Hike #686; Paterson to Delawanna

 Hike #686; Paterson to Delawanna Texas Weiner Hike

3/3/13 Paterson to Delawanna with Craig Nunn, Jason Kumpas, Amanda Murphy, Gregg Hudis, David "Captain Soup" Campbell, Jaque Melo, Jason Itell, Megan Reid, Shelly Janes, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Dan Lurie, Al MacLennan, Jim Schlenker, Ron Lozowski, Fred Hafele,  Laurie Davey, Eric Pace, Betty Fisher, Dave Schreier, Marsha Schreier, Krisanne Pederson, Eric ?, Bethzayda ?, Tamara Sapilak, Marina Font, Minal Joshi, Horsha Petel, Dan Miller, Khari Jackson, Stephen Argentina, Robert K , Theodore Wright, and Tamara Sapilak.

The group at the Paterson Lou Costello statue

Our next outing would be a glorious point to point celebrating an odd NJ tradition.

Some time ago, my friend Craig Nunn, the undisputed king of urban hiking approached me with his concept of the "Texas Weiner Trail". There are several historic Texas Weiner eateries between Paterson and Clifton that have been open for decades, and so Craig had arranged a history hike focusing around the restaurants and the industrial history of the area. He'd arrange the hike for another group before, and said that a version of it could be arranged for Metrotrails. We talked about it, and agreed to go forward with it. We looked at agreeable dates and decided March 3rd, before it's too hot out would be perfect.

I was almost late because my girlfriend had fallen on our incredibly steep stairs and very badly cut her foot open, got a concussion, bruised her arm, and scraped her back.

We would hit some points we had visited on past hikes, making the connection as we do with these hikes, and then Craig would show us some of the outstanding nuances of the area like only he can.

We met in the morning at the Delawanna train station near Passaic. We'd take a train from here to Paterson. I showed up in my three piece baby blue suit to look like a nut. This hike had a total of 34 participants, a really good number for such a hike.We made our introductions and then took the train into Paterson. The line followed at first the former Lackawanna Railroad, then switched to the former Erie line. The original Lackawanna was obliterated by Rt 80 below Garret Mountain.

When we arrived at Paterson, we were met by Dan, and then all 33 of us headed to the Dunkin Donuts to start the trip. It of course took a while for everyone to use the restroom and get the stuff they wanted.

Craig and I had previously discussed the route of the hike; it fit in with other hikes I had done, connecting with the Morris Canal series I'd done in 2010, but most of the rest of it was totally new to me. Craig had organized a "Texas Weiner" themed hike for one of his hikes in the past, and we figured we could format it to one of my hikes, with higher mileage and making the connection. Craig came up with an over 18 mile route, and we ended up completing all of it as planned, and visited five historic Texas Wiener establishments along the way!

After Dunkin Donuts, Craig took the lead and brought us past historic buildings such as the historic Silk Mills, old warehouses, and other beautiful architecture. We looped around and passed City Hall, and then made our way to the Lou Costello memorial. We had hit that at the end of a Morris Canal hike before, and did the old raceway system. This time, Craig showed us all three of the raceways, the earliest one being from the 1700s. It was a short distance from the Costello statue. We followed the first one, then got up to the second one next to the old Cold Revolver factory. We'd wandered through that in the past as well. Craig said there were plans to stabilize the remains of the buildings which burned decades ago. On the previous trip, we wandered all through it with no trouble, but it was all gated off this time.

We headed up to the center raceway, and wandered over to the fence around the colt place again, and a few of us went on in at a fence opening where there were no signs. We then headed back and followed that middle raceway toward the upper one, which was connected by a trail way. The upper raceway had the old paver road heading  up hill from it, but we continued the opposite way on the upper raceway. My three piece baby blue suit that I wore was not quite warm enough where the wind was blowing here, but I still managed. It was also too tight.

We headed out to the Great Falls Visitor Center, but it was closed, and then made our way to the entrance path to the falls themselves, but first checked out another view point at the south side.At the falls, the water was flowing very well. It was quite a sight to see. Kumpas, Amanda, and his crew headed to Libby's Lunch down the street for the first Texas Wiener. The rest of us took time at the falls anyway. We then headed down to a lower area along the river via a trail I hadn't done much of, and headed back up again. Craig pointed out countless things along the way which there is no way I can remember to repeat, but it was a great amount of interesting stuff! We then passed an historic old stadium where baseball used to be played when there was segregation in the leagues, and then headed along the paths toward the abandoned Carvel Ice Cream Store (which I later found out was better known as being a Dairy Queen). I showed everyone the concrete pads which the state of NJ was purchasing, and which I was sent out to photograph when I was working at the Northern Region Office for Steve Ellis. I also had to clean the old ice cream store lot a few times because it was littered and such a mess. I told everyone stories about that, and then was surprised to see the store parking lot heavily used by several cars.

We headed then onto Front Street to West Side Park. This park had paved paths along the Passaic River, and one of the only pedestrian bridges to cross the river, dating to the 1930s. It was quite cool. Craig showed us an historic photo of what the park looked like during that time, quite different than it does today.

After crossing the river, we turned left onto McBride Ave, and then revisited Libby's Lunch, the first Texas Wiener place. I had one this time, and decided at that point that I would try to have at least one at each place. This might have been my favorite one of the day.

We moved on from here just barely down McBride to where there was a path leading up hill and past the Stanley M. Levine Reservoir, the only remaining of I think three or so Craig said, and reached Grand Street. We then climbed to New Street, crossed Rt 80, and turned left on Dixon Avenue. Off to the left, we could see an old frame house, which Craig had said dated back to the early canal days. He and others want the home to be purchased by the state or other gov't because of it's historic value. I know the state doesn't want to own buildings, so who knows what'll happen. It's definitely old looking, and right along Rt 80. The home would be a good place for a little museum, and would open up to the canal greenway trail because county land is behind it.

