Cape Cod: Ice Cream on the Rail Trail

This is the rail trail that leads from Chatham to Dennis Port. I think I have a special place in my heart for rail trails because Sam and I met on the rail trail in our town.

While we were biking on said rail trail, we saw this sign alleging that the ecentric house to its left held summer's sweet treasures: "ice cream, yogurt, H2O."

We wandered closer and discovered that this Christmas light-covered abode did indeed harbor such indispensable indulgences.

Lo and behold, there were many flavors from which to choose.

We chose Coffee Kahlua Brownie. A very good choice.

Ice cream brings a smile to many a tired traveler's face. (Notice painted tires stuck half way in the ground and bordering the yard.)

Not only were there tires sticking out of the ground, there were carousel horses. I still wondering whether they were springing out of the ground or getting sucked under...

We, however, did not have to worry about getting stuck in the enchanted ice cream land. This helpful sign tree not only told us what direction we needed to go but precisely how far the trek was. If you find yourself on the rail trail, I highly recommend stepping off for a moment to check out the wonders of this singular ice cream stand for yourself.

Cape Cod: Kayaking on the Swan Pond River

Our kayaking adventure began at the Cape Cod Waterways on the Swan Pond River in Dennis Port (and no...those aren't real Canada geese).

Popsicle-bright kayaks ready for a float down the river.

American flags waved proudly all over Cape Cod. I think it is the most patriotic place I have ever been.

The river was more of a long, narrow marsh than raging rapids, which suited me just fine for my first kayaking excursion.

About half way through our kayak trip, the blue sky became enshrouded by eerie fog. Notice the Salt Box-style house and windmill in the photo, both of which are characteristic of Cape Cod architecture.

As we neared the delta leading to the Nantucket Strait, we paddled the kayak to a private beach.

Here I am wielding the kayak paddle, ready to ward off any danger.

Sam doesn't think we're in much danger on the peaceful but somewhat eerie Swan River and flashes a grand smile.

Walking along the beach, we noticed part of the sand was roped off so these little birds could nest in peace and not have to worry about human interference.

View of the Nantucket Strait.

I was glad we had decided to beach our kayak earlier and explore the beach on foot. I wasn't ready to let this fogginess pull me out to sea, never to return.

Once we were satisfied with seeing as much as we could in the fog, we headed back to our kayak.

It wasn't long before we paddled beneath bluer skies.

And when we docked at Cape Cod Waterways, we got to enjoy these Canada geese, all of which were real.

Cape Cod: Kream ‘n Kone

Lobster Bisque

A few days after Sam and I had tried the “Best Seafood on the Cape” at Arnold’s, we stumbled across Arnold’s competitor, Kream ‘n Kone. We had just completed an 11-mile bike ride from Chatham to Dennis Port and needed sustenance before our kayak excursion on the peaceful Swan Pond River. We were in luck because right across the street from the kayak rental place was Kream ‘n Kone.

Crab Roll

Clam Chowder

I ordered lobster bisque and a crab roll. I was disappointed in the lobster bisque because it was very salty and rich. In the future, I think I’d rather have my lobster whole rather than pureed in a soup. Unfortunately my crab roll didn’t taste much like crab because there was so much mayonnaise. I also prefer larger chunks of crab than on my Kream ‘n Kone sandwich (I guess the enormous chunks of meat on Arnold’s sandwiches had me spoiled!).Though I was disappointed with the crab aspect of the sandwich, I did notice how nicely toasted the roll was and how fresh and green the lettuce was.

Lobster Roll

Sam did a much better job ordering than I did: his good ole’ clam chowder and lobster roll were very good. The chowder had a distinct clam flavor and an ideal thickness–not too thin and not too thick. The lobster roll was much better than my crab sandwich because the lobster had a meaty texture and penetrating lobster flavor.

So, which is better: Arnold’s or Kreme ‘n Kone? I would say Arnold’s wins because overall there were more dishes we enjoyed at Arnold’s and because their lobster rolls had such massive chunks of meat and so little mayonnaise.

Next: photos from the kayak trip down the Swan Pond River.