12/24/6
North Hunterdon Backroads and parks with David Noble, Steve Noble, Gerry Martiniak, Beverly Auvil, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Laurie Ellicott, Joan Aichele, Eldon Allen, Gail Riker, Maggie DeWitt
group shot at my grandfather's house
For this hike I decided it would be appropriate to do the North Hunterdon backroads hike once again because there were new trail sections constructed in the Point Mountain Preserve, which would eliminate some road walking since my previous visit. In addition, a new trail had been added in the Lebanon Township park.
Hiking Pond Trail at Mountain Farm
Pond Trail at Mountain Farm
Mountain Farm, Teetertown Reservation
Along Hollow Brook Road, Teetertown Ravine
Along the Geology Trail, Teetertown Ravine
Along East Hill Road, Lebanon Twp.
View along Hill Road
Along Hill Road
Lebanon Township Memorial park Trail
9/11 Memorial in Lebanon Twp. park
9/11 Memorial
9/11 Memorial in Lebanon Twp. Park
Lebanon Township Memorial Park
9/11 Memorial in Lebanon Twp. Memorial park
Old buildings in former Camp Watching, now Miquin Woods Preserve.
Lunch break at my grandfather's house
Lunch break at my grandfather's house
Along Mountain Top Road
Along Mountain Top Road
Along Mountain Top Road
Wattles Fields, Point Mountain South
Wattles Fields, Point Mountain South
Wattles Fields, Point Mountain South
Wattles Fields, Point Mountain South
Wattles Fields, Point Mountain South
Along the trail at Point Mountain South
Abandoned farmstead on Point Mountain
Old barn site on Point Mountain
Old farm site on Point Mountain
The white blazed trail across Point Mountain Reservation
Point Mountain Reservation
Top of Point Mountain
View from Point Mountain
Rocks on Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
View from Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Sunset over the Rosan fields, Point Mountain
Rosan fields at Penwell
My grandfather layed down at the end of the hike saying he couldn't go on. Penwell NJ
This would be the last hike for 2006, so it seemed appropriate, being Christmas eve and the last hike of the year, that we visit my grandfather along the way. The route of course passed his house. We met in Penwell in the morning and shuttled cars to Teetertown Preserve. Joining me this time were past participants Gerry Martiniak and his wife Beverly Auvil, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Laurie Ellicott, David Noble, and newcomers, David's father Steve Noble, Maggie DeWitt, Joan Aichele, Gail Riker, and (name unknown). David and his dad met us at the Teetertown Preserve. We began walking from the parking area to the Pond Trail, along two ponds and out to a field where a stage had recently been constructed. We headed to the somewhat new handicapped accessable campsite constructed beautifully by John Trontis's son as an Eagle Scout Project. We walked through the site and continued to the Red Trail on the edge of the field. We continued on the Red Trail and began to descend into Teetertown Ravine and Hollow Brook Road. The two women from Hackettstown decided they could not make it. One of them was having ankle trouble, so they turned back early. The remaining 8 of us continued down Hollow Brook Road to the end of the Geology Trail.
We ascended steeply through some scenic areas to the end of the Geology Trail and turned left on the White Trail to the bottom of the old orchard, then continued on the Blue Trail leading atop a hill and partly along an old woods road between large stone walls. We soon made our way down hill along some more lovely stone rows reaching the road, and turning right passing pretty farm lands. We turned right on Teetertown Road and ascended a hill, then reached Sliker Road and turned left. We passed Louise Sliker's old house, my father's former elementary school teacher, who passed away recently. She used to send me birthday cards every year. I told everyone about her, and then turned right on Hill Road, crossing over one of the lovely little stone bridges, of which Hunterdon County boasts having more of them than anywhere in the country (with over 200 of the structures). We continued up hill and David ran ahead to visit some old friends of his. We continued walking up the road, and Steve Noble turned back to his car as he had to pick up a gift for his wife at 2 pm. He planned on rejoining us later. When we reached Woodglen, we rejoined David at the general store, and then walked south briefly passing the Woodglen School and entering the Lebanon Township Memorial Park and the new trail. It was a crushed stone soft surface with a little loop inside, leading us out to the two story piece of the World Trade Center. We admired the monument, but left rather quickly. David's father, Steve, was a 9-11 survivor and had been only about 1000 feet away from the WTC when the first tower fell. We continued through the park land passing a pavilian and ball fields north to the Lebanon Twp. Municipal Building, then turned back onto Hill Road briefly to Red Mill Road. We walked this road to Newport Road, and stopped at my Aunt Pam's house. I chatted with her for a while, and she gave David and I each a Coors light, and we were on our way. We continued up Newport Road; I was planning on hiking through the new Michin Woods Preserve, formerly Camp Watchung, but John Trontis could not grant permission to enter yet, as it was a liability until the old buildings had been demolished. Newport Road is one of those roads where it's said strange things happen when you're driving late at night. We did'nt see anything, however. We soon turned left on Anthony Road, which became Hollow Road. We stopped briefly and said hello to my Aunt Bonnie along the way, and everyone was asking "Is that REALLY your aunt?", in disbelief that we had already passed two of my aunt's houses. We followed Hollow Road and turned left on Symond's Lane, which I had walked countless times in my youth when it was still a dirt road. I gave everyone the option of which road to take, Symonds or Hollow, and they picked Symonds, which was fine by me since the previous time we did this hike I believe we took Hollow. We turned right on Mountaintop Road and stopped at my grandfather, Eldon