Hike #129
On the Warren Railroad just south of Oxford
Hike 129
Looking back at this one, even so many years later it's amazing to me that I had so few people show up for the annual Warren Railroad hike. I suppose it had something to do with the part the night before, but what it meant to me was that not many really had a deep enough interest to go. Things were going to change very soon...
3/28/4
Lackawanna railroad in Portland PA
Former rail yard in Delaware NJ
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Warren Railroad cut south of Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Catherine's run flowing into the old Warren Railroad bed
Catherine's Run
Former Warren RR bridge site over Catherine's Run
Former Warren RR bridge site over Catherine's Run
Farm view near Sarepta
Once again, it was time for the annual Portland Hike! We had the crazy party the night
before as always, probably about sixty people coming and going by the end of the night. I
don’t believe I slept at all this night! There was plenty of drama, as Andy “Buck”
Brosonski and Eric Schneider were having some issues regarding Lys Schuyler, Eric’s ex
girlfriend. Eric ended up sleeping next to Lys, but nothing happened, and Buck was
furious because he wanted her. We were going nuts, as Eric was shooting golf balls out
into the neighborhood from my front yard! In the morning the road was full of divits!
Unfortunitely, though so many partygoers had planned on doing the hike, only Tea
Biscuit, Joe Millionaire, and I were now willing to go. Buck was good enough to drop the
three of us off, and we decided to do this one in A&P uniforms!
We were dead tired and hung over pretty badly. Everything went normally, as we were
dropped off in Colombia at the footbridge, visited Port Mart for Chocolate Milk I
suppose, and headed south. We went through the tunnel as always, and instead of walking
the farm road we stayed close to the right of way by trudging through Catherine’s Run.
Quarry ledge off of Ledge Road near Sarepta
Warren RR bed across the sand quarry at Bridgeville
Cut near Oxford Tunnel
Near Oxford Tunnel
Climbing near Oxford Tunnel
We soon had to fight through weeds to the nearby field out to Upper Sarepta Road. After
crossing the road, some of the right of way heading toward Sarepta Road had trees down
across the way as I recall. We headed out to Ledge Road and took a quick side trip into
an old quarry in Beaver Brook Wildlife Management Area. An interesting little spot just
off the road, it was apparent there was once a rail spur servicing it.
Heading south, it was clear all the way to Bridgeville. Unfortunitely, the Ostriches were
gone along this stretch, and a new park had been built in Bridgeville adjacent to the right
of way. The sand pit beyond was also very easy to cross on this occasion.
After crossing Rt 46 in Buttsville, we began on the long stretch through Pequest Wildlife
Management Area toward Oxford. As we walked a long straight away, I recall being right
with Tea Biscuit and Joe Millionaire, then losing consciousness, only to regain it quite
some distance ahead, and with Tea Biscuit and Joe Millionaire far ahead of me! This is the
only time I can think of where I fell asleep while hiking!
Oxford Tunnel
Abutment along Jackson Valley Road, Washington
View from a rail car toward Hackettstown, Washington
After passing through Oxford, we descended from Axford Avenue to the cut heading
toward the tunnel. Tea Biscuit climbed on some rocks a bit. It was fortunitely warm
enough that we could walk through the tunnel with some degree of comfort.
We continued south into Washington, stopping for a break only at the Jackson Valley
Road crossing. When we reached the site where the Morris Canal once passed under the
railroad, we took a side trip to a large vacant building which was never finished and
explored around the outside a bit. We then headed out to the Washington rail yard and
climbed on some train cars before heading back to Port Colden. This was one of the most
tiring hikes to date!
Abandoned building near American Can, Washington
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