brewster – HappyCapeCod

Save Millstone Road or Sidewalk for Kids, Brewster

The intersection of Route 137 and Millstone Road, Brewster. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

by Jeff Shaw

Like many, I tend to take Millstone Road, the 2.5-mile residential road, when getting around in Brewster. The winding, somewhat scenic road, connects Route 137 near a Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) crossing and Route 6A across from the Sea Camp property (and near a different CCRT crossing). I say “somewhat scenic” because while many homes are set back from the road and separated naturally by trees, scrub pine and deep woods, the roadway lacks sweeping views of ocean, fresh water ponds, dunes or gardens that showcase the Cape’s natural beauty.

Also like me, you may have noticed some colorful lawn signs dotting the landscape along the shoulder of the road. The signs illustrate the battlelines of a multi-year campaign on the future of the road. Indeed, the opposing positions are: “Save Millstone Road,” i.e., preserve the “scenic” character of the road or “Sidewalks for Kids,” i.e., make the road more pedestrian-friendly for all users.

A Save Millstone Road lawn sign on Millstone Road. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

This hyperlocal political hot potato dates back to 2015, when the town adopted a Complete Streets policy, backed by $10 million in funding. Complete street policies intend to make roads more pedestrian and bike friendly. In Millstone Road’s case, the proposal included a five foot bike lane and five foot sidewalk, in addition to the 11 foot two-way vehicle travel lane. Just shy of $6 million is available for the project.

According to the Brewster Town Administer, almost 25 percent of the town lives on or off Millstone Road. So yeah, there are bound to be strong opinions worthy of signage.

Not living in Brewster, it is easy to say, build the dang bike lane/sidewalk already! And down with nimbyism! While tempting, I also understand homeowners worrying about paving over grassy areas, narrower driving lanes and having to double-check for passing bicycles and vehicles every time they turn into or out of, their driveway.

A Sidewalks for Kids lawn sign on Millstone Road. Photo credit: Ellen Shaw.

The town does have a Bikeways Committee, but the link is invalid to their Comprehensive Strategy. The plan, reviewed and approved by the Board of Selectman, probably provides additional context and/or economic and community benefit information.

Indeed, a quick glance at a Cape Cod Commission (CCC) map re: Biking in Brewster, suggests building the bike lane and sidewalk makes sense. Just look at this map.

Millstone Road is sandwiched (Cape town pun intended) between 1,900 acre Nickerson State Park (with its own 8-mile paved recreational trail network) and the 30+ mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, the majority of which runs through Brewster. Enabling more people to travel safely to these recreational areas (not to mention nearby Cape Cod Bay side beaches), is a benefit for residents and visitors.

Further, according to the CCC map, Millstone Road is already deemed a “Regional Bicycle Road,” albeit a dangerous one given the twists and turns of the shoulder-less road.

Having written much about biking on Cape Cod, I’m super biased. I say, build the dang bike lane/sidewalk! But be sure to maximize the “occasionally buffered grass strips” that would help preserve the character of Millstone Road, too.

July 5, 2022

Visit All 10 Cape Cod Baseball League Parks in One Weekend

by Jeff Shaw

The distance between the teams located farthest from one another is 47 miles. Photo credit: Google maps.

The month of June is known for many things; graduations, maximum daylight, outdoor concerts and endless replays of Alice Cooper’s Schools Out [for summer]. But on Cape Cod, the month of June means the beginning of a wonderful tradition and summer rite of passage: the Cape Cod Baseball League.

If you need a refresher, ten teams located between Wareham (just off-Cape) and Orleans, (Lower Cape), compete annually in this officially NCAA sanctioned summer league. (Though, as many books point out, the origins of organized baseball on Cape Cod are local and amateur.) Most professional scouts love to be assigned to the Cape League because of the concentration of teams. As an example, the distance between Wareham and Orleans, the two farthest outposts of the 10-team league, is a mere 47 miles. Conversely, teams in leagues in larger geographical areas may be separated by 47 miles each!

