Hike #50
At the beginning, Portland Station
Hike 50
3/23/2
Now five years since the first hike, I tried my best to gather all my past hiking
companions as usual, and was able to gather 11 anyway.
Crossing the Columbia Portland Foot bridge
Portland foot bridge
View of the Portland toll bridge from the foot bridge
Delaware Water Gap from the foot bridge
Delaware Viaduct from the foot bridge
Lackawanna railroad tracks looking north in Portland PA
Lackawanna Railroad looking south in Portland PA
Portland PA
Portland PA
Portland Station on the former Lackawanna Railroad
Gathering in Portland PA
Portland PA
Heading south from Portland PA
DL&W tracks heading south in Portland PA
Lackawanna tracks in Portland rail yard
Portland rail yard at the power plant
Looking toward Mt Tammany on the former Lackawanna tracks
Approaching Delaware trestle
Delaware Trestle
View from Delaware Trestle
Delaware Trestle
Delaware Trestle
Delaware Trestle
Delaware Trestle
Crossing Rt 46 at an old bridge site
Crossing Rt 46 at an old bridge site
Former rail bed, later roadway to Darlington's Bridge in Delaware NJ
Former Warren Railroad in Delaware NJ
Many of the hikers attended my party the night prior; Ronald spent the night, and Bill Bill
lived nearby anyway. Jeremiah was living in Washington, and was late coming to meet us,
but followed my mom’s van to Colombia anyway. In addition, Cathy and Tea Biscuit both
came, as well as Rich and Eric Pace. Even my grandfather, “Poppop” Eldon Allen and
Uncle Don Eichlin were able to do the first few miles to Delaware NJ where my Aunt
Bonnie and Uncle George lived at the time. Conrad and his then girlfriend, Ally, met us in
Portland.
After gathering at the footbridge, we headed south as always. Conrad was getting into all
sorts of deep conversation with Conrad, while Ron spent most of the time macking on
Ally. Things went normally, climbed around on the Delaware Trestle.
Through Delaware was particularly interesting with such a large group. It’s always fun
with a big group walking around because it looks like there’s some sort of Exodus going
or something going on.
In Delaware NJ
Bridge abutment in Delaware
Former Warren Railroad bridge site, Delaware NJ
Former Warren Railroad bridge site, Delaware NJ
Delaware NJ
Delaware NJ
Former Warren Railroad, Delaware NJ
"The A Rock". Near Delaware NJ
The Shrub of Might
The Shrub of Might
The Shrub of Might
The Shrub of Might
Former Warren Railroad near Ramseyburg NJ
Former Warren Railroad near Ramseyburg NJ
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
South of Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Manunka Chunk Tunnel
South of Manunka Chunk Tunnel
This is where some of the group came out when the went the wrong way over Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Catherine's Run near Manunka Chunk Tunnel, where flume system used to be
Near Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Crossing Catherine's Run near Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Beaver Brook WMA
Sarepta Road crossing, Former Warren Railroad
Along the old Warren Railroad crossing Upper Sarepta Road shortly after it became state park land (note the tyvek sign to the left).
Former Warren Railroad in Sarepta
Former Warren Railroad north of Bridgeville
Former Warren Railroad at the sand quarry near bridgeville
Former Warren Railroad, sand quarry near Bridgeville
Sand quarry near bridgeville
Sand quarry near Bridgeville
Sand quarry near bridgeville
Sand quarry near Bridgeville
Sand quarry near Bridgeville
Sand quarry near Bridgeville
Lunch stop at Hot Dog Johnny's
Lunch stop at Hot Dog Johnny's
Lunch stop at Hot Dog Johnny's
When we reached the two churches in Delaware, Poppop and Uncle Don turned to walk
the road back to my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle George’s house, while the rest of us coninued
along the right of way, which was accessable by following a parallel motorcycle path by
this time which led around then back up to the rail bed.
When we reached the “Shrub of Might” as Conrad had begun calling it, we took the time
to run to the top. I ascended first, and Ronald was next to shoot quickly to the top. Even
Ally gave it a try this time.
By the time we reached Manunka Chunk Tunnel, Tea Biscuit had built a torch to use
inside. Though I actually brought a flashlight this time, the light eminating from the torch
was so bright that the light from the flashlight was redundant. Tea Biscuit, Ronald, Ally,
Eric, and I opted to pass through the tunnel while Cathy, Conrad, Jeremiah, Bill Bill and
Rich opted to pass over the top. Unfortunitely, they made a wrong turn and ended up
coming down to the right of way from the wrong side, taking a bit longer than usual. Ron
lent Conrad his leather jacket, and the way Conrad’s hair was screwed up, he looked like a
fifties greaser.
Instead of staying righ on the right of way, we opted to follow the parallel farm road this
time. All went smoothly from here through Bridgeville. We went over the story again
where Conrad told us of how he learned to ride a horse at a farm along the right of way,
and that this horse was evil because it would walk between a narrow section of parked
farm equipment knowing that the horse plus Conrad would not fit through.
Crossing the sand pit was not nearly as bad as it had been in the past. We could walk
around most of the badly disturbed areas, though Conrad, Ronald, Ally, and Tea Biscuit
opted to climb over the rough stuff anyway.
Hot Dog Johnny's of course!
Lunch stop at Hot Dog Johnny's
Lunch stop at Hot Dog Johnny's
View from the top of Pequest Viaduct
Top of Pequest Viaduct
On top of the Pequest Viaduct
Pequest Viaduct with LHR bridge beneath
Rt 31 Pequest Bridge, Buttsville
On top of Pequest Viaduct, Former Warren Railroad
Former Warren Railroad going through Pequest Cut
Former Warren Railroad at the abandoned farm, Oxford
Former Warren Railroad at the old farm site, Oxford
Old farm site. Former Warren Railroad, Oxford.
Old farm site near Oxford. These buildings were torn down by the next year.
Former Warren Railroad in Washington Township
While walking, we were able to contact Eric Schneider, who planned on meeting up with
us at Hot Dog Johnny’s in Buttsville, where we stopped for food. To my complete
surprise, Conrad, Ronald, Ally, and Jeremiah all quit at this point because they were too
tired. Cathy, Tea Biscuit, Bill Bill, Rich, Eric and I continued on. Eric met up with us
again at the Pequest three arch span in Buttsville, but turned back soon, not to join us for
the rest of the hike. Rich climbed down the hill to take pictures of the trestle from different
angles.
When we reached Oxford, Cathy and Rich both opted to cut out as well, leaving Tea
Biscuit, Bill Bill, Eric and I to complete the hike. We made pretty good time. Quite a
surprise, a group of 12 whittled down to a group of three within twenty miles, but we had
fun nevertheless.
Former Warren Railroad south of Oxford Tunnel
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