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Thanks Bob. I don't think I'm deserving of such kind words. I’ll bet my wife and kids would certainly have a different opinion, if nothing more than extreme eye rolling or perhaps “opinionated old fart” muttered under their breath. Very untrue. I'm only 50 :D

We’ve taken groups out to see Bill during tours conducted by the Ocean County Parks Department. He elaborated on the various activities he has made a living at over the years. He was very shy at first but after a while seemed to appreciate the interest people had in these local traditions and...

It’s nice to see an environmental success story for a change. I was boating the waters jus west of Stone Harbor and Avalon recently and saw even more osprey nests than in my home waters. Every platform, new and old, was occupied.

In recent years I’ve come to disagree with the last part of your advice. I agree that a good bike shop is the place to go to be properly set up with the right bike, especially for someone not well versed in them. But suggesting that one avoid buying accessories from the same shop because of the...

If you can’t locate a used one don’t make the mistake I made when I bought bikes for my sons and get a cheap one from one on the big box stores. Even if they have Shimano shifters and derailers, they are usually bottom of the line versions and are good for only the most casual use. The Trek...

Sycamores are one of my favorite trees but I would never pitch a tent under a large one. Their wood has very little resistance to decay and the bark of an older tree often has grown over and hidden old wounds that may have initiated heart rot. In all trees, only a thin layer of wood under the...

Batsto may have cut dead trees or limbs in the most public of areas but they have also erected many bluebird boxes in these same areas, which helps offset that loss. The fact that dead tress and limbs provide wildlife habitat does not negate the danger they pose. I know of at least two instances...

I got into the snake killing debate big time on an online duck hunting forum. The number of people who responded that my stance was ridiculous and that they kill all snakes on sight made me embarrassed to be a hunter. As much as I enjoy hunting and fishing, the difference between the average...

I have found myself defending snakes, both rare and common species, as well as other wildlife, quite often in my career. While the reasons I give for protecting these species are quite valid I always detest having to do so. Does a species have to have its value to the environment or to humans...

The professor teaching a NJ folklore class I took back in college claimed that every state had a legend of some sort of mythical demon or creature passed down by either Native American or European culture. Theories on the sources of the legends ranged from everything from one upsmanship around...

RIP Clarence. My 19 year old didn't even know who he was, which astounded me, having grown up during the time when Bruce and the E Street Band were royalty in NJ. The first several albums were my favorites. They not only made more references to south Jersey locations but also featured more of...

I enjoyed that class as well, especially getting to play with Lenny's herd of beagles and labs, but others are in the running for my best. Entomology for Anglers, and Roger Locandro's Interesting and Edible Meats, and Interesting and Edible Plants all would compete for my favorite. Field trips...

Leaving would certainly not be an easy thing for me. Home will always be home. But Paterson was home to me for my first 21 years. Whatever nostalgia I still feel for the town would never be enough to move back to the hell it has become. That sentiment certainly can't be extended to all of New...

Wells still has a bike trail. It is the one blazed with yellow markings and is about 3.5 miles long There are plans on greatly extending its length, using the Land Trust property recently purchased to the East.

An alternative to following a route suggested elsewhere is to print a portion of a topo or arial map of an area that interests you and explore a route that looks good on paper. I've explored many potential hikes on my bike that way. If the route or loop didn't pan out it was easier to cover the...

I never thought I’d feel this way, but I’m starting to question the prospect and wisdom of remaining in New Jersey after I retire. In seven years I will be burning my mortgage and may be able to retire a few years before that. One can sell a paid-for house in New Jersey and buy a similar home...

I’m frustrated by this trend as well. I can deal with regulations based on good research and sound management, although that in itself is often a subject of hot debate. But the increasing fees associated with fishing and hunting have removed an important and traditional component of those...

Another cave story has been passed down about Mordecai Andrews who supposedly carved a cave out of a gravel bank in Tuckerton for shelter for his family while he built his house. As you enter the Tuckerton Seaport you can see a gravel bank on your right that once bordered a road called “Quarry...

I’ve had more than a few occasions to be quoted by the press at my job. Being misquoted is quite commonplace. The worst part is that the misquotes often make me look like a fool. Well, … a bigger fool than I am. :rolleyes:

I would go with your guess regarding it being related to construction of the Parkway, or else the result of dumping of spoils from a nearby dredging project. I can’t imagine why Fish & Game would have done it. Waterfowl hunting is the most popular activity in this area and something like this...