Hike #7 5/24/98
On the former Warren Railroad in Washington NJ
5/24/98
Once again I wanted to do the Portland Hike. Both Aaron and Conrad were into it, and
Conrad coerced our good friend Edward Adieyefeh to join us.
At first, I was worried that this time might turn out bad because no sooner did we start
walking, it also starting pourng rain. Aaron was the only one in very high spirits. Eddie
looked at me and said “Mike. Do I look like I’m having fun?” at which time he gave me a
humdrum look.
"Mike: Do I look like I'm having fun" asks Eddie. Portland PA
Fortunitely, the rain soon stopped, and we moved on to the Delaware Trestle. Eddie was
quick to say “No way.”. “There’s got to be another way across” he said, to which Conrad
replied stalely “Yes. Another bridge”. We soon convinced him it was safe enough.
Delaware Trestle
There is one spot before the Manunka Chunk Tunnel where a long driveway crosses the
right of way. Aaron had been rolling a tire along side him, and when he got to the
driveway, he rolled it down the hillside into Rt 46! The four of us took off running before
we could see the results of Aaron’s action.
South side of the Manunka Chunk Tunnel
Otherwise, things went quick and smoothly southbound, and Conrad even decided to pass
through the Manunka Chunk Tunnel this time, although it was quite wet. There was also a
great deal of fog at the south portal. He took his shoes off at Upper Sarepta Road, and
they started steaming.
The Steaming Shoe of Manunka Chunk. This is on Upper Sarepta Road at the former rail crossing.
When we had reached the sand pit, the right of way was now all torn up, but still
walkable, with huge piles of earth around us. We goofed off a bit throwing mud and
watching it bust apart, until we discovered a high cut out slice o dirt with a cliff on the
side. The ground at the bottom was very soft, and we realized we could jump off this high
spot and land safely in the soft ground, so we spent some time here jumping around.
Bridgeville Sand quarry
We also spent a while throwing clumps of mud for some reason.
Bridgeville sand quarry
Bridgeville sand quarry
Bridgeville sand quarry
Bridgeville sand quarry
Bridgeville sand quarry
Bridgeville sand pit
Moving on south, as we entered Buttsville, there was a spot I called “The Mud Pond”.
Over the years, this extremely muddy area was like quicksand. My cousin Tanner and I
used to throw junk in and watch it sink into the mud. This time was no exception as we
found cinder blocks and junk to throw in and laugh at. Conrad and Eddie teamed up and
tossed a huge rock in.
Conrad and Eddie throw a rock into the Mud Pond, which has reverted to woods in the past decade.
Power line crossing along the former Warren Railroad in Pequest Wildlife Management Area
Making our way towards Oxford, we found a Country and Western Tape, which we
immediately needed to destroy. Conrad unraveled it and gave the one end to Aaron and
Ed who walked ahead, reeling the tape out to several hundred feet. Conrad commented
that these songs were too long.
Farm road that went parallel along the rail bed. This is now a paved recreation trail in Oxford Township. Here we're stretching out a country tape.
Soon, Aaron and Eddie paused up ahead. When Conrad
and I caught up, there was a giant snapping turtle in the middle of the right of way. We
stopped and gawked at it for a while.
Snapping Turtle along the former Warren Railroad, Oxford Township
Snapping turtle sighting in Oxford Township
Just up ahead we explored the abandoned yellow house, then threw rocks at it from a
distance to see if we could knock siding off of it. Conrad was always the best at it. A few
years later the house was destroyed, as well as the barns.
The old house that used to be in Oxford Township where the paved recreation trail now exists
Taking the raft through Oxford Tunnel
After passing through Oxford, Conrad decided once again he would run over the top of
the tunnel. I can’t remember if Ed went through or over with Conrad. I know for sure that
Aaron went through with me. We even had a flashlight this time, thanks to Aaron.
Heading south, just after crossing Jackson Valley Road, where there is a phantom bridge
(a bridge that’s missing with only abutments and piers. This bridge was removed in the
1980s.), Aaron found another tire he intended on rolling down a hill somewhere, but he
got tired of carrying it because it was still quite a distance before we’d be on another hill.
Overheated on the former Warren Railroad in Washington Borough.
We made it into Washington with no problem, and no one was happier than Ed to have
completed the hike.
Former Warren Railroad, Rt 31 overpass, Washington NJ
“I definitely remember Aaron rolling the tire. He wanted to roll it out into traffic! Aaron
has a touch of evil in him.
“I recall you jumping up and down on the board, saying
‘Look....it’s....not....going....to....break...’
“I remember by the end of the hike, Ed had a shirt tied around his head, and another one
swatting at bugs and shouting at them! That was also the time that I picked up the piece
of slag, and said (in the middle of a conversation) ‘Ore... {or}’ and Ed was just too
pissed off at that point to laugh.” - Conrad
Now I remember! That board was the plank over Catherine’s Run! Funny, really, that
within two years there would be only one board left across the creek due to them rotting
away, while when we were there this time there were three!
“This Hike was awesome. I remember a lot of stuff happening along the way; the
infamous "Steaming Shoe of Manunkachunk" and the snapping turtle to name a few.
Speaking of the snapping turtle I remember when you got the pictures developed for this
hike and you came over my house to give me some doubles. You woke me up and showed
me the picture. Being half asleep I couldn't figure out what the picture was; I remember
thinking the picture was very strange and looked like a whole had been ripped in the
center exposing a picture of a waterfall. Turns out the hole I was imagining was the
outline of the turtles shell and the waterfall scene was the suns reflection off of the turtles
shell. I guess the mind can play some crazy tricks on you when half asleep. One thing
that you left out from this hike was the trip to the quarry! We found those huge mounds of
dirt that we proceeded to jump off of. There was like 8 of them or something and the last
one had a soft pile of dirt to land in. I have pictures of us mid air incase you need them.
On a side note the last time I saw Eddie was in 2003, he used to live down the street from
me in Tom Dunham's old house at Rutgers. We used to hang out a few times and he came
to a couple of parties at my house. This was also the same time when Brett Jorgenson and
Jarret Benson lived in New Brunswick. I am pretty sure Tom Dunham has Eddie's current
contact information because they were pretty tight. I am also surprised Conrad can't help
you out in that department!” -Aaron
Yeah, I did’nt go into detail with it, but the quarry you mention is the sand pit, which I
did’nt go into much detail with! Actually, I have some of those pictures you refer to on
this disc, if you that you have any that I don’t, let me know and I’ll add them for the
future!
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