Hike #2....
My second hike in the continueing series, from a time when I did'nt know this would turn out to be a regular thing.
6/16/97
Portland Colombia Footbridge
In the months following my first legendary hike, word spread through the previous
participants that it was "awesome" (after their feet stopped hurting of course). A slight
buzz went around regarding the hike, and I was told by previous hikers as well as some
who could'nt make the first one that I should lead it again.
Portland PA on the tracks
I was happy to oblige, and partially in celebration of Conrad, Derek, and Jenna's recent
graduation, I scheduled another hike. Immediately, I had a huge response. More than
double the size of the original group planned on attending, however only three showed up
(a trend that unfortunitely holds up to this day). Conrad Blease and Eric Schneider showed
up together, and one new hiker, my good friend Andrew Brosonski, whom I hiked short
distance with previously (by short, I mean ten miles!), were raring to go.
Climbing rail cars in Portland PA...I was just 17
As before, my mom dropped us off in Colombia before the 80 on ramp from Rt 46. I had
eaten entirely too much the night before and was already feeling the effects. We walked no
more than 1000 feet when I knew I had to stop for a "Separation Break" (a term used by
Appalachian Mountain Club when answering the call of nature). This was indeed a terrible
feeling, as it always is when this needs to be taken care of outdoors. I managed to find a
hidden spot behind the piers of the Portland-Colombia Toll Bridge while the others went
ahead. We crossed the footbridge as before, on this, a beautiful Summer day.
Crossing Delaware Trestle
After stopping at Port Mart for Chocolate milk, we started heading southward on the still
active tracks. The rail yard here (where the junctions used to exits, two tracks came in
from the Bangor and Portland Railroad, for north and southbound trains, still active, and a
connector track for the nearby Lehigh and New England Railroad, long abandoned, right
next to the Lackawanna Station which still exists.) had more tracks at the time, though it
was overgrown. We took a little time to climb around on one of the parked rail cars. I told
everyone how years earlier my cousin, Tanner Zack ran around frantically dumping a
gallon of oil or tar all over the road, the stain of which was still in the road, now over a
year later. There was also a rock in a giant puddle he and I had thrown there, which was
still evident (is'nt this exciting?).
In the old Blairstown Railroad cut, Delaware NJ
In the old Blairstown Railroad cut
After crossing Rt 46 we again climbed on the cliffs in the NYS&W Railroad cut, and
made our way through Delaware and beyond. When we reached the driveway near
Ramseyburg, we did as Conrad had previously suggested, running up the slate hillside to
our east to see who could do it fastest. At this time, Conrad was fastest. After we each
reached a point behind a small Mountain Laurel bush and two large trees, Conrad declared
that from this day forth, this would be known as the "Bush of Might", and it was.
And there was much rejoicing. We took off again after Conrad whacked down some Sumac
trees with my walking stick.
Knocking down sumacs with my walking stick at the Shrub of Might
When we reached the Manunka Chunk Tunnel, I brought the group into the caved in side
to gawk, planning on walking through the other side.
North side of the Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Conrad and Eric decided they wouldinstead try to run over the mountain. "Buck", our nickname for Andy, and I made our waythrough the tunnel. The issue was that Eric and Conrad had all the water, and we had nothing. We did not anticipate that they would get lost heading over Manunka Chunk Mountain.
Buck in Manunka Chunk Tunnel
In Manunka Chunk Tunnel
In Manunka Chunk Tunnel
The south portal was wetter than the previous time (there is always water in the tunnel
regardless, the flume system that once kept Catherine's Run out of the right of way had
been long destroyed). We made our way through the Jewelweeds to the farm road
paralelling the right of way.
South side of Manunka Chunk Tunnel
As we called out for Eric and Conrad, there was no answer.
Buck was getting dehydrated, and soon flopped to the ground as I tried to survey the
other side of the fields from afar. I managed to get Buck up once more, but he passed out
once again after not long. Soon, Conrad and Eric's voiced could be heard; they had
crossed the mountain in the wrong direction. They somehow got to the right of way, so I
got Buck up and attempted to meet up with them, almost stepping on a Deer Fawn, which
rocketed off scaring the bejesus out of us.
Our scratched up legs south of Manunka Chunk Tunnel
By the time we were reunited, Buck and I had cuts all over our legs from fighting through
the weeds. We made our way south without incident. Passing throught the Sand Pit in
Bridgeville, the clearing being done had extended over the right of way.
