The Phantom Cyclist

Susan- Tiny genetically modified snapping turtles, capable of ninja-style assaults on moving targets.
The could keep an underground lair in the Hacker wetlands.
;)

But what does it do to the flasher who exposes himself not far down the Harwich spur?!

Bob- Wow, you are really onto something! Maybe the geeks can fashion an auto tazer, that zaps riders who fail to ride single file, or Lance Armstrong wannabes who whiz unsafely by senior citizens and baby strollers, apparently under the theory that a bright enough outfit entitles one to endanger other, more docile Rail Trail travelers. ;)

if it could only ensure that cycles went in the correct direction around the rotary!

Jon, that's my one complaint about bikes, besides the fact that they can be a pain to transport in/on a car - they have so many mechanical things that can go wrong. I'd be up a creek if a chain popped or a derailleur blew... or a tire went flat. Running is so much easier ;-).

C'mon, kid... Jesus drives, even as a toddler.

LOL Susan. Early this year I set out from 134 to Local Flavor at mile 8 1/2
At mile 1 a piece of litter, paper towel, got caught in my derailler and popped the master link on my chain.
I managed to get the chain back together caveman style, using a large rock to snap the link back in place.
My bike was fine until I arrived in Harwich.
The link let go and lost its components.
I was dead in the water, 8 1/2 miles from my car.
A local was nice enough to bring me to the hardware store. MacGyver style I emerged grasping lineman's pliers assorted wire, nails and other experimental fasteners, my walet $30 lighter.(freakin price gougers) After busting two knuckles wide open in vain attempt to jury-rig the chain I accepted fate and ate lunch.
My companion rode back to the car as I walked back to mile 5 at Pleasant Lake. She met me for a well-appreciated rescue.

The Rail Trail, the Rail Trail, yea! Getting excited to pump up the tires and get out there again soon! Only religious experience is the bog spirit, or the thunder god who always makes it start storming when I'm about 8 miles from the car.

Mashpee spent a small fortune on a paved bike trail on rte 130..

All the beautiful people in their flourescent spandex oufits and $500 bikes still ride on the narrow 130.

Perhaps a mention to these riders that the bike path is for them.
Mashpee's 130 is not their playground nor the Tour de France..

possee

I hate bikes

I've seen zombies riding bikes on the Rail Trail- True story!!
The pass by emotionless and classless, mere shells of their former selves.

Johnny Depp?! Johnny Depp's in Chatham? Hold the phone!

I'd walk through mire for a vertical spire.

Elizabeth Taylor supported Cape Cod by herself with all those weddings.

Love the Star Gate and the "hills" of Brewster, especially when I'm heading back down.

I find it quite amusing when very serious looking cyclists approach it only to show their true spirit, hooting at the last minute.
My daughter honks her horn and rings her bell in rapid succession.
I happily took my last ride of 2008 on 12/28. It was just warm anough to ride and the pre-Christmas snow was gone. The return trip was plagued by ferocious headwinds, good for burning Christmas calories.

It looks like the lair of a very small troll.

That's why Brewster's the BEST!
But isn't this star gate on state park property (Nickerson extends its holdings on both sides of 6A)? If it doesn't work for ya, you might have to petition the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, and they've been downsizing lately. It might take a while for a reply.

I always felt a little creepy running on the path between Ballston and Head of the Meadow beaches. Now I know why :-)!

That does have more of a ring to it than Tomb Of The Guy Who Was Beaten To Death For His Wallet.

LOL. Yup, Bob's Discount Appliance isn't your typical Rail Trail site. Add this to Savvy Shopper's list. (Now if only they could work on the display....)

You should write a book of short stories. Your writing reminds me of a little boy I went to school with who had a wonderful imagination. Everyone in the class looked forward to hearing him read one of his stories.

Bob,

Nice article. But, (SHSHSH, don't let them hear you calling them dogs.) All our beloved pets firmly believe they're little people. My feeling is, if you can take them along, take them along. They love it.

Now, as for cats (like my cat, for instance), be ready for a disembowelment if you attempt to take her for a bike ride!

In Texas, there is an annual 2 day bike ride to raise $ for MS. One year, a cyclist brought his German Shepherd by pulling him on a custom doggie trailer for the 180 mile ride. We are talking hill country! He raised over $50,000 because of the dog!

i see people towing dogs in the kid trailer all the time. don't know how they train them to 'stay'.

this is funny I enjoyed this article a lot.

My daughter always rides the Rail Trail with two stuffed doggies in her front basket.

