Bike the Cape Cod Canal

Blue bird skies and puffy white clouds, a steady cool breeze from the southwest and bikes in the back of the pickup … yes, summer is the perfect time to go on a Cape Cod adventure and explore the Cape Cod Canal! My husband, son and I managed to make a day of it today, journeying from Woods Hole to Bourne to bike along this amazing man made structure.

We drove about a half hour from Woods Hole, and got off at the first rotary to avoid possible bridge traffic, taking County Road to Monument Beach.  We parked in a lot adjacent to the railroad bridge at the western end of the Canal.

We hopped onto our bikes, exploring east along the canal towards Sandwich.  We passed under the massive Bourne Bridge, then followed the meandering curves of this incredible structure.  There was no railing which made me a little nervous, but we enjoyed seeing fishermen and sun lovers gathered on the steep slope towards the water.

The wind was strong in our faces heading out, and then pushed us like sails as we returned.  There were people walking, jogging, strolling, biking but it was not crowded at all.  Boats were moving up and down the canal, some racing with the current and others fighting the decent seas where wind and water churned.

We put plenty of sunscreen on, and took a selfie on the way back with the Bourne Bridge in our sights.  Good to already be on Cape, not fighting the traffic up on the bridge.

We worked up quite an appetite with our exploring, and we could have cycled to the nearby Lobster Trap restaurant but I was not sure how far it was so we threw the bikes back into the truck and drove over to this popular hangout. Another option would have been to explore towards Mashnee Island and take a swim in Buzzards Bay, but we were hungry at this point.

The Lobster Trap is perfectly situated on the edge of a gorgeous marsh near a railroad bridge.  It’s so busy in summer, they offer valet parking!  We strolled inside and were lucky to get a table right away.

This place has long been a locals secret, but it was thrown onto the national map earlier this month when word that Bono and The Edge ate here after performing a private concert in a local backyard.  My invitation to that event must have been lost in the mail, but I enjoyed seeing clips of the six songs they sang on Facebook.

You can see why they might have wanted to visit this iconic lobster shack. My son had a killer lobster roll, my husband enjoyed the lobster salad and I shared a few appetizers including excellent tender calamari, creamy fresh New England clam chowder plus an original take on tuna tartar with wontons, seaweed salad and avocado.  Yummy!

The view over the marsh with the waters of Buzzards Bay beyond reminds you of how close we are to the excellent fisheries here, and of course why seafood is especially fresh in this locale.  Our Cape Cod adventure had come to a close, but there is always tomorrow.  We will be back Cape Cod Canal, what a fun way to while away a summer Saturday.  Next time, with Bono, right?  A girl can dream.