The canal is one of my favorite paved walks anywhere: mostly flat, a good long distance, no cars to dodge, scenic, predictable surface, trash free, periodic bathrooms, and water fountains - it's a pretty perfect long walk.
When walking the canal, I like to wear a tiny electronic device barely larger than a postage stamp (iPod Shuffle) that plays back my selected music with a fidelity and presence that almost sounds live. I hope I'm not singing along unbeknownst to me - but with some of the looks I get from other passersby, I think I must be grunting discordantly on occasion.
I enjoy this place. I have no need to go somewhere else, I'm already here. Sometimes it's best to just be where I am - no planning, no future, just here now. A brisk walk in a beautiful place with favorite music does just that. Is it retirement, resignation, denial, or peace of mind? I don't know - but I like it.
Some folks just stand and stare. Wrong shoes for walking?
Some folks cruise in their sailboat with sails furled.
Some folks sail their sailboat.
And if you walk up on the Sagamore bridge from the Friendly's restaurant or the commuter parking lot on the north side of the canal, you get the bird's eye view of the Sagamore recreation area parking lot, the walking/bike trail, and the distant east end of the canal where it connects to Cape Cod Bay.
The Sagamore Bridge was constructed in 1933-35 and requires ongoing maintenance (to the consternation of the drivers who often sit in long traffic back-ups during lane closures). This is the underside of the bridge, a study in geometry and practicality, where they constructed a temporary access walkway for workers to get to and from and perform work under the bridge.
Looking down from the bridge.
Some folks stand and fish.
Some just sit - (it's Harvey - that's why you can't see him).
Whatever your outdoor pursuit of choice, the canal is a great place to do it.
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