b"far west that 48 is nothing morethanacountryroad. Itsacash-onlyplacewith greathotdogs,greaton-ionringsandbirchbeer. HerecommendstheLong Valley Pub and Brewery as well. A fly-fishing guide in the Catskills, Glynn also can pilot a float boat for a day of fishing on the Delaware. Thatsabitlongerdrive,The author's children and their friends visited the but he says any day spentCowtown Rodeo years ago. It's still running and is the floating down the Delawareoldest weekly professional rodeo in the country is a good day, regardless of whether the fish are biting. When hethe Delaware Rivera natural stop for isnt fishing, Glynn and his wife, bothships going into and out of the capital avidkayakers,oftenheadtoMerrillcity. When roads triumphed and ship CreekReservoir,thefurthesteastoftrafficceased,Greenwichbecamefar the three large reservoirs off Route 78.removedfrommosteverything Builtinthe1980stofeedwaterre- though not before it had a long, trium-moved by energy companies back intophant main thoroughfare now called the Delaware, Merrill Creek is a 650- Ye Greate Street, laid out in 1684; a acrereservoirsurroundedbya290- whole raft of beautiful colonial houses acre environmental preserve and 2000built by ship captains; and its own tea additionalacresofwoodsandfields.burning,anactofcolonialrebellion Besides being open to non-motorizedimmortalizedbyamarkerinwhat boatsofallkinds,thereservoirhaspasses as the center of town. The town miles of hiking trails and is home towas also reportedly an important stop several resident eagles. And yes, its alsoon the Underground Railroad, a favor-stockedforfishing,includingland- ite of Harriet Tubman (who made use locked salmon. of its proximity to water to travel from Delaware to its welcome banks). There Greenwich, NJGreenwich, whichis a museum in town, which is open being in New Jersey forsakes preten- from 1-4 every day except Monday. A sion and is pronounced exactly as writ- walk out to the ghost town of Caviar ten, is the states own little place that so named because it once was a large time forgot. Back when roads were fewshipping station for the delicacy, com-and Philadelphia was king, Greenwichplete with railroad tracks to Jersey City was a bustling small town close to theand Philadelphiais a worthwhile ad-point where the Delaware Bay meetsventure, and you may see some eagles besides. You can get lunch near-byattheBaitBox,whichsits close to the water and offers a view over long grasses and lazy water and the feeling of being in atotallydifferentplace.After lunch, you might want to head intonearbyBridgeton,where theres a friendly, family zoo that neverseemscrowded;ifitsa Saturday, the day should end at TheCowtownRodeo,abit north in Salem County, and the oldest weekly professional rodeo in the country. Tia Swanson recommends Allaire Merrill Creek, a 650-acre reservoir surroundedState Park for a relaxing, memora-by a 290-acre environmental preserve andble daycation, even if her children 2000 additional acres of woods and fields has miles of hiking trailshave no memory of it whatsoever. feature story /41"