The East Coast

We've seen a lot of Gov. Chris Christie in the past year--both as a "contender" in the Republican party and on the news when the hurricanes came up the New Jersey coast. Well, life goes on at the NJ coast, no signs of the hurricanes in these parts, but lots of talk of the economy and its effects on tourism during the summer months. We've seen huge crowds on the beaches and boardwalks, but the talk is primarily about day trippers versus families that can afford week-long rentals. More of the former is where the general opinion leans.

The New Jersey twin to our Country Fairs is their Wawa stores. The line of people buying coffee and a breakfast food item is long every day I've stopped for a morning paper.

The piers and shoots of land jutting out into the bays are lined with beautiful homes and condos.

These osprey nests are everywhere and each one seems to have a couple "babies."

As I said above, the beaches are packed--umbrella next to umbrella, next to the next umbrella. They make our Presque Isle beaches seem downright solitary!