Hike #79; Sarepta to Oxford

 Hike #79

Hike 79

Beginning out hike on Ledge Road, Sarepta NJ

2/6/3

 

Beaver Brook Wildlife Management Area

Cut approaching Manunka Chunk Tunnel

RJ was interested in doing yet another hike, along with his friend Mike O’Brien. I knew

Mike’s twin brother, Pat, but did’nt realize they were twins until Mike told me on this

hike! We spotted a car in Sarepta, and decided to do the route through Belvidere to

Oxford.

Inside Manunka Chunk Tunnel

Inside Manunka Chunk Tunnel

I cut my hand falling on the ice in Manunka Chunk Tunnel. Ouch. Still have scars.

Old farm underpass below Bel Del Railroad south of Manunka Chunk

We began by heading through the Manunka Chunk Tunnel, but inside I slipped on ice and

cut my hand rather deep. Fortunitely, having been cut by ice it was pretty clean.

When we headed south through Roche, we hid in the old farm underpass once again to

keep from sight of workers. We made our way around the fence work easily.

As we headed east on the L&HR line, we climbed on the old rail cars, and I found the

ruins of some sort of spur and wooden trestle I had not noticed previously. Also, when we

reached the age restricted communtiy developement, it seemed that all of the homes along

our route had been completed, complete with a crushed stone surface trail all the way

through to the road.

Along the Delaware north of Belvidere, Mike finds a dead fish

Along the Delaware north of Belvidere

Former Bel Del tracks in Belvidere

Former LHR railroad car in Belvidere

Former trestle sideing from the LHR railroad bed in Belvidere

Pophandusing Brook bridge just outside of Belvidere, former LHR line

Former LHR rail right of way in an age restrictred community, Belvidere. I believe RJ and I were pretending to look old.

When we reached Bridgeville, for the first time I decided to climb onto the L&HR bridge

over Rt 519. There was no way to climb down on the east side as the entire fill had been

plowed away.

We stopped at the Bagelsmith in Bridgeville and headed back to the right of way, and

Mike told us of how he had had sex with an ex girlfriend on an island near where we were.

When we’d reached the part of the right of way in Pequest Wildlife Management Area,

there was still quite a bit of snow left, as it must not get as much sunlight.

We continued to Oxford without incident to end a good hike.

Former LHR rail bed heading east out of Belvidere

Old LHR mile post denoting one mile out of Belvidere

LHR railroad bed east of Belvidere

LHR railroad bed nearing Bridgeville

Looking down at RJ and Mike from the Rt 519 over pass in Bridgeville. This is road kill RJ

Pequest Viaduct from LHR rail bed

LHR rail bed near Pequest NJ

Ascending from the LHR railroad bed to the former Warren Railroad.