Walk With Me To The Dark Tower -- At The Center of Buzzards Bay

Today's #Walkwithme fulfills a mission I set for myself three years ago!

Since we moved to Toad Hall, I've been staring out at this mysterious line of stones with a tower at the end of it. You can just about make it out in the picture below. (Don't forget you can right click to open an image in a new tab. I upload most things at desktop size in case anyone wants to make a wallpaper or use the photos for a project of their own.)

Yeah, there it is!

That's the one. (This is another shot taken with the Coolpix I mentioned this morning. The zoom really is amazing. That tower is 4km or 2.5 miles away, and this is 100% optical zoom.)

I'd always assumed that spit was just rocks and nothing more, but then I got ambitious with the kayak one day and checked it out. Turns out there's 200' of sand piled between the rocks, with a wonderful dirt track running along it. I knew then that I'd have to run it.

Of course, there's a lot of "no trespassing" and "private property" signs between the road and this place, and a couple of gates that you can't drive past without a key. I didn't want to be a complete asshole about it, so I checked online and found lots of stories of people hiking there despite the signs. Later I asked a real estate agent friend from the area if she thought I'd get in trouble for running the dirt roads to access the dike. She said "No, just tell them you're checking out a place for me."

A good view of Cape Cod's iconic railroad bridge.

I was determined to make the run from Toad Hall to the end of the dike and back. Turns out it's 12 miles round-trip. Almost a half-marathon. But just as I was gearing up for it, I had to go and tear up my tendons. I've been slowly building my distance back up ever since.

Well, today was the day. Clear cool weather, bright winter sun, and enough heavy wind to make running to the center of the bay feel dramatic rather than uncomfortable. I was thankful for a hoodie that I could tie up tight around my face.

I didn't bother photographing the wood-paths and the suburban neighborhood parts of the run, because I've shared enough of those pictures already. But as usual, I couldn't resist pulling out the cellphone once I reached the dike. (A shame I couldn't bring the Coolpix with me, but I don't think it would have survived the abuse or the sand. Maybe I'll get a cheap pocket camera for runs like this. Any recommendations? Something with a little optical zoom at least?)

It really is amazing out here, guys. This dike stretches on for two miles. With the sun in your face and the wind blowing across and four miles of endorphin-producing road behind you, it feels literally heavenly to be running along this track, which stretches straight across the water to eternity.

Gradually, though, the dark tower starts to peek above the horizon. It's hard to believe you're reaching the end. It's hard to believe there can be an end. But it grows. Gradually at first. Then all at once. And suddenly you are here.

It turns out the dark tower isn't all that dark after all. It's just a sort of beacon-marker directing ships towards the mouth of the canal.

There were no signs that said not to climb this ladder, so I did take a peek at the top. There was a bunch of equipment up there that looked pretty official, and with the wind being so strong I didn't feel safe maneuvering around it to pull out my camera.

Still, from the top of the concrete base I was able to look back at how far I'd come, both along the dike...

And from home. (You'll have to take my word for it that Toad Hall is there, but it is! Above the trees is the water tower I photographed in my early January Walkwithme.)

The problem with round-trip running is, you come all this way, and then you've got to go back. That means I was only halfway done! I did take a few minutes to check out the local art scene.

And breathe in the fresh scent of the hay as it waved in the sea breeze.

But my temperature was dropping fast in that wind, and it was time to get moving again.

The whole run took two hours, including picture time. I'm so grateful that my legs came through this injury free, since this was a good 50% longer than my usual run. I'll be resting again tomorrow, and then doing a few shorter runs, but I hope to repeat this run a few more times before summer comes and it gets uncomfortably hot. (And the people responsible for those no tresspassing signs are actually home.) Next time I do this I'm going to set up the Coolpix camera before I go and have the wife take my picture from 4 km away. That would be pretty damn cool.

And as I'm writing this, the sun is setting, and giving me an even better picture to use as my thumbnail.

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Thanks for reading, and thanks as always to @lyndsaybowes for encouraging the use of the #walkwithme tag, and to all the wonderful steemians who have shared their walks, runs, motorcycle trips, and other assorted peregrinations.

How was your adventure today?