Hike #499 7/14/10 to 7/15/10
7/14/10 and 7/15/10 Miquin Woods, Point Mountain, Penwell, Port Murray and Port Colden with John Spiridon, Mark "Bobo" Godfrey, Eldon Allen, Bonnie Zack, "DJ Ray" Cordts, ?, Carol Creamer, Russ "Lord Byron" Rapp, Jillane Becker, and Victoria Picarello.
The group on the tracks near Port Murray NJ
I really wanted to have my 500th hike coincide with the grand opening of the Taylor Steelworker's Historic Greenway Trail. It was coming up that weekend, but I needed to have one more hike before then to bring it up to 500. Given the opportunity, I would have a weekday hike anyway, but this one was important for me to make it come together.
John S. along the trail at Miquin Woods
I was glad to be joined at the beginning by my old friend John Spiridon. We started our hike in Miquin Woods where we were dropped off. The plan was to hike a circuitous route back to my home in Port Colden.
John and I walked into Miquin Woods by way of the old access road, down to the trail system below. We walked around some of the yellow blazed trails (they were still all blazed yellow despite my efforts to get the county to do otherwise) and took the trail along the upstream side of the Spruce Run Creek.
Abandoned house on Newport Road, Lebanon Twp
We came out at the main parking area and then walked out Newport Road to the right. Along the way we passed by an abandoned house we'd looked at on the right before. I'd always wanted to try to get in but never gave it a good look. Upon further inspection I realized the entire floor had collapsed into the basement. The toilet was just hanging to the wall by whatever pipe was attatched!
Looking into the abandoned house...lol at the toilet
We continued walking along, and while we were on the road we caught up with my grandfather, Eldon Allen and my Aunt Bonnie Zack! We walked with them past my Aunt's and then the remainder of the way to my grandfather's house on Mountain Top Road.
Walking along back roads of Lebanon Twp
There, my grandfather gave John the grand tour of the place and we had some pizza. He showed him also the carvings done by my great Uncle, Edgar Allen, which stood in his front yard, one of the dead trees.
Pointing out my Uncle Ed's carvings, Mt Top Road
After eating, my youngest brother Bobo joined us for a bit. We walked down Mountaintop Road to the entrance to Point Mountain South.
We followed the trail across the Wattles fields and out into the woods.
Hiking Point Mountain South, Wattles fields.
When we reached Point Mountain Road, we were joined by DJ Ray, Carol, Lord Byron, Ray's then girlfriend Tory, and I forget the other girl's name at the moment (SORRY!). Carol gave me a happy beg with an Arizona Iced Tea and lots of little containers of Happy. DJ Ray had brought with him an entire bottle of Blue Hawiian, of which I consumed a generous portion before the end of this hike.
We began ascending the yellow blazed trail to the viewpoint, and at the top we met a young girl who was the daughter of the new director of Camp Bernie. We chatted for a bit and invited her to join our hikes, but we never heard from her. I gave her directions back home and we moved on to the view point.
View from the top of Point Mountain
We hung out here for a while and watched the sun set, which was absolutely amazing.
Sunset from the top of Point Mountain
John and Bobo only stayed with us until here, then they cut back down the main orange blazed trail to the main parking area where we'd dropped off John's car earlier.
Sunset on Point Mountain
We followed the ridge trail from here out to the old woods road section, then we descended to the new trail the SCA group had been working on for the county. I hadn't walked it since the previous Christmas time when it was just flagged off. It was now well graded over, and even though it had not yet been blazed it was extremely easy to follow.
We came out behind where the old house once stood off Penwell Road. When we were all together we crossed Penwell Road and then ascended the white blazed trail into Point Mountain North. This section was tough on everyone, steeply climbing out of the little valley. It was also a bit tougher to see the blazes in the dark. I had everyone keep their flashlights off since we were within sight of the road.
Once we got to the top, we were on the woods road sections. We were able to take these down hill and into the former pasture areas to the parking area on Old Turnpike Road. We followed Old Turnpike to the left out across the old stone bridge to Rt 57 and turned left again. We followed the highway to Old Penwell Road where it had been cutoff and stopped for a break at the rope swings off into the Musconetcong. Jillane joined us here, having just gotten home and gotten changed from work.
We went off of the rope swing a few times and swam for a bit before moving on along the road. When we were ready, we took Penwell Road to Rt 57 again. I don't remember exactly how we went, but we must have crossed the Port Murray school grounds directly to Port Murray Road. I can vaguely recall, but I think a police officer stopped us and asked what we were doing, and I told him a night hike. We didn't have any trouble...and I can't understand how in retrospect! We must have reeked of alcohol.
We soon reached the former Morris and Essex Railroad and began following the tracks back toward Washington. This whole section went by like a fast blur. We continued out to Port Colden, and Jillane ran home to get her Chihuahua, Spike. The rest of us continued on the tracks under Rt 57, then up a path to the right onto the highway. We then walked the short distance to Port Colden Mall on the road. I don't remember who drove who back to who's car or anything; I probably lent mine to somebody to bring back.
Finishing our hike at Port Colden Mall
Either way, we had a fun time with no trouble.
Hiking Mountain Top Road, Lebanon Twp.
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