Category: Happenings

Holiday Strolls & Celebrations on Cape Cod

The view from the top of the ruins of Fort Barrington, Five Islands Village, Antigua.

Author’s Note: A continued Happy Holidays wish to all who are observing one of the 29 holidays that are celebrated by seven of the world’s major religions at this time of year! While it has been a busy 3+ weeks since Thanksgiving, we enjoyed the “happy stress” of hosting Thanksgiving Dinner, partaking in Chatham’s Christmas Stroll, getting off the grid during 9 days to Antigua (a small island in the Lesser Antilles for an overdue vacation) and joining friends on a last-minute ski trip to New Hampshire. A December to remember for sure. 

Apre ski at Loon Mountain to kick-off “snow season.”


As I’ve wrote about previously, I love the seasons and is a big reason why my wife and I have settled in the northeast. The greening of spring, followed by the heat of summer, fall foliage and of course, the much anticipated first snowfall of winter. However, a jolt of 80 degrees and sunshine in December as our trip to Antigua provided, did make me long for a reset to summer…until I strapped on my skis, scanned my Ikon pass, and hit Loon Mountain to open up my “snow season.” I instantly remembered why I love this time of year; the rush of carving a turn on a freshly groomed cruiser (too early in the season for powder), running into old friends in the life line and catching up on the chairlift and of course, all the laughs in the lodge during apre ski complete with apps and local craft drafts. Indeed, winter and the holidays are here, and I’m embracing it! And in a few months, that wonderful feeling of sand between your toes and a warm breeze on your face will be back on my mind.

Holiday Strolls and Celebrations on Cape Cod

The holiday picture from the Whit Tileston Bandstand in Chatham. No bunny hop today.


The weekend of December 7-8 marked Chatham’s Annual Christmas by the Sea Stroll celebration, a time when our family reunites in Chatham for this special holiday and community event. While this weekend event is the official stroll, featuring a tree lighting, breakfast with Santa, historic inn and museum tour, complimentary trolley rides complete with carolers through town, the weekend prior featured Santa’s arrival at the Chatham Fish Pier and a few weeks down the road, Chatham’s First Night will have the town celebration the arrival of the New Year. Indeed, there are a lot of celebratory events and happy people in Chatham in December. The special events are family friendly, but what I appreciate most are the simple things like, the thoughtfully decorated path through Kate Gould park leading to the decorated Chatham Bandstand, the candlelit homes along Stage Harbor Road, and of course, the quiet of walking along deserted beaches. The magic of the season is everywhere.

Morning walks on a deserted beach is one of our favorite activities.

Almost every Cape Cod town has their own holiday celebration/stroll, which are spread throughout mid-November through New Year’s Day (alas, Truro didn’t publicize anything this year), making it possible to celebrate the season multiple times in multiple towns. Local merchants, restaurants and town officials, from all communities have done a great job (whether planned or not) of offering a wide range of family-friendly activities, to historical and cultural events to romantic dinners and everything in between. However, a day on Cape Cod, in my case, Chatham, is not complete without a walk along Ridgevale Beach, no matter the weather.

Barker’s of Orleans has a lot of goodies for our four-legged family members.

As expected, we spent much of our time along Main Street, supporting a few of our favorite small businesses, restaurants and gift shops. My strategy for gift giving is to try and buy local as much as possible/practical by taking pictures of what I initially suspect someone will like, but give myself some time to explore other stores and think about the most thoughtful gift of a bunch of options. In our case, anything dog-related is generally a wiener (pun intended as our dachshund Hana can attest). While Chatham’s Paws & Claws are our favorite groomer, Barker’s in Orleans is a new favorite for treats and toys. 

Buy local.

My holiday survival strategy also includes ducking into my favorite chowder and beer stop, The Squire, to warm up while others continue on their stroll. This particular year, everyone decided to take a well deserved break and chasing the little ones into the game room. 

Regardless have how thirsty or hungry you may be, everyone’s welcome at The Squire!

While the weather never seems to cooperate with a picturesque snowy winter scene, the holiday spirit was in the air (literally, music was playing all around town) and we had a great time catching up, supporting local merchants and dining out. 

The annual “Seaview Street Self-ie” (after The Squire stop of course).

If you find yourself on the Cape this month, do find a holiday celebration to enjoy. There is plenty of spirit in the air!

