Hike #378 10/13/8
Lehigh Canal north of Walnutport
10/13/8 Walnutport/Bowmanstown Lehigh Loop with Cathy Fisher
Here's a link to all of the pictures from this hike:
http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk97/sneezehorse2/hike378%2010-13-8/
Former LV railroad in Slatington PA
Former LV line north of Slatington
Former LV line north of Slatington
Former LV line north of Slatington
Lehigh Gap looking east
Lehigh Gap looking east
Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Gap
Devil's Pulpit at Lehigh Gap
Looking into Lehigh Gap
Lehigh River at Lehighton
Pedestrian underpass in Weissport
Former CNJ tracks at Weissport
Former CNJ tracks heading south form Weissport
Former CNJ tracks heading south into Lehigh Gap
Former spur track to zinc company
Former zinc company spur, Palmerton PA
Palmerton PA zinc spur
Palmerton PA zinc spur
Zinc company in Palmerton. It would be torn down in 2010.
Zinc co.
Trestle next to the zinc co.
Blue Mountain and foliage
Old Palmerton station
Palmerton PA
Palmerton PA at the station
Lehigh Canal in Palmerton PA
Heading into Lehigh Gap on the old CNJ line
Heading into lehigh Gap
Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Former aqueduct site in Lehigh Gap
Former Aqueduct footings in Lehigh Gap on the canal
Lehigh Canal in the gap of the same name
Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal in Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal south of Lehigh Gap
Lehigh Canal north of Walnutport
Lehigh Canal north of Walnutport. This photo is kind of symbolic. It would be Cathy's last hike with me, and one of our last really good days together, with no fighting, just very happy, and here she is walking away, on the most beautiful autumn day I have ever seen. Goodbye, Cathy. We made wonderful memories together, and I wish you all the best.
This one is really strange for me to look back on.
This was my last full hike with Cathy. I'm glad that our last hike together was a happy time. In the month following this we tried to do a couple more hikes, and they just ended in arguments and me being upset. So many times she would get upset and refuse to talk to me, and often times when we were hiking she'd get angry and upset at me for saying insignificant things that weren't intended in the least bit to hurt her. I felt like I had to be careful how I worded everything, and I felt stifled. She was becoming more critical of me, wanted me to do more while she was unemployed for over four years. She probably had lyme disease and wouldn't follow through with charity care information I'd given her. We were in debt and I was not eligible for any aid because she'd been unemployed for so long. I struggled to hold it together for so long, and ending the relationship was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but when I looked at her I was feeling less like I loved her and more like I felt sorry for her.
I'm glad this last hike we did together was such a wonderful day. We were both happy and I don't remember arguing in the least bit. The scenery was as always beautiful, and the fall foliage was the most amazing I'd ever seen before or since. It seems to fit well, the glorious end to what was once a beautiful relationship like the leaves giving their last hurrah before the fall.
For this next hike, only Cathy and I would head to Walnutport PA to do another loop hike. We began at the Stop and Shop store and walked down over the bridge into Slatington where we picked up the former Lehigh Valley Railroad bed and headed north toward Lehigh Gap (1-4) with some great views (5-10). We walked to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center and got some new maps, and then headed through on the rail bed. Some of it had been cleared better since my previous visit. Once on the north side of the gap, we were able to continue closely to the rail bed alongside Riverview Road that was built over it. When we reached West Bowmans, we crossed a bridge over the Lehigh to Bowmanstown (11). There was a tunnel under Rt 248 we used to get to the former CNJ railroad tracks on the other side (12). We began following the tracks south from here (13). The views from the tracks were great, but I was worried walking so close to Rt 248 (14,15). Soon, we came to the former spur lines which ran into what I think was the NJ Zinc Company. We walked along some of them until we reached the fence where we could'nt get in any more (16-19). We then walked back to the tracks parallel and walked around the property. This time I did'nt go in, but I admired the many buildings as we went by (20-23). We soon passed by the old Palmerton train station near I think the Delaware Ave underpass (24-26). Soon, the Lehigh Canal came into view on a section I had not been on yet (27) and we began to enter Lehigh Gap (28). We soon passed under Rt 248 (29,30) and I headed down to the former Lehigh Canal which looked open and walkeable, and there was a lock very exposed and recognizeable (31-37). Of course, the foliage was exquisite. Cathy joined me on the canal and we soon came to the old aqueduct site in Lehigh Gap with wooden pier remains still in the water of the creek (38-40). We had to walk the tracks for a bit ahead because the canal was too overgrown, but it was fine. We regained the canal just below the gap at the beginning of one of the watered sections. It was quite warm out, so I took a nice swim partway across the Lehigh. It was weird to be swimming in water full of fallen autumn leaves, but I liked it. Cathy and I sat there for a bit after I got out, and I was amazed that I was not in the least bit cold. Normally, I'd be freezing just getting out of cold water and sitting down, but I was very comfortable and did'nt even want to put my clothes back on (41,42)!
We continued on the towpath south returning to Walnutport enjoying some of the nicest foliage of the season (43-51).
Lehigh Canal north of Walnutport
Lehigh Canal north of Walnutport
The most beautiful fall foliage I have ever seen.
Funny sign
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