The Chain Tattoo is the mark of Cat 6

TRURO to BREWSTER

Distance: 40 Miles    Total:  156 miles
Time: 5:40
Riding time: 3 hrs
Walking: 1:35
F word: To many to count

Click Here for all the photos on Flickr

It was a 27 mile ride to the start of the Cape Cod Rail Trail.
I didn’t start riding till after 11 this morning because I was updating this blog.  After a decent breakfast of a wonderful home made mixed berry and nut muffin I set off in the wrong direction.  It took a mile, but the nagging of my Garmin Touring device finally got me to look at it telling me to turn around.  I did see the sign to busy US Rt. 6 West which was the direction of my destination but Garmin had a better route.  It was very scenic, quiet with gently rolling hills.  I did have to ride a couple of short miles on 6, and soon was on the  quiet back roads again.

Garmin beeped for an approaching turn onto an unpaved road.  I thought of asking one of the two bikers who rode by me as I was taking a photo of the road. However the device said this was only 300 yards.  What it didn’t say that in 300 yards was another unpaved road for a bit, then another and another.  Garmin also didn’t say that this whole mile plus shortcut was unpassable  for most vehicles.  It did cut ten miles off my ride but added over an hour.  I have had better days on my bike than slogging along pushing a loaded touring bike on soft puffy dirt, in the humidity.  Really, I’m not kidding. I have had better riding days.

I finally arrived at the start of the Cape Cod Rail Trail.  After stopping to fill my water bottles and a couple of freeze pops to cool me off, I made my way to another shortcut.  A 10 foot dirt path leading from the parking lot to the MUP.  As soon as I hit the dirt, my bike slid out from under me.  I tried but couldn’t unclip from my pedal and went down hard. Two nearby men began walking toward me asking if I was hurt.  “Only my pride” I answered.  I did get a cut on my leg, but that that was minor.

I checked into Nickerson State Campground and got the last site for a mere $22. Most other states have free hiker/biker camp areas but not in Massachusetts.  I asked about that and the Ranger stated that there are so few hikers and bikers checking in that it’s never been an issue, and I was the first this season to ask about it.

The shower area, a half mile further than my camping area was my first stop. It was without a doubt, my best shower experience in a long time.  I really needed this one mostly to clean off the blood.  Both legs had dried blood streaks from small cuts and scrapes I got mostly from getting off and on my loaded bike.  There was also a camp store at the shower area that got me a much need large can of ginger ale and a bag of cheese curls.

After setting up camp, I rode the mile or so to the nearby Laurino’s Italian Restaurant.  The hostes seated me at a table near an outlet so I could charge my phone.  My server, Bran from Macedonia and an engineering student in Slovakia was great company. Over the course of my three PBR’s and tapas,  I asked how he chose Cape Cod as his summer work assignment and he said the word is that the Northeast is the most friendly toward foreign student on summer work visas.  He also asked for a service job because he knew the tips were very good.  Smart kid.

Tomorrow I’ll ride the 70 miles home.  There are no charging places in the camp ground. Lets hope I can charge my devices on the road early so I’ll ride in that direction for most of the day.

Click Here for all the photos on Flickr

.Day 2.  Truro to Provincetown     Day 4.  Brewster to Fairhaven, MA