Jen Kleis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
canyonwren) wrote2004-04-21 02:21 am
canyonwren) wrote2004-04-21 02:21 am
Hiking Log: Delaware Water Gap
Hiking Log: Delaware Water Gap
I snagged a cab to a rental car agency, snagged a car, tossed in my luggage, and set off before 8 am for the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center at the Delaware Water Gap. (Are you aware of all the different ways one can slaughter the pronounciation of "Kittatinny"? I kept calling it "Kittaninny," for starters.) This was supposedly only two hours away, but I took the scenic route up HWY 611, where cellphones do not work. Eventually, I pulled into a cemetary at the top of a hill and managed to place a call to Karenina, who I was meeting, and a Park Ranger, who reassured me that I was heading in the right direction. Nothing like driving around a state you don't know without a map.
Successfully met up with Karenina and Max (her dog), and headed up a trail from the Farview trailhead. I'd wanted to hang out by the river, but Karen was so excited about finding actual wilderness so close to home (Jersey City), that we just grabbed the first trail we found and headed up the "mountain" toward the Appalachian Trail. It was beautiful in a very early spring way. Penn/New Jersey is about three weeks behind Washington, and the trees were just beginning to think about leafing out. When they do, this entire area is going to explode in green. As it was now, it was bare and serene, and we talked and walked for a few hours, seeing barely anyone else.
We headed back when we were down to a small amount of water and Max was panting, and caravaned to Jersey City an hour away. Jersey City is the perfect place to look at the NYC skyline, as it is directly opposite the harbor from Manhattan, and Karen lives in an 18th floor condo a block from the water. We pulled up, me only a little shaken from the traffic, and prepped to go do Manhattan that night.
New York, New York!
I am the first generation in almost exactly 150 years on my father's side to not live in NYC. This part of the family came over relatively late in the day, about 1865, and settled in various parts of New York. My grandmother grew up in Grenwich Village and later moved to the Bronx. My great-grandmother never lived anywhere but the Village. My dad lived in the city and out on Long Island until he moved to Kansas, and then Washington.
This was on my mind as Karen and I took the train on the 15 minute ride from Jersey to the site of the World Trade Center. We walked up to Soho from there (where I got complimented on my cool shirt, much to my amusement), and then to the Village. We tried to get a table at Masoon's, but it was full and instead we ended up eating at the middle-eastern restaurant next door. Hummous and shish kebab, while watching old Charlie Chaplin movies and other people. I could do this again.
It was full dark by the time we finished, and we headed up to Times Square just to soak in the atmosphere. The circus-like atmosphere, that is. It was very familiar to me, and walking around the Japanimation-type insanity was strangely comfortable and surreal at the same time. Times Square is definitely targeted toward people who watch too much television.
That night, I sat cross-legged on the futon in the guest bedroom and watched the city lights, just thinking of my family roots. My grandparents were buried someplace nearby, but I knew I didn't really have time to go search for their graves. Next time. I knew some cousins were nearby, but I put them out of my mind and went to sleep, strangely content.
Back to the woods.
After an early morning walk with Karen and Max, I said goodbye and headed back for the Gap. Enough city! More wilderness! I was hoping to see a lot more of the Gap, but I only made it up as far as Bushkill, where I veered aside into a private area to explore the waterfalls and the multitudes of stairs and wooden walkways that surround them. There is plenty more to see next time, and next time I shall bring my camping gear and stay awhile. I am checking this off my list of National Parks/Rec Areas that I've visited (I intend to see them all), but this one needs more time. Especially when the trees have leafed out. The wildflowers are blooming, however, and I took many photos to identify later. I did ID a native bleeding heart, slightly different than the native variety out here. And I saw a cardinal--my first one.
I enjoyed finding Penn as I expected it, from my last visit when I was younger, and it was nice see more of New Jersey than city. There are beautiful places all over the US, and I'm gradually getting to all of them.
