4 From the Editor In the past four months, with all things communal shut down, it’s been well documented that there has been an insurgence <strong>of</strong> what is known as outdoor passive recreation—basically, people who would not normally go for a walk around the neighborhood or a hike in the woods, are. Really, what else is there to do? For me, if it gets me outdoors, then I’m participating. You could say I’ve been “passively recreating” all my life, starting with treks into the woods behind our family home in West Caldwell and continuing with all sorts <strong>of</strong> adventures in the woods surrounding our weekend house in the Poconos. My love affair with the woods was solidified during my time at East Stroudsburg University—we hiked all throughout the Delaware Water Gap. Recently, in my neighborhood here at Nolan’s Point, the “people” traffic started slowly. Day after day, one by one, I would see someone new walking on the street in front <strong>of</strong> the house. “Well, I don’t know that person,” I’d say to myself, knowing that nearly 20 years <strong>of</strong> walking with my dogs has <strong>of</strong>fered me the opportunity to meet and speak with pretty much everyone along our routes. I certainly knew the regular walkers, especially if they were walking a dog. My walks have not been limited to just my neighborhood, though. Often, my Saturday or Sunday mornings are spent somewhere in the woods around northern New Jersey, either with a small group <strong>of</strong> friends or family, but almost always with just my best friend, Patti. We’ve been getting lost in the woods since college—well, not really lost, maybe just misplaced <strong>of</strong>f the trail here and there. In our defense, it was before smartphones and Google maps. And sometimes we were so deep in conversation we just lost track <strong>of</strong> the trail blazes. And really, it’s New Jersey. How lost can you get? But I digress. When we plan a hike, we make it a point to find a new trail every time we go out. We want a challenge too, in length and skill level. And we usually stay within a 30- to 45-minute drive for each <strong>of</strong> us. West Milford is a favorite location for its proximity to my house here in Jefferson and Patti’s house in Hawthorne, and for its miles and miles <strong>of</strong> trails. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty <strong>of</strong> terrific trails throughout Morris and Sussex counties—and we’ve hiked a lot <strong>of</strong> them. But the Morris County trails tend to be more congested and the really good Sussex County trails are not conveniently located. Two <strong>of</strong> our most recent hikes really bring to light this increase in outdoor passive recreation. The Norvin Green State Forest trail system is a favorite location for us. There are hundreds <strong>of</strong> routes to be taken, and we chose one that measures 5.4 miles in length and is rated as moderate. Usually, a trail like that means fewer people. But on this sunny Sunday morning, we encountered about a dozen other hikers, almost all sharing a friendly warning about a bear sighting farther up the trail. That’s a lot people to see for the trails we pick in West Milford. Usually we see just one or two other pairs <strong>of</strong> hikers—if any. By the time we got out <strong>of</strong> the woods, cars were parked along the road near the trailhead as far as the eye could see, as opposed to the half dozen that were there when we began. The other hike, at Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area in Montville, was a bit different in that the area already looked like a used car lot by 8:30 a.m. when we arrived. (This is us, ready to take on the steep hill behind us.) Young, old, big groups, small groups, couples, you name it, every segment <strong>of</strong> the population was represented. It was amazing to see such diversity when we usually see just one or two other people. The sunny day was representative <strong>of</strong> the people we encountered—all having a great time with friends or family, with fellow hikers and with nature. With all that is going on in the world, taking a walk is a great way to cleanse the soul. For me, it’s my happy place. For those <strong>of</strong> you who might have just started going for walks or hikes, as we open up and get back to the hustle and bustle, I hope you continue to make it part <strong>of</strong> your daily routine. Stay healthy. —Karen TOWNS CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY MARKETPLACE DEBUTS IN HOPATCONG AT HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC GOING SOLAR IN JEFFERSON AND HOPATCONG ake Hopatcong News INFORMING, SERVING AND CELEBRATING THE LAKE REGION FROM JOURNEYMAN TO LENSMAN FOURTH OF JULY 2020 VOL. 12 NO. 3 Ledgewood’s Bob Behrent gets up close and personal with the wildlife around Lake Hopatcong—especia ly the eagles LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> 2020 ON THE COVER Bob Behrent, behind the lens and searching for wildlife on Lake Hopatcong from the Lify Island bridge (also written as Liffy) in Jefferson. -photo by Karen Fucito KAREN FUCITO Editor editor@lakehopatcongnews.com 973-663-2800 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Stephen Daigle Jack De Vries Melissa Summers COLUMNISTS Marty Kane Barbara Simmons Heather Shirley EDITING AND LAYOUT Maria DaSilva-Gordon Randi Cirelli ADVERTISING SALES Lynn Keenan advertising@lakehopatcongnews.com 973-222-0382 PRINTING Imperial Printing & Graphics, Inc. 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