Up an' at 'em! Let's pedal to Chatham

Starting at Morton Road off Route 28 in South Chatham the new Spur of the Cape Cod Rail Trail runs for four miles to downtown Chatham. The numbers on the map above relate to the photos in the story blow. The only confusion occurs at the airport where you must turn right and bike along George Ryder Road for 200 yards to a left after the VFW. Please click on the map to enlarge for easier reading.

Not a Click or a Clack from Harwich & Back

Story & Photos by Walter Brooks

It only took 19 years, and it wasn't ready for the 25th Birthday of the Cape Cod Rail Trail last year, but the Chatham Spur from the Harwich town line to Beautiful Downtown Chatham is doable right now. You can start at Route 134 in Dennis, or Harwich Center, but let me take you on a jaunt along it as it exists today starting just a little north of Route 28 at Morton Road in South Chatham.

If you're heere on a holiday, or a resident without a bike, we have very good bike renmtals all over Cape Cod, see a list here.

This newest section of our world-class bike network is a wonderful and welcome change of scenery. Keep in mind that the prevailing winds on Cape Cod in the summer months are from the southwest, so most days the wind will be at your back as you head EAST toward Chatham from Harwich, and you'll have a headwind on the return.

Use this info to decide when you'd rather have the wind in your face during the warmer months.

In winter the winds are the opposite most days. The map above will show you the way, and the red numbers on it relate to the story and the photos on the right.

And since we're sending you down this path before the direction signs are up, here's a fail-safe tip: anytime you get tired of the bike trail while heading EAST toward Chatham you may right RIGHT on any of the crossing streets or roads and you'll come to Route 28 in a short distance. Turn LEFT on Route 28 to head toward Chatham.

You can ride on the sidewalk along Route 28 on your way into town since there are NEVER any pedestrians using them until you get into downtown Chatham. If you do see a pedestrian, simply move to the verge or the roadway until you are past them. 

Not your Chamber of Commerce Chatham

You may begin this spur in the middle of Harwich next to Brooks Park. When we wrote this story in early March this year the Chatham spur was almost completed. (1) We often start at Morton Road, but what we think makes this ride so delightful is its non-PC views of this sophisticated seaport.

After about 1/3 mile you will cross Route 137 at the Catholic Church very near Route 28. There is a parking area here. At this point, where Route 137 and 28 meet, you have the option of taking the sidewalk along Route 28 because it runs from here all the way into town. We suggest, however, that you do this for your return if you want different scenery.

(2) In the first mile you will pedal past a horse farm, run through a junk yard (3), then a tad further ride along side the capped land fill (town dump to you out-landers).

Down in the dumps?

After the town dump, er, land fill, you cross Sam Ryder Road where the scenery becomes bucolic (4) unless you peer through the frees on your right for the occasional down-market fisherman's house and even a huge log cabin.

In a half-mile or so you arrive at George Ryder Road and the Chatham Airport. This short section is incomplete, so simply cross the road here turning right and pedal along the airport parking lot for 200 yards to the next and final leg just after the VFW.

The airport is worth a short stop any time of year because there are always a few odd aircraft parked there.

Best Is Yet to Come

Keep to your left and look for the bike path just past the VFW Hall, and turn left on it. (5) For the next half-mile you will ride along the fence at the back of the airport, and see this airport as never before.

After the airport you enter the prettiest part (6) of this 4 mile trail passing between several lakes which we call Great Ponds. The bike path empties into a dead-end local Wilfred Road which is seldom traveled and very wide.

Wilfred Road ends at Queen Anne Road where we urge you to be careful crossing. Head up the short hill directly in front of you on Stoney Hill Road using the sidewalk on the left. The bike path  on the opposite side here and literally run through a couple of front yards (7), but forces you to cross Stony Hill twice. Opposite the High School tennis courts you cross Stoney Hill Road at the graveyard for the final leg of the bike trail which ends at Crowell Road opposite a boat storage yard and the Highway Department garage.

You may simply turn right here a 1/4 mile to Route 28 and left into town. We prefer instead to turn left up the hill along side the boat yard bearing left on Barcliff Avenue which ends at the Chatham Fish Pier.

The "Chatham Loop"

If you have any energy left, turn right on Shore Road at the fish pier and take the "Chatham Loop" one mile to the Chatham lighthouse. After the lighthouse you bear right and ride past several boatyards, beaches and some spectacular summer homes ending up in the middle of town. Stop for lunch in this seaport village, you'll find 88 local links to Chatham here, then head back the way you came or on the sidewalk along Route 28 which ends at Route 137. Take the bike path from here back to Harwich Center.

A list on Cape & Islands bike rental sites;

• Art's Bike Shop -- Service is what we are all about. You can go to any bike shop from Cape Cod to California and find similar product. What you can not find is the service that our customers get everyday! (Falmouth)

• Barbara's Bike and Blade, Inc. -- Bike rentals, over 400 to choose from. No reservations needed. Access to three separate trails. (Dennis)

• Bike Depot and Trail Center -- Bikes for every body! Located directly on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, the Bike Depot provides a full line of bicycles for you to rent or buy and ride on almost 30 mi. of trail through the Cape's forests, ponds, and marshes. Service & accessories available. (Harwich)

• Brewster Bike -- Complete bike shop: rentals, sales, repairs. Located on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. (Brewster)

• Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike & Kayak -- Offering direct access to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, Nickerson trails and ponds. (Brewster)

• Corner Cycle Cape Cod -- We offer over 25 years experience in proper fit and setup of either road or mountain bikes. Rentals, sales and equipment. (Falmouth)

• Gale Force Bike Rentals -- Offering rentals, sales and service. (Provincetown)

• Idle Time Bike Shop, Inc. -- Full Service, year round bike shop with locations across Cape Cod, providing sales, rentals & service. (Eastham)

• Little Capistrano Bike Shop -- Bike rentals for adults and children. Close to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. (Eastham)

• Orleans Cycle -- Sales, service and rentals. Located right on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. (Orleans)

• P & M Cycles -- Top bike selection, excellent prices, friendly service, rentals, sales, service and accessories. (Bourne)

• PTown Bikes -- Located on Bradford Street. Services and rentals available. (Provincetown)

• R.W. Cutler Bike Shop -- Offering rentals, sales and repairs. Family-owned and operated on the island of Martha's Vineyard for over 50 years. (Martha's Vineyard)

• Young's Bicycle Shop in Nantucket -- Bike rentals. Renting bicycles on Nantucket for 65 years. The "Cycle-logical" way to see Nantucket. (Nantucket)