slide show

Here's a slide show of photos taken by our AmericaCorps leader Tara Di Giovanni. Thanks Tara!

trail maps

Here are some great trail maps that show the whole route of Cape Walk 2008 -- 100 miles total. I did Days 1, 2, 4, and 6 -- just under 50 miles. Thanks to Mark McGrath for these wonderful maps!

day 7 - 9

Looks like I'm going to miss the last three days of walking -- daily life has messed with my plans! Oh well! I've enjoyed the 4 days of walking and sharing the experience with other people who are passionate about the outdoors and walking. I must admit to being a level behind many of the other participants -- they take their walking very seriously, while I take it a bit more lightly. As I said in my previous post, I'm someone who really enjoys walks, hikes, and the outdoors, but am not as dedicated to it or ardent about it as some seemed to be.

Thought I'd finish up with some additional links to walking and hiking resources:

• One of the Cape Walk hike leaders and participants, Lisa Crowley, also led our Library to Library hike for the last two years, which took hikers on pathways between the Sturgis Library in Barnstable Village to the Whelden Library in West Barnstable. For pictures of that hike, click here.
• Today's issue of The Register has a slideshow of Sandy Neck and an overview of their hiking and camping resources.
• The Cape Cod Trails Conference has complete directions and guides for many trails on Cape Cod.
• Watch a video of Hiking Cape Cod with the Newcomers
• Town of Barnstable Trail Maps and Guides
• Southeastern Massachusetts Chapter of the AMC
• Barnstable Land Trust Walks and Talks
• Cape Cod Bird Club Bird Walks
• In addition to Elliott Carr's book mentioned below, another great resource is Walking the Cape and Islands: A Comprehensive Guide to the Walking and Hiking Trails of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket by David Weintraub

day 6

Day 6 took us from the Nathaniel Wixon Middle School in Dennis to Old Townhouse Park in Yarmouth -- about 7 miles in the woods, along roads, and through some quiet neighborhoods. We had 38 in our group. The weather was cloudy and a little damp, but thankfully no rain. Hike highlights included Flax Pond, Crab Creek, Weir woodlands, and the Bud Carter Memorial Trail. And some pretty cool art painted under the railroad overpass. Portions of the trail were less picturesque -- an old tire dump; the Yarmouth Transfer station. It's amazing that on most of this journey we've been able to bypass much of the underbelly of the Cape, and have been treated to sights many of us miss during the day-to-day business of living on Cape Cod.

day 5

Day 5 took hikers from Nickerson State Park in Brewster to Dennis -- about 12 miles. Highlights included Punkhorn Parklands and Seymour's Pond. According to an article in the Cape Cod Times, there were 34 dedicated hikers despite the steady rain. There were some nice photos by Steve Heaslip accompanying the article.

This was a day off from hiking for me -- errands to run, chores to complete, and appointments to meet. Plus, it's raining. I am not enough of an ardent hiker to love hiking long stretches in the rain. Will meet up with the group on day 6.

day 4

Day 4 took us from the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitors Center, Salt Pond, Fort Hill Nature Trail, Penniman House, Rock Harbor, and the flats on Cape Cod Bay, ending up at Nickerson State Park. Elliott Carr, author of Walking the Shores of Cape Cod, spoke to us during a rest at Fort Hill.

The hike was about 10 miles, and there were between 50 and 60 people walking today -- I never did hear the final count. There was some lively singing going on at the front of the group -- some of us in the middle caught snippets of it as we walked along.

day 3

Day 3 was Long Pond in Wellfleet to Salt Pond in Eastham, with stops to view Nauset Light, the Three Sisters, and lunch along the bluff.

This was a rest day for me -- I stayed home nursing my sore feet.

But from what I was told, there were over 45 people hiking, traveling over 14 miles. More gorgeous weather, too. Here are some photos, courtesy of Ann -- thanks! If anyone else has photos to share, send them along.

day 2

Day 2 took us from Highland Light in Truro to Long Pond in Wellfleet. The count today was 43 people, and we went about 13 miles. The day started out foggy but warmed up quickly -- lots of shedding of layers of clothing. The scenery today was, if possible, even more spectacular than yesterday as we walked high above the beaches in Truro. We had lunch along the bluffs overlooking the water, which was deep blue and green. (We were treated to the sight of a naked man fishing! -- and, damn, I didn't get a picture!). Afterwards we hiked on to Long Pond through pretty forested areas with dappled sun.

Ankles/blisters are hurting. May take the day off tomorrow and join back in on Day 4.

day 1

Day 1 was a 14 mile hike from Herring Cove in Provincetown to Highland Light in Truro. We hiked through beech forest and along the Old Cape Cod railroad bed and the remnants of Old King's Highway stagecoach route. We saw some of the historic dune shacks, ruins of an old life saving station, Pilgrim Lake (and learned about the restoration project going on there) and some wonderful dramatic scenery. There were lots of things blooming -- lady slippers, Canadian mayflowers, beach plums, cinnamon fern, and a little purple-blue wildflower that I need to look up in my widlflower guide. There were 40 in our group. The trip took about 6 hours. Lots of slogging through sand dunes (and my ankles are complaining about it) but totally worth it to see the spectacular scenery.

before the walk

Cape Walk is a 9-day series of hikes that start at the tip of the Cape in Provincetown and head west, ending at Scusset Beach in Bourne near the Cape Cod Canal. The event takes place every other year, and takes walkers and hikers along a network of trails known as Cape Cod Pathways. Its meant to promote the hiking trails and celebrate the beauty of Cape Cod.

So I've been in training , logging lots of steady miles during the week and taking longer hikes on the weekends. I'd like to do the whole 9 days, but I have to be realistic -- I've been struggling with ankle/foot pain and blisters. But I'm now equipped with every kind of foot soak, foot cream, foot rub, blister pad, bunion balm, ankle wrap, and other remedies they sell at the local CVS. But anyway ... I've got the boots, got the socks, my daypack is packed, and I'm ready to go! I'm going to take it day by day, and will post photos along the way.