Day 57 North Truro, MA - Two Far 2019 - Coasting Along to the Maritimes - CycleBlaze

June 20, 2019

Day 57 North Truro, MA

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We had a lazy morning and didn't leave the motel until after 10AM.  We stopped immediately and had breakfast (even I get hungry when I can eat that late in the morning) at a local diner.  It was really good.  We finally actually got on the road about 11AM.  It was completely overcast and very chilly.  The roads weren't bad.  We had some nice rural stretches with very little traffic.  It was only about 10 miles before we got on the Cape Cod Rail Trail at Orleans.  That took us to the Cape Cod National  Seashore Visitors Center near Eastham.  It was a nice facility with a small museum and they even let us park our bike right by the front entrance:).  We met a lovely family from Killeen, TX there.  Kerry and I lived there from 1976-1980 while he was stationed at Ft. Hood.  This is James and Brenda with their children Kennedy and Hunter.  We really enjoyed talking with them.  While we were visiting the museum, Kennedy and Hunter completed the actvities to get their Junior Ranger badges.  Good work, you two!

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View of the marsh from the visitors center
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I liked this Thoreau quote on the entry door to the museum.
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The museum had an excellent collection of scrimshaw.
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There was an exhibit about the early use of Cape Cod as a summer resort. I liked this nice picnic basket.
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After the visitor center, we had some more miles on the trail and then some more quiet rural roads.  If it hadn't been so chilly and hilly, it would have been perfect riding.

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We rode past several small ponds.
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Our next stop was at the former Highland House Hotel.  It operated as a summer resort from 1907 to 1969.  It's now a Truro historical museum.  It displayed artifacts from the local area, mostly from the late 1800's to the early 1900's.

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Upstairs hallway The hotel had 15 rooms on the second floor. The first floor was for dining and entertainment.
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The historical exhibits included displays on the various professions practiced in Truro in the past.  Kerry and I added a new word to our vocabularies when we saw this one.

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I thought a cobbler was a shoemaker.  Now I know better!

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Next to the Highland House is the Highland Light.  It was the first lighthouse built on Cape Cod in 1797.  The current tower was erected in 1857 and the lighthouse is still active.  We climbed to the top - only 69 steps - and got a nice view.  I took pictures through the glass windows, so they're not great.

Ocean view from the lighthouse.
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There is a golf course on the property.
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View on the way down
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Gail CullinanJerry and I were there when they were slowly moving the lighthouse keepers house next to the lighthouse back in 1996. We stopped there on our way up to Provincetown watched for awhile, left and on our return they were just finishing the move. Hope the weather improves for you. Safe travels
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4 years ago
Jeanna & Kerry SmithThe guide told us that it took 19 days to move the lighthouse itself and 3 hours to move the keeper's house.
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4 years ago
John P., this is for you. We stopped and talked to this woman. She said the guys who worked for her did not to a good job of taking care of the carts. Want a job?
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Tomorrow is a rest day.  That's my plan for the day.

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 2,207 miles (3,552 km)

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Alain AbbateI thought a cobbler was a dessert. Now I know better.
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4 years ago