Hike #306 9/9/7
9/9/7 Bridgewater/Somerville/Raritan with Cathy Fisher, Fred Hafale, Dave Finton, David Noble, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Aaron "Naaron" Young, Jason Itell, Larry Butler
In Somerville NJ
My next trip would bring me back to the Bridgewater/Somerville area where Cathy and I had hiked on our recent 8 year anniversery, this time so we could share the great hike with the rest of the group, only adding in some more interesting places we'd missed the previous trip. We began yet again at the Bridgewater Mall, in front of the Bloomingdale's store. Joining me this time were my girlfriend Cathy, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Fred Hafale, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Dave Finton, David Noble, "Major Tom" Conroy, Jason Itell, Larry Butler, and "Naaron" Young (who did'nt look like he Naired his face this time). Amish Paul and Wyatt got lost and narrowly made the hike. We began walking around the mall as we did previously to the pedestrian bridge to Mountain Ave I think it was, and walked south past a school to the Peter's Brook Greenway. We followed the greenway southeast through Somerville. Along the way, we met a man named David Conrad, who joined us for a while. He seemed fascinated with our group, and we chatted with him for a while. He had prior obligations, as he was involved in transe dancing on Sundays, but showed interest. We continued walking along the Peter's Brook Greenway till it ended, then walked behind like a doctor's building or something still following the brook greenway, but not as a developed crushed stone trail. We walked along the edge of a park field, still with a sewer line beneath us, past a basketball court, and out to Main Street near the Krauszers's Market. David and I think Mr. Buckett both went in for refreshments, and we continued across the street along Peter's Brook on a continueation of the greenway, still with no trail. While we chatted along the road waiting for David and Buckett, someone spotted a little bike in the weeds, and Wyatt grabbed it up and started riding it around. He took it across the field and rode for a while until Paul got him to get off and then broke it. We continued across the field, and Wyatt almost went up a hill to our right to try out the ridicules little bike in a skate park. He ended up not going, and I tried heading into the woods continueing along Peter's Brook, but it did'nt look feasable. We made our way up hill a bit and stayed alongside the tree line until we found a path into the woods. We followed it to the culvert over which passed the former Central Railroad of NJ, now NJ Transit. We admired the scenery and had a look at our options on how to get across. Dave Finton saw that a small dam on the brook looked easy to cross on, so I followed him along with most of the group. Some of the group went up and over on the railroad tracks. We rejoined on the other side. There were several rope swings there, apparently to swing over small washouts from flooding times. We swung around a bit, but nowhere was it possible to get into the water, nor would we want to as it smelled and looke dirty. On the other side of the railroad culvert, the greenway continued on the other side of the brook, leading us into a field with some ball fields in it. We walked along the right side of the park area near to the creek until we reached the next road, Loeser Road, we turned right, but the bridge over the brook was out and being worked on. Fortunitely, Dave spotted a temporary bridge that was being used by workers to get across, probably made from part of the old bridge, as it was an I-Beam. We crossed and made our way to the next intersection and turned left on Hamilton Street to 4th Street. There was a little old cemetary on the corner that was interesting, so we checked it out. There were Revolutionary War veterans buried there. We continued on and turned to 5th Street leading to the Somerville Cemetary. Fred told us about how he'd worked in this area for many years. We crossed the cemetary which led us to South Bridge Street. We crossed and entered the larger part of the cemetary and walked straight across toward Rt 206. We stopped and talked to a couple guys, one who worked for Somerset County Parks, who told us about where we could get away with walking the railroad bed of the former CNJ. They were sitting under some impressive large trees, and we figured they were pretty cool because they were laid back, having a cookout and some beers. We continued to Rt 206 and turned right on the former CNJ right of way heading north to the Somerville Station. It was pretty easy to walk, just like the previous time. We passed under the former CNJ/NJ Transit tracks in the tunnel beneath and got out to Veteran's Memorial Drive, following it to Somerset Street. We followed this, and made a stop off to see the historic Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage, then headed out to Rt 206 where we made a pit stop at a pharmacy on the corner, while the two Daves crossed the street. We soon joined them and passed through the Raritan Mall area, passing through the parking lot of Stop and Shop to Orlando Drive. We followed Orlando out to Canal Road where I suppose the Raritan Power Canal was filled in, and we