    Cape Cod Doxie Day

    Hana finding a comfortable spot, on Ellen’s face and shoulders!

    Author’s Note: For almost a year now, our lives have been enriched with the addition of our miniature, short-haired, black and tan dachshund – doxie, hotdog, weiner-dog, etc – Hanalei (Hana for short). Yes, the same “Hanalei” from the song, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” but more accurately, inspired after a trip to the Hawaiian Islands (Oahu, Maui, Lanai and Kauai). “Hanalei” literally means “Crescent Bay” in Hawaiian and doxie’s form a crescent when curled up. We also had a magical experience on the road to – and staying in Hana, so the name has multi-meanings and reminds us of that great trip!

     

    Hana falls asleep immediately on car rides on the highway. However, as soon as we exit and the car slows down, she gets excited!

    Hana is the definition of love bug, curious and mischievous as the breed is known to be, as well as an alert system. If a door squeaks, a car pulls into the driveway, or a potato chips drops on the floor, she leaps over to inspect the scene. Since her earliest puppy days, we’ve made a point to socialize her with other dogs. We also regularly attend dog-friendly outdoor events (farmer’s markets, Octoberfests, craft fairs, etc) to include her as much as possible in our lives as well as socialize her with dogs and people. I suppose dog-friendly activities are just what you do when you have a dog, but it’s become a requirement on the weekends, especially in the face of daylight savings time and colder, darker days ahead.

     

    The Ruff and Tumble Gang at a puppy play date.

    Following the first “shy dog play hour” at a local Dog Groomer & Boarding House, we were fortunate to find a group of fellow “fir baby” owners who get together outside of that morning’s scheduled social hour. The group refers to itself as, “The Ruff & Tumble Gang,” a literal illustration of what happens when our dogs get together. It has been a delight to get to know our neighbors – now friends – as well as hear about other events and activities for dogs not widely publicized. As an example, a local dog store, “Dogology,” hosted a Halloween-type backyard event with dog costume contest, grooming, food and beer vendors and of course, dog products. Another event at a historical museum hosted “A Pawesome Day,” complete with Dog Parade, professional portraits, silent auction, complimentary entry to the Hill-Stead Museum, agility course and food and beer vendors. Our favorite fall event, “Raise a Paw Against Leukemia,” was a mix of craft fair, dog obstacle course and food vendors in Simsbury Meadows. Dog friendly events are the new normal, but Cape Cod Doxie Day takes it to a new level!

    Hana doesn’t believe in personal boundaries.

    The energy, affection and adorableness of one dog – in this case our dachshund – can fill a room. (Authors note: As I write this, Hana is literally climbing on my face and licking me. As I try to resist, she rests her chin on my nose.) Now imagine being on the town green in Barnstable surrounded by about 50 dachshunds on a beautfiul autumn afternoon. That was the scene at the 2018 Cape Cod Doxie Day, an annual get together of fellow Doxie’s featuring events like the Wiener Waddle and Waggin Parade, costume and tricks contest, photos with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, silent auction and raffle, as well as the can’t-miss Doxie Dash! If you like dogs, this event is worth a stop.

    Hana in her shark costume courtesy of Hot Diggity Dog Wash & Boutique in Dennis, MA.

    Hana participated in most of the activities, but didn’t quite make it out of the starting gate (box) for the Doxie Dash. We will have to work on that with her for future races. She did get an honorable mention in the costume parade, wearing a custom crafted (by Ellen), “Doxie Light” felt “cape” for the Cape (get it?). The shape of the cape was a lighthouse, though as I write this, we could have played up the subtle reference for a harvest lager, despite the contest and event being located on Cape Cod. Our other option was the K9 shark costume, but Hana was not a fan of the slim fit.

    Ellen and Hana pose in our new doxie-engraved Adirondack chairs! They currently reside in our living room because they are almost too nice to be left outside.

    The biggest competition of the day, however, was not on the playing field, but at the silent auction. The grand prize were custom crafted Adirondack chairs, complete with a golden dachshund carved in the middle. We have been wanting to get a set of Adirondack chairs our home for years, but hadn’t found the right pair…yet.

    In the final minutes of the silent auction, Ellen increased her pledge one last time, confident she would not be outbid. But then it happened, out of the corner of her eye, someone came out of nowhere and added another bid! However, the volunteer running the silent auction had not yet started to close bids, so Ellen was able to swoop-in just before all bids closed. We won – the SET of chairs!

