Cape Cod 2020 - Part 1

We are back from vacation which means a nice long picture-filled post - or two.

We headed out on Thursday morning and made good time with no traffic or weather issues. We spent the night in Newburgh, NY and headed out bright and early on Friday morning to our final destination - Cape Cod!

Due to the pandemic, traffic was lighter than usual.  The pandemic also meant that while our hotel room felt super clean (although I've never had a problem with any of the Hampton Inns we have stayed at this, time it seemed really clean and shiny - even the tv remote control had been cleaned and santized) we didn't get to enjoy the normal hot breakfast.  They handed us each a bag with a Nutri-grain bar, a bottle of water, a can of juice, and a muffin and sent us on our merry way.  Oh well....

Snapped this picture during our drive.  I thought the clouds and the reflection in the car looked cool.

When we go to the Cape had our normal take out pizza dinner on Friday evening (which is our tradition whenever we get to the Cape) and also had the first of 8 stops for ice cream (which has also become our tradition).  I promise not to complain too much about all the weight I gained on vacation.

It was cool and cloudy on Saturday (the 4th of July) so we decided to visit the Bangs Hallet House so we could take a picture of the kids under the weeping beech tree.

 And just to make me a little nostalgic, here is a picture under the same tree in 2011:

My adorable babies!

The weather cleared off later that afternoon and we were able to enjoy some time at the beach.

And then Peter grilled some steaks for us because it was the 4th of July and on the 4th of July - you grill!

 

All of the professional firework shows on the Cape were canceled but someone set off a glorious display that we just so happened to see while we were at the beach.  It was short but it was really wonderful!

On Sunday morning we headed to Mass then ran some errands.  That evening we went go-karting.

Mask selfie. 

Might I add that everyone was waiting in line for the go-carts with masks on but the people running the go-karts DID NOT WIPE DOWN ANYTHING between sessions.  We definitely used the hand sanitizer when we got back into the car. 

On Monday we went for our bike ride on the Shining Sea Bike Trail.  Dan was interested in doing something different this year but I wasn't so sure.  He wanted to drive all the way to Provincetown to do some bike trails through  sand dunes.  The website said the trails were "strenuous".  That word put me off a little. 

I'm not the best biker.  For some reason, I'm very unsteady on a bike and always feel like I'm about 2 seconds away from falling off .  In fact, last year and the year before I did fall off my bike on the Shining Sea Bike Trail.  Both times I tried to hop off my bike while it was still rolling forward a little bit.  Both times, it did not end well.  :)

So because I'm out of shape and not too great on a bike, we decided to stick with the Shining Sea trail.  I think the kids might like the other one for a change of scenery so maybe we will do that one next year.

But this year - we stuck with what I know I can do - a nice flat, scenic trail.

And we always eat lunch in Woods Hole after the first part of the bike trip.

We stopped at Falmouth Light on the way back to Yarmouth.

And when we got back, we headed to the beach before dinner.

And that wraps up the first part of our Cape Cod vacation.  I'll be back tomorrow with the rest.