Hike #315
11/11/7 Perth Amboy-Rahway with Cathy Fisher, Wyatt Hassler, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Russ Moyer, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Shelly Janes, and Jack Lowry
Perth Amboy
My next trip would be yet another urban east NJ area, this time intended to follow the waterfront as closely as possible from Perth Amboy north, I hoped as far as Elizebeth, but that was'nt going to happen. Joining me this time were Cathy, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Russ Moyer, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Shelly Janes and Jack Lowry, who were now a couple.
Perth Amboy beach
Perth Amboy Raritan Bay waterfront
On the beach in Perth Amboy
On the beach in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy NJ
Perth Amboy's south side
War memorial in Perth Amboy
War memorial, Perth Amboy
Historic marker in Perth Amboy
Historic marker
Boardwalk dock in Perth Amboy
Historic marker
View across the Raritan Bay of Staten Island
Ship on the Raritan Bay from Perth Amboy
View from the beach in perth amboy
Perth Amboy NJ
Historic marker
Historic marker, Perth Amboy
Another historic marker
Along the Arthur Kill's mouth in Perth Amboy
Mouth of the Arthur Kill, Perth Amboy
Another history sign
Perth Amboy along the Arthur Kill
Perth Amboy NJ
Perth Amboy NJ
Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy
Climbing in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy NJ
Another sign on the Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy
Waterfront walkway plaque
History sign
Another one!
Welcome!
They never end!
Nice steps in Perth Amboy
Nice steps in town
perth amboy
Model of future waterfront development in Perth Amboy
Another historic marker
Outerbridge Crossing from Perth Amboy
Along the Arthur Kill
Outerbridge Crossing, Perth Amboy
Abandoned road in Perth Amboy
Former building site in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy
Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy
Old industry in Perth Amboy
Fence, Perth Amboy
Wyatt goofing off with a cart
Wyatt goofing off with a cart
This is where Captain Soup lived
Underside of Outerbridge Crossing
Entrance to Harbour Town, Perth Amboy
Outerbridge Crossing
Tracks in Perth Amboy
Tracks in Perth Amboy
On the tracks in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy
In Perth Amboy
Saw this on the north side of Perth Amboy
ANOTHER FANTASTIC POSE BY CAPTAIN SOUP!!!
Next town!
Woodbridge NJ waterfront area
Blah blah blah blah blah Woodbridge blah blah blah.
Tug boat
Tug boat
View across the Arthur Kill from Woodbridge/Sewaren area
Staten Island
Woodbridge waterfront
Pier in Woodbridge on the Arthur Kill
Because 'Merica.
Woodbridge NJ
Arthur Kill in Woodbridge NJ
Staten Island from Woodbridge
Jack made up the Happy Bag song here. This was the first hike where he brought his guitar, and so the legend began.
View of the Arthur Kill through the trees in Sewaren
Arthur Kill in Sewaren
Sewaren NJ
On the tracks headed to Carteret
Sewaren NJ
Interesting cross track in Carteret
Carteret NJ
Carteret NJ
Tracks in Carteret
Mini mart in Carteret NJ
This place reminded me of Peeps.
Carteret NJ.
In Carteret
Construction in Carteret
Carteret fire company
Carteret NJ
LOL! In Carteret
Ah yes. In Carteret.
Hikin' in Carteret. Beautiful.