    Hana being herself. Belly rub please!

    While some would say the adults were the big “wieners” (winners) of the day, Hana also had a good time. She will be the “underdog” to watch at next year’s Doxie Dash!

    Ellen Shaw contributed to this post.

    Run the Cod Challenge Part 2-Races

    Run the Cod Challenge Part 2-Races.
    This is the second part a multi-part series about a new running event on Cape Cod – Run the Cod Challenge! Make sure to read Run the Cod Challenge Part 1 before you dive into the lists below.
    2018 Races by Town (off-Cape towns follows Yarmouth)
    I’ve compiled a list of almost all races by town to give you a sense of who (organization) is doing what (event type) where (town). The big takeaway is to see where it is easy or difficult to find races to complete the challenge. Many races tend to keep the same time frame each year so there is a good chance that an event in 2018 will occur on/around the same weekend in 2019.
    Disclaimer: The information below is not exhaustive as there is no central list of every running race/event. Well, until now! The races below were compiled from a variety of sources, including online, print, and word of mouth via running clubs and stores. Additionally, some races do not have their own website, and instead, use either a registration company or third party to host event payments and race details and/or rely on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). These promotional partners are subject to change so the links to event pages may not work or become outdated. Fortunately, race/event names rarely change so just use Google to track down the latest event information – or contact me. Bottom-line, there A LOT of opportunities to Run the Cod Challenge! Here they are:
    1. Barnstable

    Sat, Feb 23, Hyannis Marathon 10K, 10:00am

    Sun, Feb 24, Hyannis Marathon, Half & Relay, 9:30am

    Sat, March 10, Shamrock Shuffle, 11:00am

    Sun, May 6, Cape Cod Beer Race to the Pint 5K, 3:00pm

    Sat, May 19, Cape Abilities Harbor Run Fun, 9:00am

    Sun, May 27, Great Hyannis Half and 10K, 7:30am

    Sat, June 16, Hyannis Triathalon 1 (Centerville)

    Sat, June 16 Women Running Wild 5K (Osterville), 6:00pm

    Sat, July 21, Cape Cod Run for the Osterville Library, 8:00am

    Thurs, Aug 9, Old Home Week 5K (Centerville)

    Sat, Sept 8, Hyannis Triathalon 2 (Centerville)

    Sat, Sept 15, Girlygirl P.A.R.T.S. 5K for Ovarian Cancer, 9:00am

    Sat, Sept 29, David Lewis 5K, 10:00am

    Sat, Oct 6, Race to Hope 5K/10K (Hyannis), 3:00pm

    2. Bourne

    Sat, May 12, Feet, Fins, Flippers 5K, Buzzards Bay, 9:00am

    Sun, May 13, Cape Cod Canal Mother’s Day 10K, 7:30am

    Sat, May 26, U.S. Coast Guard, Duathalon, 9:00am

    3. Brewster

    Sat, Aug 11, Brew Run 5.2, 4:00pm

    Sat, Aug 18, PaddleSwimRunWalkKayak Against the Tide Series, 8:30am

    Sat, Oct 13, Gutcheck Triathalon/Dualathon, 9:00am

    4. Chatham

    Sun, June 24, Chatham Harbor Run 10K, 12:00pm

    Sun, Nov 18, Chatham in the Fall 10K, 11:00am

    5. Dennis

    Sat, July 28, Annual Dennis Road Race, 10:00am

    Sun, Sept 2 Dennis Chamber of Commerce Labor Day 5K Road Race, 10:00am

    Sat, Sept 9, Mighty Meehan 5K, 10:00am

    Sun, Oct 28, Dennis Police Halloween Hustle 5K, 11:00am

    Sat, Nov 24, Andrea Holden Thanksgiving Race 5K, 10:00am

    6. Eastham

    Sun, Sept 9, Eastham Windmill Weekend Road Race 5K, 8:00am

    Sat, Sept 22, Run For Heart Health 5K, 9:00am

    Sun, Oct 21, Lower Cape TV Reel Race 5K, 9:00am

    7. Falmouth

    Sun, April 8, Cape Cod Trail Race (multiple distances & start times), 8:00am-1:00pm

