Leaving New Jersey

Images from Ocean View, NJ:

There was some interesting flora...

...and fauna.

We left too soon to see the full color of fall...

...but enjoyed sunsets at the side of the lake.

And of course, I always have to take a photo of some nice pink clouds; the sliver of a crescent moon was just an added touch.

I find that I liked the eastern shores (see John, I remembered, shores not beaches) of New Jersey quite a bit. We had beautiful weather for the most part, and once we got further south we escaped the mosquitoes (or the campground sprayed for them perhaps). There were marshes, bays, ponds, lakes, rivers and of course the mighty Atlantic to enjoy, scenic beach towns, touristy Atlantic City, lovely parks. For sightseeing, we enjoyed the fact that the price of diesel is 20 cents a gallon cheaper here in NJ.

The downside? Paying $3.75 in the truck to cross a bridge when cars paid $1.00. Driving up and down the Garden State Parkway pulling the trailer or just driving the dually truck cost us almost $60.00 over a two week period in toll fees. A bottle of vodka cost $9 more in NJ than it would in Ohio. It would be very expensive to live in this state. Unless you drove a small car, used back roads exclusively and didn't drink. Ahem. Kidding.

Complaining aside, I can see us returning for another visit. Mile for mile New Jersey had more roadside farm stands than we've seen anywhere else with some good apples and peaches. We passed on their corn because we're seriously prejudiced; ain't nobody has sweet corn like Ohio sweet corn. Don't even try to argue with me on this one because I won't listen. Unless you're from Indiana, which has the same kind of wonderful, rich soil pushed down by the glaciers eons ago as Ohio. And they have the ocean and miles of sandy shoreline, a fact too hard to resist. I think we'll be back.