Ah, lovely. Back to the airport and headed back home. This was the perfect break from work.
Perhaps some photos later.
I snagged a cab to a rental car agency, snagged a car, tossed in my luggage, and set off before 8 am for the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center at the Delaware Water Gap. (Are you aware of all the different ways one can slaughter the pronounciation of "Kittatinny"? I kept calling it "Kittaninny," for starters.) This was supposedly only two hours away, but I took the scenic route up HWY 611, where cellphones do not work. Eventually, I pulled into a cemetary at the top of a hill and managed to place a call to Karenina, who I was meeting, and a Park Ranger, who reassured me that I was heading in the right direction. Nothing like driving around a state you don't know without a map.
Successfully met up with Karenina and Max (her dog), and headed up a trail from the Farview trailhead. I'd wanted to hang out by the river, but Karen was so excited about finding actual wilderness so close to home (Jersey City), that we just grabbed the first trail we found and headed up the "mountain" toward the Appalachian Trail. It was beautiful in a very early spring way. Penn/New Jersey is about three weeks behind Washington, and the trees were just beginning to think about leafing out. When they do, this entire area is going to explode in green. As it was now, it was bare and serene, and we talked and walked for a few hours, seeing barely anyone else.
We headed back when we were down to a small amount of water and Max was panting, and caravaned to Jersey City an hour away. Jersey City is the perfect place to look at the NYC skyline, as it is directly opposite the harbor from Manhattan, and Karen lives in an 18th floor condo a block from the water. We pulled up, me only a little shaken from the traffic, and prepped to go do Manhattan that night.
New York, New York!
I am the first generation in almost exactly 150 years on my father's side to not live in NYC. This part of the family came over relatively late in the day, about 1865, and settled in various parts of New York. My grandmother grew up in Grenwich Village and later moved to the Bronx. My great-grandmother never lived anywhere but the Village. My dad lived in the city and out on Long Island until he moved to Kansas, and then Washington.
This was on my mind as Karen and I took the train on the 15 minute ride from Jersey to the site of the World Trade Center. We walked up to Soho from there (where I got complimented on my cool shirt, much to my amusement), and then to the Village. We tried to get a table at Masoon's, but it was full and instead we ended up eating at the middle-eastern restaurant next door. Hummous and shish kebab, while watching old Charlie Chaplin movies and other people. I could do this again.
It was full dark by the time we finished, and we headed up to Times Square just to soak in the atmosphere. The circus-like atmosphere, that is. It was very familiar to me, and walking around the Japanimation-type insanity was strangely comfortable and surreal at the same time. Times Square is definitely targeted toward people who watch too much television.
That night, I sat cross-legged on the futon in the guest bedroom and watched the city lights, just thinking of my family roots. My grandparents were buried someplace nearby, but I knew I didn't really have time to go search for their graves. Next time. I knew some cousins were nearby, but I put them out of my mind and went to sleep, strangely content.
Back to the woods.
After an early morning walk with Karen and Max, I said goodbye and headed back for the Gap. Enough city! More wilderness! I was hoping to see a lot more of the Gap, but I only made it up as far as Bushkill, where I veered aside into a private area to explore the waterfalls and the multitudes of stairs and wooden walkways that surround them. There is plenty more to see next time, and next time I shall bring my camping gear and stay awhile. I am checking this off my list of National Parks/Rec Areas that I've visited (I intend to see them all), but this one needs more time. Especially when the trees have leafed out. The wildflowers are blooming, however, and I took many photos to identify later. I did ID a native bleeding heart, slightly different than the native variety out here. And I saw a cardinal--my first one.
I enjoyed finding Penn as I expected it, from my last visit when I was younger, and it was nice see more of New Jersey than city. There are beautiful places all over the US, and I'm gradually getting to all of them.
Ah, lovely. Back to the airport and headed back home. This was the perfect break from work.
Perhaps some photos later.