It is pretty slow riding through congested suburban towns. lots and lots of intersections with streetlights that have to be obeyed or judiciously ignored. Some of the country between towns is pretty and except for the misnamed Pleasant Mountain Rd. the hills in New Jersey are modest. I did not make it to the state park i had in mind for the night, but rather "wild camped" on a powerline right of way near Rockaway. Once I was set up and camouflaged I walked to the nearby huge suburban mall and had a delightful ironic evening among the famous brands and the mall-denizens. A bit of frost around in the morning but nice and toasty in the tent and sleeping bag.

Next day was more riding through suburban megalopolis, involving some interstate-like highways that were pretty intense, especially around Somerville. But my Warmshowers host from Princeton, Tracy, rode an hour out to meet me as I approached edenic Princeton. We stopped at a country store along the canal bike path and I got my groove back with a cookie and some trail mix. Like my wonderful Warmshowers host in Manhattan, Liz, Tracy and wife Joan generously allowed me two nights. He's a gourmet cook, so we had a wonderful concoction based on chicken thighs for dinner and watched the game where Jeter got hurt (though I bailed in the 8th) Next day after a huge waffle breakfast (by Joan) I lightened the bike and rode into Princeton for a little sightseeing. The Princeton Art Museum was a highlight, but the campus itself is a marvel. Also a nice town generally, though people seemed a bit more intense and self-contained than in some other areas. Not much eye contact. Less than Manhattan, even. That night, an authentic vegetarian meal in a local Indian restaurant (we could have been tourists in Mumbai, considering the rest of the clientele)--my treat, though I had to twist some arms--and an early night for an early start. Thanks again to my wonderful, fun, generous hosts! (They got up for an early breakfast and Joan even made me a sandwich for my lunch!) I am winding through Trenton now headed for a little town near the Delaware in southern NJ, called Vineland. I have decided to cross the Delaware at its Atlantic mouth by ferry and keep as much as possible to the barrier beaches on my way south.