The Delaware Gap National Recreation Area

Look mom...I'm on the shores of the Delaware!!

 So when I left Gettysburg the next major point on my map was the Delaware Water gap. That allowed me to be immersed in gorgeous country side without having to even come close to big city centers...yes people I am done with big cities...period!

 Anyway I didn't know what the gap was, who was there and what I was going to be doing but it seemed perfect..a wall of rock and nature separating two states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

 I hadn't even planned on hitting Jersey but then a wrong turn, a reluctance to pay a toll (even though I found out later if was pennies) and next thing you knew...I was in Jersey. On hindsight I think that the jersey inner roads up into NY would have been nicer, if that's possible.

Sweetest van!! Not a bad dog but some fun fun people!!

Forget the year...classic though

Miles...miles and miles...and smiles

The river was slow, cool but not cold and provided an amazing backdrop for a reading session that could have gone on forever as far as I'm concerned!

  I took up camp in Dingmans Campground which was a strangely situated private campground in a national park...not a normal thing. It turns out that much of the business within the park is private and under contract with the gov't. I've been to a few parks now and this was easily the most privatized park so far...and that's not always a good thing.

sorry about the crap on the lens....but please enjoy the view while we connect your call to nirvana

 So after a buy 3 get 4 free in the campground, which has never happened in 7 months I was headed north into New York. Below are the falls I visited...you can imagine that with the amount of water in the area that falls are in abundance and they certainly are. 

 One thing that I found really interesting that has nothing to do with the falls or anything lese was the amount of Orthodox Jews that visit the area. They were there in some serious numbers, all from New York, most from brooklyn. I'm a curious guy so I asked many of them about their trip and day. I wanted to ask more but really a few of them were standoffish and then the one cool cat who I met we just ended talking about my trip and he had a ton of questions about my travells. 

 It was neat though and when I eventually make it to New York I will be digging the cultural  experience of that area...and some bagels with New York deli meats stacked so tall the corners of your mouth bleed when you eat it...
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 BUSHKILL FALLS

Sometimes you find a little piece of water to be more enjoyable than a huge epic thundering falls...this was one of those, it was just so nice

Bushkill Falls surprised me. I was expecting this national park style thing but oh no...a privatized falls?? WTH? So I immediataly thought about jumping the fence and sneaking in...but then I decided to talk to the souvenir attendant and grilled her on if this "Bushkill" place was worth the 11 bones they were charging.

 She seemed genuine when she pulled out her map, gave me detailed instructions to her favourite places and an assurance that it was worth it...she wasn't lying. What a great way to spend the afternoon. 9 falls sit within the tree filled magnificence that is the Bushkill area. Their wooden walkways take you over, around and beside them. Cute german girls with tight shorts, little jewish kids splashing in the falls (cold and a bejeeza)

This was really fun...these guys were seeing who could sit under the falls for the longest. I was curious how his kippah stayed on...

The falls were gorgeous...water itself is gorgeous

So after about 4 hours of peaceful enjoyment, people watching and book reading... headed out the gate to Dingmans Campground and a nice dinner of pork chops, roasted potatoes and fresh PA corn.

The Bri guy..."Can you take my picture please"

The chariot making another mark in it's epic travels

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DINGMANS FALLS

This creppy guy showed up unexpectedly on my shoulder and scared the living be-jeezus out of me - no i did not squish him

Bridge to a great afternoon....

Secondary falls...quite tall actually but very flow of water due to the summers drought

It was so nice, I climbed down here and went for a swim. Some ladies showed up and were freaking out about being washed over the edge. The neat thing about this pool is that to the right it's about 20ft deep and to the left it's about 2. Washing over the side would be near immpossible unless you where made of the same substance as a rubber duck

It's not cool to draw on national park stuff...but a slipping, tripping smiling devil...well it was pretty cool lol

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RAYMONDSKILL FALLS

The inside of a cool little cave

 Raymonskill Falls are the tallest falls in PA. It's three falls that connect through pools that the locals use as swimming holes. Of course barriers are up everywhere and signs as well...that stuff exists because some turkey from our past decided to drop off the edge like a stone and went splat n the rocks below. For the average person there are basic rules...don't go in the water without floatation if you can't swim and don't swim over to the edge of a thousand gallon a minute fall and expect that you won't become a victim of slippery algae and looming death.

Raymondskill Falls are the tallest falls in PA. Broken into three parts you could hang out at a number of spots and be away from all traffic and noise

It's a low season and there was still a lot of water

  They were possibly the most stunning falls I have seen on my entire trip and I enjoyed every second of my time there!! If I was a local I would be here as often as possible!! Clean water, good weather and PA had some of the most amazing local food carts that I have found so far!!

Every path was gorgeous. I could have spent days here if you could camp beside it!

Best swimming hole in the entire Delaware Gap...I won't tell you where it is unless you are going there!

As I left PA and entered New York I looked back and examined the path through PA. Epic war memorial, gorgeous times in Lancaster (amish country), something to see at ever turn raw milk sales on the side of the road, some of the best apples ever.....oh yeah, PA was good to me!