Pan Mass Challenge Reimagined: Reverse Cape

My belly felt good after last night’s ice cream ride. I would need it. Today was going to be a BIG day.

This was to be my Day Zero Ride. The one before the two days with Team Kinetic Karma. Usually that means riding from the New York border to Sturbridge for the official start of the PMC. That made no sense this year with no start in Sturbridge.

Letting my imagination run, I thought about how I usually end the PMC: a ferry ride FROM Provincetown. How about starting off the day with a ferry ride TO Provincetown?

I convinced Steve, Captain of Team Kermit to join me, along with Deb, Michael, and Bill. We wrapped ourselves in the new Team Kermit kit for the ride. We rode into Boston for the ferry ride. Enjoyed some sun and calm waters on the ferry to Provincetown. Then, we were off from MacMillan Wharf and headed for home on our bikes. Home was many miles away.

The first stop was Orleans. Steve had arranged for SAG Driver Tom to meet us there for the first stop. The second stop was when we crossed paths with a few Kermits who were riding our route in the opposite direction. (A more sensible plan.)

It was strange being on the Cape Cod PMC roads with just our small group. After crossing the Sagamore Bridge, we took a long, leisurely lunch break. Meatball subs, ice cream and whoopie pies. Plenty of fuel for the second half of the ride.

Rather than heading North to Plymouth, I had scouted a more inland route following the Saltonstall bikeway. We saw those small signs most of the way. The first step to getting on that route was cutting through Myles Standish State Forest. Those were beautiful roads, punctuated by miles of cranberry bogs.

After leaving the forest, we came across some road work. That road was not scarified when I had ridden that part of the route two weeks ago. Oh well. The shadows were getting long.

We were destined to arrive home in the dark. We did not disappoint. I didn’t roll into my driveway until after 10:00.