’s moot. There are two State campgrounds that have a no turn away policy for hikers and bikers. Both are a bit off the beaten path that I’ll be riding. Lucky for me I am following a friend Mike Riscica who just completed his cross country bike ride. This is his third crossing by bike and he has learned not to worry about accommodations, often sleeping on a picnic table in a park or setting up his tent behind a church.
I have learned how to pack for a bike tour, long or in this case, a short tour. A set of clothes to sweat in and a set of clothes not to sweat in . A tent, sleeping bag, camp pillow, camera, video camera, charging cords, a 3 in 1 laptop and a six station power strip. The total weight I’m carrying is just under 20 lbs.
That’s all beginning on the 19th. Till then, it’s regular old riding around the neighborhood.
A Midnight Rider 