New, exciting adventures!

Hi Everyone!
It's been a bit quiet here on the blog front...but don't think we've forgotten about you!  We are in the process of starting up some very exciting new projects, and we'll soon fill you in on all the fun details!  We'll start up our Clough's-Lines Cape adventures again next Spring, but until then - check for updates on our new adventures, coming soon...

T-Time!

We trekked out to Eastham last weekend to visit a family fun landmark. T-Time Family Sports Center is located on Rt. 6 just before the Wellfleet Drive-In. Little did I know what a workout I would get smacking a tiny white ball.


T-Time is a sprawling 11 acre driving range that also includes a 19 hole mini-golf course, batting cages and an arcade. Proprietor Jamie Tedeschi tells us the range has been operating seasonally since the forties, while Jamie and his brother Rich has been running it for the last 19.

He handed me a driver and a bucket of balls and I went to town.

I have played real golf just once. And for good reason. I was so bad that the golf course looked like the Cape side of the Sagamore Bridge at 6pm Sunday night on 4th o’ July weekend. A little backed up. Since then I’ve stuck to mini-golf where I manage to maintain a Tuesday night commute in December. I had a basic idea of how to hold the club, and did my best imitation of looking like I knew what I was doing.

 The first few balls were rough. I even managed to completely miss a few, much to Lauren’s glee. Once I finally made solid contact with a satisfying “PING!” I felt more confident. A few more of those and I accidentally moved my foot position and I was back to slamming the ball off the bay wall. The whole bucket of balls went back and forth from good to bad to good to bad, all the while using muscles that have been dormant since I was twelve. I left the driving bay wanting to learn to get better and beat the 150 yards I maxed out at. Off to the batting cages.

There are 3 batting cages: They are softball, baseball major league @ 80-85 mph, and baseball little league @ 40-45mph (and the cage of choice for this 43 year old). A variety of bats and stylish helmets are available to choose from.

I popped in some Big League Chew, dropped a token, and showed the machine my strike zone, which was a tad higher than the little leaguers it was adjusted for. I moved up a little and started swinging. Wouldn’t ya know it? More muscles I haven’t talked to in a while – but unlike the driving range, I hit all the balls - and most of them landed in front of me. My own little league days didn’t fare so well, my only hit of the season was a foul bunt, so I was king of the world today. Perhaps the major league cage next time?

We didn’t have time for the mini golf because we were off to our next destination – the Wellfleet Drive In, which you can read about next week! For more info on T-Time, check out http://www.t-timesports.com/. Unlimited range balls memberships are available. T-Time is open Monday – Sunday 9am-10pm weather permitting through Columbus Day weekend.

I didn’t ache the next day like I thought I would. I guess the pilates machine is paying off. Whether you want to work on perfecting your swing, or just beat the tar out of some balls, you will surely enjoy T-Time in Eastham!

Cheeseburger in Paradise

That’s right, kosher pickle and a cold draft beer was very nice. You’ll never eat a burger at the golden arches again after you visit the Chatham Bars Inn Beach House Grill.


We got the facebook notice late that morning that our friends Mike Dumas, Michael Oakland and Freddy Boyle were playing in Chatham, on the ocean, at an awesome restaurant, on an 85 degree day. It was the perfect thing to blog about, and, shocking to us, we were hungry – so we packed the cameras and headed out.

We walked through the luxurious lobby of the hotel, which was updated along with the rest of the Inn three years ago during a $14 million upgrade. An effort was made to match the elegance and charm of 1914 when they first opened their doors,with rich wood work and a seafaring motif. Off the lobby is a veranda spanning half the length of the Inn, where you can enjoy a meal or just a few drinks. A long stairway led us down to one of CBI’s many dining choices, The Beach House Grill.