Indeed, closeness and geography makes the Cape Cod Baseball League special. So why not see for yourself and visit each team’s ballpark this summer? Below is a plan to do just that…in a single weekend. You read that right, it can be done:

Double Header Weekends. The weekends of June 17-19 (Father’s Day) and June 24-26 both have double headers on Sunday. The earliest double header begins at 2pm (at Cotuit) and the latest double header begins at 5pm (at Chatham). Meaning you can easily catch three complete games and probably see even more games if you only stay for a few innings and move along. Watching three complete games sounds like the ultimate ‘summer catch’ [Cape League-based movie pun intended]!

Last Weekend. The July 29-31 games are the last regular season weekend games. If you are savvy, you can catch games (heading East) at Hyannis (6pm) Harwich (6:30pm), Orleans (6:30pm) and Chatham (7pm) on Friday; start Saturday in Brewster (4pm) and then proceed West to Wareham (6pm—crossing the bridge should be okay on a Saturday), then head back over the bridge and down to Falmouth (6pm). On Sunday, start in YD at 4:30pm, then head West to the second half of the Cotuit game (4:30pm) and then the middle of the game at Bourne (6pm).

Unique Game Locations. Four Cape League teams will travel off-Cape for regular season game play. The first game between YD vs. Hyannis will be Wednesday, July 20 at 11:00am at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford, home of the Class AA Hartford Yard Goats, affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. The second game between Bourne vs. Wareham will be Monday, July 25 at 6:45pm at Polar Park in Worchester, home of the Worcester Red Sox. And of course, don’t forget the All-Star Game on Saturday, July 23 at 6:00pm in Wareham.

Pinned locations of all ten Cape Cod Baseball League teams, color coded by West and East Divisions. Photo credit: CCBL.

Below are the addresses to the fields of all ten teams.

Fields: https://gatemen.org/schedule/directions-to-ccbl-fields/

Brewster Whitecaps (Eastern Division)

Stoneybrook Elementary School, 384 Underpass Rd, Brewster, MA 02631

Chatham Anglers (Eastern Division)

Veteran’s Field; 702 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633

Harwich Mariners (Eastern Division)

Whitehouse Field; 75 Oak Street, Harwich, MA 02645

Orleans Firebirds (Eastern Division)

Eldredge Park; 78 Eldredge Park Way, Orleans, MA 02653

Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (Eastern Division)

Red Wilson Field; 210 Station Avenue, So. Yarmouth, MA 02664

Bourne Braves (Western Division)

Doran Park, 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne

Cotuit Kettlers (Western Division)

Lowell Park; 10 Lowell Avenue, Cotuit, MA 02635

Falmouth Commodores (Western Division)

Guv Fuller Field, Main St., Falmouth Center

Hyannis Harbor Hawks (Western Division)

McKeon Field; 120 High School Road, Hyannis, MA 02601

Wareham Gatemen (Western Division)

Clem Spillane Field, Rte. 6, Wareham Center at 54 Marion Road and Viking Drive

June 3, 2022

Shoe Pole on Tubman Road, Brewster

by Jeff Shaw

On a recent drive to Mayflower Beach (bay side), I spotted a curious sight. Something you surely have seen before, perhaps in your neighborhood; discarded shoes. But these pairs were not merely abandoned on the side of the road, they were nailed neatly to a telephone pole!

As most locals, insiders, and GPS afficionados may know, Tubman Road in Brewster is a wonderful short cut to Route 6A from Chatham. The intersection of Route 137 and Route 6A tends to back-up from vehicles attempting to turn left on the bustling Kings Highway. Drivers and bikers alike can avoid the slog and exhaust fumes by barring left just after the Cape Cod Rail Trail crossing near Ferretti’s.

This curious “shoe pole” can be found along a wooded area about a quarter of a mile from the Brewster Sportsman’s and Civic Club. My first theory attempted to connect the shoes and the gun range, perhaps target practice fodder. Alas, most of the footwear appear in remarkably good shape.

About three dozen shoes hang, sadly, like a Christmas tree in February. Sagging and out of place. To continue with the analogy, the “ornaments” range considerably, from flip-flops, to hiking boots, to running shoes, of all sizes and colors. If the shoes didn’t have a nail hammered through the toe box, they would probably be eligible for donation.

