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Pre-Trip Thursday, August 28th

Note: Below is a tentative list of activities.
The final schedule is subject to change, and activities may be added, removed, or adjusted as necessary.

Morning

  • 6:30 am – 8:15 am Breakfast
  • 6:30 am – 8:15 am Pack up and check out: Bring your luggage to the front desk for daily safekeeping. If you are driving, put your luggage in the car. Everyone must be checked out of their rooms before heading out for the day.
  • 8:15 am Meet in the lobby.
  • 8:30 am Drive to Thursday morning activities depart from the hotel.

Then enjoy one of the following options:

Thu1 Meadowlands Kayaking

KayakingExperience Level: Intermediate Level and Above. May not be suitable for beginners.

Paddle through the rich and diverse waters of the Hackensack River and adjacent Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area. This tidal estuary comprises a unique mix of natural and human-made features. As you paddle the river, marshes, and creeks, you may see snowy egrets wading and feeding in the murky waters. Hear the rush of marsh grass blowing in the breeze. The panoramic views include geologically ancient Palisade outcroppings, in-use commuter railroad trestles, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Manhattan skyline, featuring the Freedom Tower and Empire State Building towering above the reeds.

The waters of the NJ Meadowlands are now home to more than sixty species of fish and shellfish. At last count, sixty-three species of birds were found to nest there, with an additional two hundred species utilizing the marsh and adjacent uplands as migratory stopovers. Endangered northern harrier and yellow-crowned night heron are confirmed nesters, and resident ospreys and peregrine falcons utilize the marshes as primary hunting grounds.

Thu2 Meadowlands Birding Walk

Nature Walks & Birding
Hackensack Riverkeeper has a leisurely pace on a Bird Walk that takes about two hours from start to finish, with plenty of stops along the way for birding (botanizing and discussion). The guide will offer you a chance to gain a more thorough understanding of the birds and other wildlife that inhabit our region. Beginning birders and amateur naturalists are always welcome! Bird Walks are guided birding trips to unique habitat areas within the Hackensack River watershed (and sometimes beyond). We will explore the Richard W. DeKorte Park and the Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lyndhurst, NJ. DeKorte is a very productive birding destination because of its varied habitats.

Even though Bird Walks are walks, not hikes, the trails are sometimes muddy or uneven, so be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes. Also, bring sunscreen and bug juice, and don’t forget your binoculars.

 

Thu3: Alexander Hamilton Tour of Elizabeth:

Explore Hamilton’s First and Second Homes

Liberty Hall Museum

Boxwood Hall: Tread the floors once used by the famous, the infamous, and the should-be famous who helped build New Jersey & the United States. Boxwood Hall has a vibrant history that connects it with an early mayor of Elizabethtown, a President of the Continental Congress, the first President of the United States, the first Secretary of the Treasury, and three signers of the United States Constitution. Boxwood Hall was built circa 1750 by Samuel Woodruff, then the Mayor of Elizabethtown. Elias Boudinot lived here from 1772 to 1795. Boudinot was a member of the Continental Congress and served as the President of Congress in 1782-1783. On October 31, 1783, word reached Congress that the Treaty of Paris had been signed, officially ending the Revolutionary War. When a young Alexander Hamilton studied in Elizabeth in 1773 at the Presbyterian Academy, he was a visitor at Boxwood Hall. He developed a friendship with the Boudinots that would last his lifetime. Hamilton fought in the Revolutionary War and served as an aide-de-camp to General Washington. He went on to serve under President Washington as the country's first Secretary of the Treasury, and his face is familiar to most people as it has appeared on the ten-dollar bill since 1928.

Liberty Hall Museum: Discover a treasure trove of American history at The Museum at Liberty Hall! A 23-acre National Historic site built in 1772 by New Jersey’s first governor, William Livingston, Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University chronicles more than 240 years of American History. Explore the rooms of the Liberty Hall mansion that welcomed many distinguished guests, such as George and Martha Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, and George Herbert Walker Bush.
The museum also houses extensive collections of furniture, ceramics, textiles, toys, and tools owned by seven generations of the Livingston and Kean families. The Firehouse Museum, built in 2004, houses three antique fire engines, including a rare 1911 American LaFrance Metropolitan Steam Engine.

The site is not just home to the stories of public servants and bold industrialists; its magnificent grounds also include an elegant English parterre garden and maze. Visit to view the scenery or explore the collections of antique furniture and decorative artifacts collected by the seven generations, including the Livingston and Kean families, who called Liberty Hall home.

Plan:

    • Travel from the Crown Plaza Hotel to Boxwood Hall and take the guided tour around 9 am.
    • Then, head to the Liberty Hall Museum for their guided tour at 11 am.
    • Afterward, grab lunch at Farmers Fridge (near Liberty Hall Museum).
    • Return to the hotel by 1:30 p.m. to catch the transportation to camp for the main event.
    • Both locations offer one-hour guided tours.
    • The Liberty Hall Arboretum is not included in the guided tour, but you should allow time to view the grounds.  

Logistics:

    • Boxwood Hall is approximately 20 minutes (3 Miles) by car or NJ Transit bus from the hotel.
    • Liberty Hall Museum is approximately 5 minutes (2 ½ miles) by car or 25 minutes via NJ Transit from Boxwood Hall.
    • Farmer’s Fridge Restaurant is ½ mile walk from Liberty Hall Museum.
    • The Crown Plaza Hotel is approximately 20 minutes (3 miles) by car or 50 minutes via NJ Transit from Liberty Hall Museum or Farmer’s Fridge Restaurant (suggest Uber/taxi back to the hotel if taking public transit for other stops).
    • Total travel time: 30 minutes via car / 1 hour via bus (w/uber back to the hotel at the end)

Costs:

Click HERE for more details.


BE BACK AT THE HOTEL BY 1:00 pm

  • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm - Lunch at a restaurant of your choice. The hotel has a restaurant and several options nearby. See MAP for options
  • 2:01 pm - Mosaic Shuttle Bus Departure from the Crown Plaza Hotel Newark
  • 2:11 pm - Arrive at Newark Airport Terminal A to pick up people flying that day.
  • 2:22 pm - Depart from Newark Airport 
  • 4:00 pm - Arrive at Cedar Lake Camp, Milford, PA

Mosaic Shuttle from Pre-Trip to Main Event

The Mosaic shuttle will leave promptly for camp on Thursday, August 28th, at 2:01 pm. Please meet outside the lobby with your luggage by 1:45 pm. The shuttle WILL NOT WAIT FOR ANYONE who is not ready for pickup when the shuttle departs the hotel. Anyone left behind because they were not waiting for the shuttle at the appointed time will need to arrange their own camp transportation and forfeit the Mosaic Shuttle's cost.

Cost of Mosaic Shuttle: Round trip/$60 One-Way $40. (Round trip will return you to the airport after the main event.)

Contact

Contact the Pre-Trip Co-Chairperson at Pre-Trip@MosaicOutdoor.org for questions. 

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