Hike #483 5/2/10
5/2/10 Edgwater/Fort Lee/Manhattan/Fort Tryon Loop with Jillane Becker, Carol and Rob Creamer, Shelly Janes, Eric Pace, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Haubo Lai, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Jim "Uncle Soup" Campbell, Chris Herbig, Nicole Buttery, Chris Cannavo, Adam Cambria, Lauren Cannavo, and ? (not sure Adam's wife's name).
Group shot at a nice little spot along Riverside Park, Manhattan
This day is really crazy to look back on. Crazy good times as always, but this hike is shrouded over by the fact that it was the day my best friend Kyle took his life, on the George Washington Bridge where we'd just walked a few hours prior. Just the night before Kyle was angry that we were going hiking without him, but he needed help, and he needed to rest.
This loop hike started in Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood NJ. We had issues getting to this point; Rt 78 was backed up like a parking lot due to some accident. We were over an hour late arriving at the trailhead which was very uncharacteristic of me. Jillane and I rode in with Eric Pace, but his driving within the speed limit didn't even make much of a difference. This was just terrible traffic.
I wished we'd been on time, because we were going to meet up with a friend from high school, Chris Cannavo. Amazingly, he was patient enough to wait, and another former classmate, Adam Cambria as well as both their wives were also there to greet. They weren't able to join the hike really since it'd been so long, but they'd meet up with us later on.
Flatrock Brook Nature Center
We started the hike following the red trail out of the parking area. We stopped at the "Mystery Bridge" and McFaddens Pond and some of us did the loop trail out there, and then turned back to the red trail.
Flatrock Brook Nature Center
McFaddens Pond, Flat Rock Brook Nature Center
We pretty much followed the perimeter of the property and used the first connection to a road, which I think was Van Norstrand.
Flat Rock Brook Nature Center
I think we went right on Summit, made the first left probably on Mercer, then right and continued. I think we took Roosevelt to Myrtle to Linwood. Along the way there was a yard sale going on at a house, so we stopped to check things out. Also along the way, Jillane I think found a blow up Yellow Tail Wine Kangaroo in a trash can. I blew it up and carried it for a while.
Amish Paul riding our kangaroo
Linwood took us out across the highway where it became Palisades Interstate Parkway, and we crossed over, then soon went left on Wilson Street. We walked to the end of the street and waited for a bit to be joined by our good friend Shelly Janes. I threw the kangaroo into her car and she had it for a while.
We turned left briefly on Rt 67, then crossed over and took a set of steps up to a trail through a small park (I think it was Linwood Park?).
Pathway through a park nearing the GW Bridge in Fort Lee NJ
We continued through the park on this path, and when we neared Palisades Interstate Parkway again, blazes started and took us up to a walkway on the highway over the other highway below. On the other side we crossed a foot bridge over one more highway lane.
Connector trail to the Palisades in Fort Lee NJ
From here, we came to the Long Path and used it to head south. We soon came to some great views where to the north we could see the Ross Dock site which was now a large recreation area (we'd already hiked through it on another hike) and to the south we had a good view of the George Washington Bridge.
View toward Ross Dock recreation area.
View of GW Bridge from the Long Path
We continued southbound for a bit, and then we took the unmarked side trail to the left which led out to the outstanding view of the George Washington Bridge from right up next to it. We then turned right and headed back toward the Long Path.
George Washington Bridge in a view from a side trail from the Long Path
Heading back to the Long Path
The Long Path descended to the walkway level via a footbridge and staircase, then we turned left onto Hudson Terrace.
Staircase the Long Path follows down from the Palisades cliffs.
We continued on the Long Path south into Fort Lee Historical Park. Jillane went to the visitor's center to wait while the rest of us explored a bit. When we reached the southern terminus of the Long Path we took the side trail to the left that went through a strip of woods. We headed through the woods to an outstanding view of the George Washington bridge, one of the best I'd ever seen.
George Washington Bridge through the trees, Fort Lee Historic Park
GW Bridge from Fort Lee Historc Park
The bridge came into view through the trees a bit before we even walked over, and it was incredible. There was a great little seating area and so we took a little break to admire the view. This is also where some of us came back to following Kyle's passing.
