Cape Cod/ Harwich Port, MA riding??
- Thread starter elzoller
- Start date
Thin Diesel
Well-Known Member
idbrian - actually all four pix are of the same one. You're right there is another too, no where near as intimidating. I did the same thing, rode the easier one but chickened out of riding the one in the photo. I was riding alone and didn't like the risk/reward ratio at the time. I vaguely recall some other prearranged obstacles, maybe a skinny or two. But you could be right too.
montclairbobbyb - if in Orleans, Land Ho is a must-stop for fried seafood (yeah, their taps have a good flow too)
montclairbobbyb - if in Orleans, Land Ho is a must-stop for fried seafood (yeah, their taps have a good flow too)
elzoller
El Guac-Oh
I'm back!
Brian, you nailed it, thanks for the tips.
Otis
I rode Otis and it was pretty cool. Trails, I guess if I had to describe them, are like Allaire on Mild steroids 😀. It is twisty tight singletrack, sandy at times on some trails, but it has what Allaire lacks...Big Rocks here and there, some nice size boulders for rollers, some boulder gardens, mid size rock gardens and some stunts. It also has steeper/longer climbs but nothing major compared to what we are used to here in northern NJ.
I used this map
http://www.bikerag.com/images/MAPS/MA/ma-otis_map.JPG
and I followed directions exactly from here
http://www.nemba.org/ridingzone/bourne.html
parked at that dirt mound.
You can't really follow the map as nothing is marked and there are trailheads everywhere. It is easily 20+ miles and it is a MAZE. Bring your GPS so you can find your way back to the car.
I only did about 10mi because of time constraints. I guess if I was faster I could've done more 😱
Singlespeed is the weapon of choice, unless you want to hit a ladder jump that it is there. There might be more (jumps) but I didnt find them.
My gearing is 33x20 (29er) and I had to get off a couple of the steep climbs but I was spinning out on other sections, so I guess 33x19 or even 33x18 for the faster stronger riders is fine. You will also do fine if you bring the rigid bike. No need for a FS rig, but if that is all you have you will have fun nonetheless.
I say it is defintely worth it to bring your MTB just for this place. Funiest thing...there is a BARKING DOGS trail on the map, and I kid you not, you will hear the barking dogs 😀
Jdog, it is so close to Woods Hole, you should check it out next time.
my loop: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8598981
Cape Cod Rail Trail/Nickerson
My second outing started after I dropped the kids at First Encounter Beach in Eastham (great beach for kids, specially on low tide). I rode from the beach to the Cape Cod Rail Trail towards Nickerson park in search of some single track there. I found very little and I had to bail due to my kids getting cold at the beach. Again, Brian you were right...Lots of small sections of single track that dead end. I found myself twice at some old burials. Other times I ended up at the camp grounds, so I was getting frustrated and if I didn't get the call to go back I would've probably left anyway. At least it was a good longer ride from where I started.
loop:http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8598980
I saw a LOT of roadies, some side roads are very scenic I wished I had brought my Road Bike as well. Yes, I agree with Fred, some roads can be very boring, mostly flat, but some of the roads at least in the area I was staying Harwich/Chatham were very scenic. The other thing with the road bike, you don't need to drive. Traffic sucks ass! And Otis is far from Harwich. I took me a good hour to get there.
I didn't get to try any of the restaurants you guys mentioned. Since we had a house we did all but one meal there.
I did go Whale Watching at Provincetown and that was pretty cool too. My oldest kid loved it.
I see myself going back to Cape Cod, not because of the mountain biking but because of the overall experience.
Brian, you nailed it, thanks for the tips.
Otis
I rode Otis and it was pretty cool. Trails, I guess if I had to describe them, are like Allaire on Mild steroids 😀. It is twisty tight singletrack, sandy at times on some trails, but it has what Allaire lacks...Big Rocks here and there, some nice size boulders for rollers, some boulder gardens, mid size rock gardens and some stunts. It also has steeper/longer climbs but nothing major compared to what we are used to here in northern NJ.
I used this map
http://www.bikerag.com/images/MAPS/MA/ma-otis_map.JPG
and I followed directions exactly from here
http://www.nemba.org/ridingzone/bourne.html
parked at that dirt mound.
You can't really follow the map as nothing is marked and there are trailheads everywhere. It is easily 20+ miles and it is a MAZE. Bring your GPS so you can find your way back to the car.
I only did about 10mi because of time constraints. I guess if I was faster I could've done more 😱
Singlespeed is the weapon of choice, unless you want to hit a ladder jump that it is there. There might be more (jumps) but I didnt find them.
My gearing is 33x20 (29er) and I had to get off a couple of the steep climbs but I was spinning out on other sections, so I guess 33x19 or even 33x18 for the faster stronger riders is fine. You will also do fine if you bring the rigid bike. No need for a FS rig, but if that is all you have you will have fun nonetheless.
I say it is defintely worth it to bring your MTB just for this place. Funiest thing...there is a BARKING DOGS trail on the map, and I kid you not, you will hear the barking dogs 😀
Jdog, it is so close to Woods Hole, you should check it out next time.
my loop: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8598981
Cape Cod Rail Trail/Nickerson
My second outing started after I dropped the kids at First Encounter Beach in Eastham (great beach for kids, specially on low tide). I rode from the beach to the Cape Cod Rail Trail towards Nickerson park in search of some single track there. I found very little and I had to bail due to my kids getting cold at the beach. Again, Brian you were right...Lots of small sections of single track that dead end. I found myself twice at some old burials. Other times I ended up at the camp grounds, so I was getting frustrated and if I didn't get the call to go back I would've probably left anyway. At least it was a good longer ride from where I started.
loop:http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8598980
I saw a LOT of roadies, some side roads are very scenic I wished I had brought my Road Bike as well. Yes, I agree with Fred, some roads can be very boring, mostly flat, but some of the roads at least in the area I was staying Harwich/Chatham were very scenic. The other thing with the road bike, you don't need to drive. Traffic sucks ass! And Otis is far from Harwich. I took me a good hour to get there.
I didn't get to try any of the restaurants you guys mentioned. Since we had a house we did all but one meal there.
I did go Whale Watching at Provincetown and that was pretty cool too. My oldest kid loved it.
I see myself going back to Cape Cod, not because of the mountain biking but because of the overall experience.
idbrian
Crotch Rot
I did that whale watch from provincetown last time i was there. Only whale watch i've been on and the guide said in his many years he never had an outting like it. We saw several of those feedings where the whales team together and ball up the fish only about 30 yards out on both sides, and we had a whale just stay in the front of the boat for a good ten minutes. I hope yours went well.
Provincetown on its own is quite a watch as well. Some interesting characters walking about indeed.
Provincetown on its own is quite a watch as well. Some interesting characters walking about indeed.
montclairbobbyb
Member
El-Z: Great pics! Nickerson sounded like too much work... but when you DO get on a nice stretch of trail on a sunny breezy day, it's tough to find a nicer place (in my opinion).
Next time consider taking a daytrip with your bike on one of the ferries (to Nantucket, The Vineyard or Boston)... They're all great boat rides. The Vineyard is my favorite... the interior jeep trails (just outside of Vineyard Haven) are a great way to explore...
Peace,
BB
Next time consider taking a daytrip with your bike on one of the ferries (to Nantucket, The Vineyard or Boston)... They're all great boat rides. The Vineyard is my favorite... the interior jeep trails (just outside of Vineyard Haven) are a great way to explore...
Peace,
BB