Actively on Vacation

It’s hard for many doctors to “unplug” from clinical duties. And it can be hard for anyone to be physically active when they’re away. But last week, we were actively on vacation in every sense of the phrase. And it felt wonderful.

The week prior, I had had to wrap things up and flee the office rather suddenly for my mother-in-law’s funeral in upstate New York. While sad, it was also a warm and comforting gathering of family and friends, a time to look through old photos and re-tell stories from years past.

Our last day in New York was the day before our booked vacation on Cape Cod. We rustled the kids up at dawn, drove the six hours home, then frantically set about unpacking, doing laundry, and re-packing. That is, until one of our neighbors threw an impromptu craft beer tasting party on her porch. All of our frenetic efforts halted for at least a few hours, for at least a few beers.

That night was a late one… Then we rustled the kids up at dawn again, this time to drive (and ferry, twice) several hours to our destination for the week. This somewhat isolated natur-y and beach-y area was fairly quiet, and we often had vast swaths of gorgeous shoreline to ourselves. And though I can honestly say we relaxed, we also never stopped moving.

We were situated right between two large beachfront nature reservations managed by The Trustees. Hubby and I got our long runs in, and the kids just, well, ran around. We never made plans in advance; it just felt right to go hiking, swimming, kayaking, walking, running, climbing…

If anyone is in this area and wants a recommendation for a vacation that’s peaceful, outdoorsy, rustic, active, and yet very close to all the usual Cape-y stuff, I do recommend looking at this small island and all that it has to offer.