Category: New Jersey

Sunday Stroll: Loveless Nature Preserve in Lawrence, New Jersey

6/3/2019

Loveless Nature Preserve in Lawrence Township, New Jersey

We love to get outdoors and are always searching for cool spots close to home.

By John Roberts
We went for a walk on Sunday. The weather in Central New Jersey has been perfect as spring turns to summer, and I was determined to take advantage on the first day of June.

Colleen and I have been enjoying a relaxing month of May in the States, a longish stretch of non-hectic travels that allowed us to refresh for the next flurry of adventures.

We often head overseas to find new destinations to explore, but I also realize that there are always interesting places to visit in our own back yard -- no matter where that yard is.

We live in Ewing, New Jersey. I wouldn't call it a hot travel destination by any means, but we can get to Philadelphia in 45 minutes or hop a train and be in Midtown Manhattan in less than 90 minutes. We're also close to Princeton University, which is a beautiful and historic campus to explore, with a free museum, beautiful gardens and interesting sculptures around the grounds. Plus, we have a craft brewery, River Horse Brewing Co., a short walk from our front door.

The nature preserve features about 2 miles of walking paths.

But on Sunday, I was interested in a simple walk in the woods with my favorite person in the world. We love a modest day hike to stretch our legs, breath some fresh air and reset our brains. We are too often plopped in front of some kind of screen -- laptop, smartphone, tablet or TV -- and getting away from our work routine is healthy.

I had passed Loveless Nature Preserve on a drive one day and thought it looked like an ideal spot to for a nature walk. I was hoping that it would offer a nice long hiking opportunity so close to home, but this little slice of serenity in Lawrence Township only features 1.7 miles of trails.

Uh, oh, he found a tree to climb.

Can you spot the deer in the woods?

This would be perfect for a couple hours of unwinding after our morning workout and before grabbing lunch, however. After Colleen and I finished our usual big weekend breakfast -- well, she spoiled me with a delicious omelet, pancakes and bacon while savoring her favorite avocado toast -- we cranked out a nice weight workout and mile run at the gym.

It was time to get outdoors, so we drove over to find the parking spot for Loveless Nature Preserve. We had never been, but noticed that it's only seven minutes away. Google Maps got us to the vicinity, but the parking was tricky. I went by the small gravel semi-circle lot the first time before doubling back and finding it. There are spots for about eight or nine vehicles in the lot.

The trail is well-marked and takes you into forest area under tall trees and along some open fields and paths. You can walk the long loop in less than an hour at a gentle pace. The parking area has picnic benches under shade trees, and you can find nice spots along the trail to relax on a blanket if you want to have a picnic there.

We saw and heard numerous birds, and we spotted butterflies, moths, a squirrel and a young deer.

Recent rains made the forest especially green. We had a pleasant walk and were happy to have discovered this spot so close to home.

We'll add it to the list of little gems to be sure to enjoy when we are home and craving a little bonding time with nature. Baldpate Mountain is another one of our great finds for an easy weekend nature walk in Central New Jersey.

How do you like to rejuvenate and re-energize? Have you found any cool day hikes near you? Tell us all about them in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,
JR

Don't ever grow up! Travel fit, travel happy, travel often!

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Hiking Guide for Baldpate Mountain in New Jersey

9/12/2017

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Baldpate Mountain in Ted Stiles Preserve hiking in New Jersey

By John Roberts

Baldpate Mountain looks over the Delaware River from the New Jersey side of the waterway. That's Pennsylvania in the distance. The mountain (about 500 feet of elevation gain) sits within the Ted Stiles Preserve in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. The preserve is 1,800 acres of wilderness filled with pretty meadows, canopied forest, streams and rocky trails. It's home to a range of wildlife and a great place to hike.

The well-laid-out trail system promises numerous chances to come back again and again and vary your route so that you always have a new experience.

I went for the first time on a Monday at mid-morning in the first week of September and was alone on the trail all day. I passed a couple other hikers, but most of my three hours was spent gloriously communing with nature, serenaded by bird calls the whole way.

Access to the trailhead is on Fiddlers Creek Road, about a mile off River Road in Titusville. At the main parking area, you will see an information hut with the trail maps (color coded). Pick your route (paper maps might be available, but I snapped a picture to look at with my phone) and head into the woods.

The trails are perfectly groomed, but I imagine they can get muddy when it's been raining. Some areas have small wooden plank bridges in place to pass through soggy areas. Wear comfy hiking shoes and bring plenty of water. Apply sun screen (the trail is mostly under cover of the forest but emerges often into open spaces exposed to sun) and some insect repellent.

My five-mile hike took about 2.5 hours. I chose to follow trails all the way back to a high point on Fiddlers Creek Road and follow the paved road back downhill to my vehicle, thus making a loop. You also can choose to do out-and-back routes. I am excited to return and try longer options and bring along friends.

During my hike, I saw spiders (and walked through many low-hanging spider webs), squirrels, chipmunks, moles, worms, wildflowers, berries, mushrooms and dozens of bird species. I also saw evidence of deer.

The first section of the trail from the main parking area is for hikers only, but most other parts of the preserve and forest offer wide paths that are multi-use. You could be sharing some trails with mountain bikers, horseback riders and trail runners. You can drive farther up Fiddlers Creek Road to find additional parking areas at the top and then work your way through the trails in reverse. Horse trailer parking also is available in the lot at the top.

