Yeah, that youngin' above is my Dad from his Vietnam days. Geez, he was a baby. Incredible what those boys were faced with. For his sake and everyone's, I'm so thrilled that we were given such great weather on this Memorial Day. This is a holiday that means a lot to my Dad, having lost so many fellow Marines along the way. Whether the day is about relaxing, rejoicing, remembering, or even building a log cabin (like my Dad)...one thing to keep in mind is how very much our soldiers have done and will do for our way of life. It was great to see so many local parades and countless BBQ's all over the place. Me and Aaron took some time yesterday to walk our beach front. It was so clear and the breeze was great. We seriously have been spending unhealthy amounts of time locked indoors...so getting out in the sunshine was downright mandatory.
This is just a couple blocks away and getting up here for just bit is like a reset button for your soul. Way in the distance you can see the new NYC skyline, the final spire now attached to the Freedom Tower makes it the tallest building in America at 1776 feet.
I love the patterns the wind makes in the sand.
Love from the Jersey Shore!
Then today the weather really got nice...like perfect. So my brother Walt wanted to go trail riding on his new bike and asked if we wanted to take a trip to the park. While he rode, me, Aar, and Walt's girl Val did some trail hiking. The woods are sprawling and way high up...it's actually the highest point on the eastern seaboard south of Maine. The trails are suuurious! Like, insane inclines and declines over twisty, rocky terrain. We used to go here like every day a few years ago and today we picked one of our favorite trails.
Val & Aaron.
Though I gotta admit, it wasn't as easy as it was a few years ago. It can't be that I'm less in shape...I think there must've been a seismic shift...the uphills were way steeper and longer. ha!
That structure nestled in the woods is like an old machine gun turret. There was an old army base where this park now sits. Every once in a while you'll encounter some old remnant...a bunker, a doorway built into a hillside leading to an underground tunnel. It's a very cool park.
You also come upon little clearings in the foliage that offer amazing views of the Atlantic.
This little guy stood still just long enough for me to snap a pic. I told him thanks.
At about the midpoint of the trail it comes all the way down to the river's edge. It's beautiful...but it also means that you've gotta hike all the way back up to the aforementioned highest point on the east coast. Party!
What a great day! Afterward we reconnected with Walt, took a ride in his crazy jeep...which get's lots of waves from passersby on Memorial Day, with it's camouflage paint job and gigantic Don't Tread On Me flag! He drove us all right up onto the beach for an all terrain lunch. Ha!
And how was your weekend?
xo, Jenny...and Aaron