Hike #113; Frenchtown to Lambertville

 Hike #113

The group at our beginning point in Frenchtown NJ

Hike 113

 

10/26/3

 

It was once again the time of year to do the annual costume hike....or should I just say

“Halloween Hike” because we wear weird things all the time anyway? Either way, this

time I thought a good hike to do with strange get-ups would be the Lambertville one I last

did with Cathy and Jeremiah Apgar back on 4/22/1 (hike 32). Jeremiah and Abbie were

both planning on attending but decided not to at last minute. The night before, Cathy and I

attended a Halloween party at their house on State Street in Washington, where we also

invited Drew Proctor, our neighbor from Lock Street in Port Colden. We had long known

Drew as he would work on our bikes as kids.

In Frenchtown NJ

Frenchtown free bridge

Frenchtown bridge

Former Bel Del rail bed south of Frenchtown, Byram area

Former Bel Del railroad north of Bulls Island

We left the Camaro at Fireman’s Eddy, just south of Lambertville, Cathy’s car at Bull’s

Island, and Tea Biscuits on 12th Street, Frenchtown, and we began walking. I was

wearing crazy flowered hippie garb, bell bottoms, headband, tie belt, and frayed vest all

covered in flowers; Cathy wore fatigues, camo pants and an army shirt, camo jacket, and

my dog tags I had made in Massechusetts; Tea Biscuit wore his Tilcon Quarry clothing,

Skyler had a Harry Potter style get-up, with vest, tie, cape, and round glasses, and we lent

Joe Millionaire a lab coat which he kept tied around him most the time. Drew dressed

normally.

We walked into downtown Frenchtown, and took a walk across the Frenchtown Bridge

over the Delaware, then turned back. We made a stop at a little eatery where Drew got

some coffee before we moved on.

All went well for the first part. There were many cyclists along the way. It was surprising

how many cyclists were on the road when the abandoned Bel Del railroad bed we were

walking was so clear.

Foundation near Devil's Tea Table

Devil's Tea Table

When we reached where Warsaw Road intersected with Rt 29, Drew led the way off the

rail bed and up a steep hillside to an overlook called “The Devil’s Tea Table”, passing an

old building foundation along the way. We were a little leary about it, as there were many

“No Trespassing” signs, and some of it was in plain sight of the road. Drew’s attitude was

“Oh, fuck them!” and we climbed up. Cathy decided to stay below, as whe was already

too tired, and Tea Biscuit only went to the top after we had told him how awesome it was.

The Devil’s Tea Table was a jagged piece of flat topped rock with an incredible view to

the northwest to west, with beautiful scenes of the islands in the Delaware.

On the way up to devil's tea table

Devil's Tea Table

View downstream from Devil's Tea Table

View up stream from Devil's Tea Table

Former Bel Del railroad bed south of Bulls Island

Along former Bel Del railroad at Prallsville Mill and lock site

Former Bel Del railroad bed along Delaware and Raritan Feeder Canal

Old rail bridge over Delaware and Raritan feeder canal, once a quarry spur.

Old quarry spur bridge over Delaware and Raritan Canal

Old passenger car along the tracks in Lambertville

After climbing down, we made our way to Bulls Island where Cathy and Drew cut out. I

would regret this later, as Drew made Cathy feel very uncomfortable when he tried to kiss

her.

Tea Biscuit, Skyler, Joe Millionaire and I continued on. Thoughout the entire hike we

were getting crazy looks, and for good reason! Some of the best ones came when we were

at the Prallsville Mill and there were posh looking people strolling about on the old

railroad bridge.

As we neared Lambertville, we walked across old rail bridges over the Delaware and

Rariton Canal, and had a look inside the abandoned passenger car on a piece of track. This

time, rather than crossing to the canal towpath earlier, we followed the railroad into the

middle of town, then switched over. There were some weird hippie looking people having

a seance or some sort of religious meeting. We walked right on through their group!

The crushed stone so called “Improved” surface of the towpath made for rough footing,

and we were happy to get to Fireman’s Eddy.

Old passenger car on the tracks in Lambertville

Aqueduct on the D&R Canal, Lambertville