Saturday, September 10, 2011

Trashpedalling Cape Cod's Rail Trail

Mrs. Trashpaddler and I weren't going to let a little rain keep us from enjoying some biking on the Cape Cod Rail Trail this past week.  We started at the Wellfleet Trailhead and worked our way towards the other trailhead at South Dennis, a distance of 22 miles.  It was our first time pedalling on this rail trail and we were left thoroughly impressed.
While in Wellfleet, we ventured a short distance down Marconi Beach Road to the Marconi Site, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and took in this view of the Atlantic Ocean...
It brought to mind George Costanza saying "The sea was angry that day my friends..." 
Several gray seals were seen in the surf (none with golf ball problems).

Also at the Marconi Site, was the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail where a short hike brings one into the midst of a cedar swamp...

Between Wellfleet and South Dennis, we pedalled by cranberry bogs, tidal creeks, salt ponds, the Herring River, and our first ever bicycle roundabout (in Harwich).

Numerous locations along the way still bear Native American names such as Nauset, Aspinet, Samoset, and Namskaket.  These names remind us how this part of Cape Cod was once home to the Nauset tribe of the Wampanoag Federation.  It was the Nauset people who first encountered the Pilgrims back in 1620. 

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is well maintained and pieces of trash were few and far between.  Over the course of 3 days and pedalling 44 miles we recovered only 50 pieces of trash...
 
 YTD total stands at 4777.

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