After doing 4 half marathons in 5 months, we took a 2 1/2-month hiatus to focus on other parts of our lives. I spent some time in Washington enjoying my family and the beautiful Cascades, and Melodie filled her calendar with work, family and other travel, including an epic two-week trip through France. When October rolled around, we were ready to board the plane and take on our next state challenge.

New Jersey did not come without complications. Several years ago, we had selected a race called Rock the River Palisades in Fort Lee, NJ based on rave reviews from friends and websites. However, as the year rolled on, it became clear that this race was not going to happen, so we hit the drawing board to pick a new one. Because we had already done two beach runs in 2022, we wanted something a little different. Melodie found a little-advertised race called “Main Street Half Marathon of Hunterdon County” that looked intriguing. Details were scarce but what we could drum up assured us of a beautiful, albeit hilly course, with great local support. A fun crew of 6 signed up for this experience, but at the last minute Laurie called to share the disappointing news that she had tested positive for COVID and would not be able to travel. I was pretty bummed as traveling with my daughter is always special, but the train must roll on. And with Kathy, Melodie, Erika and Janille on board, I knew we would not lack for entertainment.

Travel-wise, we all managed to score semi-affordable, non-stop flights for the flight to Newark, NJ. After the Pennsylvania travel nightmare, we were ready for simpler logistics, even though it meant abandoning SW which is generally our airline of choice and going with United (Las Vegas), American (Phoenix) and Alaska (San Francisco). We all landed at Newark Airport between 4:00 – 4:30 on Friday afternoon to blue skies and a balmy temperature of 62 degrees.

Although we all landed within 30 minutes of each other, Janille’s plane got hung up on the tarmac for 90 minutes waiting for a plane headed to Panama to deplane and unload all their baggage. Such are the joys of travel! Newark is renown for being a challenging airport to navigate and we certainly found that to be the case. Our arrival gates placed us in three different terminals which meant we needed to decipher Newark’s confusing signage to get where we needed to be. We pride ourselves on being veteran travelers, nonetheless, and managed to figure out a meeting spot without too much hair pulling. From there, we headed over to the car rental counter to stand in a VERY long line. Thankfully, we had a reservation as they were very clear that without that, you were on foot. We picked up our van and headed out to the New Jersey turnpike.

Erika’s skills at driving vans and navigating congested freeways earned her the job of chauffeur for most of this trip. Thankfully, our drive to Lebanon, MA was not a long one and once we left the city, we moved along quickly. We decided to stop and eat before checking into our AirBnB as experience has taught us that small town USA rolls up their sidewalks early. Vintage Tavern provided us with an adequate, if not amazingly original, place to eat.

Next stop, our AirBnB! We never know what to expect with these AirBnB’s. You do the best you can with the information provided online, but there are always surprises: sometimes good, sometimes not so good. This one was decorated to the nines. There wasn’t an inch of space anywhere that didn’t have a pumpkin, Halloween ornament, or some other seasonal decoration to adorn the space. However, it was large and generally clean, as long as you didn’t open closet or cupboard doors.

In addition to a highly decorated indoor space, there were outdoor decorations that came to life every night to ensure that you did not forget the season.

Overall, it was a comfy space and had its own brand of charm. Once we removed the heavily-scented air fresheners so we could breathe, the house was really quite comfortable. Some of the beds were great, some not so great, but it was a place to stay close to the race with room for all of us. We were grateful to find it as lodging in this neck of the woods was hard to come by. Our host had cautioned us to keep the party noise down, particularly after 9:00 pm, but we managed to comply without too much suffering.

Our agenda for the next day was pretty simple. Get up, drink coffee, wander around the countryside, eat at regular intervals, drive the route, and pick up our packets. Armed with an interactive map provided by the race director, Erika and Melodie managed to figure out the course close enough that we could drive most of it. It had been challenging to get a decent elevation map for this race so we were anxious to see exactly what we would be facing. We knew there were hills in the middle, but maps never tell the whole story. Janille, Melodie and I were running the half marathon, and Erika and Kathy were doing the relay which required a handoff at the 5-mile mark.

The New England countryside was picturesque and charming, with glorious color abounding everywhere. Running with these views would be a treat.

After driving the route, we headed over to the historic district of downtown Clinton to pick up our race packets and wander the expo. The expo turned out to be mostly a vendor fair for local merchants, graced with music from Roulette the Band, and the Big Fuss, but the setting was idyllic.

Sitting right next to the starting line for tomorrow’s race was the iconic Red Mill Museum, one of New Jersey’s most photographed sites owing to its spectacular location on the South Branch of the Raritan River. The Red Mill, with its historic village, dates back to 1810 with the development of a mill for wool processing. It has served several roles through the years, including a wool processing plant, a peach basket factory and a textile mile. In 1960, the mill was purchased by the Red Mill Five, along with the adjoining Mulligan & Sons Quarry, and donated to the Clinton Historical Museum which opened in 1965. We were not able to tour the museum/village while we were there as it was closed for Halloween preparations. (This area takes Halloween seriously!)

