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| Riding the Canal Trail toward the Bourne Bridge |
Event: Beat the Ferry: Providence to Provincetown
Distance: 145 miles
Moving Time: 9:19:05
Elapsed Time: 11:43:13
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| Providence to Provincetown map |
I took the red line from Central to South Station and then met up with five others to get down to Providence. Rami, Glen, Moshem, John and Ben (who was a member of the train gang from the CRW Century).
Heading out of Providence we caught the East Bay trail down the eastside of the Gansett. This trail is the main part of the Providence Marathon so it was fun to do the miles on bike rather than foot. The temps were still cool as we shifted from shaded wooded sections of the trail to cool seabreeze sections.
At the end of the trail we headed over the Mt. Hope suspension bridge in Bristol - which was nerve wracking to say the least. The first 20 miles, my inflamed knee fired shooting pains up and down my leg. I had a bailout plan to return to Providence or push onto Plymouth if I was forced to retire.
Soon we left the Ocean State for the Bay State.
After the urban jungle, surprise cobblestones and highway bridges of New Bedford, we caught the Phoenix Rail Trail in Fairhaven - another beautiful trail that mixes tidal marshes and woods.
Once off the Phoenix trail, we rode through the towns of Wareham and Onset and onto the Cape Cod Canal trail. The massive sugar intake from Gu and Cliff bars and Tailwind had started to hit my stomach. And the views of the Bourne Bridge that we would have to cross merely exasperated the rumbly tumbly tummy. I kept temporarily placating my stomach with some salty peanuts I'd bought at Cumby's in Wareham, but it would return with a vengeance a mile later.
Over the bridge we continued to the northern entrance of the canal. And while I tried to stay with everyone I kept dropping off the back. I was not feeling well, but I wasn't getting worse so I thought if I just got to the next rest stop...
By the time we pulled into the Optimist Cafe in Yarmouthport, I was worried that I would have to bail because of my stomach. Then the Optimist was closed. So we crossed the street to the historic Hallet's restaurant (founded in 1889). Their meatball sub was exactly what my turnover stomach had needed. After that lunch break, I was fit and ready to finish.
Coming out of Yarmouth, we caught the Cape Cod Rail Trail through the center of the Cape from Brewster to Wellfleet. This gorgeous trail through sandy woods and state parks was not crowded. We met up with Ben's aunt and uncle on the trail.
The final rest stop was PB Boulangerie Bistro in South Wellfleet. This bustling bakery and bistro had a rocking quiche Loraine that I ate in two bites.
On the road into Wellfleet Center, we caught back up to Glen who had been having some cramping issues and had had problems on the hills through the Cape. Rami got him into Wellfleet where Glen could Uber into PTown and still catch the ferry.
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| Me, Moshe, Ben and Rami at the Post Office Cafe, P-Town |
The four of us who rode the whole way, found John and Glen who'd each been forced to finish the trip by bus or Uber. After a pint at Post Office Cafe we clambered aboard the Fast Ferry bound for home.
Mission, Successful. Ferry Beat.
