Kristy and Leon's Home, Cape Neddick, ME
The day had finally come! Biking a portion of the the Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) last night was better than I had imagined and I couldn't wait to stretch my legs and really spend some time getting to know this little piece of heaven. We were on the trail by 8:30 this morning and really enjoyed riding through all different terrains. It felt soooo good to just clip along on our bike, riding through forests and alongside meadows. By the time we were done we had ridden about 25 miles.
Some of the highlights were taking a little side trip and riding to the Cape Cod National Seashore. We took a quick tour through the Visitor's Center and then decided to take another bike trail out to the ocean. Some interesting little tidbits I learned - the Pilgrims first landed at this part of Cape Cod. After being on the seas for several months, they were so excited to finally reach land that they hung out here for a good month before going on to Plymouth. And during the 1800's when Cape Cod was predominantly an agricultural community the farmers harvested their hay along the kettle ponds and then transported it by flat boat. According to oral history, many residents fondly remembered the salty taste of the cow milk from this hay.
I loved riding the CCRT. It's my all time favorite rail trail. I definitely plan on coming back again, but next time I want to stay at least 3 days and ride all the connecting trails too. Nickerson State Park and the CCRT rock.
We finally headed out of Cape Cod by early afternoon working our way through Boston and continuing our coastal drive through New Hampshire and Maine. We arrived at Kristy and Leon's house in Cape Neddick by late afternoon. They have such a beautiful home in the Maine woods not far from the coast. This evening we all walked the Marginal Trail in Ogunquit. The waves were really giving us a show, pounding and crashing into the rocks. Apparently, there was an offshore storm making them much wilder than normal. All I know is that I was loving the pounding, crashing, salty, wonderful energy of it all. The 4 of us ate dinner at a great seafood restaurant in the charming village of Ogunquit. Crab cakes and salad - mmmm. It was great spending time with Kristy and Leon and enjoying their warm hospitality. My only regret is that we didn't get a chance to see Ben. How fun to connect with family on the wild coasts of Maine.
