Niranjan's Birthday Hike

For someone who loves the outdoors and nature, what better way to celebrate their birthday than go out for a hike??

Date: Nov 17, 2020

Hikers: Niranjan, Rajeshree, Seema, Abhin, Mindy, Siraj and Anagha

Location: Palisades Interstate Park

When Niranjan created this hiking event on our Meetup Group to celebrate his birthday, I decided to take the day off. Weather conditions were perfect for a hike - cold and cloudy and the Palisades Park itself is beautiful. Views of NY across the Hudson river over those sheer cliffs and along the path at the bottom of those cliffs keep you entertained throughout the hike.

10 miles hike at the Palisades Interstate Park to celebrate Niranjan's birthday. Cool and misty day, but perfect weather to go rock hopping on Giant Steps.  All the leaves seemed to have made home on Mother Earth and you had to watch where you put your foot down as it was slippery in some places.

We were soon off with our feet taking us down from the cliff face to the trail below meandering down to the Hudson. The first time I did this hike, it was from a different location and this time we started off from Exit 2, right next to the Police Station.

We were soon coming up to the Giant rocks called the Giant Staircase - a mile long expanse of rocks strewn like confetti along the Hudson. Each of us busy with our own thoughts and in our own worlds. Some celebrating nature by taking pictures and some intent on just moving ahead and some soaking in nature with their own eyes.  

Met a new hiker - Mindy Oberoi- and we stuck together for quite some time. It's always fun to meet new hikers and listen to their stories about how they stumbled on the group. 

We were weaving our way through the big rocks and soon came to a clearing where we normally sit down to eat. And what a feast it was with a vegan cake and brownies to celebrate the birthday boy.

Niranjan seemed very happy that day and not only because it was his birthday, but because he was out hiking with his friends. He mentioned also that this was his first hike when he came to New Jersey. So this is the stuff that memories are made of. 

Birthday celebration over, we were soon on our feet now going up the cliff face. This part of the hike is strenuous  for about 20 minutes or so, but you are soon at the top of the cliffs and the views are again not to be missed. 

At the top is where Niranjan also suddenly started cramping up and we spent an additional 30 mins or so massaging his calf muscles. Everyone tried their hand at relieving his pain and soon we were off walking again. At the Coffee Shop on top of the cliff, we all had a hot drink with fries, took a bathroom break and again started our onward march. We passed the Women's Memorial and wet down the cliff face again. There is a car wreck sitting incongruously somewhere along the way! 

The familiar trek down and up again to where the car was parked and another round of birthday celebration with decoration and we called it a day.