Hike #759; Warren Railroad

 Hike #759; Annual Warren Railroad

3/22/14 Warren Railroad with Jack Lowry, Stephen Argentina, Michele Valerio, Rich Pace, Eric Pace, Lyz Hagenbuch, Ric Giantisco, Jennifer Berndt, Erika Daniels, Justin Gurbisz, Michael Clark (Lerch), John ?, Chris Herbig, Dan Lurie, Sue Olivar, Brandan Jermyn, Colin Webb, Carol Van Giezen, Dan MacMahon, Gregg  Hudis, Julie Valasquez, Cory Janusz, Susie Duncan, Shelly Janes, Bobbi Landrock, Ed DiSalvo, Omri Afir, Nicola James, John Ennion, Betty Fisher, Jaime Dritt, Jennifer Gates, Jamie ?, Mark!, Monika Kwiekinska, Serious Sean Dougherty, Steve Levy, Ted Wright, Valerie Zuluaga, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, John Pershouse, Elena ?, Chris F, Gus ?, Kenneth Lidman, Betty Fisher, Larry Philips, Terri Allen, Ben Land, Sue ?, Cory Salveson, Mark "Bobo" Godrey, Scott "Tea Biscuit" Helbing, David "Captain Soup" Campbell, Amanda Lance, Taylor Kappus, Jim DeLotto, Stephen Argentina, Dan MacMahon, Lisa Shapiro Schustak, Barbara Helbing, Craig Nunn, Bill DeLaar, Ken Lidman , Jennifer Gates, Jessica Dorton, Carla ?, Eileen Gavin, and Deirdre Dondrk.

Group shot in Delaware NJ

The time had come once again for the Anniversary Hike on the old Warren Railroad, across Warren County, which was the one that started my weekly group hike tradition in 1997.

I've had so many amazing new hikes in the past year that I really wasn't so excited about doing this hike again. Every week was something very new to me, and now we were doing this same old thing again. I found myself more stressed out about arranging it than I was excited for the event at all. Still, I felt it a responsibility now, because so many people look forward to doing this hike over and over. Planning it this year also included something new for the Annual  Hikers' Hootenanny to follow, a fund raising event to help save the Washington Theater.

While at the theater a few days before the hike, I got a call from my old friend, attorney Conrad R. Blease, who usually makes the anniversary hike, but was not able to this year due to work obligations. He was concerned because he'd heard that this was the last time I'd be leading the hike. I reassured him that such was certainly not the case, and that we'd do this every year as long as I'm alive. We chatted about it for some time, citing how different the route is today than it was 17 years ago, and how we never really see the same place twice because it is always changing.

Conrad reminded me of something that that I had not yet considered when I commented that this was seventeen years since the first hike:

"You know..." he said, "We've been doing this same hike....for exactly half of our lives."

He was right. I had realized that Hike #1 was on my 17th birthday, and now it was 17 years later, but I hadn't considered that this particular occasion puts the hikes I've organized into a category with half of my entire life span. I started feeling better about doing this hike once again.

I posted the trip well ahead of time; I utilized the Metrotrails official website, with standard trip postings in the top left corner, and of course the email list I have maintained since 1998. Most participants now all come through www.meetup.com and my posts on Facebook through regular statuses, as well as our Metrotrails page and my Metrotrails group, Extreme Hiking and Exploring.

