Hike #550; Warren Railroad

 Hike #550 3/19/11

3/19/11

Group shot in Delaware

Portland to Washington, former Warren Railroad with Amanda Rosenblatt, Matt Davis, Chip Denis, DJ Ray Cordts, Christina Manley, "Naaron" Young, Frank ?, Joe ?, "Action Adam" Stevens, Teresa Montez, Russ "Lord Byron" Rapp, ?, Rich Pace, Fred Hafele, Russ Moyer, Eric Pace, Scott "Tea Biscuit" Helbing, Amanda Lance, Shelly Janes, John Spiridon, Lucia, Jason Kumpas, Amanda Murphy, Mark "Bobo" Godfrey, Sue Bickford Martin, Stacy Radmore, Dr. Jenn Redmond (and Sophie), Carol and Rob Creamer (and Bruce), Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Ira Rubinstein, Ron Phelps, Chris "Cupcake" Kroschinski, Haobo Lai, Andrea Licciardi, Jason Itell, and "Commando Tom" Petrucci.

Hike #550

On this, my 550th hike, and also nearly 14 years since I first started leading these hikes, I would have the largest group I had ever assembled, and one of the best times I've ever had on this particular hike, save for a few hiccups.

Because of the issue with the fill on the NJ side of the Delaware Trestle, I offered a late join-in for this hike, which I had not really promoted much in the past. My co leaders would be Fred Hafele and Rich Pace, because they knew the hike and had a great deal of experience handling car shuttles. I would meet my group at Port Colden Mall, at 8:50 am while Fred and Rich would meet those skipping the trestle an hour later.

Taking a mirror group picture in Port Mart.

I was surprised at how many showed up to do the hike right from the beginning. Amanda, Chip, Theresa, DJ Ray, Christina, Lord Byron and his date, Ron, Naaron (who I picked up in the morning, just back from the army), Frank, Joe, and Action Adam among them.

We spotted some cars along the way in Bridgeville and continued north to Colombia where we started on our way across the foot bridge, had a moment of silence for our lost friends, now with Kyle Zalinsky being included for the first time. We went into Port Mart and got our chocolate milk as was to be expected, and headed down the tracks south.

Descending from the Delaware Trestle.

When we reached the Delaware Trestle, everyone did really well. We regrouped on the PA side and all crossed pretty well together. I hurried over first and climbed down to get the scope of how we would handle it. I made it down one level and helped out a bit, then when Matt arrived and made it down, he began helping the others descend from trestle level to the abutment. I helped getting them from the abutment to the ground. Rich and Russ soon showed up taking pictures of the action, followed by Fred at another angle. They had finished with the carpooling to the other side of the trestle and were coming over to greet us.

On the NJ side of the Delaware Trestle. By this time, the east abutment of Darlington's Bridge had been removed.

This was much harder still than it had been in the past. While everyone handled the descent well it was still very time consuming, and we were lucky that we didn't get in any trouble for being there so obviously. We all hurried over across Rt 46 and made our way onto the old concrete roadway that once led to Darlington's Bridge, the ill fated railroad turned toll bridge that Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission had torn down in 1955. It was great to see such a huge group out on my hike. To my great surprise, there was now already 33 of us, matching the largest group ever on this hike. It would soon grow to the largest group ever.

Group shot in Delaware

Group shot in Delaware

We made our way along the road (originally the rail bed, but later realigned) and stopped for a group shot at a creek bridge. Just as we were about to have our cameras set on automatic to take the picture for us, a nice old lady drove up in a white jeep, smiling and laughing, commenting on the niceness of the day. Shelly asked her if she'd take the group picture, and full of energy she pulled her jeep over, hobbled out with her cane, happy to help out! She cracked jokes about not getting any younger, took our pictures, and we were off again past the former railroad yard and into the town of Delaware. Tea Biscuit, Bobo, Amanda, and who knows who else stopped for ice cream as we crossed the Delaware Diner, truck stop, and Sanico properties to the old bridge abutment in Delaware where we had our normal group shot.

We continued walking from here, and I felt bad I couldn't relate more history, but with such a huge group that becomes impossible.

We made another stop by Smiddy's Deli where people got food and drinks. I didn't need to by really anything I realized, because people would be handing me bottles for the rest of the day.

Just after this stop Matt had to cut out, but I was glad he was able to join us if only for this bit. We continued along the rail bed up past the site of my Great Great Grandfather's saw mill and two homes, and the former home of my Great Grandmother which had been demolished a year or so prior. We continued and crossed the road by Marshall's Fruit Stand and ascended on the shelf above Rt 46.

We soon reached our popular Shrub of Might activity, which amazingly everyone was there for this time. Many of us tried it, including Bruce, the first dog to ever do it, and Rich, who had witnessed this craziness many times and hadn't taken part. Not only did he do it, he was actually really fast.

I went up and down twice, and surfed back down each time. Chip even got one of the crazy times on video. When Chip got up there and made it back down, I thought for sure he was going to go headlong off into Rt 46 as he came running in. He was fine though.

