Hike #200; Blackwell Mills to New Brunswick

 Hike #200 12/11/5

12/11/5

Delaware and Raritan Canal & Six Mile Run State Park-New Brunswick with Kevin Dealy, Steve Sanbeg, Dave Finton, and Fred Hafale

The original journal was lost to fire, but I remember a lot. Here's a link to all of the pictures from this hike:

12/11/5 Delaware and Raritan Canal & Six Mile Run State Park-New Brunswick with Kevin Dealy, Steve Sanbeg, Dave Finton, and Fred Hafale

The group in Millstone area

Six Mile Run State Park

In Six Mile Run State Park

Old car in Six Mile Run State Park

Crossing Six Mile Run

Delaware and Raritan Canal near Blackwell Mills NJ

Somewhere near East Millstone

Fred's car

Group shot

Making our way from Landing Lane Bridge in New Brunswick

Parking garage in New Brunswick

For this hike, my 200th such occasion, I resisted the urge to do the Portland to Washington hike again, and figured this is a good time to do something new and exciting as we had been, and extend to the furthest continueous eastward we'd ever gone, and so the next section of the Delaware and Raritan Canal was the plan, pretty much completing it to New Brunshwick save for a short section I did'nt know how to access.

I put the meeting place as the New Brunswick train station with the idea that there would be parking there (obviously?) but there was'nt! I don't know if anyone else tried to show up, but I met up with, as if by some miracle, Steve, Dave, and Kevin on the streets of New Brunswick. Fortunitely I had the cell phone and we got everyone together. Kevin just happened to see me and had a little red Miata so I knew it was him.

We found free parking in a parking garage a short distance from the train station and Steve, knowing New Brunswick very well, did the car shuttle to Six Mile Run (Blackwell Mills), our starting point, where we met up with Fred, who had just had some knee problems and would only be going half way and turn back.

We started by walking the edge of Six Mile Run State Park. It was really snowy, and at the half way out point there was a stream crossing I was'nt ready for, but we got across it anyway.

We then continued back to the parking area and made our way to the canal towpath heading east/north. I think Fred cut out at Millstone.

We had to concentrate so much on walking for this section I honestly can't remember much standout stuff, except one spillway with no ice or snow on it, the wide openness of the section along Zaraphath/Pillar of Fire church property, and the seclusion and how nice it was on the section approaching New Brunswick. I think I remember the Millstone and Raritan Confluence as well.

We had to turn off of the canal when we reached Landing Lane Bridge because just ahead the canal had been obliterated and flowed on a dam out into the Raritan. We walked the road parallel and I saw the spot. I found out later it may be possible to walk to the final short section of the canal, but as of this writing I have'nt gotten around to it yet (Sept 2010).

Fortunitely for us, Steve was so familiar with New Brunswick he was able to take us for an interesting walk across New Brunswick and though the parks in the dark that I would otherwise take forever to figure out. He was happy to lead the way for us all the way back to the parking garage to finish out our day.

Parking garage in New Brunswick