Bass River Headwaters Area ... A PBX Hike

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,603
8,181
All,

On 1/12 all members of PBX received this edited announcement from Bob concerning our next PBX trip.


Say Boys, pack up yer gunny sack and git yer gum shoes on! This one is entitled “Bass River Headwaters Area” We’ll meet 8:30 AM sharp on Saturday, 16 Feb, down in the Bass River State Forest, right close to Lake Absegami on Bridge Road. Our plan is to start out high and dry next to Tommy’s Branch, and to evenutally intersect with Dan’s Bridge Branch, which is part of the East Branch. We’ll follow Dan’s Bridge Branch up till we run outta water, and then cross over the highlands to the West Branch, and thence down to the Oswego Road and a vehicle parked and waiting for us.

Let me know if you can make it! Love to have you along.
Happy Trails to you!…..bob


Everyone had an invitation to be on this hike but we had no takers except Turtle who was not able to make it because of work. On this trip we have from left to right bypassing myself in the middle ..... non member Paul, Woodjin, pinelandpaddler, RedneKF350, Hewey, and bobpbx.



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Those who want a larger view click here.


http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/02162013/IMG_2230a.jpg



We were in a wonderful area where the natural effects of fire were working it's magic. Notice the fire cut was filled with new growth and also with Bob.


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In the Bass River area they have put up electric fences to keep the deer out and to allow the cedar to regrow.


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So the question is how do they power that fence all the way out in the woods? Well, the answer is quite cool as in cooler. Place a marine battery in a cooler, attach a solar panel, and hide it a considerable distance from the fence where nobody except PBX would find it. I have to say the cooler has seen better days.


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And what would Valentines week be without a Valentine helium balloon. When Bob was running out of oxygen he decided to switch to helium to get his point across.






I did not take many photo's today for various reasons but I am sure they other members have some to pass along. Even though the weather was cold and wet at times out there, I still had a good time and enjoyed myself.

Guy
 
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RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,944
3,080
Pestletown, N.J.
Well, it wasn't the greatest day for a plow through the woods but it sure beat working or a muddy stick in the eye.

The area is a huge tract of pines wilderness, far from any beaten paths and the headwaters of the Bass River.
We started with a cold gray sky overhead that eventually started leaking a light rain and then a very wet snow.
We got see Jeff disappear in a sinkhole and Bob gave us a puppet show with the socks that he put on his hands because his gloves were saturated.
By lunch most of us were soggy but still cheerful until we had to listen to Guy and Bob's complete medical history.
:)
We decided to cut things short and we bailed at about the half-way point of the planned route.

A score of 7.5 was given by the participants for the hike.
I gave the after party a tailgate a 10+

Who knew cedars had butts ??
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Here is Jeff sporting his high tech plastic poncho minutes before taking that fatefull step that put him into a 3' deep sinkhole. It was well camo'd and looked like nothing at all.
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A large cedar blowdown.
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After emerging from Jeff's sinking we encountered an old pit blind built for shooting deer. It was dug about 4' into the ground and lined with plywood. It held a simple bench and placed the hunter with only his head above the ground. Very stealthy.
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Then, off to the post game.
Lest anyone think that we were breaking the law, this took place on private land in the general area of our expedition.

The motleyest of crews.
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Bob, the guy that never stops smiling. Here he is guarding the goods.
We feasted on soppressata, sharp provolone and pepper shooters sliced on Bob's toolbox. It was all washed down with copious amounts of my homemade wine and some high end ales .
The beer list included Mission IPA, Nectar IPA, Firestone Walker Union Jack, Dogfishhead Burton Baton, Long Trail IPA and something called Miller High Life that Bob found in a dumpster behind a 7-11.
Thanks for planning the trip Bob !!

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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,155
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
:p

I had a darn good time despite the weather. It had to be the woods and the company--always cheers me up. I laughed more on this outing than on many others.

Thanks again for the eats Scott. Those stuffed cherry peppers were simply the best I've ever had. Perfect.

Thanks to all for your help, especially Chris, Scott, and Guy for the vehicle help. And Gabe, Jeff, and Paul round it out nicely. Always ready to make it a good time!
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
109
Pinewald, NJ
It was a great hike despite the inclimate weather. The Bass River watershed is a wonderful area! The tailgate's are never less than the best!

Gabe, Jeff, and Paul in the area of Bass River that burned a few years ago.
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A long forgotten two tracker deep in Bass River.
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Moss and Cedar.
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Daniels's Branch.
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This Branch was no match for the fire. Most of the cedar have been killed due to the fire.
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Cedar swamp along the Daniel's Branch.
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Chris
 
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DRZ-Mike

New Member
Apr 8, 2012
2
0
I love these trip reports! Unfortunately, they only convey a small fraction of the experience, at least on the trips that I have gone on. You gotta have been there! But, being able to enjoy a trip report as a small taste of the experience is great, especially when I wasn't able to go.

The power source for the electric fence is pretty resourceful. There is one of those electrified plots in Brendan Byrne, a little south of Reeves Bogs, on the white trail. I'll have to nose around and see if I can locate that one?
 

PINEY MIKE

Explorer
Jan 30, 2009
707
25
Bamber Lake
Nice pics guys,
I was actually going to e mail you that I wanted to attend Bob, but forgot I had a birthday party at 1pm. I was able to make it down to Wharton for most of Sunday (windy as h#ll) and hit Pics for a late lunch tho. Gabe, its been a while. Dont recall you having a pet muskrat on your chin!
 

Y-BUC-BILL

Explorer
Mar 9, 2007
129
26
Sure like the way you cover your outings with info and pictures,capped with a Happy Hour.There is no way that I can be with you in person.Looking forward to more hikes and pictures.Thanks fellow Pineys
 
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