Situated on the sands of the Inn’s private beach, we enjoyed stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean in an open-air setting. You can belly up to the outdoor bar, or sit at a table and enjoy one of the best pub menus we’ve ever seen. I got probably the best burger I’ve ever had, and Lauren got a stunning and heavenly scallop salad. Our server was a Bulgarian named Ivan, who made Cape Cod his permanent home this year. We were also greeted by the very hospitable Assistant Director of Food and Beverage, Jared Schulefand, who explained to us that CBI likes to support the local economy by buying certain products exclusively from Cape Cod manufacturers or growers. We enjoyed some local brew as we ate and listened to the band.

Our trio of friends played a mix of cover songs and originals to perfectly compliment the atmosphere. To show her dedication and talent, one of the CBI staff treated us to a song as she sat in with the band.

Drums, acoustic guitar and keybord, Mike, Michael and Freddy are seasoned local musicians who really get around. Chances are if you see a live band on the Cape, one or more of these guys will be in it. Guitarist Michael Oakland has several original CDs you can check out here: http://www.michaeloakland.com/. Mike Dumas leads a function band you can see here: http://www.mikedumasband.com/. Mike and various friends play frequently at the CBI all summer. If you can’t catch these guys at the Chatham Bars Inn, check their websites - you will surely find them playing near you.

Chatham Bars Inn sits on 25 acres of prime Cape Cod waterfront. You can find several dining and accommodation choices at http://www.chathambarsinn.com/. It would also make a great day trip to view the grounds and grab lunch like we did. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch Mike, Michael and Freddy there! 

If we haven't convinced you yet, here's a video to entice you further to visit the Chatham Bars Inn accompanied by the trio performing "Tropico".  Enjoy!

Great Island Trail

Another great March day, another great Cape Cod trail - The Great Island Trail in Wellfleet. Part of the Cape Cod Natural Seashore, the Great Island Trail provides several miles of trails through forests, along marshes and the seashore. Lauren and I spent 3 hours hiking the trails, and still only saw about half of what Great Island has to offer.

A seventy degree day in March was not to be wasted indoors vacuuming and cleaning the tub, no siree Bob. So it was a toss-up over desperately needed yard work or a walk on the beach. Tough choice. A 40 minute ride along Route 6 took us to historic Wellfleet, famous for its oysters and drive-in theater, as well as the 61% of its land area dedicated to the National Seashore. It was one of those early spring teaser days that tricks you into thinking winter is finally over. But us New Englanders know all too well that winter generally encroaches well into mid-Spring. Winter be damned, we’re going to the beach!

There were a handful of cars in the parking lot as a large family group celebrated fake summer in the picnic area. The trail heads off into a wooded area where off to the right is a monument/grave stone for an unidentified Wampanoag Indian woman on which people left offerings of sea shells, stones and flowers. We make a note that we should find a nice shell to leave when we returned. Hot summer smells of baking pine needles and salty scented air filled our heads and our spirits. Vacuum indeed!

This portion of the trail led us to a marshy inlet called “The Gut” which was separated from the Ocean by some very high dunes.

Dunes. The matted sea grass covered trail led to the wooded area which is the original Great Island, named so because when the Pilgrims first ventured there it wasn’t attached to the mainland.

Made up of mostly sand, like a lot of Cape Cod, the area has continually been reshaped by the tide. The trail forks here; one heads to an old Tavern site popular during the whale trade of the 1700’s, the other takes you into the center of the island through a forest of scrub pine on your way to Jeremy Point – a spit of land accessible only at low tide. We headed towards Jeremy Point making plans to return and hike trails we didn’t have time for.

Coming out of the wooded area we found ourselves in Middle Meadow Marsh which was also shielded from the tide by high dunes.

Picturesque Cape dunes. Sandy, grassy dunes. Neck. We decided here to circle back on the shoreline rather than the way we came. We thought it would be fun to run in slo-mo down the beach, but it was getting late, so we just walked a leisurely regular-mo down the sandy strip alongside relatively calm surf. P-Town was off in the distance, and way out where the sky met the water sat the horizon.

