Cape Cod in October: bikes, beaches, oysters, and…a couple of “foresty” surprises along the way.

Cape Cod never fails to deliver a celebration of any length for any company.  Especially on a gorgeous October day like yesterday, weeks after we have said our “season-end” goodbyes to the beach blanket (if not the beach itself).  But here it was again- our sunny and perfectly warm day on the Cape…so we crossed the Canal and headed straight to our favorite bike path- Cape Cod Rail Trail (also known as CCRT ).

CCRT is a relatively flat paved designated bikeway that runs 25 miles from South Dennis to Wellfleet along scenic lakes, meadows and ocean vistas. We jumped on the Trail in Wellfleet and after a relaxing 5.5 miles arrived at Marconi beach (part of the National Seashore). There were swimmers and surfers in the water, but we stretched out on the sand and soaked up all the sun we could.  Sun just makes everything look better and the ocean was no exception.

Back on the bike path we continued for another mile to the northern end of the Trail which also happens to be a location of PB French where macarons and croissants are simply… what they are supposed to be- French! PB has a self-service bakery that is open all day and a bistro that usually serves a gourmet dinner after 5, but this was such a “strange”  day, the owners said, and they were serving chilled wine and oysters alongside the usual bakery items of croquet madams and quiches.  We enjoyed the desert but now were in the mood for oysters, so we headed to the Wellfleet Oyster Fest that happened to be held this weekend.

It was almost closing time when we made it to the Oyster Festival but there was still time to enjoy the dozen of locally farmed oysters for $18.  There was music and local seafood and of course oyster stands everywhere. And- lots of beer as well (Oyster Octoberfest for sure!)

I would not call it a family-friendly event by no means, but oysters were terrific!

Oh…and here is the surprise part: who thought that you can bike and pick wild mushrooms at the same time!

This was our first mushroom picking experience on this side of the Atlantic.  Unfortunately, the taste (after we cooked it)… was not what we remembered from our distant childhood (but what is?) – yet, these forest finds did their part in making this October Cape day an awesome weekend celebration.