What a wonderful surprise New Jersey was!! We enjoyed the well maintained trail, moderate terrain and great sights along the way!!! We definitely recommend the New Jersey section of the AT to one and all.
Tuesday 4 August 2015
Today we ended at High Point State Park and another CVMA brother came to our rescue. Chris and his wife Rebecca picked us up, took us in for the night, let us zero one day and slack packed us another. It was a great stay and I owe them several bike washings/polishings.
CVMA brother Big Red and Hendo
Thursday 6 August 2015
High Point State Park to NJ Highway 284
Highest point in New Jersey
A deer out for an early morning forage, crossing the AT
A great bench fashioned out of some felled trees, got to take a moment to enjoy a bench
Cardinal Flower
Beautiful New Jersey countryside, Hendo's Mom hiking north
Today was an amazingb day of wildflowers. Everywhere we looked New Jersey rewarded us with amazing displays of wildflowers.
Queen Anne's Lace
Looseleaf
Ironweed
The boardwalks in NJ are amazing, Hendo's Mom
Cat Tail
Hendo enjoying the boardwalks through the boggy swamplands of NJ, the mosquitos are huge and a headnet is a must
A field of purple Bergamot wildflowers
Chicken in the Woods
Friday 7 August 2015
Great Blue Heron in Wallkill Reserve
Some sort of Momma bird and her babies
A turtle on the trail through Wallkill Reserve
Hendo's Mom hiking around Wallkill Reserve
One of the many Egrets we saw
We think this was a Sand Crane
An Egret and baby geese enjoying the pond
Egrets Sparring Video
Saturday 8 August 2015
The view from intop Pochuck Mtn, off in the distance is the highest point in NJ
Looking out from Pochuck Mtn across the valley to the highest point in NJ
Looseleaf
Amazing boardwalk through the swamp just south of Vernon, NJ
Hendo trying to make it in place before the auto timer went off...too late
Made it in time before the timer this time, Hendo's Mom and Hendo
Sunday 9 August 2015
Zeroed at St Thomas Church in Vernon, NJ
Monday 10 August 2015
Vernon, NJ to NJ/NY border
Michelle and her dog Trooper were out for a day hike and headed back down the "Stairway to Heaven" just north of Vernon, NJ. Trooper was worn out and hot and made himself at home is a puddle of water along the trail, smart puppy dog!!
Our last sunrise in NJ.
Wednesday 12 August 2015
NY border to Wildcar Shelter
At the NJ/NY border. We were happy to have another state complete, but once we got into NY we quickly wished we were back in NJ. Bottom line, the trail through New York sucks and the ATC should be embarassed by its state of disrepair and poor routing.
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Thursday 13 August 2015
Wildcat Shelter to Orange Turnpike
Friday 14 August 2015
Orange Turnpike to NY Hwy 17
Saturday 15 August 2015
Zero Day at CVMA sister and brother's house at West Point
We were picjed up by Liz and Mike, both full CVMA members who are both currently stationed at West Point. Saturday was the yearly Freshman Acceptance into the Corp Ceremony, so we got to enjoy some great Army pomp and circumstance. My former CSM's son Matthew is a 3rd year cadet at West Point, so we also got to hang out with Mattew and see some of the amazing sites of West Point with our own personal tour guide.
Hendo, Matthew and Hendo's Mom
The freshman marching into formation in front of the rest of the Corp of cadets
After being accepted into the Corps of Cadets the freshman march to take their place amongst the rest of the corps
The freshman marching to join the corps formation
Ceremony is complete and the entire Corps of Cadets marches off the field.
The Main Hall/Chow Hall of West Point
Hendo and Matthew at Battle Monument a memorial to the soldiers of the Civil War. We are standing by the name of Matthews cousin, Alonzo Cushing who recently awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at The Battle of Gettysburg
Hudson River Revolutionary War Chain
This chain was forged by ancestors of Hendo and Hendo's Mom and was strung across the Hudson River during the Revolutionary War to try and keep the British ships from sailing up the River
The river chain was strung across the river from cConstitution Island, in the vicinity of the boathouse seen in the lower lefthand corner of this picture, to the cliff below West Point
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