    Sun, May 6, Liam McGuire Irish Pub Almost 5 Miler, 9:30am

    Sun, Aug 19, Falmouth Road Race, 9:00am

    Sat, Sept 29, Zooma Cape Cod Women’s Race Series (multiple distances & start times), 7:30am

    Sat, Oct 27, Cape Cod Marathon Half*, 7:30am

    Sun, Oct 28, Cape Cod Marathon* & Relay, 8:30am

    *Run both for the Clam Chowda Challenge 39.3 miles

    8. Harwich

    Sat, April 7, Logan’s Run 5K (cancelled in 2018), 9:15am

    Sat, Aug 4, Irish Pub Road Race, 10:00am

    Sun, Sept 30, Cranberry Harvest  Half & 10K (multiple distances & start times), 11:30am

    9. Martha’s Vineyard

    Sat, May 19, Marathon, Half & Relay, 8:30am

    Sun, May 27, Oak Bluff Memorial Road Race, 10:00am

    Aug 5, Amity Island 5K (Edgartown), 9:00am

    Aug 18, Annual 5K Run for Jabberwocky (Edgartown), 9:15am

    Aug 25, Annual Sullivan’s Run/Walk 5K (Oak Bluffs)

    Sept 8, Vineyard Triathalon (Oak Bluffs), 7:00am

    10. Mashpee

    Sun, May 6, Lovin’ Life 5K, 9:00am

    Sat, July 14, Rhiannon McCuish Woodland Run/Walk, 9:00am

    Sat, Oct 20, Screech at the Beach 5K, 11:00am

    11. Nantucket

    Sat, April 29, Daffodil 5K, 9:00am

    Sun, June 23, Small Friends 5K Fun Run, 8:00am

    Sun, Oct 7, Half Marathon, 8:00am

    12. Orleans

    Wed, July 4, Nauset Heights Fun Run (2.2 miles*), 8:30am

    Sat, Sept 1, Five-O 5K, 10:30am

    Sat, Dec 1, Orleans Chamber of Commerce Santa Stampede 5K, 10:30am
    *This race may be limited to residents and guests of that community; it is unclear if it is timed.

    13. Provincetown

    Sat, May 5, Run to the Top, 3:00pm

    Sun, May 27, Diva Dash 5K, 10:00am

    Sun, July 15, AIDS Support Run/Walk 5K, 8:30am

    Sun, July 29, Run the Trails for the Whales 5K, 8:00am

    14. Sandwich

    TBA, Jan 1, 1st Day 5K, 11:00am

    Sat, April 28, Sandwich Cancer Fun Run, 9:00am

    Sat, June 16, Mackenzie’s 5K Run for Crohn’s Disease, 9:00am

    Sat, Sept 22, Cape Cod Moves Y-Not Trail Race & Expo (multiple distances & start times) 8:00am-1:30pm

    Sun, Sept 23, Captain Gerald F. DeConto,USN, Memorial Scholarship 5K Run/Walk, 9:00am

    Sat, Oct 6, Cape Cod 4 Kids 5K, 10:00am

    15. Truro

    Sun, June 10, Ocean to the Bay 5 Mile Run/Walk, 9:00am

    Sun, Sept 23, Truro Treasures Pamet 5K River Run, 9:00am (dog show to follow!)

    16. Wellfleet

    Sun, July 8, Annual Wellfleet Road Race, 8:30am

    Sun, Aug 12, Cape Cod Outer Beach Run, 7:00am

    Sun, Oct 15, Oysterfest Shuck N Run 5K, 9:00am

    17. Yarmouth

    Sat, April 28, D-Y Dolphin Dash 5K

    Sun, May 20, YPD Blue 5K, 11:00am

    Sat, June 16, Run for the Arts, 9:30am

    Sat, Oct 7, Yarmouth Seaside Festival Road Race, 9:00am

    18. Off-Cape

    Buzzards Bay

    Sat, Sept 22, Cape Cod Canal Run for the Troops, 10:00am

    Sagamore Beach

    Sat, Sept 22, Scussett Beach 5K & Family Fun Day, 9:30am

    Wareham

    Sun, June 17, Lazy Lobster 5K, 9:00am

     2018 Races by Calendar Date

    I’ve also compiled the races in chronological order as it may be easier to select races based on your available weekends. Race locations (towns) are listed in bold. Same disclaimer from above applies!

