The directions were written perfectly not by a truck driver but by a desk jockey who has never pulled anything bigger than a Boston Whaler.

All the local yokels who have delivered here knew not to turn into Shaw’s from the back entrance. It was passed down from driver to driver, truck to truck, trainer to apprentice. There was simply not enough space to back a 53 footer – too many obstacles (dumpsters, parking bollards) that were conveniently placed to get in the way. The parking lot should have been designed by a contemporary abstract artist, not a yard jockey.

The right way and the only way to back the trailer into the loading dock was to come in through the front parking lot — amidst the non-stop flow of minivans and midsized SUVs – mothers with kids and the elderly making their way to pick up something quick and easy for dinner.

All the truck drivers knew that and shared that, but somehow it fell on deaf ears to the overtaxed dispatchers.

So as the weekend pinch hitter, I followed the directions to a T and came in through the back entrance, a decision I would soon regret. And by the time I squeezed my trailer neatly behind the loading dock, dinner time had come and gone.

It was a hell of a weekend as the record-breaking heat wave intensified reaching triple digits, a rarity for New England. The sweltering denizens and tourists of Cape Cod needed groceries and water and I was sent in as a relief driver to service the Cape from Hyannis to Orleans.

I soon found out to my dismay that there is only one way to the Cape. And on a sultry hot day, city folks from neighboring states were heading to the shores to cool down and there were massive backups to the Sagamore Bridge.

Shaw’s is a superb grocery chain stocked with my favorite Lobster rolls, clam chowder, Cape Cod kettle-cooked potato chips and Nantucket nectars. At each stop at the supermarket, I was sure to sample some groceries. I was happy to do the work, but on both days of this boiling New England weekend, they didn’t look out for me.

The saving grace to the nightmare weekend was that I actually had a chance to visit the highly acclaimed beaches of Cape Cod. Thanks to the government strict ten-hour sleeper requirement, I had plenty of time to go beach-hopping after delivering my loads.

Whether you’re a fan of deep ocean beaches or shallow tidal pools along the bay there’s something for everyone in Cape Cod. Some beaches you can walk half mile without getting the warm bay water over your knees. Some of the beaches are so hard-packed you can drive on it, but I wouldn’t dare take my semi tractor on it. Some of the beaches are so barren, you can go for a long run without running into anybody. On Skaket Beach in the west Bay side, the water is shallow and warm and you can walk half a mile in the evenings towards the setting sun.

And some of the beaches such as Nauset near Orleans on the ocean side have less beach-goers dipping into the water. And it’s not due to shark sightings. The water still feels chilly, even this late in the season. And as you submerge your body to your chin, you’ll feel the cold arctic zone in your toes.

In Hyannis, sloop rigged sailboats are anchored in the harbor a stone’s throw from the rock-strewn beach. Some parts of the Cape even have a decent onshore wind for surfing.

Meeko seemed to love hiding inside sand castle moats. And whether she wanted to or not, we took a dip together in the tidal pool to wash off all the sand before we got back into the truck.

Skaket Beach is so unique with ankle-deep tidal pools the size of football fields – during low tide, it’s almost impossible to get fully wet.