From here, we headed into Ramseyburg and crossed the road, then back up the other side on the rail bed south toward Manunka Chunk. In this stretch we were joined by Cupcake who found a place to park somewhere along the highway.

New graffiti in front of Manunka Chunk Tunnel

Just as we approached Manunka Chunk Tunnel and station site, there was new graffiti. First, one of the barriers to hold back the hillside from collapsing onto the right of way had "humans" spray painted onto it, and the front of Manunka Chunk Tunnel itself had the word "Zombies".

In Manunka Chunk Tunnel

In Manunka Chunk Tunnel

In Manunka Chunk Tunnel

In Manunka Chunk Tunnel

In Manunka Chunk Tunnel

Manunka Chunk Tunnel, south side

We regrouped here and allowed those going through the tunnel to change their shoes if they so wished. Fred, Rich, and Tea Biscuit led the group over the top who did not wish to go through the tunnel while I led the group through. They didn't need much leadership on my end honestly, so much of the group had done it already. They were anxious and started through long before I even stepped in.

We passed through the tunnel with very little problem. It was a bit slippery and there was a bit more water than there would usually be inside, but we managed to get through. The south end was already getting green when we came out. We could see most of the other group waiting ahead where an ATV trail descended to the rail bed from the left.

I think Rob somehow got behind everyone going over Manunka Chunk Mountain, but he soon caught up with them and we were fine.

Once we had everyone pretty much together, we followed the ATV trails up hill and to the left, then crossed Catherine's Run on the boards left over from the flume system that once carried the creek above the rail bed and into the artificial waterway that brought it to a point to safely pass beneath the tunnel. The board I crossed was insanely wobbly.

Boards crossing Catherine's Run near Manunka Chunk Tunnel

We continued along the farm road parallel with the rail bed and headed south through a recently brush hogged field, then out to Upper Sarepta Road. We crossed the road here and soon came to where Haobo and Andrea were parked on the lot parallel to us off of Ledge Road.

Abandoned, collapsed house on Ledge Road

Abandoned, collapsed house on Ledge Road

There was an abandoned house there along Ledge Road for years, in poor condition, but still standing. This time, the house had collapsed into itself in the middle. I'm sort of upset I'd never taken a picture of it or tried to go in after all these years. After all, I'd hiked by this so many times there was really no excuse.

Just as we were walking on from the access to the parking area, Jason and Commando Tom pulled up. They had just completed a marathon in Long Valley! Who runs 26.2 miles and then comes out for a hike??? That is simply amazing.

We soon crossed Sarepta Road and headed on south.

Along the former Warren Railroad near Sarepta

We moved at a pretty good clip from here, crossing Hope Crossing Road, and then continuing out to Bridgeville Station and Rt 519. The old station building now housed a small coffee shop, which I had been passing on my way to work every day before Hunterdon Parks laid me off. I had thought that this would be a big plus to the trip, but it turned out to be the worst part.

We went inside to have a look around. The proprietor of the place was there, and they were boasting the best coffee anywhere or something, so Tea Biscuit wanted to try some. As we walked in, their dog ran out. A big, friendly, pit bull mastiff sort of dog, he was called back in by it's owner and it obeyed. It waited right by the door, as I'm certain it wanted to greet the thirty five people across the street.

The next time myself and others were going in, and at the same time others were leaving, the dog ran out once again. There was no stopping him due to his size, as the first time he ran out I tried grabbing him. He ran out into the road and was hit by a car doing probably about 60 mph, not so uncommon in an area where the speed limit is already 50 and everyone of course speeds a bit. It wouldn't have mattered, the dog ran right out far too fast for anything to be done. I didn't see it all, but the sound was awful enough. Unfortunately, most of the group seated across the road did witness this. The hikers all ran to the aid of the unfortunate dog, but nothing could be done. I ran in to tell the store owner the dog had been hit.

We took quite a bit of time here, as the drive stopped and came back to a near pull off.

There was nothing more any of us could do, and so we had to move on. It was hard to get past this and continue to enjoy the hike, but we did the best we could.

Teresa, Frank, and Joe cut out here where we'd left Teresa's car at the nearby municipal parking lot. They drove down to Hot Dog Johnny's to spend a bit more time with us before moving on.

Fred led some of the group down Rt 519 to 46 to avoid  the sand pit section.

Crossing the sand quarry near Bridgeville

When we approached the sand quarry just to the south, a lot had changed again, as more of the right of way was covered over by piles of dirt like it had been in the past near the approach. We crossed these and then headed out over the sand quarry which from there on had not changed in really a couple of years. Quite a bit of small vegetation had grown over the piles we had become accustomed to walking over.

Crossing the sand quarry near Bridgeville

Crossing the sand quarry near Bridgeville

Crossing the sand quarry near Bridgeville

On the other side, the cut section was getting a bit muddy and wet, but we were able to get through pretty easily. We descended to cross 46 and had some lunch at Johnny's. I passed out a business card to one of the girls working the counter who seemed interested in the hikes, and then we went over to the riverside to eat. I waded in the river a bit, but I wasn't going to go in like I did the previous year because it was far too cold and much deeper due to recent flooding.