    JANUARY

    TBA, Jan 1

    Sandwich 1st Day 5K, 11:00am

    FEBRUARY

    Sat, Feb 23

    Hyannis Marathon 10K, 10:00am

    Sun, Feb 24

    Hyannis Marathon, Half, 10K and Marathon Team Relay, 9:30am

    MARCH

    Sat, March 10

    Hyannis Shamrock Shuffle, 11:00am

    APRIL

    Sat, April 7
    Harwich Logans Run 5K (cancelled in 2018)
    Sun, April 8
    Falmouth Cape Cod Trail Run 5K, 8:00am-1:30pm starts
    Sat, April 28
    Yarmouth DY Dolphin Dash 5K, 10:00am
    Sandwich Cancer Fun Run 5K, 9:00am
    Sun, April 29
    Nantucket Daffodil 5K, 9:00am
    MAY
    Sat, May 5
    Provincetown Run to the Top, 3:00pm
    Sun, May 6
    Mashpee Lovin’ Life 5K, 9:00am
    Sat, May 12
    All Day Ragnar Relay Cape Cod
    Buzzards Bay (Off-Cape) Feet, Fins and Flippers 5K, 9:00am
    Sat, May 19
    Martha’s Vineyard Marathon, Half & Relay, 8:30am
    Sun, May 20
    Yarmouth YPD Blue 5K, 11:00am
    Sat, May 26
    Sun, May 27

    Barnstable The Great Hyannis Half Marathon & 10K

    Martha’s Vineyard Oaks Bluff Memorial Day Race, 10:00am

    Provincetown Diva Dash 5K, 10:00am

    JUNE
     
    Sun, June 10
    Sat, June 16
    Barnstable Women Running Wild 5K (Osterville), 6:00pm
    Yarmouth Run for the Arts, 9:30am
    Sun, June 17

    Wareham Lazy Lobster 5 or 10K, 9:00am

    Sat, June 23
    Nantucket Small Friends 5K Fun Run, 8:00am
    Sun, June 24
    JULY
    Wed, July 4

    Orleans Nauset Heights Fun Run, 8:30am (unclear if timed/open to the public)

    Sat, July 8

    Wellfleet Annual Wellfleet Road Race, 8:30am

    Sat, July 14
    Sun, July 15

    Provincetown AIDS Support Run/Walk 5K, 8:30am

    Sat, July 21
    Sat, July 28

    Dennis Annual Dennis Road Race, 10:00am

    Sun, July 29

    Provincetown Run the Trails for the Whales 5K, 8:00am

    AUGUST 
    Sat, Aug 4

    Harwich Irish Pub Road Race, 10:00am

    Sun, Aug 5

    Martha’s Vineyard Amity Island 5K (Edgartown), 9:00am

    Thurs, Aug 9

    Barnstable Old Home Week 5K (Centerville)

    Sat, Aug 11

    Brewster Brew Run 5.2, 4:00pm

    Sun, Aug 12

    Wellfleet Cape Cod Outer Beach Run, 7:00am

    Sat, Aug 18

    Brewster PaddleSwimRunWalkKayak Against the Tide, 8:30am

    Martha’s Vineyard 5K Run for Jabberwocky (Edgartown), 9:15am

    Sun, Aug 19

    Falmouth Road Race, 9:00am

    Sat, Aug 25

    Martha’s Vineyard Sullivan’s Run 5K (Oak Bluffs)

    SEPTEMBER
     
    Sat, Sept 1

    Orleans Five-O 5K, 10:30am

    Sun, Sept 2
    Sat, Sept 8

    Barnstable Hyannis Triathalon 2

    Martha’s Vineyard Triathalon (Oak Bluffs)

    Sun, Sept 9
    Sat, Sept 15
    Sat, Sept 22

    Buzzards Bay (Off-Cape) Cape Cod Canal Run for the Troops, 10:00am

    Eastham Run for Health Health, 9:00am

    Sagamore Beach (Off-Cape) Scussett Beach 5K and Family Fun Day, 9:30am

    Sandwich Cape Cod Moves Y-Not Trail Race & Expo (multiple distances & start times), 8:00am-1:30pm

    Sun, Sept 23
    Sat, Sept 29

    Barnstable Annual David Lewis 5K, 10:00am

    Falmouth Zooma Cape Cod Women’s Race Series (multiple distances & start times), 7:30am