Allen's house. Unfortunitely, he was not home yet. I figured that he would not be long, so I decided we would wait. Sure enough, we were not there two minutes when he pulled in the driveway. He invited us all inside and offered us food and drinks. Most everyone had some coffee and David entertained on the piano, playing the "Peanuts" theme, as well as some Beatles tunes which I sang along to. It was a great time. We also toured my grandfather's office, which he indtroduced as the world's smallest survey office. Everyone was surprised that he still drew all of his maps by hand. He is probably the only surveyor out there still drawing the maps by hand! Steve Noble soon called me, planning on rejoining us shortly. I gave him directions, and he was on his way. After the break, we were ready to continue on, and my grandfather joined us for the remainder of the hike! We continued walking along Mountain Top Road, and soon Steve Noble pulled up and I directed him to the new Point Mountain South Parking lot ahead. My grandfather and I stopped to talk to him, and everyone else got far ahead of us, so he suggested we run to catch up with them. This was a great feeling, running side by side with my grandfather on the road where I grew up. We ran quite a ways, all the way to the front of the group. We made the ninety degree angle turn on the road and soon reached the Point Mountain parking lot. Now ten of us continued across an open and recently plowed field with a solitary tree here and there, toward the far side. My grandfather and I took the lead and reached the end of the field where we picked up the white blazed trail. We continued on the footpath, which sometimes followed a woods road, crossed a couple springs, and soon reached the yellow trail intersection and turned right. We continued on this trail and crossed Point Mountain Road, then turned left down hill where another trail continued ahead toward Camp Bernie. We reached another old road which led to the left back out to Point Mountain Road, and turned right, passing by the ruins of an old barn. We continued on this new trail with nice work having been done to keep erosion from occuring. There were many large stones put in the path way for wet conditions. We continued through the woods and a sort of wet land, reaching the orange blazed trail near a stone row. We turned left and headed up onto the ridge toward the main viewpoint on Point Mountain. We stopped on the main rock for a break and I pointed out things at the viewpoint. It was very clear, and as the sun was setting it was particularly pretty. There was an old etching in one of the rocks which I could'nt really read with the lighting. We continued from here steeply down the trail towards the river. When we reached the parking lot at the bottom, we turned right on an old woods road trail leading gradually down toward the river side. We walked along the river and ascended to the fields heading toward Penwell. Amish Paul walked across the winter wheat even though Gerry and I told him not to. We continued on to the top of a rise with a great view of Point Mountain and a colorful sunset just before descending to the parking area at Penwell. We walked the gravel road to Penwell Road and turned left across the Musconetcong River, then right on the abandoned Penwell Road section where we were parked. The hike was great, and I felt my grandfather truly had a great time, so I was happy as could be.
1.) The group hiking along fields at Mountain Farm, Teetertown Preserve2.) The group on Pond Trail at Mountain Farm3.) View of the pond from the handicapped campsite in Teetertown4.) Joan Aichele, Steve and David Noble, and Gerry Martiniak on Hollow Brook Road in Teetertown Ravine5.) The group ascending on the new Geological Trail in Teeterown Ravine6.) Little stone bridge, one of 200 in Hunterdon County, on Hill Road7.) Farm along Hill Road8.) The group hiking along Hill Road9.) The group on the new Lebanon Township Trail approaching the 9-11 memorial; Woodglen10-14.) At the 9-11 Memorial, Lebanon Twp. Park in Woodglen15.) Old cabins at former Camp Watchung, now part of the Michin Woods Preserve off Newport Road in Lebanon Township. Park could'nt be opened until buildingns were demolished.16-17.) Hanging out for lunch break at my grandfather's house!18.) In front of my grandfather's house, with his sign; from left, Gerry Martiniak, Beverly Auvil, Maggie DeWitt, Joan Aichele, David Noble, Laurie Ellicott, Eldon Allen, "Amish Paul" Hassler.19.) Walking along Mountaintop Road20.) Walking along Mountain Top Road near Jay Garish's house21.) The group along Mountaintop Road at the new Point Mountain parking area22.) Fields in the Point Mountain Preserve just off Mountaintop Road23-24.) The group walking through the fields of the future new trail in Point Mountain area25.) That's my grandfather walking through the fields on the future trail route26-27.) There we are at the beginning of the blazed trail section 28.) David checking out the ruins of an old barn foundation near Point Mountain Road29.) David with the old barn foundation on the new trail section30.) The group with the old farm ruin31.) The group on the new trail, Point Mountain32.) More along the new trail33.) On one of my favorite rocks on top of Point Mountain34.) A grea view along the ridge top trail at Point Mountain35.) The group making their way through a cleft in the rocks36.) Rocky outcroppings on Point Mountain37.) The pathway to the rocky viewpoint38.) The group making their way along the rocky pathway to the viewpoint on Point Mountain39.) The terrific view from Point Mountain toward the interesection of Rt 57, Point Mountain Road, and Port Murray Road40.) The group at the overlookj41.) Making our way back down Point Mountain along the steep trail...42.) Joan with my grandfather at the trail intersection, base of Point Mountain43.) Sunset as seen from the Penwell side of Point Mountain preserve44.) Along the trail on the way to Penwell45.) My grandfather laying on the old road in Penwell claiming he can't go on...while right next to the cars! He's quite the humorous one!
Point Mt. Wattles section
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