Bicycle Tour: Dune's Edge Campground, Day One

On Sunday, September 10, 2023, I started what I had planned to be a multiple-day tour by taking the fast ferry to Provincetown and riding to Dune’s Edge Campground near Provincetown.

This was my first bicycle tour since the 1978, and I took my Trek Valencia.

The actual riding distance was very short, 4.94 miles from my home to the ferry pier in Boston and 1.47 miles from MacMillan Pier in Provincetown to Dune’s Edge Campground.

I left the house at 11:35. I rode the Community Path to Museum Way, turning right. I turned left onto Charles River Dam Road. I continued straight through the intersection to Martha Road and Lomasney Way. I turned left onto Causeway Street and took it all the way to Commercial Street. This was slow, and I think I won’t go this way next time. I rode the bike path along Commercial Street to Cross Street. I stayed on the sidewalk, walking or riding slowly, until I reached Seaport Boulevard. It was raining pretty hard. I took the bike lane to the east side of World Trade Center, arriving at 12:20 PM. I collected my ticket at the booth. Boarding had already begun. I got in the end of the line and boarded.

I locked my bike to a bike rack on the deck and went into the seating area. I put on my N-95 mask; I think I was the only person wearing a mask. The ferry cast off promptly at 1:00 PM.

Because of rain, visibility was poor during the trip. We arrived at MacMillan Pier at 2:30. I walked my bike off and oriented myself. I rode to Conwell Street and followed it to Route 6. There was no shoulder for riding. I turned right onto Route 6, a divided highway with no paved shoulders, two lanes in each direction. I rode east past the campground on the left until I found a place where I could cross the median. I rode back west and turned right into the campground.

It took me a long time to set up my tent because I couldn’t figure out how to install the rain fly, and it was raining at the time. I figured out how to inflate my sleeping pad and attach it to my sleeping bag. I was too warm and sweaty, so I put my shower towel on top of the sleeping bag and lay on that. I figured out how to increase ventilation, and that helped.

I think I found the Adventure Cycling group in a kind of private area occupying several sites with two tents in each site. They were all seated at one picnic table, so I did not disturb them. I feel shy about talking to other bicyclists.

For the second day of this tour, see Dune’s Edge Campground, Day Two.