With a few years of COVID teaching behind me, I needed a break.  My wife and I have been to 47 states, but we’ve spent less than 8 hours in Colorado (and most of that trying unsuccessfully to fix a flat tire).  So neither gas prices nor inflation nor crazy weather nor a three month old baby were going to stop us from a exploring the heck out of Colorado (although man did they all come close at certain points).  3 1/2 week road trip… here we come!  This is how we spent our Summer vacation.

Frank Llyod Wright’s masterpiece Fallingwater. These two and the baby weren’t allowed in… their reputations [...]

Arney’s Mount Trails – Columbus, Burlington County, NJ Distance – 3.85 total miles of trails (1 mile of which is a horse trail), we did a 2 1/2 mile loop Type – Loop Difficulty:  3 of 10

Website – Burlington County Parks Open – Dawn to dusk (Burlington County Parks posts a paper in the trail kiosk for when the park closes each time of the year.  It changes seasonally, so doesn’t always fall after sunset.

Summer closing?

Terrain – Three big hills (well, South Jersey big), one of which you can choose to take a trail over, plus a huge field and some woods. Surface [...]

Cushetunk Trail – Round Valley Recreation Area – Lebanon, Hunterdon County, NJ Distance –  8.4 miles total one way (16.8 if you do the whole trail out and back) Type – Out-and-back Difficulty: 6 of 10

Website – https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/roundvalleyrecreationarea.html Open – Sunrise to Sunset.

Terrain – Hilly Surface – Dirt, gravel, grass – depending on section

Trailheads – N 40° 37.153 W 074° 50.980

Directions – 1220 Stanton Lebanon Rd, Lebanon, NJ 08833

Parking – Lots at trailhead.  Make sure to check in at the park office first and get your permit.

Dog [...]

Thompsons Beach – Heislerville (Maurice River Township), Cumberland County, NJ Distance –  miles total Type – 3/4 of a mile (one way) to get to the beach.  About a mile of beachfront to explore.  Our total was a little over two miles. Difficulty: ?  of 10 (the way we did it, 2 of 10.  If that mud and flooding is around, 3018 of 10)

Website – https://corporate.pseg.com/corporatecitizenship/environmentalpolicyandinitiatives/estuaryenhancementprogram Open – dawn to dusk

Terrain – marsh, bayshore Surface – crushed shells, sand

Trailheads – 39°12’10.38″N, 74°59’36.77″W

Directions – located at [...]