Hiking and Camping During a Holiday Weekend
Not the Smartest Idea I Have Ever Had
After spending a few days researching the Delaware Water Gap I was very excited to spend a day hiking followed by a night out camping. I usually work on the weekends but the restaurant I work at was closed for the holiday so I took advantage of my time off to take the trip I had been planing for awhile. I should have known better than to plan a trip at a place like the Delaware Water Gap during a holiday weekend.
The Early Bird
Doesn't Always Catch the Worm
I knew the camping area and hiking trails would be a bit busy because of the holiday but I figured arriving the park bright and early might allow us some time by ourselves on the trails and the opportunity to get a great camping site. We left the house before the sun was up and were at the gates by 8am. The park was already packed. We spent about 25 minutes trying to find a camp site that wasn't run over by families with their kids and dogs. We finally managed to find a small site with a bit of quite. By that time the hiking trails were packed with people.
Planning Out a Trip Ahead of Time
Doesn't Always Equal Success
I had spent a few hours planning out the trip, what trails we would hike, where we would go swimming and what other fun activities we could fill the day with. After all the planning my expectations were pretty high for the weekend and I was left feeling disappointed. The park was over run with lots of families and the amount of space provided could not accommodate everyone. Also, early in the morning on Sunday a huge thunderstorm rolled through the park unexpectedly, putting a final damper on the trip. I have defiantly learned a few important lessons after this trip. Don't try and plan your trip exactly, leave some room to explore and unforeseen circumstances. Most importantly, avoid major parks during the holiday weekends!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Owl Watching... In the Dark!
Hiking at Night-Time
Over the holiday weekend I was able to go on a few different hikes, including one at night. I met a small group of people at the Sourland Mountains, in Hillsborough New Jersey. The Sourland's Planing Council has been planning to begin night hikes over the summer. They will be a hike supervised by members of a boyscout troop from the Hillsborough area. My father works on the planning council for the Sourland Mountains so I was able to tag along during the trail run for the hikes.
Owl Watching
The goal of the night hike is to be on the look out for owls. Being that owls are a nocturnal animal spotting them on a hike during the day is very rare. Hiking at night you are more likely to see them in performing their nightly rituals. We met the hiking group at 9pm on Friday. It was really warm and the bugs were out so I made sure to load up on bug spray. The people giving the hikes explained to us that we may bring along flashlights, but using them would most likely cause the owls to hide.
Hiking in the dark
Not like the Blair Witch Project
During the first quarter of a mile or so I must admit I was a bit afraid. It was very dark and you lots of noises were going on. I couldn't get the images from a few scary movies out of my mind for a little bit. After my eyes finally adjusted to the dark and the women in our group stopped turning on her flashlight every two minutes the hike became very exciting. During the day, when your vision isn't impaired you may not notice all that is going on around you. In the dark you must rely on your other senses. There were sounds I had never heard before and we even got to see an owl on the hunt for prey. We had people of different hiking capabilities within our group so the hike was at a slower pace than I am accustomed to but the slower pace allowed me to take in all that was going on around me. If you are ever able to take a hike at night, I highly recommend it. Just don't forget the bug spray!
Over the holiday weekend I was able to go on a few different hikes, including one at night. I met a small group of people at the Sourland Mountains, in Hillsborough New Jersey. The Sourland's Planing Council has been planning to begin night hikes over the summer. They will be a hike supervised by members of a boyscout troop from the Hillsborough area. My father works on the planning council for the Sourland Mountains so I was able to tag along during the trail run for the hikes.
Owl Watching
The goal of the night hike is to be on the look out for owls. Being that owls are a nocturnal animal spotting them on a hike during the day is very rare. Hiking at night you are more likely to see them in performing their nightly rituals. We met the hiking group at 9pm on Friday. It was really warm and the bugs were out so I made sure to load up on bug spray. The people giving the hikes explained to us that we may bring along flashlights, but using them would most likely cause the owls to hide.
Hiking in the dark
Not like the Blair Witch Project
During the first quarter of a mile or so I must admit I was a bit afraid. It was very dark and you lots of noises were going on. I couldn't get the images from a few scary movies out of my mind for a little bit. After my eyes finally adjusted to the dark and the women in our group stopped turning on her flashlight every two minutes the hike became very exciting. During the day, when your vision isn't impaired you may not notice all that is going on around you. In the dark you must rely on your other senses. There were sounds I had never heard before and we even got to see an owl on the hunt for prey. We had people of different hiking capabilities within our group so the hike was at a slower pace than I am accustomed to but the slower pace allowed me to take in all that was going on around me. If you are ever able to take a hike at night, I highly recommend it. Just don't forget the bug spray!
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