We continued along the pathway closest to the cliffs to the south. Along the way were some cannons and a few historic markers, as well as reproductions of buildings and such.
Uncle Soup checks out a cannon, Fort Lee Historic Park
After reaching the southern end of the park, we turned back to the north again and stopped in the visitor's center for more water. There were also a lot of displays and such to check out, so we took some time here. Jillane and I shared a pizza she'd cooked up the night before and then we moved on back to the Long Path down to Hudson Terrace. We turned right and then crossed the George Washington Bridge with even more incredible views.
View from on George Washington Bridge
Mirror shot on George Washington Bridge
The bridge had areas that jutted out for better views, both of the bridge and out onto the river. We continued across and into NYC where the first walkway switchbacked down to 178th Street.
George Washington Bridge
On George Washington Bridge
We walked out in front of the GW Bus terminal, and I'm not sure where DJ Ray went with half of the group, but we continued on. I think Carol stayed behind to find Rob who had also disappeared. This always seems to happen on NY trips.
We followed 179th Street back to the west and out towards the Hudson. I guess there wasn't much of a trail down by the river on this side, because we ended up having to walk along a paved path along Rt 9A for a while. It was still somewhat scenic, with nice stonework arches of Fort Tryon Park to the right. We had a nice rest stop at a beautiful place with columns and such, and a great view over the Hudson. There was an abandoned set of steps that went down to the left of it, so I had to check it out. It took me to an area below the castle like structure the columns were sat on above. There was one window open, with a rope hanging down. I pulled myself up the wall with the rope and climbed in. To my great disappointment it was only a restroom.
The walkway and Riverside Drive itself turned inland shortly, and on the right was the entrance to Fort Tryon Park. We began to head up hill on the paved paths toward the Cloisters, a large art museum.
Heading up hill on pathways in Fort Tryon Park
On the way up, Captain Soup climbed on some rocks.
Captain Soup climbing at Fort Tryon Park
When we reached the top, the Cloisters building was impressive. A road wrapping up around it was still made of old pavers and it was a castle like appearance. The admission to the museum was a "suggested donation" so we gave them like five bucks or something each. The entrance way was very gothic in appearance, and pretty much everything in the place was centuries old and labeled as to where it came from.
Inside the Cloisters, Forty Tryon Park NY
The Cloisters in NY were once five different ancient Cloister Abbeys in France that were disassembled stone by stone and reassembled in NY in the 1930s. The ambiance of the place is magnificent. There's a great deal of famous artwork on display.
The famous Unicorn Tapestries in the Cloisters, NY
Included in the display are the "Unicorn Tapestries", which were once owned by John D. Rockafeller and donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by him. I was first familiarized with them because they were used in the opening sequence to the 1980s animated movie "The Last Unicorn". Seeing the originals up close was something special.
Courtyard area in the Cloisters, NY
Jillane and I walked around looking at all of the displays, and then took a nice break in a courtyard area, one of the things that characterizes a Cloister, while the others continued to look around. We were rejoined by the others who got lost from us in this area. Somehow they'd ended up underneath the GW Bridge next to the little red lighthouse and had to find their way back to us.
Once we were all out, we continued along the top of the cliffs on the NY side through Fort Tryon Park. It was much more crowded than anywhere we'd seen on the NJ side, but it was still beautiful. The paved pathways had views over the Hudson into NJ, and we passed over the top of a nice stone bridge we'd seen before from along Riverside Drive.
Stone bride in Fort Tryon Park, NY
We continued to the south and soon came to the beautiful Heather Garden, which must have been in full bloom during our visit.
The Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park
We then left Fort Tryon Park and crossed a circle. There were some concessions in the area and I think some people got food, and somehow Shelly ended up with balloons. I don't remember how...
Below us I didn't realize it, but Fort Tryon Park continued on and there were some trails down there. I figured we'd have to go back to cover more of the area because it was so extensive.