    Sun, Sept 30
    OCTOBER
    Sat, Oct 6

    Barnstable Race to Hope 5K/10K, 3:00pm

    Sandwich Cape Cod for Kids 5K, 10:00am

    Sun, Oct 7

    Harwich Cranberry Harvest 10K, 11:30am

    Nantucket Half Marathon, 8:00am

    Yarmouth Yarmouth Seaside Festival Road Race, 9:00am

    Sat, Oct 13

    Brewster Gutcheck Trathalon/Dualathalon, 9:00am

    Sun, Oct 14

     Wellfleet Oysterfest Shunk N Run 5K, 9:00am

    Sat, Oct 20
    Mashpee Screech at the Beach 5K, 11:00am
    Sun, Oct 21
    Sat, Oct 27
    Sun, Oct 28

    Dennis Police Halloween Hustle 5K, 11:00am

    Falmouth Cape Cod Marathon & Relay*, 8:30am

    *Run both for the Clam Chowda Challenge (39.3 miles)!
    NOVEMBER
     
    Sun, Nov 18

    Chatham in the Fall 10K, 11:00am

    Sat, Nov 24

    Dennis Andrea Holden Thanksgiving Race, 10:00am 

    DECEMBER
    Sat, Dec 1

    Orleans Santa Stampede 5K, 10:30am

    I invite the Cape Cod Athletic Club, Falmouth Track Club, Hyannis Road Runners Club, Marathon Sports Mashpee Runners and all other running clubs to Run the Cod Challenge!

    Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod

    Author’s Note: A few weeks back- when Tiger Woods was mounting epic comebacks at The British Open and PGA Championship — I found myself staring in unexpected excitement at the leaderboard. As we all know, Tiger’s overdue comeback eventually fell short, most recently to Mr. Rock Steady Brooks Koepka. The excitement of climbing the leaderboard didn’t just stay with me watching those tournaments, but sparked a decades old memory of my own race to the top.

     
    About 20 years ago, “Bogey Brother” Dan (a reference to our usual per-hole golf score) and I mimicked the chase for leaderboard supremacy, but on a sand bar rather than on a fairway. “Scoop golf” was the game; and we were both pretty good at the art of scooping (flinging) a paddleball off the sand towards a hole (with a flag) anywhere from 50 to 200 yards down and around the beach and/or sandbar as the tides dictated. The game enjoyed a strong following for two summers on Ridgevale Beach in Chatham, with the final tournament of the final season being most memorable.
     

    The Ridgevale Scoop Golf Association (RSGA) Cup. First awarded in 1989, I won it in 1997 after winning 3/4 majors.

    We all know the PGA Tour features four (or should I say “fore”) annual “major” tournaments (The Masters, The U.S. Open, The (British) Open and the PGA Championship). These are the events the scoop golf seasons mimicked, though we called them the Quarter Moon Open, Ridgevale Open, The Masters, and Farewell Tournament for reasons to be explained upon request. Additionally, professional golfers compete for the FedEx Cup, the trophy (and earnings) awarded to the winner of the tour. The scoop golf tour also had a cup dating back to 1989. Finally, another golf competition, the Ryder Cup, features the United States golfers squaring off against their European counterparts in the biennial match play tournament. We never played anyone from another country, but had that third season occurred, who knows. 

     

    The 1997 Scoop Golf major tournament awards. Much to my wife’s chagrin, it’s times like these I’m happy I tend to save things!

    Why all the background you may be asking; these are all important elements that describe a new competition on Cape Cod. Realizing summer was winding down, I felt the need for a dose of mini golf and another “lightbulb moment” occurred – to do a Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod!  

    Other than catching a late afternoon or evening Cape Cod League Baseball game, the “mini golf then ice cream” combination is probably the favorite activity or night cap for most families – and many adults – during summer on the Cape. At last count, there are 20 mini golf courses on Cape Cod, including Martha’s Vineyard. Yarmouth, located on the mid-Cape, is “the home” of mini golf on Cape Cod, similar to Scotland being the home of golf. Admittedly, that is quite the comparison. Yet Yarmouth features four mini golf courses, three of which are consistently top picks or recommendations in every article or activity guide that mentions mini golf. So, yeah, it’s a big deal in the mini golf world.

    The highest ranked mini golfers on Cape Cod!

