LLWorldTour

Well, technically with 26,000 people I’m not sure if you’d call Randolph, New Jersey a small town, but it’s my hometown and it’s the latest destination of a grand world tour and perhaps just as worthy of recognition as Paris or Hong Kong…well, almost.

Randolph Township’s motto? “Where Life is Worth Living.” It is a bit sad since the opposite would be ‘where life is not worth living’ – are we saying that’s the case if you lived just one town over in Rockaway or Denville?? Seriously, I suppose it speaks to this community’s abundant sense of pride.  Located in the north-central part of the state,  Randolph is a 21-square-mile township in historic Morris County.  As a part of New Jersey’s Highlands region, the land is full of streams, woods, hills and valleys and curving country roads. On a clear day you can see parts of the Manhattan skyline—about 40 miles to the east— from the most elevated bits of Randolph. Although, I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen this or know where to even go to find it.

Designated by the state as half suburban and half rural, some of the sections in Randolph include Mount Fern (where I grew up and my father still lives), Mount Freedom, Millbrook, Coleman Hollow, Center Grove, Ironia and Shongum Lake. I have brought some friends back home with me to Randolph over the years and I recall they were very surprised as to how rural, green, and wooded it was – old stereotypes die hard.

Randolph was originally settled by the Lenni Lenape native American tribe and later by European Colonists and Quakers.  In 1713, New Jersey’s first iron mine was registered and it was located in Randolph. Early Quakers were among those who discovered iron in the area and began to mine it, resulting in New Jersey becoming the country’s third top iron producer for a time.  The iron mines in the township supplied the Revolutionary forces with necessary ore for tools and weapons.  For the next 200 years the iron industry thrived, playing an important part in the development of Randolph.

During the late 1700s, Randolph was a supply point for George Washington’s Continental Army during their winter in nearby Jockey Hollow.  Local legend says Washington came up with Mount Freedom’s name after horseback rides from Morristown to the top of the mountain, where he would contemplate his next war strategies.

Throughout the 1930s and 40s, Randolph’s reputation for healthy water, natural beauty and clean air attracted vacationers from New York City.  During that era, 11 hotel resorts, 45 bungalow colonies, and summer camp and swim clubs– many converted from old farms– were built. Hotel performers included Frank Sinatra, Henny Youngman, Phil Silver and, yes, my grandmother, Esta Saltzman. She came here to perform at the old Saltz Hotel, on the corner of Sussex Turnpike and West Hanover Avenue, having no idea that one day her son would move to this very town to live for nearly four decades.  I became fascinated with these old relics of the past as a kid when I was just exploring the woods with friends. Now abandoned and mostly demolished, I happened to come upon them one day without even knowing what they were. I remember seeing old dilapidated bungalows and an old resort swimming pool formerly filled with happy, splashing vacationers, now filled with tires and junk.  Two of the largest resort hotels, Saltz’s and Ackerman’s, survived into the 1970s.

Today, Randolph’s 24 historic landmarks range from the centuries-old Liberty Tree to the Friends Meeting House founded by Quakers in 1758, to the circa 1924 Millbrook School, which is now used as office space.

Even though, development has continued, Randolph still has many acres of open space and parkland. And old farmhouses, mills, and historical churches dot the landscape reminding us of its heritage.

Within its 400 acres of parkland, Randolph has soccer and basketball fields, tennis courts, skating ponds, a theatre, and a cross-country skiing trail.  A biking and hiking trail system also traverses 14 miles through five parks and 2,000 acres of open space.

I have to admit, as a kid, I didn’t appreciate all that Randolph had to offer. I found it ‘boring.’ There was ‘never anything to do.’  All the ‘cool things’ were in other towns. Sure, it is still a sprawling suburb with no real town center, but now that I had time to hang out there again as an adult over the last three months I appreciate it much more. It’s a beautiful, green, historical town and I was lucky to grow up there – even if I had no idea until now.

What famous (or quasi-famous) people came out of Randolph, New Jersey??

• Klaus Peter Loebbe – retired chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation.
• Dale Baumwoll – children’s author
• George Parros – professional hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks.
• Gary Rizzo – sound re-recording mixer whose credits include Office Space, Munich, Clerks II, The Prestige, A Bug’s Life, Batman Begins, The Incredibles (for which he was nominated for a 2005 Academy Award in the category Best Achievement in Sound).
• Hayden Schlossberg – screenwriter of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.
• Oh…and Lisa Lubin? Emmy award winning producer and professional traveling vagabond? Well, maybe someday.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain

Ever since I was a kid, just going around the ‘next bend’ on my bicycle, I have always loved the adventure of travel – the unknown, something different, something new. And I feel the same way today…even though now the ‘next bend’ may be on another continent. I have been extremely lucky to continuously feed my passion for travel. Many out there share my passion while others do not.  But, why do I love it so much?

I love the excitement of it all–feeling like an explorer–discovering a new land, a new language, new money and all the little challenges that go along with it. When I travel, I am more spontaneous and don’t live for the future or the past…just in the moment.  Being impulsive and saying ‘yes’ to nearly everything is part of the fun.

