State Park Service "First Day 2018" hikes

[lj762]

If you're looking for something to do outside bright and early on New Year's Day morning, with a group of warmly dressed mostly friendly people (sure you are!), there are "24 guided hikes, 2 mountain bike rides, and 1 horseback ride" planned for the state parks and forests this New Years day 2018.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/first_day_hikes.html

All events are free, but some require pre-registration so read the descriptions. Some of the hikes allow dogs. (And in my experience, when they allow dogs on a hike, there will likely be as many or more dogs than humans.)

Because nothing is assumed these days, the instructions say that mountain bike rides require you bring your own bike, and horseback rides require that you bring... a horse!

 

[slingblade]

Because nothing is assumed these days, the instructions say that mountain bike rides require you bring your own bike, and horseback rides require that you bring... a horse!

One year someone brought their 16" wheeled, folding city bike out for a Forestry ride. Thats why you now read, *bring your own bike... one thats good for dirt, sandy trails*. No doubt that small wheeled folding bike is great on the boardwalk. Maybe not so much on the trail.

 

[ecampbell]

those little folding bikes are cool. I met a man taking one on the train to AC. He said he took it on a p
lane to Hawaii. They are not cheap.

 

[lj762]

There's a guy I see occasionally at Bass River SF who has this really neat bicycle with super fat tires. He said he bought it just for the trails and sand roads of the Pinelands. It looks nothing like a mountain bike. I'll try to get a picture next time I see him.

 

[46er]

Fat bikes, see them a lot on the beach.

 

[lj762]

Well, we did it. About 6.5 miles in the West Pine Plains, 3 hours, 14 people with lots of layers on, temperatures probably between 10 and 18 degrees, with some wind. A really good hike leader who pointed out interesting plants and other features. One injury where a person slipped and fell hard climbing over one of those piles of dirt and trees that the Forest Fire Service used to block motor vehicles from driving there - with the snow and ice they were slippery and dangerous. Other than that it was fun, although freezing cold, and interesting.

 

[oji]

We had 48 at Whitesbog for the hike led by Turtle. There was the option of a 3 or 1 mile hike and hot soups, chili and desserts in the barrel factory afterwards. A very enjoyable way to start the year!

 

[lj762]

Sounds great. 48 is a pretty large group for a hike, isn't it? But I see Wharton posted a picture of their Atsion mansion tour and hike, and it looks like about 60 people showed up for that one. (Which was run by Outdoor Club of SJ so I suppose a lot of them were OCSJ members.)

When we finally made it back to the start, mostly frozen, one with bloody nose and at least one with a face cut from branches, someone gave a Happy New Year cheer and others joined it.

 

[lj762]

State Park Service posted a link to a short video (2m 38s) of some of the 2018 First Day hikes. More of a slide show, with music.

Ends with a picture of a cup, printed with: "Jan 1 2018: Hiking Pineys, Frozen ----" (rhymes with pineys, figure it out or watch the video).