Caminito #1: Bloomfield to Newark/Harrison along the Lenape Trail

 A lovely May Thursday. I'd be mad not to use it! So I get the backpack on and take off! Finally doing the Lenape Trail!

Clark's Pond, Bloomfield.

Yanticaw Park/Booth Park, Nutley.

Belleville Park, Belleville

Path washed away by recent storms, just above Branch Brook Park Drive, Newark

Footbridge over Branch Brook Park Drive, Newark.

Of course it's safe!

Branch Brook Park, Newark.

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark.

Branch Brook Lake, Newark.

Essex County Hall of Records, Newark. Hmm . . . what are those big letters on the street?

St. James African Methodist Church, Newark.

Streets of Newark.

Campus Town, Newark.

War Memorial, Military Park, Newark.

Newark Downtown over the Passaic River.

Southward view along restored riverfront walk, Newark.

They didn't knock the Ballantine House down!

Old Presbyterian church now converted to an "Innovation Cathedral" by Audible. Next door Rutgers Business school and dorm building.

The first third of my Lenape Trail caminito finished. What a wonderful walk! Newark really surprised me at the end, and I must return there for more exploring!

Caminito #2 on the Lenape Trail: Bloomfield - Verona

Bloomfield to Verona on the Lenape Trail.

14 miles, which took me six hours with several breaks.

Ready for Walking!

 

 

Clark's Pond, Bloomfield

 

  Archery Field, Brookdale Park

 

Mills Reservation

 

 Mills Reservation

 

 Newark Reservoir

 

West Essex Trail.

The trail is a converted railway line. Hence "JC 18" - Jersey City 18 miles.

 

From the converted railway bridge over Highway 23.

 

Cedar Beans - an absolutely fantastic coffee shop 100 yards from the railway bridge. Go down the steps on the western side of the bridge, walk south for 100 yards and use the crosswalk (lights flash when you press a button). DO NOT TRY TO CROSS 23 ANY OTHER WAY (traffic is fast and dangerous).

 

Atmosphere in the coffee shop.

 

Dave and Christina in the Coffee Shop. Christina made me a mean latté! Cedar Beans, Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove. @cedarbeanscoffeejoint

 

Hilltop Reservation.

 

Hilltop Reservation

 

Hilltop Reservation

 

Hilltop Reservation

Caught the bus back home from Verona. Alas, a terribly sub-par experience with NJ Transit's 29 bus, which runs the length of Bloomfield Avenue. Surly drivers, buses way off schedule, and half of the buses untrackable because their GPS transponders were off.

The only good news is that the 29 is frequent. Don't bother using the NJ Transit app or any other transit app, as many of the buses don't show up. You'll simply have to wait at a bus stop and throw yourself in front of the first 29 bus that comes along. The first one that showed up never even stopped for me.

Altogether a great day. We'll brush the bus thing under the carpet.

Lovely Bike Ride from Bloomfield to William Paterson University (and back)

I have cycled from home (Bloomfield) to work (William Paterson University) and back several times lately and have taken a few pictures on the way. You'll see I've thrown in a few screen grabs too, but the pictures are mostly mine.

What surprised me most was how safe the route felt, how much there was to see, and how quick the journey was. About an hour. My average drive to WPUNJ is 25 minutes, but it can take 35 or more if there is heavy traffic. So cycling isn't a *great* deal slower. And I get a work-out!

As long as you plan your route and use common sense, you can spend over 90% of your journey in parks, empty side streets, bike lanes and bike paths.

I won't do it every day, but I'm glad to know that this very pleasant route is there!

Love this feature of MapMyRide!

The Route. Bloomfield - Montclair - Clifton - Paterson - Haledon - Wayne

Clark's Pond, Bloomfield

Brookdale Park

Brookdale Park Meadow

Brookdale Park Archery Field

Yantacaw Brook Park

Yantacaw Brook Park

Yantacaw Brook Road at the Park

Yantacaw Brook Road - seriously, it is always this quiet

Small Bridge over Weasel Brook, Grove St, Clifton

Middle School and Public Park, Grove Street, Clifton

Pylon Route over Grove Street. Would love to see some kind of bike path along this route.

Miserable Drivers going home on Highway 3 in the usual "Stockender Verkehr."

Bad picture (cheap phone), but New York City clearly visible from Grove Street.

Yes - it's a real farm!

. . . and here's some proof!

Grove Street quiet and roomy, with excellent bike lanes!

PATERSON

Bike Lanes well marked in Paterson

Bilingual Paterson

Marshall Street, Paterson. Very quiet; very safe for cyclists.

Under the Interstate (I-80). Again, almost no traffic.

Bustling Paterson. Feels sort of European.

Flags flying in Little Italy, Paterson

Lou Costello Memorial, Paterson

Who's on First?

Passaic River, Paterson. You can see it was a mill town. The old red-brick factories are being restored now . . .

Paterson Museum used to be a factory.

West Side Park, Paterson (footbridge from high school to McBride Avenue in background)

The most awful name for a mattress company ever.

Nice Little Bridge on Lee Avenue, Paterson (again, a very quiet road).

Nice Pedestrian and bike Bridge over Pompton Road gets you to the bus stop on the Hamburg Turnpike and onwards to the reasonably-safe Preakness Avenue route into Paterson.

Lake with fountains at William Paterson University.