Hike #139
Hike 139
Along Merril Creek Resevoir's perimeter trail
7/11/4
For my next hike, I was still not officially ready for AMC leading, as I had not gotten final
approval. Still, I would lead a hike as I had in the past. This time, I planned to do the
Merril Creek to Washington hike once again. Joe Millionaire and John Spiridon both
signed on for this one, as well as my old friend Jack Grimes, who had just missed meeting
up with me at my house, and met us at Dunkin Donuts in Washington.
Merril Creek Reservoir perimeter trail at dike #1
View over Merril Creek Reservoir
Flower at Merril Creek
View from Scotts Mountain
Turtle
Perimeter Trail, Merril Creek Reservoir
View from Scotts Mountain
Along old Orchard Trail at Merril Creek
Creek Trail, Merril Creek Reservoir
Pond Trail, Merril Creek
Cemetery in Montana NJ
Along Spring Lane, Washington Twp.
Bee hive in Roaring Rock Park
Bee Hive, Roaring Rock Park
Reservoir at Roaring Rock Park
Trail at Roaring Rock Park
Meadow in Roaring Rock Park
Roaring Rock Park
Roaring Rock Brook
Along Roaring Rock Brook
The original plan was to leave our cars in Washington, though we would end up finishing
at Roaring Rock. John parked his car on a side-street, and the four of us headed up to
Merril Creek.
It was a particularly clear day, and we bagan walking at the boat launch along the
Perimeter Trail. By the time we reached the main dam, we had a clear view of Wind Gap
across the resevoir. As I recall, I think we were also eating a lot of berries.
We also had some interesting political conversations, pros and cons of the Bush
administration which are always controversial.
After walking the loop around the resevoir, Jack cut out early, as he had family and church
plans, and Joe Millionair, John, and I continued on along Orchard Trail to Eagle Trail and
Creek Trail. The creek trail once again led us out to the Pond Trail and the roads.
We walked the same route as as we had previously, Allens Mills Road to Montana Road,
only this time we made a turn onto Summerfield Road and walked through a bit of another
cemetary on a road corner, then made a right hant turn on Buckhorn Drive. Along this
stretch of road, there was a box full of stuff sitting out for trash, which included several
nice neckties. I took all of those, as well as a belt, and John took some stuff too, but I don’t
remember what. I think it might have been some playing cards.
I was following old USGS maps, and there was once a road that went from Buckhorn
Drive to Spring Lane. We found the beginning of it, now part of a driveway, and we
headed up it to see if we could follow it, but a guy came out of the house and asked what
we were up to. Actually, I may have knocked on the door to ask him, but I don’t remember.
He told us the road did’nt go through any more. I asked him if it were even possible to
walk, and he said ‘no’. He obviously did’nt want us there, so we did’nt bother with him
any more. We instead headed back out to Buckhorn Drive.
We soon made a right hand turn on Spring Lane, which is a beautiful dirt road for most of
the distance. There’s also a sign that always cracked me up, a picture of a rainbow, a
mountain, and a cucumber. I have been told it’s really called the Rainbow Mountain
Cucumber Farm! This is supposedly where that road would have come out as well.
We continued to Roaring Rock Park on Montana-Brass Castle Road, and walked the loop
there, visiting the old resevoir, and crossing the creek on rocks because there was a huge
bee hive on the bridge.
We used Joe Millionaire’s cell phone to call Tea Biscuit up, as we needed a ride from
here badly. We had walked more than 15 miles already, and did not want to go on. Tea
Biscuit showed up with his then girlfriend, Paige Foley, and met up with us along the
Roaring Rock Brook. John was blown away at the fact that Tea Biscuit put her on his back
and carried her uphill!
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