After making our way to Oxford, Buck and I reminisced of the time we had walked here
together before, how we were on Rt 31, and a fire hydrant had a cover on it. Buck pulled
the cover of and screamed "HAHAHAHA! YOU'RE NAKED". We bothed laughed
histerically until we were interrupted by a deep honking, turning to see a giant Mack
Truck barreling toward us from only a few meters away. We leapt off the road barely
missing getting hit, then laughed.
North side of Van Nest Gap (Oxford) Tunnel
This time, being warmer outside, we opted to use the Oxford Tunnel. The right of way
approaching it was wet and sometimes overgrown, and when we reached the mouth of the
tunnel Conrad had had enough. The north portal is immediatley full of water, so Conrad
ran up the embankment alone to cross the mountain. Eric, Buck, and I made our way
through the frigid, over knee deep waters, taking a rest on a raft in the middle of the
watered section. Conrad was already at the south portal of the half mile long tunnel (built
in 1862, refurbished in 1906) when we arrived.
The raft that used to be in Oxford Tunnel. It's ruins are still there, all beat up.
Passing through Oxford Tunnel
South side of Oxford Tunnel at this time had many fallen trees over it.
Buck and Eric were extremely tired as we continued, and decided they wanted to walk to
Warren Hills and stop there. Conrad and I decided we would run along the right of way
back to Washington to meet his girlfiend at the time, Katka. We stopped by the
Washington Dunkin Donuts to call her.
I don't remember what we did after this one (probably had pizza), but I was certain I
wanted to do this hike again...
Again, even though facebook will allow the participants from this hike to leave comments on this, I'm including comments here that I'd gotten from them initially.
“At what point did we start singing ‘The Scotsman’? I believe it was around the first or
second hike. And riding in Katka’s car, a piece of shit maroon LeBaron at that....”
- Conrad
Yeah, it was around the second hike, I believe that we started singing that. That used to
be the only time Conrad would tolerate singing, as openly expressing your love of a
capella was forbidden, as was using words shorter than his name! Ha! “The Scotsman”
was an a capella minor hit for Bryan Bowers; it gained it’s popularity through Dr.
Demento. It is significant to mention that Conrad gave me a tape with this for my 17th
birthday, just after the first hike. It contained mostly ridicules songs like “The Scotsman”.
One of the best birthday presents I got!
Can’t say I remember a maroon LeBaron...but I remember picking up Eric and Buck.
“After we met at the school we went to the sandwich shop to eat between the Shelby’s and
the Acme in that stupid Warren mall shit, where I, shortly after that found out I just got a
job at the Mansfield Shop Rite and my mom came and picked me up. That was a
wonderful hike. You did’nt forget anything important.”
-Buck
Wow, yet another significant point in life is associated with this hike! Amazing!
"this is hike number two" i thought to myself, out loud, "surely this will fare better than
the carnage that befell the first 200 mile treck that took us over the whitecaped rocky
shores of the deleware river and throu the devilish pit of the monkeychunk tunnel, an un
holy pit of blood and decay just a step from the boules of satans lair, of this i am sure."
i bit my lip to hold back the tears as i thought of all those brave hikers who gave their
lives knowing that the odds of them ariving home in anything but a pine box were slim to
none.
as we took those first unsure steps across the dishevled logs that made the once mighty
railroad bridge mikes words "DON"T LOOK DOWN MEN! THE LAST ONES WHO DID
WERE SWALLOWED BY MURKY WATERS AND NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN!"
no sooner did the words escape his lips when the Delaware river swelled up an roared.
Some would have said it was just the winds of the comming storm, but i knew that it was
the dark water beckoning us to test it's powers.
onward we travled. The gnareld trail lay in front of us, rocky and trecherous. around
every dark corner iminent danger was waiting for our missteps. the weather had taken a
turn for the worst as the nor' easter finnaly caught up to us. Soon any evidence of our
trail was burried deep beneth the accumulating snow drifts. I was'nt the only one who
noticed that it was now imposible to turn back. "Looks as if our bread crumbs are gone"
said conrad.
"Well at least we can't be followed" replied Buck.
"I still not convinced..." Conrad trailed off as something caught his eye.
Off to our left, some 75 feet up a vertical slope of pure rock stood one lonely, near bare
shrub. Its twisted branches curled like knobby weatherd fingers desperatly clutching a
few leaves, each one made of pure gold and was adorned with preciouse jewels.
"Great Scoot..." gasped Conrad, "the fabled Bush of MIGHT!"
"Not thee Bush of Might," I asked " The Bush that first grew at the dawn of time and
whos leaves posess the power to heal any wound and bring people back from the brink of
etenal death?!"
"The very same." Whisperd Conrad as he began to scale the jagged cliff face.
-Eric
...I don’t even know what to say about this...except PURE GENIUS!
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