Huh? New Jersey?! Yes, yes, yes, I am currently typing this from New Jersey on the east coast. No captivating views of Colorado's mountains on this page, but I did my best on today's adventure in northwest New Jersey to come up with some decent pictures.

Believe it or not, New Jersey is known as the Garden State, but anyone who has traveled through much of the northern and central parts of the state knows this is just a hilarious, if not a highly deceptive state motto. Granted, the southernmost region of the state has some very beautiful and uhhhhhh, un-New Jersey like places. The best thing going for New Jersey in the summer is its 100+ miles of coastline. The state has quite a variety of beach towns that offer gambling (Atlantic City), quaint Victorian areas (Ocean Grove & Cape May), relaxed and laid-back getaways (Long Beach Island) and some really happening boardwalks with carnival atmospheres (Seaside Heights and Wildwood).

I grew up in New Jersey and escaped as quickly as possible (14 years ago), but I nonetheless created a web site dedicated to promoting all things New Jersey: www.CafeNewJersey.com. That small blip on the Internet is my excuse to get out and explore when I am out this way. :)

Today, my best friend Bernie and I spent much of the afternoon wandering in Warren County near the Delaware River. I have known Bernie for over twenty years, and we graduated high school together in Essex County in 1989. It was good to see him. We definitely had an enjoyable afternoon!

All the best,
-Steve

Facebook: ColoradoGuy.com Fan Page
Twitter: @stevegarufi

	Appalachian Trail In New Jersey From Interstate 80, there is an exit and parking area near the trailhead for the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey.
	There was one of those old hand pumps for water (left) near the trailhead. I also got a picture of Bernie walking on a log above a creek. :)
	We only walked about 0.5 miles up the trail, and it looked like a very beautiful trail in thick forest. Do keep in mind this in New Jersey - There were many others on the trail and the loud roar of Interstate 80 was constant throughout.
	Ahhhhhhhhh ... but it was nice to be on the Appalachian Trail! I know outdoor enthusiasts on the east coast view the Appalachian Trail as an alluring hike. Those who hike it all the way from Georgia to Maine have my respect. They remind me of people who are determined to summit all of Colorado's 54 "14ers." Here are some of my hikes from this year: Huron Peak La Plata Peak Mt. Elbert Emma Burr Mountain Midland Hill Poplar Gulch Trail Davis Meadow Trail Sugarloaf Mountain

Delaware River Bernie and I then visited Columbia, New Jersey, a small town on the banks of the Delaware River in Warren County.
We spotted a pedestrain bridge that went across the river!
Ahhhhhh ... the beautiful Delaware River! The river serves as the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. TOP: Facing upstream. MIDDLE: Facing downstream. BOTTOM: Three boats in the water. All are different: A fisherman in a motor boat, a kayaker and a group in a raft.
A closer photo of the guy in the motor boat. Notice the arrow-shaped waves that were made from his fishing line.
Bernie is a hero! He noticed the rafters had dropped a paddle in the water and he shouted down to them about it. Way to go Bernie! ;)
Apparently this bridge and many others were once covered bridges. In that bottom photo, Bernie pulled on a large and circular piece of metal connected to the bridge base.
We walked across the bridge and spent about five minutes in Pennsylvania. The town of Portland, Pennsylvania is on the other side, and it seems to be a popular portage area of kayakers and rafters.
One more photo of the bridge and river from the Pennsylvania side.

	P.J.'s Drive In - Knowlton, New Jersey Bernie and I have a story about this "burger joint" and ice cream parlor in Knowlton, New Jersey. When we were 19 or 20, we went for a drive and dined at this place. In the early 1990's, this was known as the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In. (Notice the sign still sells Humpty Dumpty Ice Cream.) Even then, it was not a true drive-in restaurant. We distinctly remember this place because it is close to the hilariously-named town of Buttzville, New Jersey. Buttzville! Ha ha ha ha ha! You gotta love the name of that town! :)
	Inside the restaurant. Bernie and I told the friendly young man behind the counter about how we were here about 17 years ago and our amusement with the town name of Buttzville down the road. He immediately chuckled and agreed with the humor of it all! :p)
	Their food hit the spot! I (left) ordered a double cheeseburger, cheese sticks and a Sprite. Bernie feasted on a hot dog with mustard, french fries, "poppers" and a Coke. (Poppers are peppers covered in breading with cheese inside.)
	I had to get one photo of Bernie's food when he was about halfway done. Here are my other eating pages. If you love eating, you should really check these out! Eating Photos Eating Pizza More Eating Mexican Pizza Red Vines For Breakfast
	Bernie and I gazed at the ice cream paper ornaments hanging from the ceiling, but we decided to pass on giving in to our ice cream desires. One other note about our story: We also remembered a place somewhere in this area near Knowlton and Buttzville known as "Jacks House O' Deals." It was a lot with various "knick-knacks." It was a variety story with outdoor statues, flags and items that were a little unorthodox. We looked for that place as well, but couldn't spot it. If you remember this place, will you contact me via my myspace page (address is at bottom) and let me know? Thanks!

Buttzville, New Jersey And just down the road was, you guessed it ... Buttzville, New Jersey! Yay! :)
The village of Buttzville has a post office right on Route 46! I went out there to pose in front of the main entrance. Bernie and I were so happy to be in Buttzville. YIPPEE! Um, here are my pages that are either directly or indirectly butt related. ;) Rip In My Jeans Non-Farting Lifestyle Fartless Candy Brass Ass Casino (Cripple Creek, CO)

	Photos Of I-80 In New Jersey We did not experience any major problems on Interstate 80, our main thoroughfare to reach the Delaware Water Gap. I did stick the camera out a few times to show what the highway looked like. Adjacent are three photos of I-80 westbound along various spots in Morris County.
	There were two "scenic overlooks" in Warren County and we stopped at the westernmost one. I do not want to be too critical here, but the "overlook" was not very impressive. In fact, someone really needs to knock down some of the trees to give one a better view of the small mountain range that runs through.
	My advice: Skip that scenic overlook and you will have just as good views of the Kittatinny Mountains from the highway. There were some better views than this one, but I thought this one was okay.
	One photo as Bernie whizzed down the highway and took me home! :) Here are some of my other New Jersey pages: Island Beach State Park Passaic River Kayak New Jersey Autumn Foliage Sandy Hook, NJ Around New Jersey (2007) Highest Point In New Jersey