A Walk In the Park

So everyone has their thing. Your cousin is really into bodybuilding. Your best friend is really into finding a good deal (on things they don't even need but that doesn't stop them). Your roommate is into painting. We all have a thing. I guess mine has always been parks. Maybe a few other things too but mainly parks. I even decided to major in Landscape Architecture because I wanted to design parks that people could enjoy as much as I have enjoyed other parks. The jury is still out on whether or not I am actually that creative. Go figure.

Why parks? For one, I feel that most of my waking life is spent just existing. Nature is the antidote to that for me. The fresh air, the sounds of birds, the variety of plants, and hopefully a dose of history thrown in. Walking through a park makes me feel alive. Secondly, it is something special I can share with anyone. I feel giddy bringing someone to a place I've explored before and loved. It's almost like sharing a secret. I can point out the beauty of a flower or a waterfall or the remnants of a stone colonial house. Visiting magnificent natural places have been some of the most enriching experiences of my short life. Believe you me I'll never forget the time I stood on top of the mountain ridge overlooking the Hudson Valley or the first time I walked through late-summer meadows in full bloom at Six Mile Run in Franklin Township, NJ.

The main purpose of this blog is chronicle my hiking/park-visiting adventures. The sub-purposes are threefold: gain a richer understanding for why these places I visit are so great (or not so great), improve my photography skills (which are sorely lacking), and learn more about myself along the way.

For the record, that picture above of the gorgeous rooster was taken at the free public zoo in Johnson Park in Piscataway, NJ. The park is 473 acres and has quite a bit of variety. Sadly I haven't walked the full length of it. There's pretty nice seating areas with views of the Raritan River and even a mini colonial village at one end. I think I'll give a better analysis of it after another trip and more pictures.