Stretching

On Friday night, I was hunkered down at the bar of Daddy-O in LBI, interviewing patrons about why they go there. Regular readers of this column know that LBI is generally north for me since the blog has traditionally focused on the South Jersey Shore. That's about to change.

This year, I was asked by several magazines and newspapers to write articles about the entire Jersey coast. Of course, I obliged. I'd explored much of the northern part of Jersey's Coast last spring, summer and fall, and I made trips back to check things out this winter. As much as I don't like some smarmier towns at the shore (you can fill in the blank there), I grew to love towns like Sandy Hook, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and, yes, LBI. It wasn't a prejudice against northern beaches that kept me away. My book was about the Southern part of the shore, and I write for Philadelphia markets, so that's where my focus stayed.

I'm not abandoning that southern bent, but I'm going to stretch, especially in weeks to come. I'll be up on northern shores this weekend, and roaming around the area for the same reason I was interviewing people in a bar in LBI on Friday night: work. It might not be as fun as it sounds talking to quasi drunks in a bar, but it's a living, and I'll take it. Stretching's good for you, right?

Oh, and my Daddy-O tip: Make sure both headlights are working properly when exiting the bar. I made it about three blocks before an officer pulled me over. I had this happen in Avalon, too. Shore cops are vigilant, and anything wrong with your car can be a red flag. He let me go without a ticket (as did the officer in Avalon -- I wasn't drinking, which they have to be looking for, and I have a clean driving record), but make sure you learn from my lesson and make sure your car's in tip top shape before heading down -- or up -- the shore.