How about an article on bike path rules and etiquette.
there are a few things that really irk me.
one is walkers, there are hundreds of miles of sidewalks, walking trails, paths, paved un paved etc, there are very few ways designated as bike ways
in Falmouth where I live the is but one, the Shining Sea Bikeway, it is relatively short but scenic, As a biker I don't mind sharing our ONLY way with walkers, BUT they should respect it is a Bikeway, pay attention, stay out of the way, turn down your i-pod so when I ring my bell you hear me, if you are with friends don't walk 3 abreast, if you are elderly and use a walker or cane the bike path is not a safe place for you, DON"T BE ANNOYED WHEN A BIKE WHIZZES BY YOU, it's a BIKEway you wouldn't walk in the street and get mad when a car comes would you?

crusader,
Interesting musical connections there! Guys give me flak about playing Fiona, too. If you watch her interview you can see how charming and sweet she really is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EzEC61AHi0
I do often listen while riding. I find it especially inspiring when those liberated ladies sing aloud as they ride along, not a care in the world. At times I wish for such bravery.
Garbage, Version 2.0 is good for intense riding. I might pick the Cardigans for a more carefree ride.
I have only walked Nauset, but I am working on a vehicle that might get me out there in style, a 1973 VW Thing. This is long-term, though. Patience helps.
You mean the Red Maple Swamp at Fort Hill, right? That's also one of my favorite spots. I wrote a poem in dedication to that place several years ago.
Mu boating is mostly done around Bass River and The North side, Sandy Neck also tickles my fancy.

capecodjon,

np about my gender, I tend to show my masculine side more on the blogs--a true man is in touch with his feminine side. It's hard to explain, but sounds like you know the secret. Fiona Apple & Garbage are also favorites--Paula Cole, the cowboy song? Love it. Fiona reminds me of a funny story..in the car, daughter's boyfriend use to complain, "please no more Fiona", she played it too.. much emotion & heartache. I'll scan the ITunes library & see if I can find others..."corners of my mind", nikki costa..great by the moonlight...do you listen while on the bike?

"the goddess is what makes man humble"-it's the secret to man's inner soul..I've learned.

Be sure & get those beachplums, got a funeral to go to this week, will try to find out where the hidden spots are, locals like to keep to themselves, but I'll work it--homemade is best. Do you also dig for clams...suv on Nauset, kayaking? near NS.

Red Swamp Trail--you must know the place, right? One of my favorite spots. Reminds me of virgin forests in Maine, only been to one full of fern, moss & walnut trees.

The tamps were Ok yesterday, a nice breeze especially through Harwich and Brewster. LOL@ gender confusion, Crusader.(insert blush here)
I will be exploring Mazzy Star and Duffy at your recommendation. I am also fond of Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Garbage, Portishead, Paula Cole and other creative women. I guess my muses comes from that musical direction as well. Men don't generally skew towards female artists, so I guess I am out of the mainstream. The goddess is what makes man humble.
My grandmother used to make Beach Plum Jam and I will have to try it when they come into season later this summer. The next few weeks will be blackberry heaven!

capecodjon,

26 miles, what was the temp? Sounds like a close call, glad you are okay--I know where that is--dangerous intersection the way the road bends. I found SV on ITunes on my Mac at work--bunch of us share a tunes libary. Have you heard Mazzy Star? or Duffy? I enjoy some alternative music--it's poetic and helps me write. btw--I would be sharing with a guy not a gal but so far don't know any guys who like this style of music...btw, I'm of the opposite sex....happy trails! I use to bike in that very spot. Berry pancakes are one of my favorites.....enjoy. Do you make beachplum jam? There are berries hidden on the trials....and on the beaches.

Crusader,I am glas I am not alone as a SV fan. She is like velvet, indeed. I have 12th row seats to her Melody Tent show August 28. Try playing her debut album for your favorite woman, better than Barry White I tells, ya.
Regarding the trails, I set a twisted thing straight today on the Rail Trail when this guy tried to pass us as we were crossing Pleasant Lake road near the General Store. The oncoming bicyclists almost wrecked, so I yelled out to the guy, "Even an idiot would recognize it's not safe to pass right now. It's people like you who cause accidents!" LOL
There were many near-misses today on our 26 mile run,(unsafe cyclists), but highbush blueberries and blackberries are coming into season and the picking was good. We will be making some berry pancakes!

hey capecodjon,

Solitude stands in the doorway......"I've come to set a twisted thing straight"...great song.

I used to work in Bourne and I would ride the canal every night after work, from 11 pm to 12:30, listening to Suzanne Vega, Solitude Standing and enjoying the yellow lights and eerie fog of the canal at night. I miss those rides!

Chateau Sur Merde '94 is Solon's favorite vintage... lots of sediment in the bottle.

I've never biked the bike trails of Provincetown and the dunes because they are too hilly. Look what I've been missing!

My family does this regular ride on the Rail Trail, starting at mile 1 early in the morning, going up into Nickerson where we stop at the camp store and the kids play at the playground while Dad rides the fire roads within Nickerson before noon. We all roll downhill to the Theater in the woods where we eat lunch on the benches. It's one of our regular rides. We appreciate the natural beauty, even more so in the off-season/. The trick to Nickerson in the summer is to visit between 10 and 1 , when campers are either checking out or checking in. The trails tend to be quieter then.

This is the funniest bit of prose I've read in years. LOL to the nth degree!

i have been biking by the transfer stations ever since there was a path there and have NEVER encountered the evil smell, altho sometimes i do when i am actually at the dump, dumping trash. the mound is fully covered, and the chatham trail is rife with wildflowers, a pond and an easy way to get into chatham village from points north and west, and easy access to the main trail in harwich. chatham has no monopoly on dog or horse droppings on the trail. i beg to differ with phantom cyclist. come visit chatham - we now have kiosks showing maps of the trail, and take-away tri-fold maps.!