FreeWalkers to Walk Across New Jersey Again in 2012 on the East Coast Greenway

 

FreeWalkers Press Release 1/26/12

Hoping to repeat and expand the Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge in 2012, the FreeWalkers are offering, for the second year in a row, a challenge to the public to walk across New Jersey in 2012. The program consists of walking 100 miles across the entire state – from Trenton to New York City within the next 12 months. Challengers log miles at http://crossjerseywalk.org thoughout the year. Prizes are given at the end of the year based on miles walked. Walkers can walk on their own schedule or join in these coordinated FreeWalker events in 2012 that cover the entire 100-mile distance:

·       April 7, 2012 – “Great Canal Walk”Trenton to New Brunswick – 40 miles

·       April 14, 2012 – “The Tween Walk”New Brunswick to Metropark – 10 miles

·       May 19, 2012 – “The Big Walk”Metropark to Penn Sta. NYC– 50 miles

The first 2012 event, the TR2NB40 – Great Canal Walk, a 40-mile walk from Trenton to New Brunswick, will take placeon Saturday, April 7, 2012. The Great Canal Walk is almost entirely on the towpath of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, a very walkable, flat trail maintained by the State park system. It meanders through natural surroundings, as well as urban and suburban areas. Over 175 years ago the canal served as a major transportation system, supplying valuable resources to the booming industrial Northeast New Jersey and New York areas.

The Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge follows the East Coast Greenway’s entire 100-mile New Jersey trail, much of which includes the D&R Canal. The East Coast Greenway is a multi-use, developing trail system, spanning nearly 3,000 miles between Maine and Key West, and linking all the major U.S. cities of the eastern seaboard. The ECG is always a fascinating mix of trails, unexpected routes and local hidden sights, which can delight even the most seasoned hiker.

The FreeWalkers are a social network of walkers that participate in challenging long-distance walking events that are free and open to everyone. Over its two year life, FreeWalkers have hosted seven long distance events and other walks, collectively walking over 7,000 miles among its 400 members. While these walks are usually of a challenging distance, they always encourage everyone to join and include opportunities to walk shorter segments to meet personal goals.

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Learn more about the Great Canal Walk – TR2NB40  at http://tr2nb40.org or by contacting Paul Kiczek, FreeWalkers Founder, 973-214-1811 (paul@freewalkers.org). Learn more about the East Coast Greenway Alliance (http://greenway.org) by contacting Andy Hamilton, ECGA Mid-Atlantic Trails Coordinator, 267-236-3407, andy@greenway.org.