Leisure Ride Along the Canal
 

Today, Ms HH and I did a nice leisurely ride along the Cape Cod Canal. It's only 7 miles end-to-end but very pretty. The only issue today was the 30mph winds. Here are some pics.

Check the flag on the other side, straight out..
http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173250287-M.jpg

The Trail is actually the Army Corp of Eng service road.
http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173252946-M.jpg

Some bikers on the other side.
http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173254796-M.jpg

How the other half lives.
http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173252240-M.jpg

A little freight.
http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173259789-M.jpg

http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/173261794-M.jpg

You are right about the wind today. We must have been there about the same time this afternoon I remeber seeing that barge pulling the containers. About ten or twelve years ago same type of wind broke a barge away from a tug and ended up on Town Beach. I was surprised to see they let him go through the canal.

Joe

Great place to ride.

Based on the flag in the picture, the winds must have been brutal.

I've ridden on the Cape before, a beautiful place for sure. Thanks for the great pictures!

That's a nice looking ride, except, as you noted, the flag running straight out. Also noticed a few white caps on the water. Is that a wind generator turbine to the right of the bridge, last photo? If it is, the owner probably made some $$$ that day.

Yea, that's a wind turbine. I think it is experimental. There is a group pushing for building the Cape Wind Farm in Nantucket Sound between the cape and the islands. It's been being argued for about five years now. On one side are the green energy people and the opponents are the ocean environmentalists and the rich people who live on the south shore (Kennedys, etc). I find it interesting that two environmental groups have opposing views.

I find it interesting that one's ideals can go out the window when they are being asked to be the one to make the sacrifice. The Cape really needs an energy source and the wind is a logical solution, but if you're the one who has to get used to looking at windmills, I guess it sucks; especially if you have trouble with change. After traveling through the Netherlands I found the big windmills quite attractive to view, but hey what do I know.

The canal is a great ride (as long as you are on the sunny side). The wind doesn't get you all the time as you will go around corners and are somewhat protected from it in certain locations and then theres the return and that great tail wind.

On the wind Tubine- Lots of opposition in the UK too but why do they want to place them in populated areas where it will affect some people.

In France- we kept coming across small farms of 5 or 6 turbines and I think it is just accepted over there that they have plenty of open spaces- that are ripe for making money.

The wind turbine is at Mass Maritime, provides something like 15-20% of the power they need when it runs.
They should put the proposed turbines on the high ground over at Otis AFB, not out in the sound. They could put twice as many for about half the cost, if they were not getting the land(sound) for free.
Also as far as I know the power will be put on the grid and not remain on the Cape.

I was on the canal back in the early 60's aboard a WWII destroyer. Had forgotten all about that one. Thanks for the memories.

The photos are great. I have a 25 mile ride down to the canal and usually do a lap of the "north" side before heading back home. It generally makes for a nice break.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail (from Dennis to Wellfleet about 20 miles or so) is a nice ride too.

Yea, I hear it's all repaved now, no more roots to bounce over. I plan on incorporating the rail trail into my metric in August. I'll be starting from our rental in Chatham and probably ride to Dennis on rt28 to catch the trail, ride to the end, stop at Arnolds for lunch, ride back. Should be a nice 100k.

In bike advocacy we find groups who believe that only bike paths separated
from roads will do while others say that paths painted on roads are actually
safer. If differing groups all agreed they would be stupid not to combine.

On this particular topic I an not sympathetic at all for those who are offended
by the sight of wind generators. In environmental advocacy groups they will
mostly have multiple agendas. Where there is agreement there will be differing
values. We can't avoid the fact that agendas are not independent and may
well have some conflicting consequences.

You can get on the rail trail in Chatham and ride to Harwich there it joins with the path from Dennis.

That's what I did last year, it didn't quite end up a metric so I decided to do it the other way this year.

The canal is a great ride for the family. I've did the other side from your pictures last Columbus Day and the wife loved it. It appears that the side you are on has fewer walkers and even less bicycle traffic than the non Cape side.

Tim,
I've ridden a metric out of Chatham going the other way towards Orleans and down through the National seashore to Wellfleet. Very little summer traffic, with a few hills thrown in. Beachcomer for lunch,Arnolds for ice cream on the way back.

We had a great time cycling the trail this weekend from Wellfleet to Dennis. Throw in a few off trail rides like Nickerson State Park, Nauset and Coast Guard beach, and you have a great ride.

Great photos. I consider myself extremly lucky in that the Leeds & Liverpool Canal runs close to the back of my house, it is 127 miles long and is a cyclist superhighway to the rest of Lancashire and Merseyside. The situation is improving as well, many authorities are resurfacing the towpaths to make them more walker and bike friendly.

http://ecadfael.fu8.com/towpath01.jpg

Just a pity about the gates... but they are needed to stop motorcyclist. But the 'kissing gates' are bike friendly