checked out the old Nevius Street truss bridge over the Raritan that had been recently converted to pedestrian traffic. From here we began following the filled in Power Canal trailway under the current Nevius Street Bridge to a little parking area. We went out of the way a bit to Old Yorke Road because Dave F spotted the statue of John Basilone. Basilone was one of the most famous heroes of WW2, having single handedly fended off Japanese soldiers by carrying a ninety pound tripod machine gun. He was killed in action during the battle of Iwo Jima. At this point was another historic marker about the Old Yorke Road. We continued back to the power canal and followed the trail along it for a ways, and David got stung by some sort of bee that hurt him pretty badly. He screamed for a while, but was okay in the long run. We soon stopped to take a swim at a rope swing off into the Raritan. I was first to give this one a try, and it was kind of tough to use in comparison with others we'd done this Summer. We had to time ourselves to get off the swing when we were at the best point for inertia to carry us out as not to hit the rocks below. We all went off this several times, and David went in the buff! It was a great time, and a good rest spot. We continued on from here following the power canal beyond where Cathy and I had followed it, into Duke Island Park, where we had views of ball fields. We passes some restrooms, and took a break, and waited for Wyatt to catch up with us. We continued from here westbound until we came to near the confluence of the north and south branches of the Raritan River, where there was a lovely dam. From here we had to take a dirt road out to Olde York Road, where we turned left to cross the North Branch of the Raritan. On the other side, Cathy took a bad fall, cutting her hands and knees badly. She seemed okay to walk, though she was mangled up pretty bad. We turned right on North Branch River Road, and took a break where Dave F used some spray bandage on Cathy's legs and hands to help her out. Once all was well we continued on to Milltown on Rt 202 and turned right. There was a McDonalds along the way, and Cathy, Mr. Buckett, and I don't know who else went in. We waited around, and Dave F went ahead. When we were finally off again, we followed 202 and crossed the North Branch, then immediately turned left into the woods and over a tributary. This led us a short distance to a nice wide trail, and we turned left following the river. I talked to Dave on the cell phone and he planned to meet us in the main park area. We continued on along the trail, leading us out to an open grassy section of North Branch Park. Dave was'nt in sight yet. We continued along the river, through a line of trees and across more of a lawn, then into the woods on another trail. Wyatt found a tree with a bag in it that he suspected was pot. We walked to a power line and Wyatt went back to see what the bag was because Cathy was curious, but it ended up being some dead dog's ashes! We had a conversation about why someone would put their dead dog's ashes in a tree... Dave F met up with us here and we walked along the power line north. This led us to the fill for the former CNJ tracks, and a woods road turned left parallel with the tracks. We followed this and it led us to the beautiful stone bridge over the North Branch (I'd walked across it several years before with Tea Biscuit and Chris Jones in the snow). There were a couple kids there using a rope swing, that looked very dangerous, into the North Branch. I tried it out, and ended up falling into the shallow water. Wyatt made it in, having climbed up a hunter's deer stand, and swinging off it into the river. The depte dropped from about two feet to well over six very quickly, though it looked like it was impossible. We swam a bit, then climbed to the railroad tracks and began following them east. We continued to Milltown Road and descended from the tracks, following the road north. We continued to turn right on Walter's Brook Road and headed across a grassy area around a retention pond for a developement. We soon came out onto the road, and I was able to connect with Adam "Death" Coughlan, who met up with us along the road. He was kind enough to drive Cathy, Amish Paul, and I don't remember who else back to the Rockaway Mall. The rest of us continued on, and Mr. Buckett told Wyatt and I interesting stories about his adventures. Fred and Dave had found the route out of the developement on some side roads, leading us out to Rt 28, Easton Turnpike. We followed this road to a cemetary on the left, and we tried crossing through this to no avail. There was a golf course on the other side, so we had to go back to Rt 28 and make the next left on Country Club Road. This road led us out to Rt 22, which we followed to some sort of industrial office complex place. Major Tom had worked there before, and he directed us through it, along manicured sidewalks and paths, then out across Rt 206 to the mall. Dave had gone ahead of us again, but still made it back to the vehicles before us. I should have listened to Dave earlier, as he had found a shorter route back, but when I looked at the map I did'nt see it. A lot of us got together for dinner at Fudrucker's, a burger place nearby, before heading home.
