Hike #29
Al and I along the Columbia Trail in Ken Lockwood Gorge
3/8/1
With the weather getting warmer and spring getting nearer, Al Eisberg agreed to join me for the hike from Crestmoore again, only this time I wanted to see something new. I asked my grandmother at the spur of the moment to take us to the next crossing, in Middle Valley. We easily found the former railroad crossng, and followed the High Bridge Branch of the Central Railroad of NJ, now the Colombia Trail, westbound. Middle Valley was once the site of a junction with the Middle Valley Railroad, a mile long short line that serviced a quarry in nearby Teetertown.
Beginning in Middle Valley
Crossing South Branch of the Raritan, Middle Valley on Columbia Trail
South Branch Bridge on Columbia Trail, Middle Valley NJ
We immediately crossed over the South Branch of the Rariton on a new bridge built for the gas line and trail. Another bridge a bit further along which crossed a driveway had been removed, apparently because it did’nt have much clearance.
Former bridge site on Columbia Trail, Middle Valley NJ
Driveway crossing, Columbia Trail in Middle Valley
Crossing Jenkinson Nurseries in Crestmoore
Crossing Jenkinsons Farm, Crestmoore
Weird thing at Jenkinson Nurseries, Crestmoore
We soon reached Crestmoore and walked across the tree farm, though nothing was growing at this point.
As always with Al, we had a great time climbing and goofing around on and with everything we found. We did the usual thing, stopping at Rambo’s in Califon, and moving on into Ken Lockwood Gorge. This time, the gorge trestle had been decked over with new wood. We found a hatch at the west side, which Al climbed into.
Old building along Columbia Trail in Vernoy NJ
Columbia Trail, at former junction site with the Vernoy quarry spur
Site of former quarry spur, Vernoy NJ along High Bridge Branch
Ice along Columbia Trail
Ice along Columbia Trail
Columbia Trail, Ken Lockwood Gorge
Ken Lockwood Gorge trestle
Ken Lockwood Gorge Trestle, first redecking
Ken Lockwood Gorge Trestle
Gas line doors on Columbia Trail, Ken Lockwood Gorge
View in Ken Lockwood Gorge
When we got near Lake Solitude, we found the first flowers of Spring (though it was’nt spring yet), and I had to make my way off into the woods to answer nature’s worst call.
Along Columbia Trail, former High Bridge Branch in Ken Lockwood Gorge
Ken Lockwood Gorge
First flowers of Spring, Ken Lockwood Gorge
Lake Solitude dam, High Bridge
We continued on, stopping in High Bridge, and north to Hampton where we stopped at Hampton Pizza. We had the easiest time ever along the DL&W north of here, which is usually very overgrown. This time, we followed the entire right of way for the first time from Dutch Hill Road to Changewater. Just before this, we passed a good looking young girl on the road in New Hampton. We kept looking back at her, and to our surprise she was always looking back at us. After coming to our senses and realizing that in all likelihood she was checking us out, or Al anyway, Al told me never to let that happen again. If there’s a girl checking him out, I had to make him talk to her!
Former CNJ railraod, near Glen Gardner
Rt 31 CNJ underpass, Hampton NJ at the former Warren RR junction site
Hampton NJ
Making our way onto the Warren Railroad cut north of Hampton
"The Cut" north of Hampton
Approaching Dutch Hill on the Warren Railroad bed
Former Warren Railroad, near New Hampton
Former Changewater Trestle site
Former Changewater Trestle site
Changewater Trestle site
Changewater Trestle site
Changewater Bridge over the Musconetcong
Old Changewater Trestle site
Along the Musconetcong River, Changewater
Historic marker, Changewater NJ
When we reached changewater, we stopped by the river to take a break, then moved on, having to follow roads because the railbed was too grown over. As we walked along Changewater Road beside the right of way, we found a ground hog, which was seemingly unphased by our close presence. We both neared it to take pictures, at which point the thing snarled and charged at us! We took off running. Al said he should have drop kicked it.
Ground hog that attacked us on Changewater Road
Along former Warren Railroad just south of the Washington Railroad Yard
We got back on the grade just before the Washington rail yard, crossing over and stopping at Family’s Pizza in the Port Colden Mall for dinner. Family’s was our second favorite pizza place behind Dicola’s, and we stopped in because we knew the owners, Steve and Beth, very well. Beth used to live across from us in Port Colden, and I was friends with her daughter, Melanie already.
Tired and hungry, we completed the most mileage in a day since Bill Bill and I did our two day hike in the Summer of 1999.
Dinner at Family's Pizza
Dinner at Family's Pizza
“Cant remember if this is this hike or the next maybe...you remember?
At the end of the trip, I think it was after dark when we finally came out by the old Acme, Mike and I then proceeded to the pizzaria of which we had been talking about for the last 1 hour of the trip. We tried to order a pizza with every topping they had on it. The guy just looked at us and said "No! I can't do it, it will never cook, there are too many toppings." Slightly discouraged, we ordered a pizza with as many toppings as we
could and left full (well I was full. Mike, I dont know if he ever gets full!).”
-Al
Yeah, that was this one! I had forgotten about ordering that crazy pizza! It was great, too, as I recall! And I don’t remember being totally full....satisfied though!
Pictures from this hike were using both my Sure Shot Owl as well as a Kodak Fun Saver disposeable.
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