Dukes County Highpoint Trip Report
Peaked Hill
Date: August 14, 2008
Author: Don Desrosiers
Having booked the two island ferry tour, I got the fast ferry from Nantucket to
Oak Bluffs. Realizing my tactical error on Nantucket, I tried to see about
renting a bike. Unfortunately, they closed before I would have been able to get
back and a taxi ride would have been very expensive.
Thus I fell back onto plan C, a moped. I had never been on one of these things
in my life but learned quickly enough. Traffic was heavy but people weren't
too unreasonable as long as I moved over to let them pass.
The directions provided at the moped place and the map I had were sufficient.
Roads are not signed but I was able to figure out my route with only one missed
turn. The gravel road noted by Mike Schwartz is now signed as Pasture Road.
Otherwise, the trailhead and the peak are easy enough to find.
Just to make me feel welcome, it began to rain lightly on the way back to
Oak Bluffs. On the way back, I was nearly taken out by a local wild turkey.
I could see the headlines, "Local Turkey Takes Out Turkey Tourist".
A deer running across the road in front of me did cause quick brake work.
I further managed to upset a number of drivers by stopping at crosswalks for
pedestrians as per state law. I am not certain CT drivers should be allowed to
drive on Martha’s Vineyard but then again I am unconvinced that CT drivers
should be allowed to drive in CT.
Got the quick ferry back to Hyannis.
To mock me, there was a light rain the next morning at the campground
(Shawme-Crowell State Forest) but the sun came out as I drove off of the Cape.