0.) The group in the Bridgewater Commons Mall/Bloomindales parking lot (FH)1.) The group crossing the pedestrian bridge from the mall1a.) More on the bridge, Dave and Jason (FH)1b.) Middle of the bridge (FH)2.) Fred and Dave at the beginning of the Peter's Brook Trail2a.) The group at the beginning of the trail (FH)2b.) The group hiking the Peter's Brook Greenway (FH)3.) Along the Peter's Brook Trail in Somerville4.) Wyatt with a sign at a ball field in Somerville5.) Wyatt and Cathy along Peter's Brook Trail6.) Another group shot on the trail6a.) Dave walking toward the end of Peter's Brook Trail (FH)7.) Along part of the greenway along Peter's Brook beyond where the trail ended8.) Cathy with Wyatt on the bike he found in the weeds along Main Street. This is in the fields just south of main street along Peter's Brook9.) More in that greenway south of Main Street, Somerville along the brook9a.) Along Peter's Brook near the CNJ Railroad underpass (FH)10.) View of the culvert over Peter's Brook11.) Dave under the culvert12.)The other side of the culvert...12a.) Cathy and David along the former CNJ tracks over the culvert (FH)12b.) The group beneath the culvert (FH)13.) Coming into the ballfields south of the culvert14.) Major Tom and David at the construction site for the new bridge on Loeser Road14a.) Heading to the temporary worker's bridge (FH)15.) Dave crossing the bridge16.) The bridge site17.) A gravestone from 179717a.) The group in the little cemetary (FH)18.) Entering the east side of Somerville Cemetary19.) Wyatt in the east side of the cemetary20.) Looking to the larger west side of Somerville Cemetary across Bridge Street20a.) Entering the west side of the cemetary (FH)20b.) The group in the cemetary (FH)20c.) Cemetary view (FH)21.) The group in the Somerville Cemetary heading west22.) The group heading north on the former CNJ railroad right of way towards Somerville Station area22a.) Along the CNJ right of way (FH)23.) Amish Paul, me, and David on the right of way (CF)24.) The group passing under the tunnel beneath the tracks at Somerville Station25.) At Somerville Station25a.) Along Veterans Highway near Somerville Station (FH)26.) The group near the Wallace House in Somerville26a.) Me walking toward the Wallace House in Somerville (FH)27.) The Wallace House28.) The Old Dutch Parsonage28a.) Larry in front of the Parsonage29.) Crossing the old Nevius Street Bridge29a.) Me crossing the Nevius St Bridge (FH)29b.) View north of a little dam and the new Nevius St Bridge in Raritan (FH)29c.) The group on the bridge (FH)29d.) Heading out along Canal Road to follow the trail (FH)30.) Trail on former site of the Raritan Power Canal31.) Jason checking out the statue of John Basilone in Raritan on Old Yorke Road32.) Historical marker for Old Yorke Road, a former aboriginal pathway32a.) View along the Raritan Power Canal (FH)32b.) Cathy crossing to the power canal in Raritan (FH)32c.) The rest of us crossing to the power canal (FH)32d.) Turtles in the Raritan Power Canal (FH)33.) Along the Power Canal34.) View of the power canal35.) You can barely see it, but there's a Great Blue Heron in there36.) Wyatt jumping off the rope swing into the Raritan (CF)37.) Naaron going off the swing (CF)38.) David going off the swing in the buff! (CF)38a.) Wyatt going off the swing (FH)39.) At the rope swing (CF)40.) Wyatt going off the swing again (CF)40a.) Me going off the swing (FH)41.) Me going off the swing (CF)42.) Naaron again (CF)43.) More at the rope swing (CF)43a.) Wyatt going off the swing (FH)44.) Still there...(CF)45.) Larry going off the swing in perfect form...(CF)46.) Jason giving it a go (CF)47.) David's turn again...(CF)48.) I think that's Jason again..(CF)49.) That's somebody's splashdown...(CF)50.) That's me again (CF)51.) Wyatt again (CF)51a.) More of Wyatt (FH)51b.) Goofing around in the water (FH)51c.) Jason jumping off (FH)52.) Coming out for more...(CF)53.) Naaron going for more (CF)54.) Me going for another swing (CF)55.) David (CF)56.) Naaron (CF)57.) More Naaron (CF)58.) Wyatt again (CF)59.) Wyatt (CF)60.) Jason (CF)61.) Yet another picture perfect pose by Larry! (CF)62.) Me taking another swing (CF)63.) Wyatt (CF)64.) Fred and Dave going over the map (CF)65.) Getting ready for more jumps (CF)66.) Jason taking a jump (CF)67.) Wyatt (CF)68.) Naaron and I (CF)69.) Wyatt70.) Wyatt again71.) Lake in Duke Island Park72.) Great White Egret in Duke Island Park73.) The power canal from the restrooms74.) The dam near the two rivers' confluence in Duke Island Park74a.) View near the dam (FH)75.) View downstream on the Raritan at Duke Island Park75a.) Woods road leading out of the park (FH)76.) Cathy's battered legs where she fell on Old Yorke