Hike #430 8/6/9
8/6/9 Mid Hunterdon Loop with Skyler Jermyn and Mrs. Jermyn.
Skyler and his mom at the Arboretum
Hunterdon Arboretum gardens
Vincent Arbrytis Wetland Study Area, Hunterdon Arboretum
Pond at Echo Hill Environmental Education Center
Pond at Echo Hill
Stanton Railroad Station which had been moved to Echo Hill
This was a former cabin I worked with @[100000081865860:2048:Bryan Manning], Keith Monahan, and @[100000894375726:2048:Adam Johnson] to rehabilitate for use as a viewing platform. Quite a nice job.
Some of my reblazing of the trails at Echo Hill to show the turns.
Skyler jumping off the Stanton trestle
South Branch
Jumping off the Stanton trestle
South Branch
South Branch. I think this is again Skyler demonstrating "The Retarded Sperm", his original swim style he created.
Me along the South Branch Trail.
South Branch trail south of Stanton Station
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park sunset
Entering Deer Path Park
The Box Tops in concert, Deer Path Park
The Box Tops in concert, Deer Path Park
One of "The Box Tops" signing autographs after the show
Skyler with the "Vortex Portal"
Skyler with the "Vortex Portal"
Readington Twp park off Woodschurch Road.
My next hike would be another spur of the moment trip with pretty much just Skyler Jermyn and I, this time in Hunterdon County. I got off work at 3:30 pm and Skyler and his mom were there when I got out. Mrs. Jermyn joined us for a bit. We started walking through the gardens and the arboretum including the Vincent Aubrytis Wetland Study Area (1-3). We talked with some of my fellow employees for a bit (4) and then said goodbye to Mrs. Jermyn as we took to the tunnel under Rt 31 to Echo Hill Environmental Education Center with it's pond and more trails (5,6) as well as the old Stanton Railroad Station (7). We then visited an observation deck I had worked extensively on (8) and continued on the loop trail around Echo Hill, which I had just reblazed to the international standard the week prior (9). We continued along the trail and cut down along the access road onto the former Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks heading south, then turned right on Stanton Road across the South Branch of the Raritan to the Stanton Station section of the South Branch Reservation where we took the trail south along the river. We continued on it to where it crossed the railroad tracks and took some time out to swim and jump off the trestle abutment as I'd done in the past (10-16). From there we continued on the trail south along the river, and Skyler got badly stuck in some multiflora rose briars. We continued on, and had to wade across the South Branch to continue along the trail (17,18). We then walked under Rt 31 (19) into the Wings section of the South Branch Reservation, then took the road rather than the connector trail over to Deer Path Park (20-22) in order to make it on time for a concert by the Box Tops who had several hits in the 1960s ("I'm Your Puppet", "Cry Like a Baby", "The Letter") and we enjoyed a good show (23,24).
Hunterdon Interns!
I chatted for a bit with the three interns within the park system and watched the show (25,26) and we hung around after the show and had members of the band sign autographs; they signed my hiking hat Jillane gave me (26a)!
I found out later that front man Alex Chilton of the Box Tops died that year, and that this show we saw was one of his last performances.
We hiked on and Skyler and I sneaked into the pond side shed at Deer Path Pond, drank a bit of Skyler's booze, and stole my co workers' porn magazine collection (27,28)! We then walked back through the park, through Cedars Pavilion (29-30) and up Round Mountain in moonlight (31). We tried making our way up and on Peter Buelle Trail but it was too tough to navigate in the dark so we wandered one of Readington Township's trails to the fields and West Woodschurch Road. We climbed around on hay bails and such for a bit (32-35). We then walked the roads to the rear of the Arboretum and bushwhacked to the trails and stopped by the old barn building where my desk was to take a break. I had talked to Jillane on the phone briefly, and this was a really difficult time for me, having her out in Utah working as a wilderness ranger, not knowing for sure if she was going to come back and we'd be together or if she would stay out there, and so I was drinking probably way too much. By the time we left the arboretum, I was unable to drive well enough, so Skyler drove my car home, but overall it was a cool hike.
Skyler and his mom at the Arboretum
Hunterdon Interns!
Skyler and his mom at the Arboretum
Hunterdon Interns!
Hunterdon Arboretum gardens
Vincent Arbrytis Wetland Study Area, Hunterdon Arboretum
Pond at Echo Hill Environmental Education Center
Pond at Echo Hill
Stanton Railroad Station which had been moved to Echo Hill
This was a former cabin I worked with @[100000081865860:2048:Bryan Manning], Keith Monahan, and @[100000894375726:2048:Adam Johnson] to rehabilitate for use as a viewing platform. Quite a nice job.
Some of my reblazing of the trails at Echo Hill to show the turns.
Skyler jumping off the Stanton trestle
South Branch
Jumping off the Stanton trestle
South Branch
South Branch. I think this is again Skyler demonstrating "The Retarded Sperm", his original swim style he created.
Me along the South Branch Trail.
South Branch trail south of Stanton Station
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park sunset
Entering Deer Path Park
The Box Tops in concert, Deer Path Park
The Box Tops in concert, Deer Path Park
One of "The Box Tops" signing autographs after the show
Skyler with the "Vortex Portal"
Skyler with the "Vortex Portal"
Readington Twp park off Woodschurch Road.
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