Been there, done that? Cape Cod Canal Bikeway

LISTEN HERE Book cover photo, taken along the north side of the Cape Cod Canal looking east It had been a while since we visited the Cape Cod Canal bikeway. Easy to get to, no need to cross either canal bridge if you stay on the north side, and so scenic. A place that is easy to access can be taken for granted. However, like other places we may feel tempted to dismiss as “boring,” the canal offers great variety when you look a little closer for what can change between visits.       On the fish pier looking east   We first headed east starting from the fish pier on the northern side of the Cape Cod Canal bikeway in the direction of Scusset Beach. The fish pier is next to the Scusset Beach Campground headquarters building. The wooden walkway offers plenty of room for fisherfolk hoping to bring home one of the stripers (striped bass) that venture into the strong current flowing back and forth through the canal from Buzzards Bay to Massachusetts Bay.   When we reached to the exact spot where I had taken a photo that became the cover of My Liturgy of Easy Walks book I stopped, trying to capture the same vantage point. But what a difference a day makes. The book cover photo features a clear blue sky and the curving bike trail. Missing from the photo is the light pole and the yellow stripe that divides the pavement down the middle of the path. Ah, the wonders of Photoshop and my talented book cover designer.   Not an easy thing to duplicate a vantage point   And not so clear either!   What a stark contrast with this most recent outing. This time clouds hovered. Mist blew through the canal. Heavier showers that came and went made for damp, but (for me) quite comfortable walking. Cormorants flew here and there in the canal hoping for an optimal fishing spot. A very few boats pushed against the current on their way east.   The leaden sky on a cool spring morning after Memorial day offered no hint of sunshine. The Cape is typically crowded after Memorial Day, and when we visited it was a weekend. Not optimal for those of us who dislike crowds and traffic jams.   But wait—rain threatened. In fact, when we arrived, the fog was closing in at the Buzzards Bay end of the canal. We encountered a few walkers, and one or two cyclists, but otherwise we had the walkway alongside the canal mostly to ourselves. Not your typical crowded Cape environment as summer approaches.   At the eastern entrance to the Cape Cod Canal   Standing at the far eastern edge of the canal at the opening next to Scusset Beach, we spotted several seals taking advantage of the current. They floated nearly horizontal at the surface, making quick dives and soon returning to the surface before heading back down for another look. Fishing requires patience and persistence, as seals, cormorants, and those using fishing poles will all attest (if you can get them to talk to you).   Since we acquired a camper we notice campgrounds along the way that we never paid attention to when we were camperless. While at Scusset Beach, this time we knew what to look for and realized that our little camper would do well at a campground there. A path from the campground leads directly onto the bike path, making this an even more attractive option for us since we could have our bike set up and ready to go without driving the bike somewhere first.   And so with the advent of warmer weather we, along with so many others, begin to make plans to spend time outdoors. Whether you enjoy solo adventures or gatherings with family and friends, anticipating and planning is part of the fun. Wherever you find yourself in warmer weather, happy trails!   Marjorie     Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.