On Meetup.com, I have my own Metrotrails group, but also have permission to post through the NY/NJ/PA Hiking Group. Now, the majority of participants on my hikes sign up on the Metrotrails meetup group, but I get a good number of newcomers through the NY/NJ/PA group. There are, however, a lot of problems with that group, and more continue to arise the longer I am a member. First, the moderators are very controlling. They change the descriptions in my trip postings and add their own nonsensical liability waivers, which I end up having to delete. Next, just prior to this event, new rules arose stating that leaders must have done the hikes they plan on hosting at least twice before they are allowed to lead it (of course, most of my hikes are all new to me). Also, moderators have incorrectly answered questions about my hikes to other potential participants that they are not qualified to answer. Furthermore, the group requires over the ankle hiking boots and some times other expensive gear to participate in their hikes. I am very insistent that I will only wear sneakers hiking, and that I will not require my friends who's abilities I have faith in to purchase name brand boots. Finally, the newest rule is that no leader is allowed to have a group of over 25 participants. Several times in the weeks leading up to this event the moderators had closed the RSVPs on the hike, which I immediately re-opened. When it was closed again, I  manually added the names on their "wait list" to the "going" list, and no one said anything to me. I also sent messages to some recommending they join Metrotrails to avoid these stringent policies.

I'd had quite an awful couple of weeks in my personal life leading up to this time as well, which included a dispute at work that has served to change a lot of how we function. It seemed like everything from work, to my relationship, to my group affiliations were falling apart. At some point, I recognized that I needed to take control of all aspects and everything has gotten better.

The day before the hike, I had a total of 147 participants signed up from facebook and the two meetup groups. It seemed as though we would certainly have the largest group I had ever assembled (previously, the largest group was our last Holiday NYC Hike with 77 participants). In 2013, we had a total of 72 participants for the Warren Railroad hike.

I was fully prepared for 30% of those RSVP'd to simply not show up. It's quite typical. This is one of the reasons the NY/NJ/PA group has limited their group sizes to 25, citing "RSVP no show abuses". I feel that by limiting numbers, they will still have the same amount of no shows, and probably end up with not many more than 15 participants for every 25 signed up. Truthfully, the number of members within that group is what makes it more popular; more people gravitate to the group with the most members.

"An unsophisticated forecaster uses statistics as a drunken man would use a lamp post: for support rather than illumination." -Andrew Lang

With moderators unwilling to listen to reason, focusing only on their own dissatisfaction with no shows and how to control them, I can see this only serving to help Metrotrails grow. Over the course of the night of March 21st, 47 of those RSVPs for the Warren Railroad hike on the NY/NJ/PA group changed their status to "not attending". More dropped from Metrotrails and facebook, with around twenty opting not to show up or send a message at all.  In the end, we had a total of 75 participants, the most we'd ever assembled for this particular hike, 72 less than what RSVPs showed the day before. Furthermore, some of the participants did not sign up on any group at all, and just showed up as a result of other random invites.

By the morning, I put all these concerns behind me. It was going to be a great day, and I headed to Port Colden Mall to greet the crew.

There were already hordes of people there when I arrived. Justin, Lerch, Bobo, Stephen, and I, as well as a couple others showed up in their black blazers, adding to the silliness.

I had had Eric Pace go to Oxford Central School to handle doing car shuttling independently for those doing only the ten mile version of the hike. I was able to sell a few Metrotrails tee shirts and a few Warren Railroad guide books (still a few left), and I started sending everyone off in as few cars as possible to the beginning.

This year, we again met in Delaware near where the old Lackawanna Railroad station used to be, just north of the Delaware Diner. Rich and Eric helped get the other group there at about the same time as us. Herbig and Julie were running late, and met us a short time after we started.

The start of the hike always goes at a snail's pace, something that I simply didn't know how to manage. I thought that by half of the group stopping at Quick Check (those doing the shorter version), we would save some more time with the restrooms ahead, but such was not the case.

We did the circle talk, where I introduced everyone to what exactly we were doing, and why we are doing it, and then we moved on parallel with Rt 46 where the tracks used to go, across the Sanico yard, and to the bridge abutment on Clarence Street, where we always do the regular group shot. Julie showed up, and Brandan ran to show her to where she could park. The rest of us posed for pictures before moving on. With such a large group, it's a shame that I am not able to impart the history of the area to everyone as I normally would with a more manageable group.

