Hike #286; Morristown/Madison

 Hike #286 5/27/7

5/27/7 Morristown/Madison area with "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Jim "Uncle Soup" Campbell, "Major Tom" Conroy, Jim Delotto, Fred Hafale, Joe Tag, Sandra Lewis, Janice Lester, John Spiridon, ?, ?, ?.

In Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Starting off in Morristown

Morristown

Felinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum retention pond!

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

Historic site

Near Washington's Headquarters, Morristown

Near Washington's headquarters in Morristown

Near Washington's Headquarters, Morristown

Near Washington's Headquarters, Morristown

Near Washington's Headquarters

Washington statue, Morristown

Washington Statue in Morristown

Washington's Headquarters, Morristown

historic marker

Traction Line Trail, Morristown

Traction Line Trail, Convent Station

Traction Line Trail, Convent Station

Traction Line Trail near Convent Station

Traction Line Trail near Madison

Traction Line Trail near Madison

Bridge near Madison

Pond in Loantaka Brook Reservation

Ugly shot of me

Uncle Soup in Loantaka!

Loantaka Brook Reservation

Loantaka Brook Reservation

Picnic shelter in Loantaka Brook Reservation

Loantaka Brook Reservation

Loantaka Brook Reservation

Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense site

Fort Nonsense

View from Fort Nonsense

View from Fort Nonsense

View from Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense

In Morristown

Municipal park in Morristown

dead snapper

Morristown

Municipal park in Morristown

 My next hike would lead us back to Morristown, Morris County NJ to cover the next sections of the Patriot's Path system and adjoining trails I had yet to follow. I made this one a loop to avoid the complication of car shuttling, and it turned out to be a blessing that I made this decision seeing as though there were 17 of us at the beginning! We met in the morning at the shopping center on Ridgedale Avenue near the corner of Hanover Street and the Patriot's Path road crossing. Joining me this time were past participants "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Fred Hafale, David "Captain Soup" Campbell, Jim "Uncle Soup" Campbell, "Major Tom" Conroy, Jim Delotto, Sandra Lewis, Joe Tag, John Spiridon, and Janice Lester, who we'd met on my previous Patriot's Path hike on 22 April. Newcomers were Roberta Golub, Janice's friends (not sure on spelling...) Angela Nodiak?, Jamie Lin, Nancy Liguori?, and Sonia Schwartz? (like I said, I don't know, they're hard to read on the trip report!). We began walking from the shopping center across the parking lot to Hanover, turning left to the Patriot's Path. We followed the trail along the road, opting not to check out the short section heading north parallel with Rt 287, instead opting to continue to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum and make our way to a couple loop trails. We began by walking the main road to a center area where there was a sort of little garden area in the middle. jWe headed through and visited the Morris County Parks headquarters. I picked up updated copies of park maps and we continued on around the building and used the outermost loop trail through meadows, then into woods to the rear access road. We then continued onto another trail at the southeast side of the arboretum and made our way around the outer perimeter to the edge of the Whippany River. We followed the trail around the perimeter and part of the former bed of the Whippany River prior to the construction of Rt 287, then reached the main part of the arboretum again. A few waited behind while a few of us walked the Patriot's Path back to the entrance, just so I could say I did it, then returned to head to the rose garden further along. We took a break at a nice pavilian before moving along.

 

