The Jewish Outdoors Club

On Sunday I will be leading a Train-to-Train advanced hike. This is a strenuous hike in which we start at one train station and end at a different train station. The beauty is that as we will be taking trains to and from the hike, I will not be arranging rides :-)

(If you still want to drive, there is a section for you below).

Please note that this will be an advanced, strenuous hike and you should only attend if you are an experienced strong hiker. Do you think this is you? Keep reading for the hike details.

What: Train-to-Train Hike (Advanced)

When: Sunday, July 19, 2009

Where: One of parks maintained by the NY-NJ Trail Conference.

Length of the hike: Approximately 9 miles

Duration of hike: Until we have completed the 9 miles

Difficulty of hike: 7 out of 10. This will be a difficult hike. It is 9 miles long and there will be elevation gain and loss with areas of scrambling. You will only be allowed to attend if you are an experienced strong hiker. It is not a beginner’s hike. Do not attend if you have bad knees/legs/ankles.  There will be no “back out” route – either you make it the whole 9 miles or you go back the way you came.

Who is considered an experienced strong hiker: Let me reiterate – the hike will be 9 miles long and have considerable gain and loss of elevation across the length of the hike (i.e. lots of ups and downs) with some steep sections that may/will require scrambling. If you’ve never hiked before, please stay home. I don’t care if you ran the marathon. Being in good shape is just one of the criteria for attendance. Being an experienced hiker is another. It’s ok if you don’t attend – there will be other hikes on other days.

Am I am trying to scare anyone who is not appropriate to attend? You bet!

Cost of hike: $0 (please have exact cash)

***As this hike is only open to experienced strong hikers, the next 6 sections really are not necessary, but I have included them so no one can say, “But you didn’t tell me…” ***

Clothes to wear: Please wear clothing that 1) afford you the mobility required to hike comfortably, 2) are appropriate for the weather and 3) you don’t mind getting dirty or possible damaged. Don’t wear anything expensive unless it can be found in the Campmor catalog.

Footwear: Please wear footwear appropriate for hiking and overall outdoor activity. Appropriate: Hiking boots, trail shoes or sneakers. Not appropriate: Open toed or backed shoes and sandals, flip-flops, Crocks or anything with a heel.

Food to bring: Please bring whatever food you will require to survive a day of strenuous physical activity. This will include lunch and snacks (preferably something with carbs for energy and salt/minerals to replace lost electrolytes). Do not rely on other people having enough to share.

Drinks to bring: You must bring a minimum of 2 liters of water for the hike – this does not include whatever you may drink on the way to the trailhead. Additionally, you may wish to ALSO bring sports drinks to help replenish those electrolytes (this is in addition to the 2 liters of water). If you feel that you will need more water, please bring more. Even if you feel that you do not need it, DO NOT BRING LESS THAN 2 LITERS OF WATER. If you do, you will not be allowed to come on the hike. There will be no option of buying drinks at the trail head. It’s the summer – plan accordingly.   

Necessary Gear: Backpack to carry your stuff, hands free.

Other Gear to bring: Aside from the appropriate clothes, footwear and backpack, recommended items include – hat, sunglasses, rain gear/windbreaker, hiking poles, camera, binoculars, first aid kit (if you are trained in its use), sun screen, insect repellant, etc.

***Note about the above 6 sections – you will be turned away if you come inappropriately equipped. Not having the proper gear, food and water will be putting your own safety and the safety of the group in jeopardy and will not be tolerated. It will lead me to question your hiking experience, ability to follow directions and overall judgment. Additionally, it is a chutzpah. You will be banned from the hike and your name will be added to our list of “people who can’t follow instructions” and may be prevented from attending future JOC events. So come prepared, or not at all ***

Main Meeting Location: NY Penn Station (exact location will be sent to attendees later in the week).

New Jersey Meeting Location: There will also be a meeting location in a NJ train station. Information will be sent to attendees later in the week.

Cost of Train: $18.50 round trip

Meeting Time: 9:00 AM Sharp! If you miss the train, you miss the hike.

Return Time: If we make decent time on the trail, expect to be back in NY Penn Station a little after 5:30PM. If things go slower, we’ll be back just before 8:00 PM.

Driving/Rides: If you want to drive, you are welcome to do so. I will send you driving directions later in the week. Please note the following: 1) unless the driver states otherwise at the time of registration, all driver contact information will be put into a spreadsheet and sent to attendees later in the week. Attendees can then contact the drivers if they want to ride along and not join the group on the train. 2) *All* hikers will be required to take the train from the hike end back to the station from where we started. This is how you will retrieve your car. Of course, the cost will be much less than the $18.50.  

Reservations: To reserve a spot, please navigate to the URL:  http://joctrain2trainadvancedhike.eventbrite.com and fill out the registration information.

Please note – the eventbrite system will send a e-mail confirming that your registration information was accepted. THIS IS NOT ATTENDANCE CONFIRMATION. I will be sending a personal e-mail to confirm if you have been accepted to the hike.

Number of hikers: I will be accepting registration for up to 20 hikers ONLY on a first come-first served basis. I don’t mind if the hike does not fill up – I am going for quality, not quantity.

Rain cancellation: rain will probably cancel the hike. Please check back later in the week and on the morning of the hike.

Questions?: Please read and re-read the above info.

Still have questions: Please e-mail me at joc_hike AT mlehmann DOT com, but beware – if I think that your question communicates to me that you are not appropriate for this hike, you will not be allowed to attend.

Review: Review? This is a hike for experienced strong hikers. No review for you!

So if you are not already cowering under your bed, sign up and we’ll see you on Sunday.