Saturday I joined several other Adults for a 10 mile hike through Stokes State Forest. This was part of a shake down hike for the adult leaders in preparation for Monmouth Council BSA going to Philmont Scout Ranch next year. Our goal was to make sure all the trail markers are clearly visible and that there are no surprises on the trail. This fall we will be taking the Scouts over the same trails for their shake down hikes.
The hike was through some amazing scenery in the North Western part of New Jersey. The wild blueberries are in season. A few of us enjoyed an extra snack on the trail. For lunch we decided to rest at the pavilion on Sunrise Mountain. We even had some luck in our timing. As we were enjoying a brief rest and lunch, we watch a heavy rainfall pass over us from the neighboring valley and move out into the next valley.