Delaware Water Gap Hiking

There's been a lot of anger in comic blogging circles and I've even slipped and allowed myself to be caught up in some of it,which I hate to do.Now seems as good a time as any to have a peaceful post full of pretty pictures from my last hiking trip at the Delaware Water Gap.

This view comes from a little less than halfway up the trails.It never fails to amaze me.Of course there's a highway(Route 80)running through the picture.Because,as everybody knows, New Jersey is nothing but one giant highway system."You live in Jersey?What exit?"Har-dee-har-har.

I think this was taken at the same landing that the first picture was taken,just from a different angle.This has become one of my favorite places to go to relax.I've even gotten my girlfriend into it to the point where she is chomping at the bit to go,in spite of the difficulty of some of the trails.

Speaking of difficult trails,this part of it.I would guess that this rock wall is about 30 or 40 feet high and is so steep that you can only get up it by zigzagging back and forth as you climb it.There's a bit more to it than what's shown in the picture.Shit like this is the most fun part of the hike.Of course,once you get up to the top you're treated to some incredible scenery.This is the mountai on the other side of the Water Gap.I know there are trails there to get to the top of it,but I haven't been there yet.Perhaps if I can get there before it gets too late in the year.Or next year.No rush.They're not going anywhere.

We were talking to these Chinese guys up at the top.They took some pictures for us and we took some for them.At the top, there is a place where you can scale down the side of the mountain about 30 feet to get closer to the edge.If they took about 2 more steps backwards they would have a nice long fall(don't know the elevation).That's where we were and they followed us down.Nice people.

There's no story behind this.I just thought the clouds looked kinda ominous.

Aside from the actual hike and the breathtaking view,the best part of any trip here is to check out the waterfalls.This isn't much of a waterfall,but is pretty.

This is more like it.The falls this year have been pretty light,perhaps due to the lack of snow in the winter or not having much rain this year in general.This is probably the biggest one that I've seen there this year,being about 10 feet high.We're not talking Niagra Falls here.It's a river that flows through a valley and it's all downhill,so falls are just a natural part of it.You can swim in the water and stand under the falls,but I wouldn't drink the water.It dooesn't look dirty in the least bit,but I hear there's enough mercury in the water to make it unsafe to drink.What a shame.

I saw a cave under the water here and that's what I was trying to get a picture of.If you look at the bottom of the picture under the waterfall you can just make it out.If I had taken this picture earlier in the day when the sun was brighter I probably would have gotten a better picture.

I feel sorry for people who don't get to see things like this.There's much more to life than sitting on your fat ass in front of the TV or computer.(He says as he sits in front of his computer.)I could go hiking every weekend.You get a lot of exercise.You see some pretty neat shit.The people you meet are usually quite friendly.And not that I'm some sort of New Jersey apologist,but this shows that there is more to Jersey than all of the dirty,negative stereotypes that people who aren't from here(and even from those who are) like to spew.