Let’s face it, there’s not much reason to hit the Jersey shore in the middle of the winter. But that’s exactly what I did the other day.
Since I had business nearby I decided to visit Asbury Park and see how preparation for the upcoming summer season was progressing. It wasn’t! I expected to see nothing but asses and elbows, but found a ghost town instead. The only action was in the old Paramount Theatre, where preparation for a Tom Jones show that evening was underway. The roadies paid us little mind as Pam and I wandered around. We wanted to have lunch but everything was closed. The town seems poised to lose yet another season and in this economy that just might spell doom. Too bad.
We continued south. I thought it might be fun to take the Jeep down the barrier island. I was surprised to see the Island Beach State Park was charging a five dollar entry fee. (“All year, every day,” the attendant confirmed.) It didn’t seem worth it to drop a fin simply to drive in and out so we circled back through Seaside Heights. The town was a flurry of activity, plenty of local contractors busily sprucing up for the season to come. We wandered the boardwalk a bit. It sure is a different place midwinter!
By then, I was out of time. I finished some business in Eatontown and continued back into the central part of the state. It was almost like returning to civilization. Almost.