In Carteret
Tracks heading north from Carteret
Satellite farm in Carteret
Tracks in Carteret
Tracks in Carteret
Carteret NJ
Ruins in Carteret
New bridge under construction in northern Carteret
New bridge site in northern Carteret
New bridge under construction in northern Carteret
New bridge construction site along the tracks in northern Carteret
The tracks in northern Carteret
Lift bridge over the Rahway River
Lift bridge over Rahway River
Along Rahway River
Lift bridge
Machine along the Rahway River near Carteret
Turnpike bridge
Rahway River looking toward Rahway
In Joseph Medwick Park
Rahway River in Medwick Park
Joseph Medwick Park
Medwick Park
Resting in Medwick Park
Giant pipe on the wetlands around Rahway River
Giant pipe along the Rahway River
Giant pipe along Rahway River
Giant pipe over the Rahway River
Giant pipe along Rahway River
Giant pipe over the Rahway River wetlands
Walking the giant pipe along the Rahway River
Giant pipe over Rahway River
Giant pipe along Rahway River
Giant pipe along Rahway River
Walking the giant pipe as it entered the woods
Along Rahway River
Near Rahway
Near Rahway
Entering Rahway
Rahway River in Rahway
Rahway River Bridge in Rahway
Entering a Rahway River park
Rahway River park
Park in Rahway
Park in Rahway
Trail along the Rahway River
Rahway River trail
Rahway River greenway
Wyatt showboating along Rahway River greenway
Wyatt jumping like an idiot
Jumping Wyatt Flash
More jumping around in Rahway
Rahway River greenway
In Rahway
Jack Lowry worship in Rahway
Rahway River park
Rahway
Rahway River
This happy guy was screaming at us out his window
Downtown Rahway
Downtown Rahway
Big pipes in Rahway
Rahway River
Rahway River railroad bridge
Rahway station
Rahway station
Rahway station
Getting tickets
In Rahway
Russ in Rahway
The tracks at Rahway station
Waiting for the train at Rahway Station
Russ on the train!
On the train from Rahway
Train ride from Rahway to Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy station
Perth Amboy Station
Jose Tejas...GREAT food!!
Dinner at Jose Tejas
We began walking from the railroad staton south to where the tracks crossed the mouth of the Raritan Bay to South Amboy, where there was a beach that I'd hiked to previously on the Middlesex County loop hike I'd done in early 2006 I think it was. I walked down on the beach and took opportunities to go out onto docks and such admiring the view of the bay while Cathy, Amish Paul, and Captain Soup went way ahead. We followed the shore line away from the beach and onto the paver walkway along the bay and chatted with a veteran at the veteran's memorial, where he was setting up for a speech by the mayor to come in a couple hours. We continued wrapping around to the east side of Perth Amboy on the walkway, following the Arthur Kill north. I checked out some of the views on the docks, with views of the bay and what appeared to be oil rigs, as well as nice views of Staten Island and the Outerbridge Crossing. We passed by a nice sign marked "Perth Amboy" at a set of stairs. There was also a wall to our left at one point which Shelley and Wyatt could not resist climbing. Wyatt got up too high and could'nt get down the way he came up and had to make his way along the top and jump down into the weeds. I kept getting calls from Captain Soup asking how far we'd gotten, as he, Cathy, and Paul got way ahead. Paul decided to turn back, and we met him along the way. He went back to his car to explore solo at Sandy Hook. The last time I was in this area we passed along the side of a building in a new developement area and could'nt go any further. This time, we were able to go around a new building along the waterfront, then slightly in land and through an open fence in a disturbed area where buildings obviously used to stand. It took us to another unused road and we turned north onto the next parallel inland street and walked north to the entrance to Harbor Town where Captain Soup used to live. Here, we rejoined Cathy and Captain Soup and walked to the railroad tracks, and stopped at Dunkin Donuts. Jack gave me a couple harmonicas he'd had, which was really awesome because my small harmonica Al Eisberg had given me for my 18th birthday had broken. I immediately started playing "Come from Alabama with a Banjo on my Knee". We soon walked the tracks north under the Outerbridge Crossing, and they seemed to end and get overgrown with weeds. Jack somehow if by magic produced a guitar, called a "Backpacker Guitar" and began playing it! There was a giant pipe made of some sort of plastic near the abandonment, and so we put Wyatt in it and rolled him around into the weeds. We soon followed an access road back out to State Street nearby, as continueing on the tracks appeared to be impossible. We continued north on State Street, and Wyatt heckled Captain Soup relentlessley about his love of football, and because he was soon to cut out early to watch it. The rest of us turned right on Ferry Street, paralleling it to the right a bit in some grassy park land and playgrounds. We soon reached Cliff Road where there was a small waterfront park with a dock onto the Arthur Kill and some great views into Staten island. We admired the view, and watched a boat getting pulled in from the boat launch, then headed northbound along the Arthur Kill on a nice walkway parallel with Cliff Road. Along the way, Jack continueously played his guitar, even creating a new