Road76a.) View of the Raritan River from the bridge on Old Yorke Road I think (FH)77.) Jason, Larry, and Paul resting along North Branch River Road78.) Walking the trail in North Branch Park78a.) Coming out of the woods in North Branch Park (FH)78b.) View of the North Branch (FH)78c.) Crossing a tributary in North Branch Park (FH)78d.) In North Branch Park (FH)79.) Wyatt in a tree he found dead dog's ashes in80.) The group at a power line we reached in North Branch Park81.) Cathy and Mr. Buckett in North Branch Park81a.) Jason being crazy climbing the power line in North Branch Park (FH)82.) Dave catching up with us having taken the road for a ways83.) Approaching the former CNJ railroad trestle over the North Branch84.) The beautiful CNJ North Branch bridge84a.) Fred's shot of the bridge (FH)84b.) Me swinging out on the rope swing by the bridge (FH)84c.) Me swingin' (FH)85.) Me splashing down a bit...(CF)86.) Could'nt quite handle that one, I did'n get far enough (CF)86a.) Taking a break by the trestle (FH)86b.) Amish Paul swimming in the river by the bridge (FH)86c.) Someone splashing down...I think that one was me...(FH)86d.) Me in front, Wyatt splashing down (FH)86e.) Dave on the CNJ bridge (FH)87.) Wyatt swinging out onto the North Branch of the Raritan87a.) Dave F up on the CNJ bridge (FH)88.) Wyatt and Death when Death came to pick up some of the exausted hikers.89.) Walking through the industrial park place Major Tom directed us through.90.) More in the industrial park91.) Returned to the vehicles at Bloomingdale's, Rockaway Mall92.) Cathy's bloody legs from her fall93.) Another of Cathy's leg and hand94-98.) Having dinner at Fudrucker's after the hike99-100.) And as a bonus, two pictures of my cat, you lucky people!!!
Bridgewater Mall, starting off
Foot bridge from Bridgewater Mall
Foot bridge from Bridgewater Mall
Foot Bridge, Bridgewater Mall
Peter's Brook Greenway, Somerville
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Peter's Brook Greenway
Found a bike along Peter's Brook
Peter's Brook park area
Along Peter's Brook, Somerville
NJ Transit Peter's Brook culvert
Former CNJ railroad culvert
CNJ Peter's Brook culvert, Somerville
Former CNJ tracks, Somerville
Along Peter's Brook at the CNJ culvert
Park along Peter's Brook
Bridge construction
Loeser Road bridge construction, Somerville
Foot bridge temporarily placed
New construction for Loeser Road bridge in Somerville
Old cemetery in Somerville
Old cemetery in Somerville
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Somerville Cemetery
Former CNJ South Branch line out of Somerville
Former CNJ South Branch line out of Somerville
Pedestrian underpass below former CNJ tracks in Somerville
Pedestrian underpass below former CNJ tracks in Somerville
Somerville Station
Along the road in Somerville, taking a break
Wallace House
Wallace House
Old Dutch Parsonage
Old Dutch Parsonage
Old Nevius Street Bridge
Nevius Street bridge
New bridge from old Nevius Street Bridge
Nevius Street Bridge
Along site of Raritan Power Canal
Trail along the route of former Raritan Power Canal
John Basilone, the real life Rambo, has his statue at Raritan where he lived.
Marker denoting former route of Old Yorke Road, which was the Native Americans aboriginal trail
Raritan Power Canal
Raritan Power Canal
Raritan Power Canal
Raritan Power Canal
Along Raritan Power Canal
Raritan Power Canal
Raritan Power Canal
Rope swing into the Raritan
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing...NO ONE poses better for a rope swing shot than Larry Butler.
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Going over the map
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing
Duke Island Park
Duke Island Park
Raritan Power Canal
Dam of the confluence reservoir where both branches of the Raritan come together
Near Confluence reservoir
Confluence of North and South Branch of the Raritan
Duke Island Park
Cathy fell and cut up her legs
Raritan River
Resting along the Raritan
Walking an informal trail through North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
Jason climbing
Rope swing
North Branch Park
North Branch Park
CNJ Viaduct over North Branch of the Raritan
CNJ viaduct over the North Branch
Rope swing
Rope swing
Rope swing, North Branch Park
Rope swing
Resting at the CNJ bridge
Amish Paul
Rope swing
Rope swing
Checking out the bridge
Rope swing
CNJ bridge, North Branch
Death came to save us
Industrial park outside of Bridgewater
Industrial park out of Bridgewater
Finally finished, back at Bridgewater Mall
Cathy's cut up legs
Cathy's cut up legs
Fuddruckers dinner
Fuddruckers dinner
Fuddruckers dinner
Fuddruckers dinner
Fuddruckers dinner
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