We continued on through some weedy area, as the Warren line went atop a fill toward Smiddy's Deli. We all stopped there to get snacks and drinks, and of course too many people needed to use the single restroom. We ended up again waiting 45 minutes for people to use this before we could move on. Despite the fact that I told everyone not to leave without me, some of the group went ahead anyway. I hurried to try to catch them all, which happened shortly after we passed the homes and saw mill site of my Great Great Grandfather, Michael Klein Allen, and past the "A Rock" where my family used to play.

We re-grouped at the "Shrub Of Might", where only a few of us ran up the steep slope of shale, which has also been a tradition since 1997. We simply didn't have the time to be spending doing that. We continued on from here across the road at Ramseyburg, past the old Ramsey Homestead that had been moved to it's present location when the Warren Railroad was built in 1856.

Shortly after crossing Ramseyburg Road, Sue Bickford Martin met up with us. Of course she knew the route, and was able to meet up very easily.

Manunka Chunk Tunnel in it's heyday

We made some good time from there as we headed through Knowlton Township to the White Township border and the Manunka Chunk Tunnel. That was our next spot to re-group. Half the group would go over the tunnel and the other half would go through, roughly. Probably less than half went through.

Ken asked me something about the tunnel, and so did others. I pointed out that there used to be a station between the two portals, which everyone found amazing. I also didn't even get to pointing out that there was a junction there with the Belvidere and Delaware line. The tunnel has changed so much over the years, and I wish I had time to explain to everyone it's rich history.

Manunka Chunk Tunnel in the late 60s or early 70s.

The inside of the tunnel this time had more ice in it than I'd ever seen. Stalagmites of ice reached from the floor to the ceiling, from the mid point on. We'd never had to navigate through so much ice in the tunnel. At some points it completely covered the fallen rocks on the floor, where we had to carefully step over them. Tea Biscuit took up the rear of our group and used the light on his phone to help the others through. Once at the other side, we moved on down the right of way to reach the group, who were already crossing the plank bridge over Catherine's Run ahead. We all made our way up there, and the one plank was in pretty bad condition.

When everyone was back together, like the past couple years, I led everyone on a side trip, sort of to the north across the field and up slope on an obscured ATV path. This seems to peter out at the top of the hill, but I had cut a small path for previous trips that follows the boundary of Beaver Brook Wildlife Management Area, then turns right to reach some of the area's fields.

Because I didn't go out ahead of time this time and cut the path well, it was a bit thorny to get through. Everyone made it alright, and we again re-grouped in the fields. Usually, these fields are mowed around the edges, but with all of the heavy snow cover this year, the WMA employees must not have been able to get to it. We had to make our way through the path of least resistance along the fields heading east. I double checked the GPS on my phone so I'd know the way through, and we cut over to the farm lane that leads out to Upper Sarepta Road. Lyz had a friend named Omri who was to join us as well, and she said he was a cab driver by trade and should be able to find us. I gave her directions as we made our way along from just before the tunnel, and directed to a parking area on Upper Sarepta Road. He and his friend were able to meet up with us with no problem when we hit the road.

We turned left on Upper Sarepta Road and made our way to the ninety degree bend where there is a sweeping view of White Township and beyond into Pennsyvlania. Jen, Erika, and I'm not sure who else ended up getting caught behind and I had to direct them by phone back out to the road, which also worked out well. While at this point, Lerch joined up too! He had parked somewhere unknown to me, and then managed to follow the same route as us, through Manunka Chunk Tunnel and up the road to the bend. It was hilarious seeing him coming up to us in a suit as well, partially drenched from the tunnel.

When we got everyone together, we had a moment of silence for the friends we've lost. As far as I know, in 17 years we've only lost four of our past participants. One was my friend Terry's friend Bobbie, who only came on one hike. The others were very much core group members:

Ronald D. Short, who passed away tragically on 4/2/6.

Kyle J. Zalinsky, who we lost tragically on 5/2/10

Christina Manley, who we lost due to epilepsy on 5/1/11

We took a few moments to think of them, then continued on down hill through the fields. Serious Sean showed up in his car at the corner just as we were leaving, and he soon caught through group by using his bicycle for the remainder of the hike.

