9/20: Linden to Princeton Part 2

9/20: Linden to Princeton: Part 2

As we walked we talked, I was almost disturbed about how different Princeton was from any other place I'd been. It seemed as if there was a bubble of well being around the town. Even when we'd been smoking a spliff on her back porch, there was no fear that anyone would take notice. Strange considering any other place I'd been in New Jersey, if you stopped more than a couple of seconds someone official would show up and tell me to "move along move along."  I kept saying "this is so weird" unable to shake the disturbing feeling that I'd just stepped into some kind of Stepford scenario.  Shaking it off as we arrived at the Seminary School, the gothic tower standing dark, an ominous finger only noticeable by the void of stars.

9/20: Linden to Princeton: Part 1

9/20/2012:  Linden, NJ to Princeton, NJ Part One.
I woke with a start. Having forgotten to set my alarm the night before I knew I'd woken up late before checking my phone for the time. This was going to be a problem, it was a 31 mile run to Princeton, and even if I caught the train at Princeton Junction into the Borough, I'd needed to be up at 6AM to start. I fumbled with my backpack, shoving items in willy nilly. By the end it looked more like a tinkers bundle than the neatly packed rucksack I'd started out with. I listened at the door, knowing that the viewing was over given the late hour (10:00AM). Heading downstairs, I heard a voice call up.

9/19: Montclair, NJ to Linden, NJ Part 2: Say goodbye to A&P

9/19/2012: Montclair to Linden, NJ
I had a place to stay in Linden, I knew it wasn't going to be easy getting there. I'd been advised to stay off of Route 1, as it would have taken me through the heart of Newark. Once I'd passed through East Orange, (essentially the West Side of Newark) I figured I could pop back over to '1 and make up some time getting to Linden. Stopping at a bus stop to get some rest, a woman and her son were waiting on public transportation.  Curious about my pack he asked me if I'd been in the military. Giving the same answer I do every time I said 

9/19: Montclair, NJ - Linden, NJ Part 1 "We'll have to close it down..."

9/19/2012: Montclair to Linden: Part 1
I got started relatively early in the morning after a hearty breakfast of beans, rice and eggs. Cookie and I wasted some time, delaying my inevitable departure. It's hard enough saying "goodbye" to strangers along the way, it's doubly hard to walk away from friends. Especially friends that I see so rarely. I think both of us had tears in our eyes as we hugged, I posed for a picture, then headed South.

9/18: Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair, NJ: After my weekend in New York City I was ready chill for a minute with my homie Cookie.  As one of the most generous souls I've ever met, she went through the trouble of picking up supplies for my feet.  She tried to insist that I leave the housework to the professionals, namely her, but I told her to go screw and started doing the dishes.