 We made our way down hill through another meadow, then into the woods. Captain Soup and I fell behind to crack open some beers leftover from his recent party. Wyatt stayed with us, and we continued following the main blazed section of the Patriot's Path out of the arboretum. There were deer exclusion fences around the outside to keep the deer from browsing within the arboretum. The trail continued along the Whippany River, at first along the back of some business's parking lot, then into a surprisingly nice section of woods. We went up hill a bit and came out into a back yard, part of the historic sites and Acorn Hall. We cut out to what I believe was Rt 510/Colombia Turnpike and turned right passing Washington's Headquarters on the right. We soon turned left onto the paved Traction Line Trail, a trail that for the most part parallels the active NJ Transit/former Morris and Essex line on an old trolley right of way. This led us to parallel the tracks, which we were separated from by a chain link fence. At first, we were along the fence line, with an apartment complex to the left, followed by a college campus. We all continued along, and the shade gave way to very open areas where we could get burnt really easily. We continued on having nice discussions, and a guy almost plowed me down riding his bicycle. He came by again soon, and this time blew a loud whistle in our ears rather rudely. Janice went on about how he should have a stick stuck in his spokes for being so rude. We all agreed. We continued on until we reached Convent Station. Janice and her friends, as well as John decided to turn back at this point as they had previous engagements. The rest of us continued on the Traction Line Trail southeast toward Madison. The trail ended near an overpass for a road. We followed the road, which had a bike lane/walkway to the right, leading us to an industrial area, and we walked Loantaka Way on a parallel pathway to the Loantaka Brook Reservation and a paved trail through there. As we got onto the trail, a smart ass cyclist rode by yelling "Hey, can I get you a soda or something" apparently implying that we were in the way or something. We concluded by this time that cyclists in Morristown are rude. We continued on, making a right turn onto the paved Loantaka Brook trail heading back in the direction of Morristown. Continueing through the park we stopped by a pond in the park for a lunch break under a pavilian (which interestingly had netting in the ceiling to keep people from climbing in there). We then continued north to the end of the park where Fred, Joe, Sandra, and Delotto decided to cut out and take the quickest route back to the vehicles. Roberta continued with us a bit further as we walked Spring Valley Road north across Rt 287, then she decided to head back to her car as well. Those of us remaining continued into Morristown on what I think was South Street, making our way through a parking garage and then up to the site of Fort Nonsense, a strategic location during the American Revolution. The fort got the name "Nonsense" because soldiers at the time thought the construction of the fort was 'busy work' given to them by George Washington, though this was probably not the case because Washington was considered to be a practical man, and the fort would have been a very strategic location on the hill overlooking Morristown had it been needed, but such was never the case. We admired the bit of a view we got, and had a look at the outline of the fort on the hill, then descended a bit via a trail, then cut down to the nearest road to the north. Wyatt and I found a shopping car which we took turns riding in and pushing, heading along the roads toward a little municipal park with a lake. When we reached the park, we headed along the shore line where we found a giant dead snapping turtle. We paralleled Rt 24 on the shore line, then made our way out to the road itself. When we reached the road up hill towards Fosterfields Farm, we were along the fenced in area for the town swimming pool. Since Memorial Day was the next day, the pool would be opening, but as of this date it was still closed, though it was ready for public. I was a bit loopy from drinking wine, and feeling crazy, so I asked if anyone was feeling like jumping the fence and taking a dip in the pool. No one was, so I handed Captain Soup my cell phone and ran in to take a dip. I dove into the shallow pool and quickly ran out, heading up towards Fosterfields. When we reached the Fosterfields Historic Farm entrance, I realized I'd lost my glasses! I decided I'd run back to retrieve them. When I got to the pool I neglected to leave my cell phone and got it wet! It was'nt working for quite a while, and I was worried. Still, my glasses were in the pool, so it was good to have them back. I ran back up the hill to the Fosterfields Farm where I found the group at the visitor's center. We made our way to the red blazed branch of the Patriot's Path heading parallel with one of the access roads, and into the woods. Wyatt was still pushing the shopping cart through the rough terrain of the foot traffic-only trail.

Shopping at Fosterfields?

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm trail, pushing a cart

Carting along the trail from Fosterfields

Along the trail from Fosterfields

Taking a dip in the Whippany River

Whippany River

Whippany River

Whippany River

Our shopping cart

On MLK Street, Morristown, with our cart.

Patriot's Path in Morristown near the jail.