song about Happy Bags! Cliff Road soon became blocked off in an industrial area, so we climbed up to the former Central Railroad of NJ tracks and used them to head north. Some lady down on the ground level was yelling at us that we were trespassing or something, but we chose to ignore her. We continued on the tracks to the north, and I played the harmonica while Jack played guitar. We stopped at one point and he played "Stairway to Heaven" while I played the flute solo on my flutophone! We walked a bit through a small parallel park to the tracks, but soon had to get back to the tracks again. We crossed over Port Reading Road entering Carteret NJ, and soon followed another road heading east toward the Chrome section of Carteret. When we came to Roosevelt Ave, we took a lunch break stopping at a Krauszers food store I think it was, and Cathy and I split a sandwich. After the break, we continued north on Roosevelt Ave north to the former Sound Shore Branch railroad, and began walking that north. We were in very close proximity to a lot of big industries, and eventually reached a gated area where we had to turn around. There was a road access fortunitely which took us back only a short distance to an industrial road heading west out to Roosevelt Ave at where the exit was for the New Jersey Turnpike. Here, we were able to get onto a western facing connector track to the former Jersey Central line, where we turned to the north again. There was a new ramp for the Turnpike under construction at this time. We headed north on the tracks hoping we would be able to cross the bridge across the Rahway River, but I did not realize it would be a lift bridge, or that it would be open with no sign of it closing. I looked around and had to change the course of the trip. Rather than going north toward Elizebeth as planned, we would turn left under the NJ Turnpike bridge along the shore of the Rahway River and make our way into a park on riverside, I think called Joseph Medwick Park. We walked into the park, where there was a nice paved trail just up the hill from the Rahway River. We followed it along, and stopped for a break along the way. Jack started playing different songs, and I sang along. One of them was "Maybe I'm Amazed", and I was surprised to hear him come up with a lesser known 1971 Paul McCartney song "Too Many People". We soon continued on along the paved trail, but I spotted a giant concrete pipe, probably sewer pipe, heading west above ground across the marshland adjacent to the Rahway River. I could'nt pass up the opportunity to cross the marsh on the huge pipe, so I went out, followed by Wyatt, jumping across the joints of the pipe. The others decided to follow closely behind me. The pipe led us a long way across the wetlands, and then into the woods where it was barely clear enough to walk across. Wyatt and I soon reached a clearing where apparently a gas line or something crossed. Jack was not far behind us, and we sang "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" while we waited for everyone else to catch up. Russ, Cathy, and Shelly were back taking pictures. It did'nt look feasable to continue walking on the pipe ahead, so we cut out by walking around the industrial building heading out to I think it was Hazlewood Ave. We followed this road, as people looked on at us happily singing as we walked. Jack and I harmonized a bit on the Beatles' "If I Needed Someone". We soon turned right on Lawrence Ave I think it was across the Rahway River, entering the town of Rahway. We turned right when we got into Union County, and entered a little park along the north shore of the Rahway River. We walked in on a paved path which at first made sort of a circular route around an open area, with another path exiting the circle to the southeast, and entering some sort of a boardwalk over wet areas. We followed this path, and I was surprised to feel the surface of the strange planks, a sort of plastic rubbery material that gave a bit when stepped on. It made it much more pleasant to walk, that much is certain. We walked along this boardwalk and on a bit of a trail behind what looked like some corperate complex until it dead ended at a viewing area of the Rahway River. We ended up having to turn back to the street and head northbound. We followed another road, which might have been Edgar Road for a bit. Some guy up on a balcony, talking on his phone, yelled at us happily that he loved us all...strange. We turned left somwhere, it could have been on Milton Ave, heading into Rahway. We crossed Rahway River, and Cathy talked Wyatt out of walking on a weak pipe along the bridge before heading across. It probably would'nt have held him. Soon, we reached the Rahway Station and made our way up to the platform. We got tickets and did'nt have to wait for very long for the train to show up and take us back to Perth Amboy. We were dropped off on the opposite side of the tracks from where we started, and the pedestrian bridge across the tracks was closed and locked, so we had to go to the nearby road bridge to cross over back to the cars to end a great hike. Except for Russ who wanted to get going on his long car ride home, we went out for dinner at Jack's recommendation to Jose Tejas restaurant in Woodbridge, which had fantastic food. Jack paid for my dinner, which was a very nice gesture. I think we all went home very full, and we ate a ton of chips.
