Wide paths through bare trees on a beautiful early Spring day in Princeton. The woods are on the grounds of the Institute for Advanced Study behind the Princeton Battlefield State Park.
Walking the Institute Woods
Month: March 2021
Street Van: One of Dodge’s 1970s Adult Toys
During the heyday for customized and airbrushed vans, Dodge capitalized on the trend by offering hip options straight from the factory. While the custom van craze faded by the early eighties, the Dodge B-Series cargo van soldiered on until 2003, when it was replaced with the Sprinter van sourced from Mercedes.
The Street Van, offered from 1976 through 1980, was advertised as an “Adult Toy,” alongside other full-size Dodge offerings like the Ramcharger SUV and Lil’ Red Express pickup. It featured factory options such as chrome, chrome and more chrome, wide five-slot mag wheels, custom interiors and wild graphics packages, plus the psychedelic “Street Van” logo on the passenger and driver side doors. Even better, Street Van buyers got a “Customizing Idea Kit,” which included suggestions for paint schemes and interior choices, as well as a listing of aftermarket suppliers that could outfit your boss rig with spoilers, fender flares, sunroofs, vents and, of course, portholes of nearly every shape under the sun. By 1977, membership in the “Dodge Van Clan Club” was also included.
Tara Hurlin, https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/shag-wagons/
The seller notes that all of the carpeting was recently professionally cleaned, which is likely one of the biggest concerns/fears of anyone looking to get into a van of this style and vintage.
Jeff Lavary, barnfinds.com
Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Princeton
With an elevation of about 200 feet, it’s not much of a mountain, but the lakes were created over a century ago to produce ice. In 1914, you could buy 100 pounds of ice for 30 cents from the Princeton Ice Company.
Most of the trails are for hikers only, but there are paved multi-use paths around the edge of the park, a road leading up to Palmer Lake, and a single unpaved trail for bikes that crosses over the outflow for the lake.
NYT: You Should Get A Wildlife Cam
The New York Time’s absolute beginner’s guide to wildlife cameras (trail cams), with tips on how to set them up: Why You Need a Wildlife Camera.
Cameras can cost $500 or more, but for the beginning backyard camera-trapper, it’s not necessary to spend that much.
Likewise, skip the low end. “It’s probably better to spend a little more,” Ms. Naser said, “like $125 to $175 per camera, rather than the $50 models whose results won’t be as satisfying, and that aren’t as durable.”
Margaret Roach, New York Times
