Hike #27; Sarepta to Washington

 Hike #27

11/24/2k

Tea Biscuit, myself, and Moo Moo in Sarepta

Again one month since my previous hike, it was becoming harder to get Ronald or anyone else to hike during the week.

Once again, I decided to do the hike from Sarepta through Belvidere to Washington again. This time, along with Tea Biscuit, Moo Moo joined again. We had to pick him up early in the morning, and he had his fat girlfriend over, so it was funny.

Cool tree near the Warren Railroad bed near Upper Sarepta Road

Farm road north of Upper Sarepta Road

My grandmother dropped us off on Sarepta Road this time, and we continued north and parallel to the right of way on the farm road. I tried to climb a tree, but got stuck in weeds. When we reached the tunnel cut, we goofed off picking ice sycles.

In the cut approaching Manunka Chunk Tunnel

Attacking Moo Moo with a piece of ice

Moo Moo approaching Manunka Chunk Tunnel's north side

After passing through the tunnel and heading south behind the Roche facility, we spotted a white jeep driving on the service road. We quickly hid and waited for it to pass. As we made our way down the right of way, we saw a man walking down the access road, and we again had to hide, this time running down the fill to our right, and into an old farm underpass. When we reached the second crossing of the access road, where there is a large open area, we made a run for it. There’s an enourmous tree at the end of the field we could use for cover.

Near Hoffman LaRoche along former Bel Del Railroad

Field with Manunka Chunk Tunnel in the background

Old farm underpass below Bel Del Railroad north of Belvidere

Along the Delaware north of Belvidere

Fortunitely, this time the river was unusually low, and we could walk in a dry section of the river bed, making walking through this section much easier. As we made our way up to the old Hercules Roads (which by the way are also fenced off, but there are several breaks one can pass through.), Moo Moo told us he had needed to use a bathroom. We immediately started gilling him...”Moo Moo has to poop!”, “Why don’t you poop in the road, Moo Moo?”, “Be a big Moo Moo”. He was quite annoyed, but we kept on with it.

Along the Delaware north of Belvidere

A large rock in the Delaware north of Belvidere

Throwing rocks into the ice at Pophandusing Brook, Belvidere along LHR rail bed

When we reached Belvidere and Skoogy’s Deli, I asked pretty young female clerk “Can my friend use your bathroom? He really has to go poop.”, to which she said “Uh...someone’s in there.”. Moo Moo was furious, and told us he was never coming hiking again for embarrassing him like that. That did’nt stop us from teasing him. Finally, Moo Moo found the courage to ask again, and the clerk told him the bathroom was broken (it was’nt!). Moo Moo’s patience had reached it’s end and he needed to go. He and I walked out to find another place for him to use the restroom. After he and I crossed the street, Tea Biscuit stayed to make his proclimation. Standing on the sidewalk a considerable distance away, we could hear Tea Biscuit through closed doors shouting “I’M A NUDIST!”. We then found Moo Moo another restaurant who’s restroom he could use. When he emerged, he proudly announced that he did not flush because he was mad. We had to explain to him that it was’nt the fault of the restaurant. Moo Moo just did’nt get some things!

As we made our way to the L&HR, we stopped at the Pophandusing Brook bride to throw rocks into the ice. Beyond this point, the right of way was completely ripped up for construction of a new developement on the way to Hazen Road. Some raods were already paved, with curbs and all.

Throwing rocks into the ice at Pophandusing Brook, Belvidere along LHR rail bed

Making our way around a fallen tree, LHR railroad bed east of Belvidere

Resting atop the Pequest Viaduct

Resting at the "Tree of Three" south of Oxford Tunnel

We made our way to Buttsville to the DL&W on through Oxford. By the time we reached the Tree of Three it was dark. As we walked on, a strange light was overhead moving in odd ways. Our interest in this light held for some time, and Moo Moo was freaked out at the thought of UFOs. This would be Moo Moo’s last time hiking with us before moving to Florida.