What a Long Strange Trip.............

Today I have a guest blogger!
My buddy Joe ( a member of Eastern Elite - which you should all check out and join! - It is Free! - http://www.easternelite.net/) just went on a super cool adventure!
Below he explains what he did, the planning and the highlights of his trip. It is pretty awesome! Defintiely something I would like to do someday!

Enjoy! and Thanks Joe!

(p.s. I really enjoyed reading the trip highlights!)

(p.p.s. - there is a map that Joe sent me to go with it but I am not gifted enough to figure how to make this stupid site post it! - but I am adding an "Adventure" page on the Eastern Elite site in the next day or so and you will be able to find it there!)

From: 

Joseph N. Forte

Topic:  CAPE COD BIKING-CAMPING-EATING-EXPLORING TRIP

Summary:  I rode my dope mountain bike (a Trek 6000) from my house in Norwood to Provincetown, then took a ferry to Boston and then back to Norwood.  The trip lasted 3 days and all items needed to camp two nights along the way were brought on bike.  I was fortunate to have spectacular weather and this was a great trip at perfect time (warm but without summer crowds).  There are all sorts of great trips like this out there just waiting to happen.

Route Planning:

I have the Eastern Mass and North Shore/Cape Cod  Rubel Bike Maps.  I reviewed possible routes all sorts of different ways via different mediums and maps and then highlighted the planned route on my two maps.  I really liked the fact that this was a “loop” but you can do just as well with a trip where you double back on a train (or some other public transportation). 

The total distance was about 130 miles.  I wanted to get a good bit of that done the first day so that on Sat and Sun I could “explore” when I came across anything interesting and not be rushed by the need to log miles. 

Leg 1:  Norwood to Sandwich :  64 miles

Leg 2:  Sandwich to Brewster :  25 + miles.  Did another 10 riding around Brewster.

Leg 3:  Brewster to Provincetown   32

Equipment:

Mountain  bike equipped with a rack and two good sized panniers

Stuff sack sleeping bag and crash pad

Small tent

Food (with get more into this aspect later) and water

Cooking stove, cups, one pan, utensils

Extra clothes and toiletries

Reading material/music

Head lamp

Extra bike tube and pump (got a flat and will bring two spares next time)

Food:  A highlight of the trip.  I had planned (and brought food) to cook a couple more meals than I did.  The next time I do a trip of this kind through an area with as much good food easily available I will bring no food that needs to be prepared.  Given the choice between flavored rice mixed with canned chicken and peas versus a lobster roll – what would you do?  Also, since there are no real costs to this trip, food was an area that I chose to splurge in.  When you are riding long distances, your appetite becomes voracious!

Packed and eaten:

Leftover spaghetti and a softball sized meatball

Hummus and tomatoes wrap

Apple

Beef jerky

Huge bone in chicken breast. 

Also eaten:  Snickers bar, steak tip dinner, omelet, stuffed clam, a jam packed lobster roll, bagel, huge coffee roll, swordfish and scallops dinner and a calamari salad.  Chomp!

Brought and not eaten:

A bunch of stuff that needed cooking.  If this was a back country, then this would have been great food.  I packed stuff that would be good, healthy, somewhat easy to cook and easy to transport but there were just too many good local meals to eat any of this stuff. 

Site selection:

My plan was to ride as far as I could on day one, so I had no fixed destination.  This meant I would just have to “find” a place to pitch a tent.  In Sandwich after about 7 hours of riding it was 4:30 I spotted a BBC (food, beer and a band) so immediately began considering where to stealthily pitch my tent.  There are lots of places this is easy, but the closer you are to civilization, the harder it becomes.  I found a patch of woods surrounded by businesses and full of thick brush, prickers, very hilly and with a dry stream.  A place no one would ever wander into- perfect.  I was pretty well hidden but so close to the road I took the additional measure of covering my tent with cut down branches of leaves. 

For the second night, I had intended to camp at Nickerson State Park but it was full.  A friend of mine (John DePalma) has a summer residence very close to where the park is located.  He graciously allowed me to pitch a tent in his backyard and make use of this outdoor shower (very needed) and gas grill.  After where I had been the night before, it was “living large”!  One of the biggest highlights of this trip was walking into his backyard and spotting a hammock.  I think I did a cartwheel?  Twice that day I climbed onto the hammock got in my sleeping bag and had a fantastic nap. 

Clothing/toiletries:

It was a 3 day trip but the plan was just one shower so that meant I needed one change of clothes.  I did bring extra socks (and used them to keep the feet from smelling to badly). The forecast was cool sunny days and chilly nights so I also brought a hat, gloves, a jacket and sweat pants.  Also packed where shaving supplies, soap, toothbrush and paste, and deodorant.  I forgot to bring a towel but just drip dried after my shower. 

Journey Highlghts:

-You are doing what?!?!  Half the fun of doing these trips is the people you meet.  When you tell strangers about these trips mid-stream, the news is greeted with a mix of shock and a weird envy.  This sentiment is best expressed by one strangers comment “wow, good for you, I wish I could do it, but I am too (choose your reason- I have heard old, out of shape and my wife would not like it)”.  I understand we all have our “things” but people impose too many limitations on themselves and how they live and have fun.    Lots of people look at the bike and stuff on it and cannot help but ask.

-I know I have already mentioned this but the food was a pretty awesome part of the trip.  I was near the ocean and so I ordered sea food every chance I got.  The Cape (most areas) is full of “one of kind” (non-chain) restaurants- which makes the food even better. 

-The views.  The Cape is full of places you just stop and stare at for long periods of time.  I brought a camera but did not take a single picture as they just never seem to translate.  I should try a littler harder though.  Pictures with people are better.

-This was a trip I needed!  I have done other trips like this and biked this area a lot but never in a biking/camping mode.  I felt like summer was slipping away on me and I wanted at least one more summer weekend.  The weather definitely cooperated!

-Truro.  It was “Truro day” (not sure if that is what they call it).  They had all sorts of local crafts and jewelry for sale along with some “good” yard sale stuff.  No new or old junk.  I was on bike so not really there to shop but I did enjoy the “dog show” put on by about 30 local dogs and owners.  There was a good vibe and a lot of well founded civic pride in the air, it was nice to witness. 

-Being a drifter.  A lot of people have a strong reaction to the concept of “finding” places to stay to sleep.  It should be done with discretion (who wants to explain themselves to the police at 3am?).  It really opens up things so that you are not bound by your next stopping point.  Sometimes you find places that are pretty amazing.  Plus it removes one of the biggest costs of travelling.  My cost for a 3 day trip to Cape Cod?  About $200 (150 for food and 50 for a ferry ticket).  For me, the key thing to keep in mind is to find a place that no one will ever find while out “just for a walk”.  Pick places off the beaten path with natural obstacles. 

Conclusion:

If you like to wander, breathe fresh air, have interesting conversations, get lots of sun, always be hungry but eat heartily, and see things/experience a place in slow motion then the biking/camping trip is one for you