Walking along Fort Washington Ave in NYC
We continued southbound along Fort Washington Avenue, and on the way I got a call from Amanda saying Kyle was doing well, which was a relief. In the days prior he'd overdosed, crashed his car, lost his job, was hospitalized, escaped, assualted a guard, was arrested, and finally released. He'd been through a lot. If only we'd known then to watch him more closely.
We continued down Fort Washington and stopped along the way because there were adorable little kittens looking out the window at us and meowing.
When we reached the bus terminal at the George Washington Bridge, we were rejoined again by Chris and Laura Cannavo, and Adam and ? Cambria. They had just gotten out of a Yankee gave and were walking back to Chris and Laura's home in Fort Lee. I thought how convenient for Chris, whom I'd always known to be a big baseball fan, to live within walking distance to Yankee Stadium. He was now a teacher as well, and it was good to see him doing well.
Coming back to the GW Bridge
Chris shared the forty he was carrying with me as we crossed back over the bridge and we laughed and talked about old times, and where he went to college with "strong Jesuit traditions" as I remembered him once joking, and new times about him seeing a Warren Hills bus in his home town, teaching and coaching, and history of the area.
As we reached the NJ side Chris pointed out to me that the guard at that side of the bridge was asleep.
Crossing the GW Bridge
On the GW Bridge
I wasn't sure which route I'd take when we got back to Fort Lee. I really didn't know the town well except for the few times I'd walked it and what I'd seen on Google Earth or my phone. Chris however knew good routes to take. I remember walking up a flight of steps and along a walkway for a ways, then stopping to discuss the route.
Taking a break in Fort Lee NJ
Chris led us from there up a couple side streets and then across the rear of a parking area, explaining to us that Fort Lee was the "Birthplace of the Motion Picture". As it turned out, in the very early 1900s following Thomas Edison's "Black Maria" studio, the first motion picture industry was opened in Fort Lee due to it's proximity to NY but cheaper properties. Several studios opened in Fort Lee following 1907 until the first one was opened in Hollywood California in 1911. Now all there was left to this historic milestone was a tiny sign on the edge of a parking lot giving a few of these facts. Chris's dry sarcastic sense of humor of course delivered the story better than I can commit to words here, I fail to illustrate the humor in the presentation he gave to us!
Fort Lee NJ, Birthplace of the Motion Picture
We continued north, and I think we got onto Rt 9W heading out of town. Chris, Adam, and their wives left us here to head home, and they gave me directions on how to get back to Flat Rock Brook, by heading to Van Norstrand and walking west.
Wandering along probably Rt 9W through Fort Lee
We almost passed this road as I wasn't paying good enough attention. We followed the road back into Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, then turned left. The trail took us to the south end of the park and then cut back on a knoll descending to the edge of the quarry pond where we were parked.
Flat Rock Brook Nature Center trail near the quarry pond.
While Eric was driving us back home, in Mansfield across from the Shop Rite we saw a car that looked exactly like Kyle's Neon parked by Enzo's Pasta Grill, and Jillane and I ran out to it but realized it wasn't Kyle's. Amanda had called me earlier saying Kyle left and was out driving around.
I decided I'd call Kyle myself right there. He answered on the first ring and I asked him where he was. He told me he was at the George Washington Bridge. Kyle knew we were hiking there today, and he knew some of the route. I think he figured we were there and was trying to meet up with us. I told him we were already on our way home from the hike, and asked him if he was trying to meet up with us. He answered simply "no". I then asked him what he was doing and he said "Just walkin around". I told him we were already in Mansfield, almost home, that we couldn't really meet up with him now, but that he should come home. I don't remember what else we talked about, but it was brief. He told me he had to go, that Amanda was calling him, and that he'd call me back. I'm still waiting for that call back.
We didn't find out he'd jumped till two days later, but it happened just after talking to Amanda and I.
I'm thankful for all of the incredible memories I have with Kyle. He always said I was his wing man, and that he was mine. He was going to be the best man at my wedding. He was the one who always said "Hold it together". Losing him has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to deal with, but I'm still "Holding it together".
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