    This past Labor Day weekend seemed the ideal time to schedule the inaugral Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod. I first pitched the idea to “Frenemy” Matt (Frenemy Matt was mentioned in the cornhole boards post in June) and he was all in. Our better halves reluctunatntly agreed to tag along, though I’m sure the kid in them said heck yeah! After all, mini golf can be the great equalizer; but more likely because of the “ice cream to follow.” The scoring system was a point system, with the format a combination of stroke and match play. Like the scoop golf masters, this tournament would feature “majors.” The course selections were both nostolgic (Arnold’s in Eastham and Cape Escape in Orleans as they are the closest to where we live) as well as highly rated, such as Prirate’s Cove and Skull Island in Yarmouth.

    Pirate’s Cove features two 18-hole courses: Captain’s and Blackbeard’s with pirate history on each hole.  We should have left Matt in the pillory.

    The original idea was to pick a cloudy day and do it all at once. But Labor Day weather turned perfect, so golf was spread out over three days. On the first day, I did work in Yarmouth. Perhaps a little pirate runs through my blood, as I took care of business on Skull Island and Pirate’s Cove—Blackbeard course. I also just missed winning Pirate’s Cove – Captain’s course by a mere stroke. I also was on the winning side of team match play on every set of nine holes except one. After day one, I sat a top the leaderboard with 4 1/2 points, followed by Kate with 2 1/2 points, then Ellen and Matt with 1/2 point each. We added another Matt at Pirate’s Cove-Blackbeard and others were to join the following day.

    The “log” and “bridge” hole at Arnold’s featured a delightful waterfall to soothe any tee box jitters.

    But storm clouds approached as we headed east to the Outer Cape. First, the point system doubled and team match play ended. There was precedent for the points doubling in a recent golf tournament, as it gives everyone a chance to win even if they had a rough round or were just joining the competition. Since mini golf is meant to be fun, this must be the case. If you can hit into a waterfall, windmill or clown’s mouth, you should!

    The shoddy leaderboard. We will do better next season.

    On the second day, despite a field of seven, Matt owned Arnold’s in Eastham, winning the front, back and stroke play as well as just missing an even round by one stroke. The leaderboard was tied just like that at 4 1/2.

    On the final day, I pulled into the parking lot of Cape Escape in Orleans with Jimmy Buffett playing on the golf course speakers. I smiled. This seemed like a sign from the mini golf gods as Matt hates Buffett (that’s not a typo). However, after a solid front 6 and up one stroke, the two level green of Hole 7, ironically named Chatham, sent my ball flying off a brick, off the course and the penalty shot ended up causing a 2 shot swing in favor of the bad guy. Front 9 lost with a bad bounce. It was suddenly 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 to 2 1/2.

    As if the world turned upside down, another bad brick bounce happened on Hole 11 (Barnstable) and Matt gained another stroke leaving little room to make up three shots. I needed aces. With two holes to play, I cut the lead to 3, pretty much insurmountable…unless I aced and he had another “Matt Meltdown,” a playful term coined after his six at Pirate’s Cove-Captain’s course on the second hole. It was painfully comical to watch.
    On Hole 17 (Martha’s Vineyard), I managed honors after winning the 16th and took a good long look at the break. The pace of my putt was near perfect, but the ball just grazed the right of the cup and missed. And on Hole 18 (Nantucket), a similar result; my ball came out of the waterfall and stopped a few inches from the left side of the hole. Another Matt win when points doubled and just like that, the inaugral mini golf masters was over.

    The scorecards of the inaugural Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod.

    Interestingly, after calculating all the scores for our shoddy leaderboard, I discovered an odd anomoly. I actually shot 4 strokes better than Matt. If not for the doubling of the points on the last two rounds (he won 4 points and another 4 points), those two round wins would have matched my two round wins (2 point each), leaving us tied at 4 1/2 points each! (The 1/2s were earned during team match play.) That would have been some way to kick off an inaugral competition. A tie! And what would a tie-break even look like? Play the last hole again? Play the course again? Play another, completely different course? Rock, Paper, Scissors? Hmm. How about using stroke play to break the tie? That would mean I would have won by 4 strokes. Hopefully there will be many more years of the Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod!

    What Cape Cod mini golf courses should be part of the 2019 Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod?

    Run the Cod Challenge Part 1

    The placemat in the background is one of six from 1984 and one of my favorite items in our home.