I love the rush. Habitual runners get off on the kick-in of endorphins that give them that extra boost they need to keep going. I get the same jolt from a day of travel or an unexpected side trip to a new and undiscovered land (for me…not for all mankind) that I hadn’t planned to visit.  Traveling seems to give me a near constant adrenaline rush.  After a few years of uninterrupted travel, I became quite addicted to this feeling. Traveling can be a challenge, but to me, a fun challenge that I enjoy conquering time and time again.  Plus it sure beats having to vacuum, pay bills, or shop for toilet paper.

“…so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day, to have a new and different sun.” -Chris McCandless – “Into the Wild”

World travel broadens your mind in so many ways. You meet new people, share new experiences, and let down your guard much more than when back at home caught up in the mundane day to day routine of life that we think is normal.  I get to see how the world lives. I see the sun and smiles in Israel that go way beyond the CNN clips. I learn about the differences and embrace the similarities. I am not there to complain at how it is ’so different than back home,’ but rather to appreciate these dissimilarities.  Just because something is different does NOT mean it is wrong and in many cases it can even be better.  And, the people I meet get to know a bit about me, my world, and my background which can help dispel some other stereotypes as well. And now, some headlines I may have not noticed in the past, grab my attention. I’ve been to these places and have experienced their generosity. Now I’m much more interested and aware of what is going on there.

I love the logistics. I like landing in a new place and trying to figure it all out myself. Where to get money. How to speak the language. How to go from point A to point B. How to pack my bag right so I don’t go insane after packing it for the 135^th time. Well, okay, maybe I don’t love that mundane task, but I still figure it’s better than all the tedious chores I left back home when I decided to travel. It all actually becomes easier and easier as it goes and gives you the sense of confidence that you can do anything. If I can plop down in an airport amidst the chaos of Cairo or hubbub in Hanoi and manage to get myself into the heart of town and find a place to stay, all the while, not getting ripped off and keep my sense of humor, then I am certainly not really worried about being able to go anywhere, anytime.

I love the simplicity of it all. My only job is to go somewhere and figure out how to do it. My to-do list is rather short: figure out the exchange rate and get cash out of an ATM, figure out a few key words in the native language, figure out transport to my lodging and around town, exchange books (find English used bookstore), do laundry every 2 weeks or so. Because I travel for longer periods, occasionally I also have to:  get a haircut and buy new clothes to replace ratty, holey old ones.

Everything you own is with you in one bag. You only have a few pairs of pants or t-shirts, so getting dressed each day is an easy task. The more we have, the more it seems to weigh us down. Your life isn’t complicated by all the nonsense that is back home. But, guess what? If you really need a new shirt or shoes…you can buy it anywhere in the world. There is not much we actually really need and I think in this mega-consumerist society, we too often forget that. You need food and you need shelter…that’s about it. I enjoy some love, laughter, and happiness too…but that’s free and takes up no space in my luggage.

I love meeting new people all the time. In no other time in my life have I met so many people and made so many new friends in such a short time.  The world is full of friendly, generous people. Sure, every place has its share of nitwits too, but as a traveler, you seem much less likely to meet them.  Maybe because people want to help you or maybe because you just don’t know some people long enough to uncover their schmuck-like tendencies. Since the nature of travel is to keep moving, these folks never become boring…because you simply don’t know them long enough to discover their flaws or get sick of them.

I love the freedom. I experience a great feeling of independence from traveling. I can go wherever I want, whenever I want. I can sleep in. I can stay out late. It’s all up to me.

All this also shows me how easy it would be just to live somewhere else…anywhere else really.  Staying in each place for an extended bit of time taught me how I could make friends, find work, and find a flat all rather easily.  Things that I would have to do if I was living there anyway-so, in many ways, for all intents and purposes it’s as if I was living there already.

“Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open roads
Healthy and free, the world before me.
The long brown path before me leading
wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good fortune,
I myself am good fortune.
Henceforth I whimper no more,
Postpone no more, need clothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries,
querulous criticisms.
Strong and content I travel the open road.”
-Walt Whitman, from: Leaves of Grass

For three nights, I stayed with animation guru and filmmaker, Francesco, and his brother in a great, old stone house on the outskirts of the beautiful and vibrant University town of Bologna.  Francesco was the perfect host. He had me at Buongiorno. Not only was he gracious, friendly, and easy going, most importantly, he cooked me some tasty meals and literally did not let me lift a finger or clear a dish. I was spoiled. This dish was simple, rustic, and just plain delicious!

Francesco’s Sicilian Pasta

• Pasta
• Sardines
• Raisins
• Onions
• Pinenuts
• Olive Oil

Sauté onions in hot olive oil to a light brown.
Then add sardines (and/or mackerel), pine nuts, raisins, salt & pepper.
You can also add a little bit of white wine and herbs.
Sauté everything for a few minutes, adding a little bit of water if the sauce gets too dry.
In the meantime, cook pasta and drain.
You can use indeed any kind of pasta, but Francesco suggests Garganelli or Tagliatelle.
Toss sauce with pasta and mangia!