We headed down hill through fields, cut to the left and then skirted the edge of a field because it was very wet. In the past, we'd not done this, and so this time we discovered an abandoned barn we hadn't seen before! Of course, Lerch was already on top of it before I even saw it, and Justin had his hands on it and was on his way up. Most of the group headed over there and started either exploring the inside with it's Eastern Red Cedar supports and abandoned machine, or were climbing onto the roof by using a tree on the back. Cory Salveson got up immediately after arriving behind Justin and Lerch. I went up and a bunch followed. Many of us had our feet go through the roof because it was so old and rusted.

We goofed off for a bit here, then I jumped off. My right foot went through as I was jumping, which could have worked out very badly! Fortunately I made the jump.

We made our way from here across the fields to a woods road that leads parallel with the steep edge of the abandoned Ledge Road Quarry, and then out to Sarepta Road. We turned right on Sarepta Road and headed back down hill to the railroad bed, to the south.

The next section went pretty quickly, across Hope Crossing Road, then out to Rt 519. The group again split here and headed to the Quick Check with Eric if they wanted to use a restroom quicker, and the rest of us continued out across the sand quarry property. Justin, Lerch, and Brandan had to run to climb up a giant tank (in plain sight, where they weren't supposed to be of course). We just continued on.

The sand quarry had changed yet again this year. The actual route of the rail right of way was blocked off by a large pile of trees that had been bulldozed over the way. Most of the group except for Ric and I wend down and around to the left. In the past, we used to have to go this way before too, when it was completely blocked off. I remember having to use that same route in the Summer of 2001 when Tea Biscuit, Luke Warsinski (Squirt), and I did the Warren Railroad hike.

We followed the ATV path across the sand quarry, which returns to the railroad bed after a short while. The first time we used that route rather than the rail bed, which gets more obliterated every year, was in October of 2000. A deer stand I climbed back then was still standing this time, I noted. Somewhere in this area, Guillermo was able to join us late.

We reached the rail bed and continued to Hot Dog Johnny's by climbing down the slope. The rest of the group walked in on the highway. I called Hot Dog Johnny's ahead of time this time because it takes so long with a huge group. I told them to prepare at least forty dogs ahead of time. I suppose this sped things up.

While waiting, both Lerch and I jumped into the Pequest River. I was wading around behind the building, but he and some others went back to the old Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad's trestle behind Hot Dog Johnny's and Lerch jumped off of the center of it into the river. I couldn't believe he did it. Brandan got an epic video of it, and Herbig got a short one.

Dee Kondrk was able to finally catch up with us here, the last person to join us late, for the remainder of the hike.

While waiting around for everyone to get their food, I talked to some bikers who were hanging out there, gave them my card, and told them how to get to Manunka Chunk Tunnel. While talking, Justin decided he wanted to get on top of Hot Dog Johnny's. Next thing you know, he was up there pretending to take a giant bite out of the big hot dog. Lerch joined him, and then was standing on top of the sign itself. It was hilarious, but I knew this was going to cause problems. One of the patrons went inside and told the workers that people were on the roof, and a lady came out yelling "Who was up there???". She came right up to me and asked who it was to which I just shrugged my shoulders. Justin and Lerch must have gotten some sign because they got off of there really quick and took off for the back.

I decided that it was time to move on at this point. I got everyone together, and we made our way back to the railroad bed. Taylor had to leave a little early here, but she was going to come back to the party later. Sue also turned back at some point around here as well.

We followed the rail bed to the little side road out toward Green Pond Road, and when we reached that crossing across from the church, Lerch spotted a giant abandoned silo. He, Justin, Brandan, and Serious Sean headed out there to explore that while the rest of us continued on. Brandan took pictures from below but the others climbed to the very top of the thing!