    Author’s Note: I never thought this would be the case, but I am a runner. It happened by chance, mostly because of my friend Frank’s family connection to the Ragnar Relay races. The challenging distances, mildly competitive divisions, team format and focus on fun, quality and travel, was a great place to start a running career. I graduated onto a few marathons (my first being the Cape Cod Marathon), a handful of halfs, and a bunch of local 10K and 5Ks. I regularly run in three local races each year, otherwise, I keep an eye out for a new race, location, or challenge to keep running fun, fresh and exciting.

     

    All smiles on leg 1 of my first Ragnar Relay Cape Cod. And I made their photo gallery!

    My “I’m a runner realization” dawned on me when people started asking questions about running and seeking input on topics from injury prevention, to gear, to training plans, to the race best bling/swag. One running buddy recently told me about a long standing running challenge she was 1/3 of the way through – Run 169 Towns Society. Not long ago, I had no idea what that meant other than knowing there are 169 towns and cities in Connecticut. She quickly filled me in that this particular challenge is to complete a timed running race in every town (169) in Connecticut. My friend is in her 30s and has already run a race in over 1/3 of the towns. Runners join the group before completing the feat, critical to figuring out how to find a race in some of the smaller rural towns where there may only be one race offered. As she explained the upcoming town races, her excitement was contagious. Later that day, I thought more about the concept of completing races in a specific geographic location and then the lightbulb went off, why not do this in my favorite place in the world, Cape Cod!

    Run the Cod Challenge Part 1-The Challenge.
     

    All jokes before starting my first marathon – Cape Cod Marathon in Falmouth.

    Have you ever wanted to visit a Cape Cod town you’ve never been to, but was not sure “what to do” when you arrived? Well, if you are a runner, plan your next visit around the town’s road race. With Run 169 Town Society (CT) roots in mind, this running challenge is similar: run (or walk) a timed road or trail race in all 15 Cape Cod towns, the 2 islands and 1 off-Cape town (can’t forget our friends on the other side of the canal). Only then, have you Run the Cod!

    Since the initial “light bulb moment,” I determined there were three pieces of the research puzzle that needed to be assembled. First, I needed to know if any existing local running clubs, athletic groups, or any social media savvy south shoreline runners claimed this feat or promoted a similar series/challenge. I found none. Check. Second, I needed to make sure it was even logistically possible to run a road race in every Cape Cod town. It is. Though, as expected, a few towns only offer two events per year, and many events are so small, registration pages are not set up (since permits are not yet acquired) until shortly before the race. Check. The bottom-line; no one is doing this, yet it can be done. As Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother would say, “[Cod] Challenge accepted!”

    Feeling a little tired after finishing the Cape Cod Marathon in Falmouth.

    The final bit of information needed was to list – and make a calendar of – all the races in each town to get a sense of the schedule. At last count, there are over 70 races on Cape Cod, the Islands as well as plenty off-Cape, particularly in Plymouth. Races are spread through the busy summer tourist season as well as shoulder seasons as part of a local celebration or annual event (Wellfleet Oysterfest hosts a 5K, New Year’s Day celebrations hosts “First Day 5ks,” some pubs host their own timed fun run, etc.), and can be a big economic driver for the host town. Check.

    This challenge is a great way for runners and lovers of Cape Cod to better understand each town’s history, community and cultural identity while supporting the economy through lodging, shopping, eating and drinking (fun will be had by all). Additionally, most road races tend to have a local nonprofit partner or charitable program, which benefits from the net proceeds. That’s right, in addition to supporting the business community, you are also supporting a good cause and helping those in need. Even better! And of course, running requires a little motivation and physical activity so on top of it all, you are getting in those steps and burning off those chowder calories. Winning!

    Team Monomoy Legs Tired (“Man-are-my-legs-tired was the idea) at the finish line of our first Ragnar Relay Cape Cod in 2013.

    So, if you are up for traveling to – or around – Cape Cod, exploring every town, clipping on a running bib, and bringing some friends along, then join me in accepting the Run the Cod Challenge. As Barney Stinson would also say, “It’s gonna be legendary!”

    Run the Cod Challenge Part 2 will feature a list of Cape, Islands and off-Cape road races. (Finding and linking all the race websites is proving to be a labor of love!)
    Happy Running on Cape Cod!