And of course, just in case we didn’t have enough pictures of us, we had to grab one more on the bridge, sans the photographer.

One distinctly different thing on this trip is that we did not take copious pictures of restaurants and eating. I’m not sure if that means eating has assumed a lesser role in our lives, or we just plain forgot. In any case, I know we did eat and actually managed to get the required three meals in on pre-race day, despite the fact that Laurie was not there to ensure we stayed on track.

We had done a bit of weather watching on this trip as early temperatures looked cold. As predicted, race morning dawned clear and cold with a temp of 34 degrees. We scarfed down our typical race morning breakfast of granola, yogurt, bananas and berries and headed out the door at 7:00 am.

We were only 20 minutes away with a start time of 8:00 am, so we were pretty relaxed about everything except how many layers to wear. This particular race was so small they didn’t have a bag drop so you got to carry whatever you were wearing while you waited to start. In the end, the sun was shining so even though it was cold, we all opted to give our jackets to Kathy who would be driving the van to the relay transition point. From there, Erika would drive the van to the finish line, so our transportation needs were well taken care of.

And we were off. We’ve had so many moments like this they tend to run together, but that adrenaline rush when you realize once again you’ve signed up to run 13.1 miles never fails to show up. As we discovered the day before, the course was incredibly beautiful with unending views around every bend.

Erika managed to grab a couple of action shots of Melodie and me at the relay transition point. Melodie looks like she’s got the world by the tail at Mile 8, and me, well, I look serious. Just don’t get in my way.

And then for the sweetest part of all. The Finish.

It was the first half for Janille in over 3 years so particularly sweet for her. Erika and Kathy pulled off a successful relay despite constant hurdles to overcome just to get here. In addition, Erika hadn’t been able to travel and run with her mom in a states’ race since Niagara Falls in Sept 2016 so this was special for them. Melodie had her best race of 2022, and yours truly finished her first half at age 70 as the oldest woman in the race. Despite some stomach issues and concerns about the hills, everyone did so well. There was much to celebrate and we did!

And the whole crew.

There’s not much question about what happened next. We didn’t hang around too long despite the food and beer. Showers, stretching and dry clothes were our top priority. After relaxing for a bit, we headed out for some lunch. Taverns seemed to be the restaurant of choice in the area, so again we ate at a local tavern and Erika was able to watch a little Vikings football. After that, it was naptime all around.

Later that evening, we took a walk through the neighborhood. Hunterdon County seems to be comprised of small country towns, population around 2,200 or so, with lots of older homes, farms and rolling acres. From Lebanon, you have to drive at least 15 minutes to find a store, restaurant or gas station. We found the area charming, but a bit isolated if you like to be close to the amenities.

We did manage to squeeze in one more meal that evening, and it wasn’t even a tavern.

Monday was travel day. With a checkout time of 11:00 am and flights at 5:00 pm, we had some time to fill. We decided to drive a few extra miles and check out the Palisades Interstate Scenic Parkway, a 42-mile winding drive that starts at Bear Mountain Bridge and ends at the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, paralleling the Hudson River the whole way. Our first stop was at the State Lookout in the Palisades Interstate Park, a beautiful spot overlooking the Hudson River from the New Jersey side. The expansive views and updrafts created by the steep Palisades cliffs make this site ideal for raptors and raptor watching. Ever the history buffs, we took some time to read about the early settlers who settled the area and built the stone wall surrounding the rugged cliffs.

Our next stop was Fort Lee Historic Park, part of the Palisades Interstate Park, where we had more views of the Palisade bluffs, the Hudson River, and the George Washington Bridge.

And then it was time to head to the airport. Traffic is pretty intense on NJ’s freeways in the late afternoon, but between Erika’s driving and Melodie’s navigating, we managed to get to the airport in one piece and on time. Again, we were all in different terminals with different departure times, so Erika and Melodie dropped Kathy, Janille and me off at the curb where we said our goodbyes. Kathy and I breezed through security with literally no competition, but Janille sent us a text saying her security line was the longest she had ever seen! Thankfully, she had plenty of time so the hour slog through security didn’t make her late for her flight. Erika and Melodie also sent a text confirming the rental car had been returned, and despite a few challenges in their security line where TSA Pre-Check was not honored, they were also in the boarding area with time to spare.

Overall, despite a few hiccups and delays, travel was relatively smooth for a west to east coast trip. Everyone arrived home safely which is always the most important part.

Nostalgia has set in for me as the finish line comes into focus. In just a few short months, God willing and the creek don’t rise, we will reach a goal we set 19 years ago in Lake Tahoe on Oct 3, 2003. For many years, I honestly thought it was just a fun idea, something we would never have the time or resources to achieve, much less the ability. However, here we are and I am so grateful. Reaching our destination will be sweet, but even if that never happens, the journey has enriched my life beyond measure in every conceivable way.

So a special thanks to all who have been with us on the journey, and buckle up. We’ve only 3 to go!

Next up, Cotter, AR, State #48.