Entering Woodbridge area
1.) On the beach in Perth Amboy1a.) The approach on Perth Amboy's beach (SJ)1b.) On the beach (SJ)2.) Jack and Shelly on the beach3.) Coming up from the beach3a.) On the walkway in Perth Amboy (SJ)3b-3c.) War memorial along the bay in Perth Amboy (SJ)4.) Historic marker in Perth Amboy4a.) Another one of the marker (SJ)4b.) On a dock in Perth Amboy (SJ)5.) Another historic marker6-7.) View across the Raritan Bay8.) Oil barge out on Raritan Bay9.) Shelly and Jack on a dock in Perth Amboy10.) Great Beds Lighthouse marker in Perth Amboy10a.) Historic marker (SJ)11.) Coastal Heritage Trail marker12.) View up the Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy12a.) Another view (SJ)12b.) Historic marker (SJ)13.) Nice street view in Perth Amboy13a.) Me and the group in Perth Amboy (SJ)14.) Docks in Perth Amboy14a.) The walk way near the waterfront (SJ)14b.) Wyatt on the wall in Perth Amboy (SJ)15.) Wyatt and Shelly climbing a wall in Perth Amboy16.) Wyatt having to jump down from the wall because there was'nt really a way to climb once he got to the top. I took this dumb video of him jumping17.) Another historic marker17a.) Historic marker (SJ)17b.) Another one! (SJ)18.) And yet another!18a.) Perth Amboy sign (SJ)18b.) Another marker (SJ)19.) Russ at the Perth Amboy sign20.) Some of the group at the Perth Amboy sign20a.) At the Perth Amboy sign20b.) Model of what one of the new waterfront buildings will look like (SJ)21.) Another historic marker22.) Nice view of the Outerbridge Crossing23.) Wyatt on a wall along the Arthur Kill with a view of Staten Island24.) The Outerbridge Crossing25.) Russ on an abandoned road in Perth Amboy near the Arthur Kill26.) Building foundation in Perth Amboy27.) Another old building site in Perth Amboy27a.) Wyatt with a shopping cart he found (SJ)28.) An old building in town29.) Old railway spur to one of the buildings in Perth Amoby29a-29b.) Wyatt riding his shopping cart down hill at an old industrial site (SJ)30.) Video of Wyatt crashing a shopping cart at one of the old buildings30a.) Heading toward Harbortown in Perth Amboy (SJ)30b.) Cathy and Wyatt chatting at a Harbortown entrance (SJ)31.) View of the underhalf of the Outerbridge Crossing31a.) Another Outerbridge Crossing view (SJ)32.) Along the tracks in Perth Amboy, probably part of the original New York and Long Branch line32a.) Along the tracks (SJ)32b.) Walking the tracks (SJ)32c.) Russ with a sign along the tracks (SJ)32d.) I have no idea! (SJ)33.) Jack with his "Backpacker Guitar"34.) Video of me pushing Wyatt in a giant plastic pipe while Jack supplies the soundtrack34a.) A happy sign (SJ)35.) Captain Soup bidding us farewell in Sewaren35a.) A sign welcoming us to Woodbridge (SJ)35b.) I'm checking the map as we head toward the waterfront again (SJ)35c.) Walking through a playground on the way to the waterfront (SJ)35d.) Old guys lounging on the porch (SJ)35e.) On the dock along the Arthur Kill (SJ)36.) A boat passing us in Sewaren along the Arthur Kill36a.) Another one of the boat (SJ)37.) View across the Arthur Kill38.) Probably a landfill across the Arthur Kill in Staten Island39.) Nice little park along the Arthur Kill39a.) Some fisherman boat dude person (SJ)39b.) American flag (SJ)39c.) Jack on the walkway by the dock and Cliff Road (SJ)40.) View north of the waterfront parallel with Cliff Road41.) View across the Arthur Kill from Cliff Road41a.) On Cliff Road (SJ)42.) View from Cliff Road to the waterfront43.) View of a nice park along the waterfront from Cliff Road44.) Video of Jack making up a fun hiking song!44a.) The railroad bridge where we accessed the old New