We soon headed out and crossed over Rt 46 near the intersection with 31 in Buttsville, and regrouped again. From here, we continued on the railroad bed through Pequest Wildlife Management Area, across the Pequest Viaduct and along a long section of shelf above the river. We then passed through the deep Pequest Cut, where Ric climbed up another shale slope that we both did last year. Somewhere between here and Oxford, Jen lost her iphone, which we couldn't find.

We continued beyond Pequest Cut, and made our way out across Pequest Road. I thought that it would be good at this point to take a picture at the same point I took one of the pictures from Hike #1 in 1997.

The group crossing Pequest Road where the Warren RR crossed, 3/2014.

Looking at the 1997 photo today, the biggest difference is the different kinds of guards along the sides of the road, and the fact that there were so many more people.

Same photo, 3/1997

and followed the newer paved section of the trail out to Oxford and Lower Denmark Road. The group got really segmented in this section, with many near the very back of the group. We continued on from here, and regrouped some of the group one more time when we reached Oxford. I let those who were cutting out ahead of time know where to go behind the Busy Bee to their cars at the school, and the rest of us waited for some more people to catch up. We enjoyed a brief wine tasting at the Oxford Liquor store at the corner while waiting.

From here, we figured out who was going over and who was going through, split, and were on the move. I believe Lyz, Ric, Jen Gates, Guillermo, Susie, Herbig, Ken, and Don maybe?...all went through. Susie managed to carry Zip Line on her shoulders through the freezing water, with some propping up from Lyz. Someone lost a shoe in the silt at the north end.

We moved on past the cave in, and some of the rest of the group was walking toward me, while I was running. I suppose I just came out of the dark there. Lerch wanted to show me a "secret tunnel" I didn't know about at the other side. Indeed, I did not know about it. The 1906 refurbished south portal of the tunnel had a brick arch over it, but I did not know that this brick arch was not built up against the ceiling. The arch had a space in between apparently made specifically for water run off, and expansion and contraction of the rocks. When we get that close to being out, no one pays attention to the edge, where we climbed up onto a railroad tie, and then were able to walk behind the arch, between the natural rock face and it. There were holes in the floor that allowed for run off, which we could clearly see working. It came out at what looked like a cave entrance at the south end of the tunnel. We emerged from under a rock with water running steadily over us, directly above the south portal of the tunnel. We looked over the 1906 concrete facade to a clear view of the rail right of way. In order to get out, we had to climb up to the left. Stephen had climbed down through with Lerch, and went out the other way. One wrong slip climbing up from this spot on the loose soil could be very bad.

We headed back down to the rail bed and headed to meet the rest of the group a little further down at the old building foundation. For some reason, Jen and Erika thought they should go back up to the highway, where they were sitting on the guard rail. We managed to get a hold of them and told them to come back down. We ended up waiting for them while the rest of the group went ahead when we got to the at grade farm crossing. At this time, Lerch decided it was time for a celebratory drink. He pulled out a bottle of Blue Label, really expensive stuff, and those of us still in the group at that time each took a shot.

We continued on from here, and the railroad bed was easier to walk than it was at the end of last Summer, with all the weeds growing in. They were of course all knocked down now, but with all of the trees over the rail bed, they're sure to grow back in. We made our way out to Jackson Valley Road, and climbed up the other side. That section is always really hard to get through because it's always so flooded. Streams of water flow down the right of way making for very difficult walking.

It got a little easier once we were further past the high school area. We passed the former Warren Lumber, re grouped one last time near there and finished off the bottle of Blue Label before finishing. We were soon on the active spur tracks heading on the fill above Washington. We made our way down when we got to the Rt 31 overpass and went into Dicola's Pizza. I grabbed two slices really quick and had to get ready for the party, the Annual Hikers' Hootenanny which was only about two blocks away at the old Washington Theater.

The theater seemed a fitting place to have this year's party, and it was an opportunity to help raise some money to save the theater.

