Chatham, MA: A Return to Cape Cod's Elbow

It's one of those nearly impossible to believe Cape Cod spring mornings as I walk to breakfast on Chatham's Main Street in one of the world's best places to walk. I've just left one Main Street institution, The Chatham Wayside Inn and heading to another; Sandi's Diner. Along the way I see quite a few people out stirring around, mostly locals this time of year before the deluge of summer visitors hit town in about a month. I observe none of the New Englander's reputation of crabbiness as everyone seems to be glad to be out and about after another bear of a New England winter that did live up to its reputation. As my ears register the distinctive twang of the New England tongue, I realize it's been way too long since my last visit.

At Sandi's I order my favorite Crab Cakes Benedict and watch at the far end of the counter as Sandi herself does the frying and poaching. As usual, a good cross section of Chatham society has chosen Sandi's for breakfast and the smiling faces and no doubt juicy gossip being thrown around tells me things are right with this little part of the world.

After a very filling breakfast, I decide to walk some of it off by strolling back down Main Street. Just a bit of mist hangs in the air as the village really starts to come alive. I've noticed on each prior visit, this is a very dog centric kind of place and it holds true yet again as dogs and their humans partake in an informal parade of breeds on both sides of the street. I make my way all the way to Chatham Light, the lighthouse that has warned mariners about the potential danger of the bars along Chatham's coastline. The scene is, as always, mesmerizing as the sun patiently burns off the remaining remnants of fog and mist to reveal the pristine blue of the Atlantic. The beach area is already alive with early morning joggers and walkers and, of course, plenty of dogs.

Chatham Seaside Links is directly behind my room at The Wayside and, without fail, playing golf on this small patch of land that's just steps from Main Street is a big part of my Chatham experience. The course, once part of the iconic Chatham Bars Inn, is a very short track that's now run by the village. It's not anywhere close to a high end type place at all but, I enjoy golf here more than any super manicured course I've ever had the pleasure to play. Almost every time I've teed it up I've ended up meeting or playing with someone that's just as happy as I am to have the privilege of walking the rough around the edges fairways. It's just a great way to venture back to a simpler time if only for a little while.

After I spend just about all afternoon on the links, it's time for another of my Chatham rituals; clam chowder and beer at the Squire.

The Squire is yet another of Chatham's iconic gathering spots and the bar is a pretty hopping place year round and almost always overflowing in the summer. I've hit it lucky today as the Red Sox are playing an afternoon game and I've found the combination of chowder and happy Sox fans is really hard to beat. As the warmth of both the chowder and the enthusiastic patrons starts to sink in, I look back on my day and wonder if there will be another one down the road that's just as special.