Training Log Archive: Nadim

This was a traveling day, getting from Cape Cod to Bethesda. Traffic was frequent in Connecticut but good elsewhere. Near the end of the trip, we stopped at Ted Good's house for the annual Squirrel themed party that happens after a Summer Short Series event. It was good to see folks.

Cape Cod, MA. From Tanager La. Blue Jay Dr. to Peacock Dr. to Rabbit Ln. to Goat Field Ln. to Rudder Rd. to Dolphin Ln. to Old Town Rd. to Keel Way, to Rudder Rd. to Dolphin Rd. to Blue Jay Dr. to Tanager Rd. With it having been 2 weeks since surgery, I thought I’d try a light run. I kept the pace easy. The paved roads I ran on were mostly flat. I was a bit full from a late lunch (after a visit to Craigville Beach) but I felt okay. I felt odd; a little like being off balance but with my right leg a little weaker than my left. My left toes continue to tingle.

Cape Cod, MA. From Rte 134 in South Dennis, Peggy and I rode east about a mile to the current end of the Cape Cod Rail Trail, and the turned around for more. We rode west and north following the trail. Peggy turned around in Brewster at Rte. 137, Long Pond Rd. I turned around at Nickerson State Park where we’d ridden northward yesterday. I picked up the pace a lot when riding alone. I was usually hitting 20 mph in between the road crossings. At one crossing there were 3 police cars talking to a woman sitting on the ground. I surmised from their questions that someone had bumped her and then left the scene. The trail was basically flat with nice grading. It was mostly shady and that kep the significant winds from being significant. There were nice marshes and lakes as well as some fallow farmlands along the way. I was about 2 minutes behind Peggy finishing up. It was a nice ride and a nice physical effort too. I did get stung by something over my stomach that was perhaps attracted to my fluorescent yellow-green shirt.

Early this morning Max and I went out fishing in the Cape Cod Bay. We left on a small trawling boat from Rock Harbor near Orleans MA. The seas were rough. It had been windy or rainy since we’d been on Cape Cod. I’d gotten a little nauseous a couple of days earlier on the way back from our whale watching outing on a 100ft. boat. This one was around 30 ft. I’d guess the seas were around 3-4 ft. waves. Some were bigger. As a precaution I had not eaten breakfast and I took Dramamine. We started off of a shoal and were catching fish quickly. It was usually the case that one line would get a strike followed by another within 10 seconds. One time we had 3 lines going at the same time. The strikes seemed to me to happen in the same place, judging by another boat which was anchored, and a view of some sandy cliffs at Wellfleet where we’d seen a drive-in movie Tuesday night. We shared the boat with two other paying customers, another father-son team in which the son was younger than Max. At least half the time when pulling in a line, there were 2 fish to the line. The jigs were setup with about 6 lures each. My outrigger line as well as the other father’s outrigger, hardly hooked anything. We lost count of how many fish the boys hooked but the younger kid at one time counted 19. All were sea bass. Unfortunately for us, all that was caught was just under the 28” minimum length. Most were from 22” to 26” long. Max gave me a turn in his seat and I haul in 2 on my first try. The second time I’d gotten a 26” fish. I was happy and done after that. I was mostly happy that I didn’t get sick. Max was disappointed that we didn’t get to keep any fish and wanted to buy some to cook. At $26 per pound at a store next to our lunch spot in Brewster I declined but we had a seafood dinner. Max ate Swordfish.

From Nickerson State Park, MA, east on the Cape Cod rail trail to the next parking area, then back. Peggy and Max got moving right away while Samantha struggled to get over her fears. Samantha did fall as she tried to get started the first time. Her shorts with a skirt got hooked on her seat as she tried to get going. With coaxing we got her going again. She did well after that. After a little more than halfway, we stopped for ice cream. The ride was nicely graded and had few turns. There was lots of shade. This turned out to be the longest Samantha had ever ridden. She was faster returning than going out.

Later on, we visited Nickerson State Park. While Peggy did some orienteering on a 1:15,000 map, Max , Samantha, and I hung out at the smaller of the Cliff Ponds. There was sand and an area to swim inside a roped area. We took Samantha’s beach ball and played a long time before Max got into the water. I had to stay out since I’m still recovering.

From the Nauset Beach parking lot, to the Nauset Lighthouse, then walking along the cliff line and back to the car. This lighthouse is the one used for the Cape Cod Potato Chip company logo. We walked up 48 steps to the top. It was explained to us that the lighthouse had been moved twice earlier. The cliffs have been eroding as much as 9 ft a year. We saw roughl surf with just a few people in the water. They were outnumbered by seal. Had we stayed longer we’d have seen

From the parking lot off of Race Point Rd, and southwest of the National Seashore Visitor Center, Peggy, Max, Samantha, and I hiked around Blackwater Pond. We did the longer loop and detoured up a hill for a view of a sandy plateau. At the start of the hike people were feeding birds and a squirrel—they gave Max some seeds and he got some birds to land on his hand to snatch them.

We’d planned to go on a boat ride to see whales earlier. However, the ocean was too rough and our trip got canceled.

Hyannisport, MA. We took a morning cruise from Hyannis Port. It explained some of the history of the area including things about the Kennedy compound. They pointed out public and private beaches, and lots of famous houses. Besides the Kennedy’s and Shriver’s, the former Gap CEO, and houses of the inventor of the machine that made pantyhose were pointed out. We lunched on sandwiches in Barnstable and rested at home for a while.

In the late afternoon we all rode bicycles to Covells Beach. It had started to rain lightly but mostly it was dry. We knew the ride would be challenging for Samantha since the way there was mostly on a trail along a busy road. She did pretty well. There were some ups and downs on the path—more of a sidewalk crossed by driveways. That made it harder for Samantha. At one point on a downgrade we came to a crossroad and Samantha, who was behind Max and I, had trouble applying brakes. A car emerged on our right—though it stopped normally, it was distracting and Samantha went down. It was her first fall. There was hardly a scratch but it was scary for a new rider. With several halting starts, and fits, Samantha made it to the beach. The water was warm according to Peggy who took her shoes off for a dip. The wind was blowing and the air was about 67 F. Going back took some time to get through a few more of Samantha‘s fits. Once we got off the path and onto roads all was smooth.