In 1998, I joined a program called S.T.A.R.T.: Save The Area's Regional Theater, which was headed by Marco Matteo, the brother of my friend Mary, who I went to high school with. Marco was trying to save the theater, which seemed doomed to become a drive through 24 hour pharmacy.

The theater was saved, and now, years later, Marco runs a non profit and is in charge of it. I asked him about hosting the party at the theater, and he was amenable to trying.

Not Constantinople playing the Hikers' Hootenanny

I was thankful to Marco for allowing us the opportunity to use the site, and he was able to charge a $10 cover which helped him to make nearly $500 for the theater, which was very much needed.

Beyond that, everyone truly came together to make the event something special.

I had envisioned we would show the newest episode and clips from the PBS show Driving Jersey, which I had been profiled on in the past. My friend Steve, the show's creator and Director, sent me files of what he'd filmed and edited down to show at the event. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend, but he was thankfully able to get us the files to use...so thanks Steve for getting that to us!

In the week before the event, Marco's digital projector had broken. We had no way of showing the film! I put up a facebook status looking for help in that regard. Within the hour, I had received a positive answer.

A very special thanks is owed to Jack Lowry of Strike Sound and Lighting, who came to my aid and offered the use of his high quality digital projector for the showing of the film (as a backup, Warren County would have lent me theirs as well thanks to Land Pres. Director Corey Tierney). Jack not only was able to help us with projection, he supplied us with superior sound and lights from his business Strikesound, and brought his middle eastern themed band, "Not Constantinople" to entertain. The sound was exactly what we needed, something diverse, danceable, and interesting. Finally, more special thanks to Cory Salveson who was able to download Steve's files at the very last minute to his lap top, which he was able to bring and connect to the projector for showing. Also thanks to DJ Ray, who brought his DJ equipment, but the band was going so well that we didn't end up really stopping!

The party started, and we put the videos on for a while. This took up enough time while the main movie was going on in the big theater. After that time, we could make all the noise we wanted.

Jack and the band started up, and people were almost immediately dancing the the entrancing sounds of the band. After a while, Jack called me up to sing, and we did numbers including "Tainted Love", "Spin Me Round", "Paint It Black", and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)".

It was great fun to be up there with such talented musicians, and to look down and see all of my great friends dancing and having such a good time. Everyone told me later that it was really cool to hear these pop tunes performed with this different style. It went over very very well.

At one point, Jack started playing, probably at Jillane's request, traditional Jewish bar mitzva music. They put me in a chair and lifted me up, dancing around while my head was getting stuck in the phosphorescent netting overhead. Marco also took Jillane and Jamie for a tour of the back stage stuff around the theater, including his 1930s projector that is still in use.

I had an absolutely fantastic time on the hike and at the party. It really was the perfect way to finish the day.

In the days following the hike, people were telling me I'm like a "Hiking Jesus", and some people say it's like I have a cult. I can't even believe the amount of people who continue to come out for my events myself.

Is this a cult? Is this like a religion? I suppose in some ways it is, yes. There is certainly a degree of psychological manipulation; people join and built these experiences together, they have a good time, and of course they want more. It's not my intention to "manipulate", but the attitude and activity does that by design. This in addition to being deprived of rest and probably nutrition to some degree, as well as the nearly unconditional acceptance offered within the group causes people to be susceptible.

However, this group is not about "in group acceptance" and "out of group rejection". I feel for the most part at peace with groups that I have been rejected by, or I am at odds with. I respect what they do, but recognize it's not for me.

We have something very special, in so many ways opposite of what our pack animal "instincts" are supposed to be. I of course plan the hikes, but I am not trying to be the supreme "Alpha Male". I feel that we have so many people who are at the top of their game, a collection of Alphas who can peacefully congregate for a more powerful experience. We have people like Justin who runs a hugely popular website, or Jack who has a greatly successful business, and yet we're not at each others throats for power. Everyone plays a good role within the group.

I've never felt so sure that we'll have the strongest core group we've ever had.