We turned left on Dixon, left on turner, then right on Caldwell and another left on Summit. At the end of the road, by a house was the entrance to the Morris Canal Greenway Trail. Craig had worked with volunteers to create this trail. Unlike the route I describe in my Morris Canal guide, which more closely follows the canal on streets, this actual foot path route remains on Garret Mountain for a more natural hiking experience.

The trail made it's way up hill and passed a couple of good view points overlooking Paterson. We turned left off of the trail for a bit to Garret Rock, which Craig said was the original rock of that name on the old maps, but now no trail leads to it because of the county's liability fear. The view was awesome. I could see the whole town, as well as High Mountain in the Preakness Range to the north, and out as far as what I think is Harriman possibly, or some of the Ramapos at least.

We moved on from here back to the main trail, which was joined by a white trail, and continued up to a parking area with another overlook more to the northeast. We continued across, then entered an open area followed by more woods. The trail started turning to the south a bit more, and paralleled a road just into the woods. The trail turned away from the road and soon approached the old lookout tower that was part of the estate of Catholina Lambert, prominent silk mill owner and huge early trail advocate. There was a reasonable view from around the outsdie, somewhat obscured by trees.

From here, a trail, formerly known as the Great Notch Trail headed down hill to the Lambert Castle, originally known as Belle Vista. This castle was constructed by Lambert to be reminiscent of the castles of Great Britain he remembered from his youth. It is now part of the Passaic County park system and serves as a museum. We walked around the outside of the castle and admired the view before moving on.

I don't know exactly which route we took from here. It was nice to not have to worry about where we were going exactly, and have to watch the maps. Craig took the lead and I mingled with the group for a change. We stopped at another Texas Weiner Place, I think the Corral was next. This one too was quite good. Across the street was a Turkish bakery with some sort of delicious pastry thing that Al gave me. It was amazing! Later, Ron L gave me another kind of thing he had bought there which was equally as awesome. We then moved on and reached the Paterson farmers market. We walked along the edge of that, and Stephen was going on about how he'd never buy anything from there, that it looked dirty, and I think he said something about buying something and "getting the plague", but then in a split second he grabbed a coconut and said he had to get it, darting into the establishment. We had a laugh. He showed up a short while later, very happy at the low price he'd payed for the coconut, which he cut open and shared.

We walked by some strip club that had a trailer parked outside it, which looked quite suspicious, at which we laughed more. We then headed into a strip mall area to use restrooms and get refreshments.

I might have the order mixed up...but we went through the Main Park with a small pond, and then ended up on a strange elevated walkway along Rt 46, which used to be Rt 6. It had 1930s plaques under the underpass where it went beneath Main Road denoting it Rt 6, and the Erie Railroad underpass had some nice tiling words.

Craig then took us onward along streets to The Hot Grill. I think Craig said this one was added onto, but was original. The Corral was a rebuilt building on original location I THINK. I had two dogs at this place, which were also very good, but the hot sauce was slightly bland. The dog I thought may have been higher quality than the previous one though.

We crossed the street here and headed into a ball field park. We could see some of the Passaic River from the top of a hill in the park. We turned somehow from here back into town areas of Clifton.

Eric and Mr. Buckett were going to cut out ahead soon, as were a few others. Craig told them how to do it via train, and we said our goodbyes. The rest of us then headed to the next Texas Wiener place, the Famous Mid Town Grill. The place was closed when we arrived, and a girl signaled us that it was closed, but the proprietor then opened the door and invited us in. I'm certain he saw the large group and the money making opportunity. We all had some dogs, and I don't remember how good they were, but I guess it was okay. It didn't stick out in my mind as much as it probably should have. This one was just neat because we mostly all sat at an old diner style counter.

From here, we walked more roads and reached Weasel brook Park. This was a nice little park around a small brook, and past an historic house from the 1700s. It led us out to near where the "Gates of Hell" are supposed to be, made famous by Weird NJ. We continued from here to cross railroad tracks, and then head up to the country's first Animal Quarantine Station, 19th Century brick buildings in a sprawling area that now seems like a park (actually next to Getty Ave Park). Now it houses many town facilities including Animal Control, as well as a drinking water collecting place.

We continued from here past the former care taker's house, and then along the old Newark Branch of the Erie Railroad I believe Craig said it was for a short distance. We left the tracks and followed more streets out to Veterans Park and along Hughes Lake. It was getting kind of dark, but the park was pretty nice. It had some good sized trees and nice paved walking paths all through it. One fallen hollowed one was big enough to stand in.

From the other side of the park, we got out to Main Ave and headed south for a ways. Along the way Craig pointed out the place where the first televisions were made, calling it one of the most historic places in North America that has no sign denoting it. It was not abandoned, still used for some other industry.

When we reached Delawanna, some went to their cars and cut out, but Stephen, Captain Soup, and I began to sprint the next half mile toward Rutt's Hut. Stephen thought he could still outrun me, and even I surprised myself that in my dress shoes I could still outlast the nineteen year old!The rest of the group eventually caught up, but Jaque got stuck behind and didn't know where we were. Jason Kumpas went with Soup to find her, and eventually he found her, fortunately.

We had some yummy hot dogs to close out the day, with a good number of the group still with us. Those who drove were able to cut out there, and the rest of us walked the rest of the way back to Delawanna station.

This was an awesome, different experience than most of my hikes, and it was great to have a break from most of the leadership responsibilities, and to learn a lot from Craig, the undisputed King of urban hikes.

Thanks again Craig for lending your creative hike leading talents and historical knowledge to our group!