August 15, 2020 – WANDERLUST FAMILY ADVENTURE

Morristown National Historical Park – Morristown, New Jersey

August 15, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Hiking, Historic Sites, National Parks Service, New Jersey, North America, United States

Morristown National Historical Park in Morristown, New Jersey, consists of four sites important during the American Revolutionary War: Jockey Hollow, the Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense and the New Jersey Brigade Encampment site. With its establishment in March 1933, Morristown became the country’s first National Historical Park.
The Ford Mansion, in Morristown proper, was the site of the “hard winter” quarters of George Washington and the Continental Army. Martha Washington traveled to Morristown to spend the winter with her husband.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Fort Nonsense occupied a high hilltop overlooking Morristown, and is believed to have been the site of a signal fire, along with earthworks.

Jockey Hollow a few miles south of Morristown along Route 202 in Harding Twp., was the site of a Continental Army encampment.

Taste Test – Sarsaparilla

August 15, 2020 Joseph Candora Taste Test

Sarsaparilla is a soft drink, originally made from the Smilax ornata or other plants, but now more often made with artificial ingredients. Classic U.S. sarsaparilla was not made from the extract of the sarsaparilla plant, a tropical vine distantly related to the lily. It was originally made from a blend of birch oil and sassafras, the dried root bark of the sassafras tree. Sarsaparilla apparently made its debut as a patent medicine but became a popular non-alcoholic drink during the old west. I am not a soda drinker with the only soda I imbibe is an occasional root beer, but I did drink sarsaparilla when it was available growing up and remember quite enjoying it. I found it very difficult to find and had to order some on-line to conduct the taste test. Alex also very much likes root beer so we had high hopes for the test.

The Sioux City Sarsaparilla we purchased had cane sugar and artificial flavor. We both liked the taste of the soda but Alex thought it was just a weak flavored root beer. It did not bring back the memories I had as a kid and I was slightly disappointed. I will continue to look and will sample another brand if I see one but will not go out of my way to reorder.

Assateague Island National Seashore – Maryland and Virginia

August 15, 2020 Joseph Candora Beaches, Camping, Hiking, Maryland, National Parks Service, North America, State Parks, United States, Virginia, Wildlife

Assateague Island National Seashore is located on the East Coast along the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland and Virginia, Assateague Island is the largest natural barrier island ecosystem in the Middle Atlantic states region that remains predominantly unaffected by human development.
Assateague Island encompasses a 37-mile-long barrier island, adjacent marsh islands and waters in Maryland and Virginia, and the Assateague Island Visitor Center on the Maryland mainland. 41,346 acres of land and water are within the seashore’s boundaries. The island consists of three public areas; Assateague Island National Seashore, Assateague State Park, and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

Of course the main attraction of the park are the feral Assateague Ponies and the introduced Sika Deer.

Evidence of the horse’s presence is also prevalent in the park.

After several family trips to the seashore I decided to really experience the park with some buddies of mine. We hiked to a backcountry campsite deep into the park for a five day stay. A couple of caveats first the path to the backcountry campsite is on loose sand and after 4 or 5 miles hiking with a heavy back it can be quite tiring. And the reason your pack is so heavy is that all of the water in the park is brackish and so all water for drinking and cooking must be carried in with you. The park is also a prime spot for Lyme disease and one of my hiking partners did contract the disease while in the park. The experience is very much worth it though. Sitting on the beach with no one else for miles or sitting near the marsh and watching the horses is one of the most relaxing and contemplative few days of my life.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

August 15, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Beaches, Hiking, Historic Sites, Lighthouses, National Parks Service, North America, North Carolina, United States

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a United States national seashore which preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over 70 miles.

Once dubbed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” for its treacherous currents, shoals, and storms, Cape Hatteras has a wealth of history relating to shipwrecks, lighthouses, and the US Lifesaving Service. Two lighthouses can be easily visited within the park; The Cape Hatteras Light Station and the Bodie Island Light Station.

The islands also provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. The park’s fishing and surfing are considered the best on the East Coast.

Bodie Island Lighthouse – Cape Hatteras National Seashore

August 15, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Beaches, Historic Sites, Lighthouses, National Parks Service, North America, North Carolina, United States

The current Bodie Island Lighthouse is the third that has stood in this vicinity of Bodie Island on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and was built in 1872. It stands on the Roanoke Sound side of the first island that is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The lighthouse is just south of Nags Head. It was extensively renovated from August 2009 to March 2013.

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31