Maps at the preserve help you set your routes.

A few highlights of my hike:

I liked the steep rocky incline that you reach about 30 minutes into the hike if you are starting from the main parking area trailhead. This is a good spot to take a nice group picture, too, and offers some of the most technical hiking of the trail that I was on.

A large meadow that is at the very end of the "hiking only" Blue Trail is filled with sunflowers and songbirds. This space opens up to a set of picnic tables and is an ideal spot for a lunch or snack break while relaxing in a gorgeous sun-splashed setting.

The site features 12 miles of hiking trails that are free and open to the public. This is a carry-in, carry-out preserve. This means, leave no trace when you use the park. I hope this helps you discover the fantastic outdoors experiences available at Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain.

Thanks for reading.

Travel fit!
JR

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Yes, I'm That Crazy. I Travel Long Distances for Destination Races.

5/8/2015

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By John Roberts

I've been running more regularly the past few months. In fact, I have a bit of a streak going. I told myself that I would run at least 10 miles a week this year -- for the whole year.

I have made the mileage in all but one week so far. I was sick for about five days one week in February so I missed that one. But I'm happy. The running plus my other exercise regimen of lifting weights helps keep my energy up and in shape to travel effectively.

The countdown is on for a road race I am training for, too. We will run the Utica Boilermaker 15K this year for the fourth consecutive year and my fifth time overall. The race is a huge community event in the small Upstate New York city. I used to work at the city's newspaper as an assistant sports editor back when I was just starting out in journalism. So, the race is a bit of a reunion for us as we get to go back to see old colleagues and friends.

The great thing about the Boilermaker is how the city of Utica embraces the whole event. It is the most massive thing annually for the city, and neighborhoods come out in full force to cheer on the runners. Spectators line the full 9.3 miles of the course, making it a great spectacle and gives all us runners a wonderful boost, which we often need while grinding along up and down hills in hot and humid temps in July.

Many of us in the Northeast (and every other place in the U.S., maybe) have bitched about another brutal winter that we just suffered through. Much of my maintenance training has been on the treadmill for that reason. I'm a big weather wimp and don't like getting all geared up to run outside in the cold.

Even so, I have run more regularly than ever I would guess. (I am 48 and guesstimate I have been semi-avidly running for about 14 years). The net effect of all this running talk is that I hope to get a personal best time in the Boilermaker this year.

As it relates to my interest in travel? We often like to hunt out destination runs or other fitness- or adventure-related events as a reason to go somewhere. I mean, we probably wouldn't put Utica, N.Y., at the top of any bucket list. However, if you have an interest in running, this race truly is a must-consider event. Couple the crowd energy with the top-notch organization of the nearly four-decades-old race, as well as the post-race all-you-can-enjoy Saranac beer party, and you're in for a fun time. The region also is worth exploring further afield -- Cooperstown and the Adirondack Mountains are nearby.

Runners, put the Utica Boilermaker 15K Road Race on your list. Now! Go ahead, I'll wait.

The past couple weeks, we've been able to take our training outside. A fave spot to run and bike is the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park towpath. We live in Central New Jersey, near Trenton, and the path can be accessed at several points in our region.

The 70-mile-long popular recreational corridor is a registered historic landmark. The canal, which long ago was used to help transport goods between Philadelphia and New York, features wooden bridges, old locks, tender stations and other structures that have been preserved. The park also is home to more than 90 bird species. You can use the park for biking, running, walking, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking.

We stick to running and biking, so far.

If you're ever in Central New Jersey, check out a stretch of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, even if you just take a stroll or grab a patch of grass or bench to have your lunch while keeping the turtles and geese company.

Yay! I'm actually running outside. Training on the towpath for my upcoming race in New York.

Basically, you get the idea. We are very excited to be able to get outside and play again this spring, and we have a nice race to look forward to -- a destination race -- and a fantastic spot nearby our home to do our training.

I think we would go crazy if we didn't constantly have some trip or event to look forward to or some fun way to pass the time between those trips, too.

Many of us design trips around a specific sports event, race or adventure in which we want to participate. There are all sorts of mud runs, road races, triathlons, mountain ascents, etc., that just add to the excitement of travels.

We've taken trips to see friends and added on races that we've always wanted to try. We did the 50,000-participant Bolder Boulder (below), held in Colorado every Memorial Day. This was a visit to see friends because we used to live in Denver, and it was made even better with a fun race event and barbecue and party afterward.

Utica Boilermaker 15K Road Race post-race party

We run for beer. The post-race party at the Utica Boilermaker 15K is legendary.

We also added on a six-mile race in Cape Cod when we went up to see friends there. It was so much fun, we did it again the next year, too.

Goals are great to have. They keep us vibrant. Sometimes, you just need to compete against yourself to get a high. Set a goal to complete a new adventure and work to conquer that challenge. When we have something to look forward to, the days just seem brighter and more fulfilling.

I also suggest entering an event that has an after-party with beer. Because you'll always be able to push yourself a little harder when you know there is beer at the finish line. (Some races have beer during the race, by the way. Even better!)

Thanks for reading,

JR

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Sunday Stroll: Loveless Nature Preserve in Lawrence, New Jersey

Hiking Guide for Baldpate Mountain in New Jersey

Yes, I'm That Crazy. I Travel Long Distances for Destination Races.

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