The trail switchbacked down hill through woods to the Patriot's Path's blue blazed paved side trail on the hill above Whippany River near Washington Valley. Wyatt flipped the cart a few times during the foot path section, and he and I jumped it a few times on the bumps of the paved section out to where the Patriot's Path follows the Rockaway Valley Railroad bed. I took a dip in the Whippany River here to wash off the sweat. We continued on the Patriot's Path east, passing the site of Watnong Station, then along the Whippany River on the way to Lake Drive and Speedwell Lake. We crossed Speedwell Ave and continued out to the old rail yard on the unopen section of Patriot's Path, then turned left on MLK Road, and into the municipal riverside ballfield park. Wyatt decided to leave the shopping cart here after dragging it along for so long because his dad would not bring it in his car.I wish I'd thought of it at the time, but we could have brought it to the Ridgedale Avenue shopping center because it would have been funny to see a cart so out of place (it was from a small store in Morristown). We continued on to the north, soon parallel with the railroad tracks and out to Hanover Ave. I was originally thinking about hiking along the Patriot's Path north of the shopping center, but only Uncle Soup, Amish Paul, and I were into it, so we decided not to. Wyatt, Amish Paul, and I had some dinner at a little diner in Morristown before coming home. 

1.) The group getting ready to go at the supermarket on Ridgedale Ave, Morristown (FH)2.) Here we are walking along Hanover Street in Morristown (FH)3.) The group following the access road into the Frelinghuysen Arboretum4.) Flowers in bloom in the Arboretum5.) More lovely flowers in the Arboretum. This is a retention pond.6.) Walking near the Morris County Park headquarters7.) One of the trails at the south side of the Arboretum8.) Along one of the paths through the meadows in the Arboretum9.) Interesting tree roots growing in the old bed of the Whippany River10.) In the rose garden at the Arboretum11.) Uncle Soup at the Arboretum (FH)12.) The group resting under a pavilian at the arboretum13-14.) The entire group on the trails (FH)15.) Delotto taking a short cut through one of the meadows16.) On part of Patriot's Path in the Arboretum (FH)17.) The building near the rose garden (FH)18-19.) Another shot of the group under the pavilian (FH)20.) Captain Soup and Wyatt on the Patriot's Path in the arboretum21.) Historic Marker along the Patriot's Path22.) A cannon near Acorn Hall (FH)23.) Major Tom with the cannon24.) The group across from Washington's Headquarters25-26.) The group walking down Washington Street I think (FH)27.) Major Tom with the George Washington Statue across from his Headquarters28.) Wyatt with the statue waiting for the horse to shit on him29.) Washington's  Headquarters30.) Historic Marker for Washington's Headquarters31.) Captain Soup stretching at the parcourse circuit along Traction Line Trail (FH)32.) The group on Traction Line Trail heading east (FH)33.) NJ Transit Train going by on former Morris and Essex Railroad34.) John Spiridon smiling as he and the ladies are about to part ways at Convent Station35.) The Soups walking Traction Line Trail (FH)36.) More on Traction Line Trail (FH)37.) Crossing the tracks in Madison area via a bridge (FH)38.) The lake in the Loantaka Brook Reservation39.) That's me (WH)40.) Uncle Soup and Amish Paul in Loantaka Brook Reservation's picnic area41.) Lunch Break at Loantaka under the pavilian42-44.) More of lunch break at Loantaka (FH)45.) Another pond view at Loantaka46.) I think this is Captain Soup on a bridge in Morristown's Fort Nonsense47.) The group on a cannon at Fort Nonsense site48.) Another group shot only with me in it this time49.) View over Morristown from Fort Nonsense50-51.) Another view from Fort Nonsense52.) Historic marker at Fort Nonsense53.) Amish Paul near Fort Nonsense54.) Walking through Shopping Cart in Morristown55.) A town park in Morristown56.) A dead snapping turtle...ewwww....57.) Another lake view in Morristown58.) The lake along Rt 24 on west side of Morristown59.) Wyatt pushing his shopping cart on Patriot's Path in Fosterfields Living Historical Farm60.) Wyatt is still pushing the cart on Patriot's Path61.) Wyatt after flipping the cart over on Patriot's Path62.) Heading down toward Washington Valley on Patriot's Path...with a cart63-66.) Me taking a dip in the Whippany River (WH)67.) Our shopping cart on one of the bridges over Whippany River where the Patriot's Path branches come together68.) Wyatt with the Shopping cart on Martin Luther King Street and Patriot's Path, Morristown69.) On Patriot's Path along Morristown and Erie Railroad