Hike #682; Phillipsburg/Easton

 Hike #682; Phillipsburg/Easton

2/15/13 Phillipsburg/Easton Loop with Gabriel Franklin, Carol Van Gliezen, Cesco Tetto, Giancarlo Tetto, Megan Franklin, Joe Tag, "Major Tom" Conroy, Tom D'Angelo, and Reggie ?

Group shot on Warren Highlands Trail; Marble Hill

Our next hike would be another well attended night hike, once again in Phillipsburg/Easton area.

It was cool to have so many out; it was Major Tom's first time out with us in over a year, and my old friend Megan from high school finally joined after years of inviting her!

I had been working very hard on the trails of Marble Hill, and in the previous week cut and blazed a new section of the yellow trail, which I'd like to name "Shandor Trail" in memory of Bob Shandor, who was a huge proponent to public open space in Warren County.

After meeting at Union Square area, by the boat launch, we shuttled in a couple of cars up to Charles Street. Cesco and Giancarlo would meet us later on Marble Hill road.

We began walking through Lopatcong Township park, and picked up the Connector Trail I'd cleared with Jillane last year. There was a new trail head sign here as well. It was not mowed all the way back the way I'd wanted it to be, but it was awesome to see that so many people had been walking it that it didn't really need to be mowed! All of the weeds were well knocked down. We descended to the Warren Highlands Trail, then crossed the deep washout to the all new section of trail I'd cleared, past my favorite giant Northern Red Oak. We continued on the trail all the way out to the woods road section and the power line. I still can't believe how much I got done on that trail, and all by myself. It's the longest stretch of trail I'd ever built alone.

After the power line, we turned left and descended on the new yellow trail. It still needs a bit more blazing, grading, and maybe another switch back, but it will work for now. On the way down, Cesco and Giancarlo met us. We descended to the parking lot where I opened up the trail head sign to reveal the new map. We'd turned it around backwards because there was no trail to speak of when the parking lot was completed. I hadn't built it yet. I finally got to reveal it.

We walked down Marble Hill Road to the other side of the yellow trail from here, and followed it back up hill. I want an off road connection between this two points, but haven't built it yet. I'd rather have someone else do it, because the majority of trail clearing on the property has been all me anyway.

We took the trail back up to Warren Highlands, and followed it west to the overlook into "Little Water Gap" for a moment. It was starting to get dark, but we were okay to follow the Iron Mine Trail from here to the Fulmer Mine, which everyone loved. The ice inside was beautiful.

We descended from here back to Warren Highlands Trail, down toward the river. I took everyone off the rout to the riverside, and then out to the giant pipe. Everyone always loves going through the pipe, and I never tire of it, so we went on through again.

On the other side, we followed the trail route out to Rt 22, where we said goodbye to Joe, Megan, Reggie, and Major Tom. The rest of us climbed to Rt 22 and crossed. I gave everyone the history stuff as usual, then we made our way into Easton. We did the usual walk down Bushkill Drive, and climbed the steps to Lafayette College, then out through the Fisher Campus to the rail bed below Rt 22. We followed the Sterner Arts Trail, the trail along Bushkill Creek partially following the rail bed out to 13th Street, where we turned left. Carol told us that someone had just been shot there! We tried to see if we could get into the old mill, but it had been covered over with plywood.

We headed up 13th and turned right on Bushkill Street to Wood Avenue and turned left. We soon picked up the Wilson Bike Path across Wood and up to Northampton Street. Much to our dismay, the Taco Bell I always love to stop in was torn down! There was a chain link fence around it, and it was totally gone. The Taco Bell sign still stood, with "we're closed" on the sign below. We passed it and went to Wendy's. The girl at the counter told us she thought they might be putting in a new one with a KFC in it as well. That would be nice, but we'll see.

After feasting on junk, we headed back to the path, and followed it out past 25th Street and William Penn Highway, then to 25th Street. It was cold and dark, and it was freezing rain.

I had originally planned to follow the canal down the hill from here, but I opted not to because of the weather. We followed back streets back toward the Delaware, and stopped in the convenience store for snacks and drinks.

Along the way, Cesco, Giancarlo, and I had all sorts of ridicules conversations that were great. I just listened as they commented on a store front with a giant window where uniforms for rescue and enforcement officials were sold. They made wise cracks about how "Oh yeah, because police always window shop", they went on to talk about the budget, the superimposed pink lights on the giant window, and Giancarlo was saying something like "Hey officer Mick, where'd you get that swell hat?". I was laughing too hard to hear the entire thing.

We crossed the Northampton Street free bridge to Phillipsburg to finish the hike just as the freezing rain was switching to giant, fat snow flakes.