I have a terrible confession. Even after the joy of my recent PBX hike, a shameful secret haunted me. Here I was, in my late 60s, yet had never walked the entire length of the Batona Trail.
While logging multiple trips through its center over the decades, its two ends were neglected. I finally started to make amends last year, when Batsto to 563 (just short of Evans Bridge) got crossed off my list. A few weeks ago, it was Ong's Hat to the ranger station. This week, with it being too wet for spring planting, it was time to redeem myself. Tuesday, I made it down to Ives Pond from 563. Thursday, I did the short section from Pakim Pond to the ranger station.
That left only the 4.2 miles from the southern trailhead at Bass River to Ives Pond -- my last leg -- for Friday.
The ride to the trailhead featured an encounter close to home of a turkey hen crossing the road with eight, no, nine little chicks. (It almost became eight because #9 tarried for several seconds before crossing, and thinking all avian traffic had crossed, yours truly had started forward.) Later, on 563, I spotted another turkey hen, and thought that a second chick crossing might be imminent. However, this hen was on her own.
Despite the fowl omens
, I continued to the trailhead and began the hike.
A scenic spot with a couple of bridges.
While innovative to offer a vertical hiking option, horizontal seemed more practical.
Ives Pond in sight.
Having completed the last section, Isat down stood up for a deluxe gourmet victory meal of a PBJ sandwich with crackers. After eating, I continued forward for a few tenths of a mile to reach a stone seen on my initial visit to Ives Pond.
I checked with Guy about the stone. From its location, he was able to rule out its being a corner stone, though it would be on the property line. Just exactly what it signifies isn't clear, but it felt as if there were a few inches of buried stone underneath what was visible, It seems doubtful it just happened to be there.
I had some extra time to hang around and check out the area around the lake. First on the list was an old well. (Thank you for this as well as the stone information, Guy!)
A little while later, I noticed this:
Rest in peace, Bella. She was buried in a lovely spot overlooking the pond. When I die, the plan is for me to be cremated, but if it were going to be burial, the area near Bella's place of rest would suit me very well.
I saw a few of the usual botanical suspects:
I have a reputation for being hapless when it comes to mechanics, but even I could see that this tree was badly in need of alignment.
One thing with trail walking compared to bushwhacking is that on the trail, sometimes a bit of brier doesn't seem so bad.
"OK, we'll buy your ground, but you have to throw in the sign."
I wonder what Weird NJ would make of this? A witch looking for her broom? Plantacabra? The Great Green Hound of Bass River? Mother Leeds's fourteenth child?
Best wishes for a blessed Memorial Day weekend to you all, as well as deep respect for those who gave all in the service of their country.
While logging multiple trips through its center over the decades, its two ends were neglected. I finally started to make amends last year, when Batsto to 563 (just short of Evans Bridge) got crossed off my list. A few weeks ago, it was Ong's Hat to the ranger station. This week, with it being too wet for spring planting, it was time to redeem myself. Tuesday, I made it down to Ives Pond from 563. Thursday, I did the short section from Pakim Pond to the ranger station.
That left only the 4.2 miles from the southern trailhead at Bass River to Ives Pond -- my last leg -- for Friday.
The ride to the trailhead featured an encounter close to home of a turkey hen crossing the road with eight, no, nine little chicks. (It almost became eight because #9 tarried for several seconds before crossing, and thinking all avian traffic had crossed, yours truly had started forward.) Later, on 563, I spotted another turkey hen, and thought that a second chick crossing might be imminent. However, this hen was on her own.
Despite the fowl omens
, I continued to the trailhead and began the hike.A scenic spot with a couple of bridges.
While innovative to offer a vertical hiking option, horizontal seemed more practical.
Ives Pond in sight.
Having completed the last section, I
I checked with Guy about the stone. From its location, he was able to rule out its being a corner stone, though it would be on the property line. Just exactly what it signifies isn't clear, but it felt as if there were a few inches of buried stone underneath what was visible, It seems doubtful it just happened to be there.
I had some extra time to hang around and check out the area around the lake. First on the list was an old well. (Thank you for this as well as the stone information, Guy!)
A little while later, I noticed this:
Rest in peace, Bella. She was buried in a lovely spot overlooking the pond. When I die, the plan is for me to be cremated, but if it were going to be burial, the area near Bella's place of rest would suit me very well.
I saw a few of the usual botanical suspects:
I have a reputation for being hapless when it comes to mechanics, but even I could see that this tree was badly in need of alignment.
One thing with trail walking compared to bushwhacking is that on the trail, sometimes a bit of brier doesn't seem so bad.
"OK, we'll buy your ground, but you have to throw in the sign."
I wonder what Weird NJ would make of this? A witch looking for her broom? Plantacabra? The Great Green Hound of Bass River? Mother Leeds's fourteenth child?
Best wishes for a blessed Memorial Day weekend to you all, as well as deep respect for those who gave all in the service of their country.
