Northeast - Rode Cape Cod Rail Trail

yesterday. Started at the trailhead in Wellfleet down to trailhead in Dennis. It was a very nice ride. Lots of places to get water or G2. Only issue was the occassional parents not watching their kids and letting them walk across the trail without looking. First time on the trail but will be back.

Yes, one does have to watch out for the new riders, and even some adults will block the trail with their bikes perpendicular to travel!

I got out there again today (opposite direction) and this trail is definitely growing on me. I got up to 26 miles by doing the Ocean View Drive extension to the last beach, Newcomb Hollow. So 52.5 for the day. That beach has a rudimentary bathhouse, nowhere near the level of Marconi or Nauset in Eastham.

I've used a front strobe on this trail and it helps because parents see you coming and then they tell their kids ahead of your arrival to move to one side.

I was definitely done today and I can hardly remember my spring century running the trail twice in one day. If it ever gets cool again I should try it again.

Someone has told me that there is construction going on along parts of the trail this summer, but it doesn't sound like it from your posts. Were there any blocks/detours where you had to cycle on the road?

i did this trail for the first time about a week ago... i thought it was great, just lots of stops at times but i guess that was to be expected

No construction that I have seen from South Dennis to Wellfleet. There is a section that goes to Chatham that needs work, maybe that's the stretch they are working on.

No construction on the Chatham spur either. You do end up on the road for short stretches as it comes toward the end of the trail in the center of town.

Veloria - go tear it up! :-)

I love that Rail Trail (...and I'll be back out riding it next week) but it is definitely better to ride it early in the a.m if you want to ride at any kind of speed. I find it especially crowded below Orleans. If you're out there after 10am, expect to ride at beach cruiser speed in the busier sections. If you want to hammer, try the side road, or 6 if there are no other options.

Saturday I got up at 4:00 am. Drove from 6:00 am and arrived in the Parking lot and started riding at 8:07 am. An hour and 40 minutes later I arrived at Newcomb Hollow Beach:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Newcomb+Hollow+Beach,+Barnstable,+Massachusetts+02667&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.546691,66.796875&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FR1QgAIddfLT-w&split=0&ll=41.966574,-69.995956&spn=0.032866,0.065231&z=14&iwloc=A

I spent 4 hours at the beach then rode to the South Wellfeet General Store Deli via Ocean View Drive for a Chicken Caesar salad:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Newcomb+Hollow+Beach,+Barnstable,+Massachusetts+02667&daddr=41.940595,-69.984455+to:1446+Route+6,+South+Wellfleet,+MA+02663+(South+Wellfleet+General+Store)&geocode=FR1QgAIddfLT-w%3B%3BFY6YfwIdFAfU-yFpktCO6tV_xg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=41.940084,-70.006084&sspn=0.068952,0.130463&ie=UTF8&ll=41.941361,-69.984627&spn=0.068951,0.130463&z=13 (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Newcomb+Hollow+Beach,+Barnstable,+Massachusetts+02667&daddr=41.940595,-69.984455+to:1446+Route+6,+South+Wellfleet,+MA+02663+%28South+Wellfleet+General+Store%29&geocode=FR1QgAIddfLT-w%3B%3BFY6YfwIdFAfU-yFpktCO6tV_xg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=41.940084,-70.006084&sspn=0.068952,0.130463&ie=UTF8&ll=41.941361,-69.984627&spn=0.068951,0.130463&z=13)

I was glad that beach has a simple bathhouse and an ice cream truck with cold iced tea and water. That helped me get off the sand and back on my wheels! :-)

I made it back to my car at 3:30. It's just about exactly 1.5 hours for me from the deli to the parking lot in South Dennis.

That sounds like a good day. We drove to Newcomb last week but in error took the car without the sticker and found out real quick, locals only. So we ended up at White Crest...the dunes are killer excercise, especially when the kids want to use the bathroom 2-3 times in the hours we were there.

I'm headed out to Onset next week. Anybody have any suggestions for a ride just before the Cape?

Myles Standish State Forest in Carver? Or up and down the canal on the mainland side.