No.43  Weltz Park

Wow! Hike 43 was such a pleasant surprise!  I have been really busy at work and with extra-curricular activities lately that fitting in a hike (let alone blogging about them) has been hard if I don’t want to wake up at 4:30am!  On this particular Monday, I had resigned to getting lots of chores and errands done and skipping my hike.  Around lunchtime I was driving down West Park Ave. in Ocean on my way to the car wash, when I remembered Weltz Park and whipped a turn into the parking lot.  I did a 2 mile loop through this lovely little park.  It was so pretty with many wild flower and tree species and lots of wild life.  The deer were more numerous than the squirrels!!  The moment I stepped on the trail, I knew it was the right move.  Taking 45 minutes out of my busy day to walk in woods made the rest of my to-do-list enjoyable.  The combination of exercise, quiet and nature, somehow helps me get my mind in focus.  I pray/talk to God as I’m going along the path and I am reminded of the right reasons to do the things I do, from my job to my marriage and other relationships.  My little detour reminded me that even if I don’t have the time to drive to some amazing mountain in northern New Jersey, I need to visit someplace local that I can have some quiet time in nature.