York and Long Branch RR tracks (SJ)44b.) Climbing up to the railroad tracks (SJ)44c.) On top of the bridge (SJ)45.) On the tracks heading north from Sewaren46.) Unconventional track crossing at grade in southern Carteret46a-46b.) More of the crossing (SJ)47.) What my maps show as the "Sound Shore Branch" railroad in Carteret, Chrome section48.) Cathy in the store getting our lunch49.) Store in Carteret NJ49a.) Earth mover (SJ)49b.) Walking through Carteret (SJ)49c.) Nice old building in Carteret (SJ)50.) Wyatt under an interesting sign...50a.) More of Wyatt (SJ)50b.) Another strange sign (SJ)50c.) Wyatt with tons of Realtor's balloons he was taking off signs (SJ)50d.) Cathy and Wyatt with the balloons, probably the Sound Shore Branch (SJ)51.) On what my map shows as the Sound Shore Branch heading north52.) Satellites along the railroad in Carteret area53.) Along the tracks heading north from Carteret54.) Following the tracks through heavy industrial area55.) On the road in northern Carteret56.) An abandoned building along the tracks in northern Carteret57.) North of Carteret, new ramps onto the NJ Turnpike were being built58.) Passing under the new construction for highway ramps58a.) New construction area (SJ)59.) More of the new bridge area60.) Along the tracks heading north61.) Probably the former New York and Long Branch CNJ line, with the bridge up that spans the Rahway River61a.) The railroad bridge (SJ)61b.) Shelly on the piece of equipment by the rail bridge (photo by Jack Lowry)62.) The Rahway River Bridge taken from under the NJ Turnpike63.) Checking out big machine64.) View under NJ Turnpike of the Rahway River65.) View up stream on the Rahway River66.) Wyatt along a trail in Medwick Park67.) View of the Rahway River in Medwick Park67a.) In Medwich Park on the Rahway River (SJ)67b.) A kid on his power wheels in Medwick Park (SJ)67c.) Taking a break in Medwick Park (SJ)68.) On a giant pipe over the wetlands around the Rahway River69-73.) On the giant pipe73a-73d.) More of crossing the pipe (SJ)74.) The pipe too, us into some woodlands here74a.) Jack and I singing as we waited where the pipe took us behind industrial areas (SJ)75.) We came out behind this building on the pipe75a.) Road sign (SJ)75b.) Walking toward Rahway (SJ)76.) Rahway River, Rahway NJ77.) On the Rahway River bridge77a.) Me in a parking area in Rahway (SJ)77b.) Entering the park along the Rahway River (SJ)77c-77d.) In the Rahway River park (SJ)78.) Russ on a trail along Rahway River in Rahway79.) Russ on a puncheon boardwalk in Rahway80.) On the boardwalk80a-80d.) Wyatt jumping around on the boardwalk along Rahway River (SJ)81.) Cathy, Shelly, and Jack82.) Shelly and Jack on the boardwalk along the Rahway River83.) Adoration of rock star picture...84.) Along the riverside trail in Rahway85.) Rahway water tower86.) View of the Rahway River86a.) This guy was yelling that he loved us from the balcony in Rahway (SJ)86b.) Walking the road (SJ)86c.) In Rahway, Wyatt does a Ninja Kick (SJ)87.) A giant pipe in Rahway88.) Pedestrian bridge in Rahway89.) Bridge for the railroad over Rahway River90.) At Rahway Station90a-90b.) At the Rahway Station (SJ)90c.) Buying train tickets in Rahway (SJ)90d.) Jack at the station (SJ)90e.) Russ at the station (SJ)91.) Sunset at the tracks at Rahway Station92.) Waiting for the train93.) Russ on the train94.) Shelly and Jack on the train95.) Cathy and I on the train96.) The Perth Amboy train station at the end96a.) Another shot of the station (SJ)96b.) The outside of Jose Tejas where we had dinner (SJ)96c.) Having dinner! (SJ)
Carteret area
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