Cape Cod, Massachusetts, looks like it would be a windy place to ride. This “hook” of land is only 20 miles across at its widest. With ocean all around, it seems to me that wind would be inescapable. Leaving wind aside, the Cape looks like a beautiful place for bicycling.

Contrary to my expectations, the Cape isn’t all flat. Its highest point is 306 feet up! Parts of the Cape are, in fact, more or less flat; others feature steep hills.

The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway is wide and flat; great for beginning cyclists and kids.

At the other end of the spectrum, the West Barnstable Conservation Area offers off-road trails for MTB riders; difficulty ranges from beginner to advanced.

This tour from Sojourn combines bicycling with sightseeing. Shingled cottages; views of the shore; wildlife. Daily distances range from 19 to 33 miles, with opportunities to visit a lighthouse; the oldest lifesaving station in the USA; and a salt marsh. The five nights of the tour will be spent at inns. and three covering only 15-20 miles. Day two has options of  27, 36, or 50 miles.

You can opt for a family-friendly tour of Boston, if you prefer something more citified.

Riding new trails is fun. I could travel to a part of the country that I haven’t yet visited. It would be wonderful to have a chance to familiarize myself with some bird species that we don’t have around here. The catch is, I would very quickly forget what I had learned!