Cape Cod, Day 2

Sunrise over a cranberry bog near our campground on the mainland.

 The cranberries are still green.

Our goal for the second day on Cape Cod was to see the National Seashore. Not an easy task we found out, with all the traffic. Cape Cod is not RV parking friendly. The parking lot at this lighthouse was already full, so picture on the fly.

WE did find a parking spot at 3-Sisters Lighthouses

No longer in operation

A stop at the Visitor's Center alerted us of the only beach that may have RV parking, and so there was. Here's Nan heading over the dunes on the boardwalk.

For our first glimpse of the National Seashore.

There may have been space in the parking lot, but not much space on the beach!

All of the beaches are dog-friendly, as long as you walk down past where the lifeguards are.

Lots of people having fun in the surf. We gave up trying to walk past them in the deep sand.

So on with our tour... glad it wasn't a windy day.

More dunes as seen from the highway.

I was surprised there were no views of the shore from the road.

A shady canopy and light traffic along this stretch.

We thought we'd climb to the top of Pilgrim's Tower for a great view.

But when we got there, foot and vehicle traffic was heavy, and no room in the parking lot....so another pic on the fly.

There was parking in the second Visitor's Center, and this distant view of a lighthouse.

Zoomed

Not sure what this building is.

The National Seashore is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

Amphitheater at the Visitor's Center....nothing going on.

Another view from the VC. Airport in the foreground.

Incoming aircraft

Cape Air

A lot of bicyclists, carrying beach gear.

Not all my pictures on the fly come out good. Here are a couple of bad ones...

Little beach houses blocked the view of the beaches along the south shore.

It's all about the beach here....lot of stores like this.

So we left the National Seashore and headed back west to explore the town of Sandwich.

We found the Crosby Mansion which is being restored, but not open for tours yet.

The owner was there with workers and proudly gave us a personal tour of the downstairs.

THe house is a love story. The builder wanted to preserve his childhood home, but his new wife wanted a mansion.

So instead of tearing down the childhood home, he built a mansion around it.

He could retreat to his childhood home simply by passing through a doorway.

Or back into elegance to entertain guests.

The "man-cave"

A picture of the original mansion. The tower was lost in a storm.

First Church of Christ in Sandwich, established in 1638

We had an engaging tour of Dexter's Grist Mill, provided by two seasoned volunteers.

One of the tour guides bags the corn meal.

The corn comes from the Champlain Valley of NY

It is placed in the hopper.

Corn drops slowly onto the mill stones.

Ground corn falls down this chute where it is bagged. I bought a bag which comes with a bunch of recipes. So far I've made the Indian Pudding recipe twice. Good.

Dexter's Mill

I have now crossed Cape Cod off my list. If I ever go again it will have to be after Labor Day in hopes of finding fewer crowds and more parking.