Hike #389 12/14/8
12/14/8 North Hunterdon; Mountain Farm-Woodglen with Jillane Becker, Jason Itell, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Rich Pace, Ron Phelps, Hsin Chien Tai, Jim "Uncle Soup" Campbell, Craig Nunn, Fred Hafale, Matt Davis, Eldon Allen,
Some of the group on Point Mountain
Here's a link to all of the photos from this hike. Be sure to check the sub folders for the great pictures by Jillane, Rich, and Fred!
http://s393.photobucket.com/albums/pp19/sneezehorse3/hike389%2012-14-8/
Also, Commando Tom made another excellent video promo of this hike!
I'm on Point Mountain!
Mountain Farm
At Mountain Farm going over the hike
Mountain Farm
Mountain Farm
Blue Trail, Teetertown Nature Preserve
Blue Trail, Teetertown Nature Preserve
Teetertown Nature Preserve
View from the Blue Trail in Teetertown Nature Preserve
Teetertown
Falls in the former back yard of Merv Griffin, Teetertown NJ
Teetertown Ravine bridge
In Teetertown Ravine
Old bridge over Teetertown Brook
This small falls in Teetertown Ravine cascades in a weird place from where it seems it should.
Falls in Teetertown Ravine
Teetertown Ravine
Teetertown Ravine
Teetertown Ravine
Teetertown Ravine
Geology Trail in Teetertown Ravine
Geology Trail, Teetertown Ravine
Smokey at Mountain Farm
Mountain Farm
Mountain Farm
On the Crystal Springs Trail
Bridge at Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs bridge
Crystal Springs Preserve
Along the Crystal Springs Trail leading from Teetertown Nature Preserve to the trails I helped to clear in Crystal Springs.
Crystal Springs Preserve
Crystal Springs preserve
Sky view in Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Fields at Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
View in Crystal Springs
Fields in Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Old roadway in Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs area access road
Crystal Springs fields
Trail at Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs Preserve
Fields in Crystal Springs
Fields in Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs
Fields in Crystal Springs
A toilet!
Farm toilet at Crystal Springs
Farm toilet at Crystal Springs
Farm toilet at Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs, future planned trail route
Abandoned building
South of Crystal Springs
Gargoyle!
Along Turkey Top Road
Along Turkey Top Road
Heading north out of Crystal Springs
Along Turkey Top Road
Uncle Soup
Corn Crib
Corn crib in Penwell
Corn Crib in Penwell
Osage Oranges
Osage Oranges
Fence in Penwell
Penwell NJ
Rosen Fields, Point Mountain Reservation in Penwell
Fields in Penwell
View toward Penwell
Rosen field trail
Point Mountain
Fields in Point Mountain
Sky view
Sky view
Point Mountain
Along the Musconetcong
Musconetcong River
Riverside Trail at Point Mountain Preserve
Musconetcong River
Along the Musconetcong in Point Mountain Reservation
Point Mountain Bridge
Riverside trail along the Musconetcong
Point Mountain Bridge
Along the Musconetcong in Point Mountain Reservation
Ascending Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
My grandfather ascending Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Ascending Point Mountain
Atop Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
View from Point Mountain
View from Point Mountain, with Mt. No More to the left, and the Kittatinny Ridge beyond.
View along the Musconetcong from Point Mountain
Point Mountain
On Point Mountain
Point Mountain
View of Mansfield Township School and Municipal Building from Point Mountain
On Point Mountain
Atop Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
The gruop on Point Mountain
On Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
The original journal entry for this hike was lost as well. Maybe it'll turn up sometime..
I remember heading to this one being worried that I wouldn't see Jillane, that she wouldn't make it. Fortunately, she did make it and rather than showing up at the meeting point which was Lebanon Township Memorial Park, she showed up at the beginning point, Mountain Farm on Pleasant Grove Road.
I opened up the visitor's center for everyone to check out, and Jillane came at that point. I brought the group around the Teetertown Nature Preserve first, through the old Orchard I think and then along the Blue Trail which went down into Teetertown. We then came up the Geology Trail which is one of the coolest ones, very steep.
Once at the top, we continued across the camp site area and then onto the connector trail leading into Crystal Springs. We headed out into the first field and Jillane and I got behind the rest of the group. We wandered through the fields, and she was obviously very tired, but I was so glad she made it out.
I took the group around the perimeter of the trail my volunteer group helped to create the previous Spring, and then we followed the flagged route off of the property into the Crossroads Outdoor Ministries property. At the time, we thought this trail would be completed, but the Hunterdon Freeholders cancelled the acquisition and so the trail was never built. Along the route we found an old wooden toilet which Jason stuck his hand in. Gross (check out the video).
The trail route was first in the woods, but then in a line of trees, an old farm road between two fields. There were no buildings within view from either one side or the other, so we just kept with where we were'nt visible. The route took us into another section of woods with one abandoned building, some sort of storage, and then out to another field. We skirted this field and it took us to the corner of Mt Lebanon Road and Turkey Top Road. We continued down hill on Turkey Top.
As we walked down, I thought of heading onto the Pelio tract where the trail was planned, but instead we kept with the road. A dog came out to greet us on this section as well.
