Hike #77; Portland to Washington

 Hike #77

Climbing on the Delaware Trestle

Hike 77

 

1/16/3

 

For the first hike of the year, once again it seemed the Portland hike was in order,

especially since I was joined by my good friend, R. J. Morholt, whom I’d known since

1996 with boy scouts. He had been meaning to join my hikes for some time, and this was

the first chance he’d got.

DL&W tracks in Portland PA

Delaware River from Delaware trestle

On Delaware Trestle

Warren Railroad bed near Ramseyburg

Manunka Chunk Mountain from the Warren Railroad bed

Ramseyburg NJ

Inside Manunka Chunk Tunnel

Sand quarry on the old Warren Railroad near Bridgeville

Sand quarry near Bridgeville

Sand quarry near Bridgeville

This was when I discovered the section near Pequest Road had been paved, though we didn't now it was to be a trail yet.

Newly paved Warren Railroad trail. Oxford

Newly paved Warren Railroad Trail, Oxford

I believe we must have spotted my car or his in Portland, must have been his, before we

began. We did everything as usual, got chocolate milk, climbed on the Delaware Trestle

and such. When we got to Delaware and the Sanico property we took a nice extended

break in a pavilian that had been sitting on the property. I left my empty chocolate milk

carton inside, and it would remain there for a few years, until the end of 2005 at least!

When we passed through Manunka Chunk Tunnel, R. J. waited behind a bit and smoked a

joint, which I’m not into at all, I actually hate it, but so long as he kept it from me, R. J. is

cool, so I tolerate it. R. J. and I talked extensively about youth hostels and old times, as

well as whatever else came up.

When we reached Pequest Road in Oxford, I was surprised to see the farm access road,

as well as the DL&W right of way itself further down, had been paved over with a

narrower than vehicle width. This was both alarming and exciting, because they were

either paving it for use as a recreational trail, or turning it into a connecting road (I would

later find that it was for a trail).

We continued on the paved path, which turned down hill to end at Lower Denmark Road,

rather than continueing on the rail right of way. The rail bed was getting particularly

overgrown entering Oxford, and I would opt not to follow it in favor of Lower Denmark

Road after this time.

Oxford Tunnel, south side

Oxford Tunnel, south side

In Washington on the old Warren Railroad

Warren Railroad in Washington

in Washington Rail Yard

I had gone to Warren Hills earlier in the day and left a walkie talkie there for Tea Biscuit

so that he could join us later, and we made contact with him while we were walking Rt 31

through Van Nest Gap. When we reached the right of way, we joined and began walking

back to Washington.

When we’d reached the Washington Rail yard, we climbed about on train cars, and I

talked on RJ’s cell phone to his dad, Rich Morholt, Sr, who I had’nt talked to in years. He was happy and

proud to know that we were still out hiking together all these years later.

We reached my house in good time and I drove RJ back as I recall....

RJ and Tea Biscuit on top of a rail car in the Washington yard