For the second year in a row, the FreeWalkers, a long distance walking network, is partnering with the East Coast Greenway Alliance in a program that utilizes the entire ECG New Jersey segment of that 3,000 mile trail. The program provides an opportunity and incentive for individuals to experience the diversity, personal challenge and fun of crossing the entire state by foot. Interested individuals simply have to walk the entire distance within the next 12 months and record their efforts on the website, Crossjerseywalk.org. To help facilitate the Cross-Jersey Walking challenge, there are three FreeWalker distance walks that in total cover the entire length (about 100 miles). Additionally, there are several upcoming FreeWalkers / East Coast Greenway events:
TR2NB40 – Great Canal Walk – April 7, 2012 – a one-day 40-mile walk from Trenton to New Brunswick along the D&R Canal
NB2MP10 – The Tween Walk – April 14, 2012 – a 10-mile walk from New Brunswick to Metropark
NJ2NY50 – The Big Walk – May 19, 2012 – a one-day, 50-mile walk from Metropark to New York Penn Station.
HUDSONLOOP30 – The Hudson River Loop Walk – June 9, 2012 – a one-day, 30-mile walk from Jersey City to NYC over the GWB.
bay2ocean30 – The Endless Summer Walk – September 22, 2012 – a one-day 30-mile walk from Matawan to Asbury Park
LENAPE34 – The Origins Walk – October 8, 2012 – a one-day, 34 mile walk along the Lenape Trail through Essex County
All FreeWalker events are free and open to the public. They do encourage support of trail organizations such as the East Coast Greenway and the New York New Jersey Trail Conference. Promotion of public awareness of fitness and the need to plan communities that support activities such as walking, running, and cycling is also a priority.