We unfortunately met with some flotsam on the beach – buoys, bottles and parts of Oceanic 815 (some may be Lost by that reference) had been washed ashore with all the storm activity of recent. There must be a merit badge or something for that clean-up effort. The sand was rippled from the tide, and we found several huge mussel shells, the remains of which were turning the sand purple in some places. A troller murmured in the distance.

We made our way back to the Wampanoag Woman’s grave and placed a perfect scallop shell atop a smooth stone another visitor had left.

 There were still trails left to hike, so we make plans to return hopefully with some of our adventure buddies. Bring plenty of water, trail mix or some portable lunch. It would be easy to spend a whole day here. Take a look at http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/index.htm for more info and other trails within the Cape Cod National Seashore. And stay tuned as we bring you more of beautiful Cape Cod!

Digging For Gold

Digging for Gold

A couple of Sunday’s ago was juuuuust warm enough for a walk on the beach; low to mid 40’s with a slight breeze. We heard through the Cape grapevine that Sandy Neck was a great place to explore. Almost 6 miles long and backed by dunes and salt marsh, Sandy Neck has plenty of interesting terrain to traverse.

We were fortunate enough to have Lauren’s parents, Bob and Walda, join us on our hike. They were especially excited to comb the beach with their metal detector. We drove on past the empty Ranger Station up to the ample parking area where there was only a handful of cars parked by the restroom/snack house (closed for winter). We practically had the place to ourselves. Bob cranked up the metal detector, and we were off.

The view on the beach is expansive – to the left, you could see all the way to the bridge, and to the right you could just make out the Provincetown Monument.

The tide was halfway out and still receding so we had plenty of beach to walk along, and Cape Cod Bay was very calm and serene. It was a tad breezier on the beach than it was at home, so runny noses and watery eyes ensued. People dotted the beach as far as you could see - old couples, young families and Frisbee catching dogs, along with a bird watcher, and a handful of four wheel drive vehicles. Cape Cod beaches are truly a year round destination.

The detector started beep – booping right away so Walda started digging with her tiny garden rake.

Surely it was a gold watch. A little sifting, some more booping, and we realized we had a lump of melted aluminum. Probably a beer can that was chucked in a fire pit.

We pocketed it with visions of the shiny nickel we could redeem it for. A nail and some pull tabs (which had to be 30 years old because that‘s when they stopped making them) were all we found before we decided to check out the dunes.

I like the word dune. I don’t know why. Dooooon. Dune. Dune. There, now it means nothing. I think the word just conjures up really cool beachy, summery images along with the smell of suntan lotion and cheap, ice-cold beer. We exited the beach onto Trail 1 and entered the hilly, grassy sandscape. Atop the first dune we could see all the way ahead to the salty marsh, and to the left and right nothing but more dunes. Dunes. Maybe it’s because when I was 10 dune buggys were wicked cool. I dunno.

About this time the sun poked out from behind the clouds it had been hiding in, and we all commented on how good it felt on our faces. We spied a hawk as we continued down the trail.

Walda commented that the metal detector sounded like a casino as Bob waved it over a spot on the trail. It sounded very urgent, so perhaps something from the wrecked pirate ship Whydah had found its way down from Wellfleet to the Neck. I like the word “neck”, too. I don’t know why. A little digging revealed a padlock; from a treasure chest?? No, no…a Master Lock probably from a gate chain. It was like a slot machine spitting out a single fake quarter. It’s funny how exciting it is just to find something – worthless or not.

We continued down the trail toward Barnstable’s Great Marsh, still in awe of the beauty of the place. We can’t wait to go back in shorts and flip flops. The marsh, which is not traversable, seemed endless, too. A haven for wildlife and plant life, the brackish water and grass is one of the richest biological habitats on Cape Cod. The trail along the marsh thins and is less sandy than the dunes, but that didn’t stop us from digging for more treasure. The hard packed dirt gave way to an old wheel, several more ancient pull tabs, and a mysterious 10 inch piece of rusted metal that we’re sending to Woods Hole to have evaluated. Not really. It’s probably an old truck spring or mower blade. Cha ching! The marsh trail leads back to the Ranger Station and parking lot so we decided to call it a day.

