Hike #504 8/15/10
The group on the old Lehigh rail trestle
8/15/10 Lehigh Canal; Northampton to Bethlehem/Musikfest with Jillane Becker, Jason Kumpas, Jason Itell, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Eric Pace, Evan "Joe Millionairre" Van Rossum, Larry Butler, "Major Tom" Conroy, Fred Hafele, "Connecticut Joe" Bukowski, Chris Metaxas, ?, "Action Adam" Stevens, Scott "Tea Biscuit" Helbing, and Amanda Lance.
The group on the old Lehigh rail trestle
All of these photos were taken by Fred Hafele because I no longer had a camera for my use following the fire.
I had just gone through two weeks from hell.
My house burned down, and I was in the hospital for a week. There was a mess of emotions and I didn't know how I was going to be able to deal with anything let along put another hike together. I couldn't stand being in the hospital and by the end of the week I was going nuts wanting to get outside.
In retrospect, I shouldn't have tried to do a hike at all so soon. I was in terrible pain constantly which I chose to ignore, and I couldn't catch my breath. It hurt to talk, my voice was a raspy mess. I had nearly died fourteen days earlier from the fire, and had a close call again only twelve days earlier in the hospital. A fifteen mile hike now seems like it was a little crazy to me, and the reality is we actually did about twenty by the time I was done.
Still, this was the final week of Musikfest, and I'd been doing hikes to there every year for a long time now, and I didn't want to stop. The best thing I could do was to try to keep with as much of my normal life as I could.
My mind is swiss cheesed even when it comes to this hike. I can't remember where we met or many details. I know we started in Northampton to do the Lehigh Canal downstream to Bethlehem, and I was joined by many supportive friends.
I remember we started along the canal park where the Lehigh Canal was filled in through town, and it was a rather gloomy day.
Lehigh Canal trail, Northampton PA
Lehigh Canal trail, Northampton PA
We didn't even get to the first pavilion area along the trail and I was out of breath. I wondered to myself how I was going to handle this all the way back to Bethlehem. It hurt to even talk, and I was already dizzy. still, I pushed on.
We continued on the path which followed the old canal route, and before we reached Chestnut Street bridge underpass found a new pedestrian bridge had been installed over the creek since my last visit.
New pedestrian bridge on the Lehigh Canal trail, Northampton PA
New pedestrian bridge on the Lehigh Canal trail, Northampton PA
We soon passed beneath the old railroad bridge of I think the Ironton Railroad, then continued on the towpath to an old lock site, probably where the canal entered slack water from a dam that used to be down stream.
We continued along the trail from here which was more of an unimproved hiking path above the river. Eventually this path took us up to the railroad tracks.
Under a bridge in North CatasaquaWe stopped for a break under a road bridge in North Catasaqua waiting for my brother Tea Biscuit and his girlfriend Amanda to show up and join us. I remember wandering up to the street but not seeing him, so we eventually moved on.
Walking the Lehigh Canal Trail
Under a bridge in North Catasaqua
Lehigh River
Walking the Lehigh Canal Trail
Along Lehigh Canal Trail
Lehigh River
Somehow we ended up on the tracks heading into Catasaqua. We took a break next to an underpass and Tea Biscuit and Amanda accesssed the tracks from behind us. We waited for them to catch up. They joined somewhere near the wide trestle in Catasaqua. The culvert we waited at was just beyond here. The Lehigh Canal passed beneath the tracks in this area as well.
Along Lehigh Canal Trail
Former CNJ Railroad in Catasaqua PA
Former CNJ Railroad in Catasaqua PA
Catasaqua PA
Catasaqua PA, former CNJ railroad
Underpass below the tracks in Catasaqua
Next, we turned left and got on a nice clear section of the canal towpath heading into Catasaqua.
Lehigh Canal trail in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal Trail in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal Trail in Catasaqua
We took a break when we reached the road and walked to the right to the beer distributor we'd visited last time I did this same hike. I shouldn't have had anything, but I ended up getting two beers; one was a Mikes Hard Lemonade, the other was a McSorely's from one of my favorite bars in NYC, so I had to get it.
Lehigh Canal, Catasaqua PA
We continued along the canal trail, and the towpath switched sides.
A park south of Catasaqua
The nicely preserved canal went soon into a park and was in worse shape. There was a lot of bulldozing going on there, but we're not sure what for.
Canal trail south of Catasaqua
Lock 37 site along the Lehigh Canal
We came soon to a place where none of the canal prism was really preserved at all, only a path led approximately where the towpath was through a park and past a giant tree. We passeed the signed ruins of Lock 37, then the towpath entered woods.
