Wed. Outing Mar 15, 2001

Just reporting in about our little jaunt yesterday. It was really a beautiful day, sun nice and bright, around 54 degrees but very windy. We took off from Vel's around 12:30pm. and decided to head north for a change. Went up route 9 which use to be the main highway to New York before we got the Parkway. It is a nice road as it takes you through many little towns, and not to much traffic. you see some beautiful sights especially crossing the Mullica River. You see several marinas along the highway and go past Smthville which is a very quaint village with lots of little shops, all in a victorian style setting.. There are several man made lakes throughout and lots of ducks and wild geese swimming around. After we crossed the river and get to New Gretna we are out of Atlantic County. We decided to stop off in Tuckerton, an old seaport town that I had described in one of our other outings. Saw the refurbished lighthouse but nothing was open. Lots of work going on getting ready for the fishing season an the influx of visitors. We stopped at a restaurant since we hadn't had breakfast or lunch around 2:00pm and guess what! we had a very late breakfast of a ham and cheese omelet, wit rye toast, it was really good. The place had been there a long time but very clean and cheerful with lots of flowers (artificial) and pretty flowered valances all around the windows which surround the whole place. Glad we stopped there and got off cheap. only 12.50 for the 2 of us. Now we will have enough money for dessert later on. haha. After complaining we ate too much we continued on our way and I suggested we go check out the lighthouse in Barnaget, which was maybe 20 miles away. You have to drive over a causeway with miles of meadow and heading east to Long Beach Island. I love this ride. never get bored, there are some stores along the way and boatyards. Not to much traffic. in the summertime this road would be bumper to bumper cars. because Long Beach Island is a very busy resort area. A lot of small towns, very little business areas. lots of restaurants, and your typical seashore gift shops, (not open) but the homes are all at least 1/2 million and up. It is so built up, you wonder where al the money comes from. and most of these are summer homes. well we stopped in Harvery Cedars and climbed up a sand dune to look at the ocean then went on our way to see the lighthouse. We took a lot of pictures which are in the album below. I moved them to the top so you can look at them, the other ones are from last week. We had a nice time up there wandered all around the place, till we had to move the car, they close the gates at 4:30. We decided to take off and take our time going home. Drove out route 72 which would take us to Philadelphia but we got off on the same road that takes us through the Wharton State Forrest. No, we did not turn off into the woods. ha. not this time. Just took in the scenery and looked at the homes. some looked like junk heaps but all interesting. Went over lots of little bridges and ponds, saw some cranberry bogs, the water was so high, it was seeping onto the street in some areas. We finally got back to our area and stopped in a diner and had Yep, our dessert/ We are always promising ourselves this and finally did it.We both had peach pie and vanilla ice cream, Boy, did that taste good, better than a steak, and much cheaper. haha. Well we went on home another 20 miles , I didn't go into Vels, was anxious to get home. Real tired. All that walking wore us both out. Al in all we had a great day. There is a lot more I could write about when we went to the great bay in Tuckerton, but I know my reports get longer all the time. We have so much fun and laugh so much , but you have to be with us. We do find things funny, but then life can be what we make it. LOL. If you have time there are pictures in the album off the Barnegat Lighthouse and the surrounding area. Lots of love and hugs to all. P>S> ck. out the old house. that is on route 9 heading north before you get to Tuckerton. neat.