As it turns out, we found our treasure - the protected beaches and dunes of Sandy Neck in Barnstable. You can’t put a price on a place like this where you can go and just be. Surely there are trinkets and coins to be found in the sand, so you can bet the metal detector will be well employed. But just as in casting a line into the water and pulling in only sea weed, in the end the place and experience is the best reward.

Our Trip to Egypt (Via the Library)

We took a virtual trip to Egypt last weekend. A two hour slideshow and lecture that introduced us to ancient gods and goddesses as well as recent discoveries. The South Yarmouth library was the portal for our short but exiting trip.

Katrina Valenzuela was our tour guide through the pyramids and temples of Cairo and along the Nile.

Katrina has spent many years in Egypt and returns there each year, and moved to Cape Cod in 1980. She has established herself as an in-demand spiritual teacher, counselor and healer. She also designs and leads sacred site tours worldwide; Egypt of course being a popular trip as her special area of focus is the mythology and mystery teachings of Ancient Egypt. Katrina is a Middle Eastern dance teacher (commonly referred to as belly dance) and hosts the popular local television show “Transformations”, where she demonstrates dance technique and interviews guests. She will also be teaching 3-credit courses at Cape Cod Community College entitled “Middle Eastern Dance and Culture”. (Please visit her website for detailed information on all of the above at:http://www.transformationscenter.com/, and at Katrina's blog: http://www.transformationstojoy.com.) A wealth of knowledge and a subtle sense of humor held a large (50+) crowd captivated for the entire two hours.

Beyond the many different gods and goddesses the ancient Egyptians worshiped, one of the most interesting and enticing facts to me is the ability to enter the pyramids. I just assumed they were off limits as sacred tombs or simply just too fragile for people to walk in and out of every day. Not only are you allowed to enter the king’s chamber of certain pyramids, but Katrina informed us that they weren’t really tombs at all since they have never found human remains in any pyramid. Katrina will often meditate with her groups inside the pyramid and/or temple where she says the energy is very strong, positive, and transformative.

Another interesting fact Katrina mentioned is that it’s been proven that slaves did not build the Pyramids as has been believed for thousands of years. In fact it was well compensated workers, who lived very well - back breaking work not withstanding - who built the pyramids. Loyal to their pharaohs, these workers were buried with beer and food, provisions for the afterlife, a kind of burial never afforded to a slave.

Lauren has always been interested in going to Egypt – me not so much. But after the lecture with Katrina, my interest is piqued. The energy and intrigue of the ancient country is what makes me consider a tip to the arid, hot place. I must confess the lure of Mediterranean food is also strong. Sure, Ardeos’ is down the street, but you don’t get much more authentic than falafel and hummus on the streets of Cairo. Egypt is officially on our list of “gotta-go”.


The library is one of our favorite places to be, although we don’t get there as often as we like. Church-like in its serenity, the library is always warm, cozy and quiet. However, activities abound! Lectures like the one we attended happen on a regular basis, and there is always something going on for kids; story hour, play groups and learning activities are just a few. Our Cape libraries are getting hip with the times, offering computer language courses online, available internet access at the library, movies and DVD, and CD-ROM games for various ages. Oh yeah, they have books, too! If you’re looking for something interesting to do we would encourage you to visit your local library wherever you live. It just may take you somewhere you never dreamed you’d go.

Photos courtesty of Katrina Valenzuela

Taking the Plunge

I don’t like the cold. In fact, I hate it. You would think that having grown up in New England I would be ok with it – but when the warm sun is on my face, and it’s 80 degrees, I don’t care if I ever see another snow flake as long as I live. So I was surprised as anyone when I decided to jump in the freezing Atlantic on January 1st.

Lauren mentioned the Barnstable Fire Department was sponsoring a polar plunge to benefit the Glenna Kohl Fund. We thought it would be a cool thing to go watch and then blog about. Then the thought occurred to me – I’m always a spectator at these kinds of things, and to properly blog about it I would have to actually DO it. I was surprised at how quickly I came to this conclusion, and even more surprised when I didn’t back out 15 seconds after saying I would do it. I seemed determined. Lauren’s reaction was “Who are you??”. I guess I thought thousands of people do this every year, why not me?

