The sun., 1909-02-28
new JERSEY WALKING TRIPS
NOW rs THE SEASON: ROADS
AND SCEVERY FINE.

Rsutes Calling for From . Couple Of
Hours 20 . Leng Days Exercise May
ne Pick ed Near New FORK x--PaiIsad des,
Orange Mountain and Northern HiIls
Now the season opens when the enthu.
elastic walker can begin to enjoy himself
on the fine roads and amid the picturesque
scenes OF nearby New Jersey. There
is no accumulation of snow this year
frozen again and again into solid masses
that need an April sun TO melt them.
The splendid macadam arteries of EsseS
and Union and Morris counties shed
the moisture from squall or thaw like
the proverbial duck 9 back.
Even though the lawns and meadows
still wear their winter russell and the
skeleton trees show no gray fuzz Of burst
ing buds the country has charm of its
own at this time Of year. The blue OF
the sky il beginning to assert itself over
the bleak winter gray. the sunlight is
warming into gold, the air is unusually
Transparent. The view OF distant objects
IN infinitely clearer than IL ever Is after
April warns the air and saturates ii with
moisture.
There Is really no better time than the
country. The clear air is not the only
advantage. The absence OF foliage,
except where a grove Of cedars here
and there makes dark spot in the picture,
leaves tho true outline bare.
The hills rise clean cut against the
sky. The streams can he traced from
points of vantage sometimes for miles
as they stretch across the plains or mean
der through the valleys.
With half dollar road map that con
he bought at almost any good stationer's
the walker can lay out for himself an
almcet inc xhaustible variety Of New Jer-
sey health strolls. Whether he has q
Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning
or the two combined TO dispose Of he can
find bracing air, picturesque scenery.
human interest and good roads just
waiting for him to choose.
The New Yorker can make start with
earfsre and ferry ticket; he can have
a days open air pleasure for less than a
quarter and the price Of his dinner. The
incst no can do in the way Of spending
money Ia to take a train for some point
from ten to twenty miles of and make
that his base of operations.
There are 80 many trolley lines now
running to such points as Railway, Plain
field. Morristown. Montclair. Paterson.
Engiewood, all Of which are excellent
starting or finishing points for those
who don't care for the nearest zone of
territory. that the expense item can
4 tnt, L.,
deed. allowing train fare for both starting
and finishing points at considerable
distances and liberal amount for re-
I eshments by the way. it is hard to see
how pedestrians in the region Of New
Jersey, where the best walking is to be
had, can contrive 70 spend more than
a coupl, Of dollars or so for a days out
ing. So the fun is just as economical as
1t s delightful.
The simplest and easiest walk Of all.
one that can be limited if desired to a
couple Of hours in the late afternoon.
should be begun by crossing the West
Forty second street ferry to Weehawken.
When you land on the Jersey shore you
a. rike at once for the top Of the Palisades
where the loop OF the Hudson County boule-
ward winds along the edge OF the cliffs
You can accomplish this in two ways.
II you ere a good stair climber with a
strong heart and lungs you can toll up
the hundred wooden steps or no that
ascend dizHly from the lower road to the
summit. but if you are wise you will
follow the long incline that the trolley
cars end other wheeled vehicles Use.
After half mile OF not too violent grade
you find yourself on the boulevard. far
above the river and looking out over
picture that reaches from the West Shore
tracks to Flushing and from Spuyten
Duyvil 20 the Narrows.
This is q sight that every New Yorker
should see at leost once in his life. There
is no other way OF realizing New York.
unless It may be from the top Of the
Singer Building.
The broken line OF the buildings against
the sky. the straight lines Of the streets,
tle busy waters neer and fer off, the splen-
dor Of Riverside Drive with its monuments
c m never be forgotten as one takes them
Ia from this great elevation. II is a grand
sight in frost or in sunshine. by day or
night. Indeed on a moonlight evening
" hen the Hudson is silvered and the mil
lions OF lights of the city glitter through
TIE moonbeams like firefles it is like
vision of fairyland,
However this walk cannot be recon-
mended as a nocturnal adventure. though
q brief visit TO the boulevard may be, so
a move along must be made 10 the Bergen
county line, where the loop connects with
the main section of the Hudson Boule-
ward. There the walker instead Of
following the great road southward takes
n smaller road that runs due north and
passing a pretty commuter settlement
he finds himself in very short while in
the silence and solitude Of extensive oods,
amid fine young timber. such as one would
never dream of finding just scross the
river from the crowded West Side fiat
house region,
Through this same wood one keeps
on steadily TO Fort Lee village. The
roads are good The monotony is broken
now and then by glim pses Of pretty cot
tages alone or in groups that are now
adays dotted all over the high lands along
the top Of the basalt ridge.
IL the walk is only a two hour go it
ends at Fort Lee You turn to the right
t. take the road that serpentines its way
down to the ferry and in half an hour
you are stepping ashore at the foot Of
Manhattan street, with two or three car
lines at your disposal to get home. IL
the day Is young and You are bent on a
tramp OF ten. fifteen. twenty miles. you
have two or three pleasant possibilities.