Fear and Loathing on Cape Cod – July 2019

It does not get better than driving with my good friends Raoul and Dr. Gonzo (“Don’t worry – I’ll remember your face”) down to the Cape (Cape Cod for you non-New Englanders).

Our goal was to attend the annual Michael McGuire Gallery “Opening” (https://michaelmcguire.net) in P’town (Provincetown) this past weekend. Michael McGuire, a life-long friend and artist, along with his son Colin and friend Nancy Pettibone, offer some of their artwork at Michael’s gallery on Commercial Street.

Michael has “opened” his gallery around this time, every year, for years. If you have the chance, you should check out his gallery or visit his website (https://michaelmcguire.net) – the artwork is fabulous!

But we didn’t start at the opening. Oh, no no no.

We started at Raoul’s house in Lincoln. After an exhausting two-hour drive, we felt compelled to stop in Orleans at the Land Ho (photos courtesy their website). No trip of this duration can happen without proper nourishment.

However, this was not a random restaurant selection. It was a selection honed over the course of time and experience. While I have not been able to participate each year, its choice has been made annually – for years. This has nothing to do with its food, its’ attention to detail, or its’ ambience. It just is. The whole idea behind having a tradition is, well, to do the same freaking thing over and over again. It doesn’t have to be right. Or good. It just has to be. So, we performed as you would expect. And I am pleased to announce we were not thrown out.

Satiated with food and lubrication (for now), we left Orleans a slightly richer community (and us a little poorer) and continued our journey. Next stop? Golf at Chequessett Yacht and Country Club (photo courtesy Chequessett website). No, Buffy, this is not as up-tight-white as it sounds – it is a really gorgeous public golf course (and country club) overlooking the bay side in Wellfleet. Unfortunately, they called to tell us that the greens were still wet from rains. Or that’s what they told us. Pool, pond… pond is good for you.

Plan B turned out to be playing 9 holes at the Highland Links in North Truro. This is probably more like a Plan A-revised – it is a beautiful course that overlooks the Cape Cod Light and the ocean side of the Cape. Sitting on the Cape Cod National Seashore, not only is it stunning, but historically it is the oldest golf course on Cape Cod (established 1892) – for those of you who keep track.

You may notice in one or two of the pictures that Raoul and Dr. Gonzo seem to be looking for their balls or playing in tall grass. Pay no attention to this particular appearance – it is just a camera lens aberration. They were actually striking the balls with precision and strength. Did that sound sincere enough?

Having proven our talents at golf, it was time to reward ourselves at the next required stop on this trip – the Beachcomber, in Wellfleet. The Beachcomber, with virtually no signs pointing to it, or even at the location, is known only by locals and word of mouth to be the best place to go for a little entertainment after the beach (or in our case golf). We have frequented this haunt over MANY years, and it never disappoints.

The Beachcomber overlooks Cahoon Hollow Beach. It is lucky to still exist as the dunes in front of it have washed away from storms over the years and have had to been repaired. But there is no better place to have a drink, laugh, grab a bite, eat some oysters or dance after spending a day at the beach. There’s only room for about 50-60 cars, so get there early. Remember: it’s 8 am somewhere…

We met some awesome people there at the outside bar – fans of the LA Dodgers, surgeons and salespeople to name a few. But in spite of those obvious transgressions, you could not have found a better group of people to share a little time and laughter! Due to witness protection concerns, I am not allowed to share any further photos.

Instead of opting to eat at the Beachcomber, we continued on to PJ’s – the best shack on the outer Cape to get a lobster roll and frappe (pronounced “frap” – think milk shake for you Midwesterners). PJ’s is another one of those required stops when out on the Cape – a rite of passage, so to speak.

When you get to P’town, whether you are gay, straight, or something else, it really helps to be open-minded, non-judgmental, and accepting of others. Actually, that’s just a good life lesson no matter where you are. Can I get an amen?

Walking the streets of P’town is always entertaining – from the galleries, to the restaurants and bars, to the shopping… it is a fun town to walk, bike, beach, eat, drink or watch.

P’town is a great place and we were here for the night, staying at a small motel (Sandbar) on the bay side, with great views over the water and towards P’town.