Every year - for 12 years now - the Barnstable Fire Department sponsors “The New Years Day Swim” benefitting a different cause each time. This year it was the Glenna Kohl Fund for Hope. The non-profit fund helps raise awareness about the dangers of melanoma, created in memory of Glenna Kohl – a Barnstable High graduate who was a lifeguard. (For more information, or to make a donation, please visit: http://www.glennasfund.org/)

It was New Years Eve when Lauren planted this idea in my head. My sister and brother-in-law, Penny and Ian, were staying over and weren’t quite sure what to make of the situation. Seriously out of character for me. Lauren asked me every hour – are you still going to do it? “So far” I said. Any more than a day before the event and I would have surely talked myself out of it. At some point during the evening, Penny and Ian warmed up to the idea, too. We needed someone to shoot video and take pictures, so Lauren sacrificed having this unique experience in order to document the three of us. She was quite pleased with her decision.

On the morning of New Years day, after sleeping off our holiday cheer, we were all still committed to this crazy idea. We gathered some towels, a blanket, a defibrillator and dry shorts, had a delicious breakfast and headed out to Millway Beach at Barnstable Harbor.
Because of a shortage of parking there was a shuttle from the 6A Fire Department down to the harbor. We got there early and were the only people on the bus for this trip. When we got there we were surprised at how few people were there. There was still an hour until the actual plunge so we milled about listening to music and looking at some crazy outfits people were wearing.

There was a snack truck, raffle tickets and a t-shirt booth all to raise money for the chosen cause. An ambulance and fire truck stood by in the unlikely event that someone suffered a heat stroke.
Ten minutes before the countdown we made our way down the beach to stake our claim, and gradually – oh so gradually – disrobe. By this time there were at least 300 people on the narrow beach, the majority of which intended to get wet. The rest were moral support standing by with dry towels and cameras. By the time we were down to just shorts, there was no turning back. We just waited for the countdown.

After a barely audible countdown from the DJ table in the parking lot, the beach was still occupied by several hundred people. After more rousing by the DJ/pirate a new countdown was started. A loud cheer signified GO! I saw Ian bolt – Penny took off, and I did a Fred Flintstone running in place before any forward motion took over. By the time I got 20 feet out, Ian already submerged and was on his way back in. Penny sat down right in front of me, and I just paused in waist deep water and watched the madness of everyone splashing around. It was so crazy; Lauren had a hard time keeping the camera steady! I told Penny and Ian that it didn’t count if you didn’t go under. That’s not entirely true, but I suppose I was trying to motivate myself as much as them. They had fulfilled my made up regulation, so as I faced the beach fully intending to run back in – I dove in the 3 feet of water, scraped the bottom, popped up and gracefully sprinted back in. (Ed. note: Check out the video to see what Jeff thinks is graceful!) It was so cold, it felt like fire.

A dry towel never felt so good. We were all shaking like nervous poodles but as soon as we dried off, it seemed actually warmer than it was before we jumped in. It was quite comfortable in fact. The only discomfort was numb toes (and purple knees, which wasn’t uncomfortable – it just looked weird). We got out of our wet clothes and into dry clothes right on the beach.

When we got home, Lauren heated some towels in the dryer and draped them over our shoulders. Then we wrapped ourselves in Snuggies and had soup. The cold aint so bad: as long as there’s hot soup, a Slanket, and a pretty girl to hold you afterward.

So here’s to diving outside your comfort zone in 2010. The polar plunge was an exhilarating experience, although I’m not sure if I ever have to do it again. If I am so compelled next year maybe I can talk Lauren into it. In the comment section maybe you can persuade her! We are hoping to do more out-of-the-box stuff this year to blog about – if you can think of any, let us know!

Happy New Year and stay warm!