Bodine Field to Wading Pines, A PBX Hike

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,181
All,

Recently we received this edited email from Bob outlining our final hike of the season. Because of various reasons we have not been able to have many this year. And we also made this a shorter one also for various reasons.

Hey y'all,

We are going to squeeze in a big trip on Saturday, June 9th.. Due to the time of season, this will be a ‘little’ big trip. We are going from Bodine Field to Wading Pines Campground along the northeastern side of the Wading River. I’ve always wanted to see this side, especially being so close to Harrisville. This would be a short 3.8 miler, and we of course will have a nice shower at the end to clean up along with our cook out.
Happy trails……....bob

At 9AM this morning it all came together and we headed down 679 and then to Bodine Field. This shows us at the beginning all ready to go. On the hike are myself, Jessica, Ed, Scott, Chris, Gabe, and Bob. Later at the cookout we were joined by Mickey and our webmaster Ben.

Jess, Ed, and Chris calibrating their GPS units, Gabe stretching to keep his feet in working order, and Scott getting his gear together.

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A spider who uses leaves to build some sort of nest.

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The route forced us to cross various steams that came off of the dam at Harrisville. Here is Jessica crossing one of them.

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Resting on the other side.

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Three-way Sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum)

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Bob found this at the edge of a bog we were in.

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We found this being built in the woods somewhat away from the river. There were tools for construction hidden under it.

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After crossing at Evans Bridge we found a few tree stands and I climbed one of them. Bob likes them more comfortable so he chose this one. Only a nut would hunt from this tree.

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Almost there.

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Bob relaxing in his chair.


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And if you thought the chair was crazy, imagine hunting in this. Would you trust the bottom of the barrel??????

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And at the very last few hundred yards before the end of the hike at Wading Pines, Bob and I took a different route and were rewarded with this find. Within seconds of the photo it was in a hole in the tree.
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Arriving at Wading Pines there was a man who had just purchased ice on the other side of the fence. It was our very own "this_is_nascar." It was nice meeting him today.
Then off to the cookout where Chris, Scott, and Ed cooked up some wonderful food for all of us. The hike had an average rating of over 8.5 which tells you it was a good one. It was nice seeing Ed out on a hike again, and seeing Mickey is always a treat. And finally, I want Ben to know that we all appreciated his speech to us today, and we also want him to know that without this site all of this would not have been possible. Thank you Ben for an exciting 10 years!

Video's soon!

Guy
 
Jul 12, 2006
1,318
307
Gloucester City, NJ
Thanks for the mention. It was great meeting you all, even if it was through the fence :). If I had known you folks were hanging around to have a cook-out, I would have made it a point to stop over to your site and/or invite you to mine for a beverage.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,944
3,080
Pestletown, N.J.
A great day in the woods again boys and girl.
We saw unique and breathtaking snapshots of the barrens within a half mile of 679 and 563 that no one has laid eyes upon for a very long time.
The distant laughter and thumping of oars against aluminum canoes was never really out of earshot but I am certain we took home a more indelible memory.

That is what will keep me in the woods for as long as I am able.

Some pictures.

The mighty West Branch of the Wading.
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A water-filled path to a beautiful place.
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Sphagnum under the sun
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Here is a hidden, deep pond filled with crystal clear water where we could easily see 10' below the surface. The tree in the foregound is submerged about 6'. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't convey the three dimensional character.
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Our most revered leader.
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As others looked away, Gabe turned and quickly snapped a cell photo of what he later describned as a bear/bigfoot/devil-like/beer swilling creature. Of course it didn't turn out, he was looking a little too far to the left.
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The after party was off the charts. We put a hurtin' on homemade clams casino, venison backstraps, wild pig backstraps, seasoned goose breast, my homemade wines, homemade brownies and salads, craft beers and a little moonshine.

Until we meet again my friends.
:guinness:
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,181
They are all great but photo number 2 is my favorite. It makes me think I am there. Nice!

Jessica was talking with my in-laws today and I heard her tell them she loved your clams casino. Mickey is correct that you and Chris should make a cook book. The after party meal menu has made some considerable changes in the past few years. Only three hamburgers were cooked and I ate two of them.

Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
PS
Nice black ratsnake.They do seem to like tree holes.At cape may zoo in the swamp from the boardwalk I once say three black rats hanging out of a hole like that one with one more wrapped around the tree above them.
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
To put Bob's climb in perspective





Our cheerful leader





A makeshift gate









When you get off the trails you can find the strangest things







It was a terrific hike with great friends and the cookout was something else.



Ed
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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Thanks for the photo's Ed! Your photo does accurately put his climb in perspective. I wonder how many 20 year old could climb that?

BTW, I don't see your stick in that photo. You must have lost it somewhere else :D

Guy
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,840
958
Bob went up that tree like a fence lizard, never even removed his pack.
I went back today and retrived my stick, it is an old friend.
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
109
Pinewald, NJ
I had a great time on Saturday! We had nice weather and the bugs were few and far in between. The tailgates and after parties are always a good time with awesome food and drink. People would pay for a PBX cookout, they are that good!

It was nice to meet Ed. It was also nice that Ben and Mickey were able to make the after party.

In between the wet areas, we traveled through some parched uplands with little understory. We felt the heat of the day when we were in these areas. I think the crunching of the dry moss and lichen under foot made it feel even hotter.
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Bob was a brave soul climbing into a death trap of a treestand. He is a braver man then I.
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Guy and Jessica crossing while the rest of the crew have to take off the knee boots and roll up the pants to stay dry. Guy and Jessica both had on sneakers with anticipation on getting wet. Wet sneakers dry faster then wet boots and we were unsure of the crossing we knew we had to make.
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Pilings of a bridge crossing the Wading River. The bridge was already gone in the 1930's aerial photos. Only if they could speak.
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Gabe, Ed (blocked by Gabe) , and Bob looking at the map and deciding on the next move.
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Gabe, Bob, and Ed taking in the view of a beautiful savannah.
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Cedar and Sedges.
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Bob on a classic pine barren sugar sand road.
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The spring fed mill pond was wild! Pictures just do not do it justice.
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Chris
 

glowordz

Explorer
Jan 19, 2009
585
8
SC
www.gloriarepp.com
I had a great time on Saturday! We had nice weather and the bugs were few and far in between. The tailgates and after parties are always a good time with awesome food and drink. People would pay for a PBX cookout, they are that good!

It was nice to meet Ed. It was also nice that Ben and Mickey were able to make the after party.

In between the wet areas, we traveled through some parched uplands with little understory. We felt the heat of the day when we were in these areas. I think the crunching of the dry moss and lichen under foot made it feel even hotter.

Hey y'all, great photos and commentary. Places like those are what I think of when I'm Pines-dreaming. SO nice that several of you contributed photos. Savannahs look lovely! Water looks delectable! Bob looks brave, perched so high & sporting that grin! Thank you.
Glo
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,181
Thanks Chris! A very nice one of Bob and Gabe. You got a few shots I wish I had taken.

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,181
When I was uploading the video of the group walking in the stream, youtube informed me my video was shaky and asked me if I wanted them to correct it. I let them and found out they do a really nice job of it.

Here is the original. You have to give it a minute to load. It is short but you can see it is shaky.

http://home.comcast.net/~islandtee/New_Project.mov

Now watch the beginning on youtube. Notice the Teegate@comcast.net moves which I did not do. They do that to fix the video.

http://youtu.be/Ca1X65DVuQM

Guy
 
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