July 10th: Hump Day on Vacation

John Cooking Chicken

Waiting out the Storm

After getting up with that bad dream I had a nice long luxurious breakfast and then I had it in my mind that I would walk somewhere from long time. I was thinking of the I picked the causeway I went to Cedar Bonnet Island which I've driven by 1000 times in my day going to Long Beach Island (LBI)in my youth. Well, the walk was cool. I first went by the Gateway where our family would eat pizza when I was a child. When I got to the bridge, I noticed that there is barely ANY shoulder AND there is just a

47th St. Beach at Dusk

small sidewalk. I mean the cars and trucks just whiz by at 65 MPH 3 feet from my body. Its scary really. I guess the idea of a pedestrian bridge has not caught on yet like in Harrisburg or the West Coast. I ventured to Cedar Bonnet Island. Its like being in Fortescue NJ. It feels like I am the middle of nowhere. I spoke to a woman and her friend who live there. They stated that the tide from Hurricane Sandy rose to 37 inches. Four of her neighbors houses had to be destroyed since they were in such disrepair. I really

Alex Reading after visit to bookstore.

enjoyed going there. It was scenic and made up for listening to all the cars speed by me. During the walk a flash storm crept in. The clouds were very dark and ominous. The rain came and I got soaked. Luckily for me, the rain ONLY lasted about 10 minutes. I was pretty dry by the time I met up with my brother his girlfriend and his son. I made a 9 min video of my 8 mile round trip walk. Hope you can find the time to see it. Its okay if you just "sample" it. I did cut out 3 minutes of it.

Cedar Bonnet Island

I do realize that 3-5 min is what is usually acceptable and I do usually follow that rule. I rarely walk that far and I do not get to go to LBI all the time so I made an exception in this case.
At the end of my walk I met up with John and Doreen and Alex at the bookstore 27th St. We drove home and then I decided I needed a trip to the beach and lie down which I've done successfully in my day. I

Damage to Cedar Bonnet Island

Doreen and John at Sunset

bought my portable speaker (Braven). For dinner honey we had some big chicken and it was it was really good chicken and of course I needed to delete or transfer my photos to the computer so I can blog and eventually put them on the webs. After dinner, we went to the back of the church again for the sunset that was due at 8:25pm. It was a bit
merger last night, but it was a nice walk with a cool breeze.
Alex, John and Doreen did that stand up paddling thing that seems to be really popular in the past 2 years. The brochure calls them SUP. I just had to giggle cause I think of SUP as a slang. You know "sup...dude???" for saying "what's up dude??" I heard Alex was surfing got up five times.
I got some updates to beach replenishment in Brant Beach. I read in the local free paper called the "Sandpaper" that the Army Corps of Engineers just finished Brant Beach, where we are staying. This explains the large pipes that are on the sand.
Also I read that they are going to construct a new bridge to LBI next to the existing bridge.NJ DOT explains on their website:

I did walk near the construction site and I just thought they were adding extra lanes to the island.  As the

The Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project involves the construction of a new structure parallel to and south of the existing Manahawkin Bay Bridge, rehabilitation of the existing Manahawkin Bay Bridge, and the rehabilitation of three trestle bridges over Hilliards Thoroughfare, East Thoroughfare, and West Thoroughfare. Other  improvements

          •A six-foot sidewalk on the westbound (north) side of Route 72, with connections to communities and points of interest on the south side of the roadway;

•Bicycle accommodations, including wider outside shoulders on the twin Manahawkin Bay Bridges and six-foot bike lanes on the trestle bridges;

Photo of the project taken July 10th 2013

•Improvements to the intersection of Route 72 and Marsha Drive in Stafford Township to alleviate seasonal traffic delays; and
•Intersection improvements in Ship Bottom, designed to improve traffic flow for both north/south traffic on Long Beach Island and along 8th and 9th Streets, and drainage improvements to improve access during heavy rainfalls and high tides.

 

This entire work is to be completed by 2019. That is 2 years before I get to retire from the state if God wills it to be true. Well enough of that. That is for another blog or Facebook entry.