Theory #1: The shoes were targets from nearby Brewster Sportsman’s and Civic Club. Doubtful.

As for the backstory, details are thin. As in non-existent. My half-ass internet research (a term of endearment coined by Bill Simmons of the Rewatchables Podcast) revealed a similar footwear telephone pole in Perkins, Missouri of all places. Sadly, there was no obvious connection to Cape Cod. Yet another theory debunked.

Interestingly, there have been past attacks on telephone poles in Brewster. Just last summer, a FedEx truck “struck one pole, toppled another and damaged a third while knocking out power for over 200 neighbors.” Fortunately, the driver was not injured and no pedestrians were involved in the accident.

The scene of an accident between a FedEx truck and telephone poles, about four miles from Tubman Road. Photo credit: CapeCod.com

That incident happened at Slough Road at James Burr Road, over four miles from Tubman Road, so a FedEx related theory is also unlikely.

So, three thin theories, all of which have been debunked. Looks like local intel will be needed to solve the mystery. Otherwise, the shoe pole will just remain a curious sight along a short cut to Cape Cod Bay.

April 4, 2022

Ancient Trail in Brewster

The well-worn ancient path near McGuerty Road. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

If you are looking for trails less traveled, consider an ancient and secluded path off Route 137 in Brewster. According to local historian Russ Allen, the pathway is the remnant of a Native American trail one time called the Wading-Place Path, which originally began at Chatham’s Old Harbor and ended at Arey’s Pond in Orleans. Make no mistake, this is not the modern day coastal route of scenic Route 28!

Cruising along Route 137 heading north, I almost missed the abrupt turn onto the dirt, pot-hole-filled McGuerty Road. The trailhead is unmarked at the road’s dead end. It is remarkable that this centuries-old trail has lasted the test of time. At least, this inland section.

A trail junction in Town Well Field. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Of note, I did not prepare for this trail exploration with maps or by local word of mouth. This minor detail will prove important. Ever since listening to a conversation by the author Chris Colin of the funny book “Off: The Day the Internet Died,” I decided to stop using the internet to learn every little detail about a place, activity or experience and instead get back into the business of good old fashion guess work – and getting a little lost.

After meandering my way up, down and around the well-worn dirt path, I eventually reached a trail junction with three directional options. At this point, I was in a good “runner’s groove” and didn’t think much of departing from the main trail. But after 20 minutes, a couple more turns, and no other human in sight, I reached a fence separating the woods and the Mid-Cape Highway. Oh no! I was lost.

A trail ends at the Mid-Cape Highway/Route 6. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

My first instinct was to access maps on my phone. I resisted this urge. I didn’t want to turn to technology so quickly. The Native Americans who formed the trail sure couldn’t. Maybe bumping into a helpful stranger would solve the problem. Unlikely, as I only passed one other person (a mountain biker) during the first ten minutes on the trail. I calmly began re-tracing my steps.

A Brewster Conservation Trust map notes the name of the forest is Town Well Field. The map designates walking trails as “Mapped Walking Trail,” “Other Large Walking Area” or “Other Walking Area.” Town Well Field is designated “Other Walking Area,” which suggests the area is not visited often. Later, I would learn even Google maps doesn’t distinguish the area as woods (green overlay) nor outline trails or landmarks. The area is basically a void on all maps.

A small pile of stones beneath a tree marks the path back to the car. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

As I worked my way away from the sun, which had been in my eyes after that first turn, I stumbled upon a remarkably simple and perhaps symbolic sign. A pile of stones beneath a tree at the trail junction. I remembered seeing the stones out of the corner of my eye when first turning. Is that the sign back to the main trail? Sure enough, the natural sign turned me onto the pathway which took me back to my car.

By the time I burst out of the woods onto the dirt road, I had clocked over 4 miles. Sure, I was lost for more than half of it. But still, there was something comforting about finding my way out of that predictament without resorting to technology.

A faded blue metal sign indicates one of the many trailheads to Town Well Field conservation area. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

There is another parking lot off Route 137 between Twinturn Lane and Katherine’s Lane to access the area. A well-worn blue sign marks the trailhead.

If you need to “find your path,” get lost on the Wading-Place Path for a while!