Weekend pictures

A brownish black tree frog, a baby lizard and four humans were the only forms of life we encountered while backpacking along the smallish trails adjoining New Jersey's highest peak, High Point. The sudden downpour that postponed our planned beginning by about an hour laid waste to the trails by scheming to make them as soggy and mushy as possible. The dead leaves helped the situation by camouflaging the beaten path. The water still dripping off the heavy undergrowth that spanned both sides of the narrow walkway decided to come off and settle on the inside of our shoes resulting in a wet squelching gait that announced our arrival to no one in particular. Sampling some of the wild berries that we found along the path made me think about survivors in remote jungles waiting for the airlift. In addition to the sojourn with nature, we took some time to explore the inside of a little known war memorial at High Point. The vertigo induced on climbing the spiral steps that go up the 200 foot monument was not the greatest feeling but the views from atop of the sprawling Poconos, Catskills and a range that I did not know compensated. We also found a location along the famed Appalachian Trail from whence we plan to trek the New Jersey length of the trail in the near future. All told, the time spent outdoors was worth every little bit.