Tea Biscuit and Amanda continued on more quickly beyond here and walked back to Oxford to get picked up. The rest of us took our time a bit more, and then ascended back up to the railroad bed. We followed it out to where it once bridged Rt 46, and then crossed on up to the Pequest viaduct. Dr. Jenn cut out here, and I'm not sure where John and Lucia cut out, but it was somewhere before this, maybe Bridgeville also.

We moved along at a good clip again through Pequest Wildlife Management Area, on a shelf above the river and the right of way of the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad below. We continued on and soon passed through Pequest Cut. Rich and I discussed how the railroad must have gone around this cut at one time. I had assumed it as well, but figured it might not have because it was not included in Lowenthal and Greenberg's book "The Lackawanna Railroad in Northwest NJ" book.

Former Warren Railroad at Pequest Cut

Pequest Cut on the old Warren Railroad

Pequest Cut on the old Warren Railroad

We made our way through the cut and out across the open area where the power lines crossed, and then continued out to Pequest Road where we stopped again to regroup briefly. DJ Ray and a few others waited behind here for a bit, but I had to try to keep them moving because they were inhibiting the privacy of one of the hikers taking a separation break.

Trail section entering Oxford Township

We followed the nicely paved trail section parallel with the rail bed, then on it past the old farm site, then into the woods to Lower Denmark Road in Oxford. I've grown to hate this road walk section knowing that there was a perfectly good section of the right of way above that would could so easily walk if it weren't for a few properties butting up to it.

We made our way out to Rt 31 across from the Busy Bee where many cut out early. Fred and Ira were waiting across the street, and I know Eric had his car there as well. Rich led the group over the Oxford Tunnel who didn't want to go through, and I led those through who wanted to do it including Action Adam, Chip, Amanda, and DJ Ray.

Warren Railroad bed north of Oxford Tunnel

Along the Warren Railroad bed near Oxford Tunnel

We walked on out to Axford Avenue, and then headed down onto the right of way toward the mouth of the tunnel. It was quite wet approaching the tunnel, but not nearly as bad as it had been in the past. There were times, like in the Spring of 1998, when the water was hip deep before even reaching the tunnel. I have never been in the tunnel with water much over knee high. We walked in the main flow of water in the right of way because there was less silt as we approached the north portal.

Looking north from Oxford Tunnel

Van Nest Gap Tunnel (Oxford Tunnel)

The water was not flowing from above the right of way into the tunnel itself this time, I think in part because we had moved rocks to block it from doing so the previous time.

My shoes that I left in Oxford Tunnel 11 years earlier.

Inside Oxford Tunnel

Inside Oxford Tunnel

We all entered, and it was mushy right away. I took the lead so that everyone could see where it dropped off from ankle deep to over knee deep. It's always a surprise, but I got through it without falling in. Amanda nearly lost her crocks going through the heavy silt section, and unfortunately Chip lost one. I think they both came off, and he was only able to retrieve one.

Also this time, I was able to spot my old shoes which I had left on the mantle inside the tunnel 11 years earlier. It's amazing and doesn't seem like it's been that long, but they were still there. I took a picture to capture the moment.

Action Adam, Amanda and I braced ourselves with each other, and Chip did really well without any help except to put his one shoe back on. DJ Ray also handled it very well without help. Amanda and Chip both spent a lot of the tunnel bare foot because it was too difficult with the silt.

I also think the cave in seemed not so bad this time. Right after it had happened it was higher up, but I think a lot of the stones had settled quite a bit since then. Chip and I also took pictures of each other in the tunnel, and the flashes amazingly went off precisely the same time.

Looking out the south side of Oxford Tunnel

On the other side, we met the rest of the group who had been waiting about a half an hour. It was quite bright out still, unlike the previous time, and so we continued on to finish the hike in the daylight. We followed the right of way south and crossed Jackson Valley Road, but when we neared Warren Hills High School a guy came out of a house yelling at us for walking the rail bed. He told us it was his property and he was going to call the police. I told him how we'd talked to people at a nearby yard years ago (actually they were kids who said their dad was aproached, but I didn't say that) who said the town had approached them regarding making it a trail. He said that was not true, and that the railroad had given it up and it was his, and to ask permission first. We pretty much dismissed him as an ass hole and continued on.

Former Warren Railroad bed at abandoned Warren Lumber place, Washington

The right of way was really wet this time, but we managed to get around. Amanda had gotten picked up by Eric Pace with a couple others at Jackson Valley Road, and would meet us at Dicolas. We passed through the cut section and out past what was once Warren Lumber, now closed. We then followed the active section of the line that was used as an industrial spur on a fill above Washington.

Face on a post along the former Warren Railroad in Washington

Along the Warren RR, Washington

We soon crossed Rt 31 on the concrete bridge and descended to Dicola's Pizza for dinner to end one of the best times on this hike to date.