We were closely parallel with the road to the left, but at least we had a trail to walk on. The previous time we walked this the trail just ended and we had to walk the road to the railroad tracks, but this time a bit more of it had been cleared, though not all that well. We were able to walk it continuously all the way to a parking area with river access.
It was from here that the trestle crossed the Delaware that we always enjoyed jumping off of. I was certainly in no shape to be jumping this time, that was for sure.
Lehigh River bridge
Old rail bridge over the Lehigh
A few of us went out onto the bridge, while a few waited behind at the tracks.
Former CNJ Railroad tracks
When we got out onto the bridge, it looked so tempting to jump.
Crossing the old rail trestle
The group on the old Lehigh rail trestle
Tea Biscuit I remember jumped off first, followed I'm pretty sure by Action Adam and Jason maybe. Not totally sure. Everyone told me not to try it, but I hated feeling like I was unable to do the kinds of things I used to, and so I threw myself off the bridge. Connecticut Joe tried to stop me, but I got away too fast, and the members of the group most able to stop me were already in the water. When I hit, I went down far, and once I was under I gasped for breath, and I couldn't control it, so I took in some water. Jumping is always an awesome thrill, but this time it was probably stupid.
Creek joining the Lehigh near the trestle
Fred went ahead with some of the group, and the rest of us walked back and continued south. It was now raining, and really starting to come down hard as we walked the tracks. I didn't have a poncho, and didn't think I needed one. I was getting pretty cold.
Pouring rain in Allentown
The canal lock near the dam at Allentown
Lehigh river dam
Under the Hamilton Street bridge
Near the Hamilton Street Bridge
Lehigh River
Everyone got pretty far ahead of me on this stretch, and I rejoined some of the group at the lock at the dam at Allentown. It was just raining much too hard, and so Jillane and I took a break under the road bridge there. The others all went ahead at this point.
When it seemed like it was letting up, we headed down the towpath which was rather overgrown at first, but then became better as it entered a park area. We took another break at one of the pavilion area here.
We didn't hang around long because I needed to keep moving. We continued along the trail and the rain soon started to let up which was good. I was feeling my energy drained, but we pushed onward into Bethlehem.
Concert area at Musikfest, Bethlehem PA
Concert area along the canal in Bethlehem's Musikfest
Some of the group taking a break in Bethlehem
We soon passed the concert area and then came into Bethlehem itself where we rejoined a lot of the group.
Near the end of the hike
Other participants had to leave and we didn't get to say goodbye, but it was understandable because we were just so late. We all made our way to the 69 news tent, and I was coerced to do a news weather report for them. It could have been much better if I could breath and had my voice, but oh well.
We ended up walking around for quite a while, though I really don't remember everywhere we went. I know we walked over to the Hill to Hill Bridge where Mr. Buckett had parked the Buckett Van (this was the last time we'd make use of it, he sold it in the following months). Then we were joined for a bit by Commando Tom Petrucci and Laura Cunningham. I was too out of it to remember where all we went, but I do remember going to see "Cast in Bronze", the bell guy with the mask that we always stop to watch.
We walked around a couple loops of the place, and then had to find Mr. Buckett to get him to bring us back to our cars which I guess we left near his house. He wanted to see a band up at Americaplatz I think it was, but I was in bad shape, feeling dizzy, tired, and cold, so he walked back to the van with us.
I don't remember the ride back, or driving home at all.
I do remember after showering how good I felt, although I was coughing up all sorts of soot constantly, but then for the next two days I ran a fever of 102 and felt overheated, getting hot and then cold over ad over.
I'd pushed myself too far, but at least I knew I'd recover enough to continue doing the things I love.
Catasaqua PA
Catasaqua PA, former CNJ railroad
Underpass below the tracks in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal trail in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal Trail in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal Trail in Catasaqua
Lehigh Canal, Catasaqua PA
A park south of Catasaqua
Canal trail south of Catasaqua
Lock 37 site along the Lehigh Canal
Lehigh River bridge
Old rail bridge over the Lehigh
Former CNJ Railroad tracks
Crossing the old rail trestle
The group on the old Lehigh rail trestle
Creek joining the Lehigh near the trestle
Pouring rain in Allentown
The canal lock near the dam at Allentown
Lehigh river dam
Under the Hamilton Street bridge
Near the Hamilton Street Bridge
Lehigh River
Concert area at Musikfest, Bethlehem PA
Concert area along the canal in Bethlehem's Musikfest
Some of the group taking a break in Bethlehem
Near the end of the hike
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