Off the Beaten Path: Enjoy the REAL New Jersey
Written: Mar 26 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful, unexplainable, so open
Cons: When you leave, all you have are memories
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| The_triad's Full Review: Stokes State Forest |
I've been reading articles online, in magazines, and more saying how great the New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Parks are, and I have yet to find anything that beats the vacations I take to nowhere.
Nowhere the maps know about, anyway.
When I go camping in this area, I go to the Stoke's Forest, High Point, Swartswood Lake area. The "Skyview" territory, as some maps call it. While these parks are very nice in and of themselves, they can't beat the absolute beauty and serenity of an off-the-road, out-of-the-way mountain spot. The first night I ever went camping there did not go perfect, and I will tell you about this:
It was a long drive around that day, trying to find where Brian and I would sleep. Every campsite we went to was either full, closed, private (like one "Gay Camp" we came upon), or way too expensive. So we decided to risk it all and just enjoy the day, rather than stress over where we were going to sleep that night. It turned out to be the best decision we made.
We climbed waterfalls, swam, hiked trails that looked as if no one had ever been there before, and took in the perfection of the atmosphere. I can remember staring in awe at how beautiful the waterfall was one minute, and standing atop the one-hundred-fifty foot cliff, looking over, as people were staring at me, saying I was nuts. Perhaps they were right, but let this sink in if you want to know how truly overpowering the feelings of comfort, freedom, and happiness were:
I'm afraid of heights.
I'm a pilot, but I have a fear of low heights. Not that time, though, and after climbing to the top, Brian came up alongside of me and suggested that we continue hiking, so onward we went. We walked for several hours, drinking a few beers, laughing, singing, and making some memories that I will never forget. I can remember how very green the foliage was, and how blue the sky was that day. Looking from the top of one mountain, over the valley's vast expanse, to the apex of her sister mountain.... the birds of prey flying high above us, circling and shouting their names....
And now I am stuck within these four walls, unable to leave. Locked into a world I never really had much enjoyment for to begin with. Sometimes it's best that you seize the opportunity to get outside, to a new place, when you have it. Otherwise, you will end up like me, enjoying the memories, but wishing that you could make more....
As the afternoon went on, Brian and I began to get rather hungry, so we headed to a lake area, grabbed a hamburger at a local joint, and went canoeing for a couple of hours. Another fear I faced that day, because ever since I nearly drowned one day in 1995 I was afraid of the water. I've since gotten over this, but the day of the canoeing trip I was still in the midst of its grasp. Fear not, young lad, for the power of nature shall hold you in her hand.... well, regardless of whether or not the old bat was willing to hold me, I wasn't going to let her! This place was gorgeous, and I intended to inhale every breath possible of the clean, crisp air.
After we docked the boat back at the rental hub, we realized that it was time to find where we were to rest our heads for that night. After driving around even more, we decided to head across the interstate bridge between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, near Dingman's Ferry. We pulled onto what appeared to be an old construction road, unused for at least 30 years or so. Quite possibly even much longer than that. We hid the car under grass and twigs, knowing full-well the possibilities of legal altercations and repercussions if this were a "No-Trespassing" area. Although there were no signs, sometimes you don't know.
So we placed a sheet up to shadow the light of the campfire from the road, tested the noise echo level of the area we were in, and settled down. We drank several beers, cooked ourselves some wonderful meals (trust me, the plural of which is intentional.... I was stuffed!), and prepared to take in a wonderful night in the woods. We had just enough of an opening between the leaves of the trees to see the stars, and it was the perfect sight to see when going to sleep....
.... until about 0345, when I felt something tugging me across the ground. It was Brian, whispering, "Dan! Wake up! There's something moving around out there!"
I heard it, my eyes snapped open as I jumped out of my sleeping bag (getting caught and looking like a fool in the process). By the time I was standing I already had a knife in my hands, poised and ready to attack. I heard the stomping and screaming as if something was being tortured, and Brian nervously began to throw stuff in the direction of the noise. Then I realized where it was emanating from.... a deer was rutting, and smelled something strange in its area: us.
Well, after the entire ordeal was over, we end up getting chased out of the woods by a few of its friends and it included, and spent the night in my car parked in the lot of a campground.
Ironic, isn't it? It was beautiful, though, and the memories were so well worth it, I would do it again.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
The_triad
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Member: Daniel Brown
Location: Olyphant, Pa - USA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
I know this kid whose cousin had a friend whose uncle beat up your Dad.
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