We walked Turkey Top to Penwell Road, then headed down into Penwell itself. We made the left turn up to the Rosan fields and then down along the Musconetcong, one of the prettiest sections. When we reached Point Mountain Road we checked out the old truss bridge, then a few of us continued on and walked the blue trail which did about a mile loop back on the main parking area a short distance up the road. We needed to use some time since my grandfather was coming to meet up with us and it would take him a bit to get there.
Once he arrived, I was happy to introduce him to Jillane. We all began ascending Point Mountain, and on the way up I told my grandfather for the first time of how I didn't think things would work out with Cathy, and that I was pretty sure Jillane was more what I was looking for.
We continued to the top and took a break where I explained the view of what we could see. Jillane told me she was sure she had met me there before at that point. Her and her friend Mathias Bullerman had been up there having a fire years before and apparently I went up there during one of my nightly runs and warned them that rangers patrolled the area and that they'd probably get in trouble ( I didn't think I was being a jerk or anything, just giving a heads up, though Jillane has called me a jerk for it). At that time I also gave them the history of the area. It was cool to do this hike I was so familiar with, not only for obvious reasons but because two weeks prior my glasses were broken while dancing like a madman at my 10 year class reunion.
My grandfather and I on Point Mountain
On top of Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Point Mountain
We continued from here along the yellow trail to the white trail out to the Wattles fields and Point Mountain's south section. We came to Mt Top Road and walked by all of the cows on Jay Garish's farm, then stopped for lunch at my grandfather's house. He showed everyone the office, and I showed Jillane another important piece of my life, where I grew up. We ate some pizzas and then continued on along Mt Top Road to Simonds Lane. My brother Tea Biscuit showed up with his friend Mike Sorenson's dog Mikey and we stopped again. Sadly, the dog ran away a few months later. From here, we headed to Anthony Road, then Red Mill Road. From here we headed into Miquin Woods and followed some of the trails to the old buildings there. We were running short on time so we did'nt do the yellow loop trail, and instead just followed the old scout camp road that headed back out to Red Mill Road by my Aunt Pam and Uncle Ken's place. We checked out an abandoned mill ruin along the way which was cool. I'd never known till this time that the waterwheel was still in place.
We then walked Red Mill Rd to Newport Road and turned left. Just as we made the ninety degree turn in the road we were charged by Nigerian Dwarf Goats, cute little things that just wanted to keep following us. The owners eventually came out and got them, chatted with us for a bit.
happy together
We walked Newport Road to Woodglen, then turned right on Hill Road to the township municipal building and cut into the Lebanon Township Memorial Park to finish off the hike. There was a beautiful sunset to close the day.
I really wanted Jillane on this hike to really get to know a part of me and where I grew up. I was glad she came, and we had a really great hike. It seemed like every day we spent together was perfect.
For more pictures from this hike, check out the separate album. There are are really just too many to put on here!
Atop Point Mountain
Point Mountain
Fields in Point Mountain South
Fields at Point Mountain South
Fields at Point Mountain South
Crossing the fields at Point Mountain south
Fields at Point Mountain South
Fields at Point Mountain South
Fields at Point Mountain South
Fields at Point Mountain South
Mountain Top Road
Cows along Mountaintop Road
Farm along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Addicks Orchards
Along Mountaintop Road
Along Mountain Top Road
Along Mountaintop Road
Addicks Orchards
Addicks Orchards
Addicks Orchards
Addicks Orchards
Addicks Orchards
Addicks Orchards
My grandfather's office
My grandfather's house
My grandfather and Uncle Soup
Lunch break at my grandfather's
My grandfather's office
My grandfather's office
Intersection between Anthony Road and Newport Road
Butternut Squash
Abandoned in Miquin Woods
Miquin Woods, abandoned shelters
Abandoned shelters in Miquin Woods
Approaching the old camp bridge at former Camp Watchung, now Miquin Woods
Crossing old Miquin Woods bridge
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Busted bridge
Crossing old Miquin Woods bridge
Busted bridge in the Miquin Woods preserve
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Crossing old Miquin Woods bridge
Crossing old Miquin Woods bridge
Crossing old Miquin Woods bridge
Abandoned and ruined bridge in Miquin Woods preserve
Abandoned bridge in Miquin Woods Preserve
Old bridge in Miquin Woods
Abandoned bridge, formerly part of Camp Watchung
Pond in Miquin Woods
Miquin Woods preserve
Pond in Miquin Woods
Throwing sticks onto the ice
Throwing stuff at the ice in Miquin Woods
Pond at Miquin Woods
Pond at Miquin Woods
Approaching the old house at Miquin Woods
Abandoned building in Miquin Woods
Former activity field at Miquin Woods
Abandoned historic home in Miquin Woods
Old farm house
Miquin Woods
1980 staff...wow...
Abandoned Nature Center in Miquin Woods
Going over the history of Camp Watchung
Frozen in Miquin Woods
Ice in Miquin Woods
I used to tie Jillane's shoes for her.
Tying Jillane's shoes
Abandoned nature center
Abandoned nature center
Abandoned nature center
Abandoned nature center
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