What a great weekend. Good weather, great people, the dogs behaved, what else can you ask for?

We got to meet SeaGirt at (where else) Sea Girt and Shirin at Sandy Hook.

I would like to thank all the volunteers of the NJLHC, especially those at Sandy Hook for the "First to Complete the Challenge on Sunday" award, LLOM of Sandy Hook. It will join our collection.

We are looking forward to next year.

I finished the NJ Challenge in one day at Tinicum Rear Range light, but I was not the first to do so. Cold in the morning at Sandy Hook (I was in the first group up the tower), sunny from 11 - 2 pm, but then clouds rolled in. Rain from East Point to Finns Point to Tinicum. Didn't see Seagirt at Seagirt unless he wasn't wearing his Wacko badge. I had mine on.

Unfortunately, the return trip south on I-95 to Virginia was a nightmare, and I didn't get home until midnight.

Robert

It was nice meeting both of you at Sandy Hook this weekend.

I had my badge on...however, I was working the lantern (my FAVORITE place in the lighthouse) Sat. Afternoon and all day Sun., so if you didn't come up, you wouldn't have met me.

I did meet Rick (Kory63) and Lighthouse Joe, however...someone asked for me, too, but the person who they asked didn't realise that I was Seagirt. Who is the mystery person?

Overall, great cahllenge! We had less people than last year, for some reason. However, there were still About 1,700 that came to Sea Girt (1,700 blurs to me!)

I do have to say, I got a bit nostalgic for doing the challenge, however. I was thinking for next year, a little compromise:

On Saturday, I could start at 7:00 sharp at Tinicum, and visit all the lighthouses, except Sea Girt. I would, to save time, probably skip climbing some of the lights, like Cape May, Absecon, Barngea, Navesink, etc. that I have climbed many times, and Hereford Inlet Lighthou$e as part of my boycott. I could probably do it in a day.

Then, on Sunday, I would go to Sea Girt and volunteer for the day. That way, I would still be able to volunteer, but I could do the challenge, too. I'm going to tinker around in S&T and see if it is possible...but I think it might work!

Greg,

It is definitely feasible to do the NJ Challenge in one day- if you don't stand in any lines to climb any of the Lighthouses that have waits, like East Point, Sandy Hook and Sea Girt.

The others would depend on the time you hit them as most don't restrict the numbers going in at any one time. You might have some access problems at Navesink. It gets crowded up there if they are not using the high school as a parking area.

Barnegat, Cape May and Absecon take more time to get to than to climb usually.

I'd say if you got to Tinicum first thing in the morning you could get to Sandy Hook by early afternoon while not breaking too many speeding laws. I wouldn't reccomend this method to anyone who hasn't been to the Lighthouses already, though.

You don't get the time to appreciate anything at any of the Lighthouses doing this. I was going to try doing this myself this year if I had managed to complete the Maryland Challenge- unfortunately we didn't get to turkey Point until Monday so I decided to just go to a few of the Lighthouses- including your favorite Hereford Inlet.

We stopped at Finn's Point and East Point on the way and did not run into any Wackos along the way- although we did get to see some friends from the NJLHS and the different Lighthouses along the way.

I'm hoping to not have other committments next year so we can volunteer again- we had a wedding on Saturday and were not sure how late a night it would be so we passed this year on volunteering.

We were hoping to meet with Rick (kory63) who we spent time with in FL at the REgional in March but apparently I miss read his cellphone number and when I called I got somebody who didn't know what the hell I was talking about- probpably thought I was some kind of Wacko.

Dennis

Dennis

Dennis,
Sorry to have missed you especially if I messed up the cell number.
Sis and I and her cousin and her husband all completed the Challenge. What a fantastic event!!
Sis' cousin and husband will probably end up joining your group. They loved it.
Met Shirin at Sandy Hook. She was one of the 1st people we encountered. She remembered us from the week before. She insisted on a picture that undoubtedly will end up on the NELL website. Met some other NELL members at Tuckerton though neither Sis or I could remember names.
Finally met Greg at Sea Girt thanks to my WACKO badge. I was 1st told he was at the top. He wasn't! The person there didn't know a Greg so if it wasn't for the badge I wouldn't have asked at his station the Badge ID'd me and he spotted it.
We did Sandy Hook to Cape May on Sat. We skipped Hereford because the ladies wanted some daylight in the town. The shopping gene!!
Saw and spoke w/Kim at Hereford. The Younger family is amazing. She said she knew me from somewhere but could'nt remember where. I told her St. Augustine and she remembered me as one of the last to get somethings signed. Bought the event piece and really like it.
Though my right leg is still weak from my back surgerys I climed each and every tower. 1300= steps. I figured do the event in its entirity. LH's are meant to be appreciated from bottom to top, inside and out.
Again a great event, well run by some very friendly people.
Rick & Sis

Just noticed this was my100th post.
Does it make me twice as WACKO?????
Rick

Just twice as crazy, Rick. Just twice as crazy. But isn't it fun?

Bob