What a gorgeous afternoon for exploring the pines. We covered 45 miles in all, starting at Atsion. We entered on Hampton Rd. and proceeded to the site of the village. Pulled up at the packing house foundation for lunch where we were questioned by a couple of nice rangers. Afterward we explored the foundation ruins and pads in the field at the village site, then drove down Rider's Switch to the tracks and walked out to the trestle.
From there we went back through Hampton Village to High Crossing, and then south on Hampton Gate Rd. All well clear and easily passable roads, little in the way of mud, some loose sand. We hooked north on Mt. Sandy Ridge Rd. for a bit but found it heavily overgrown just a little north of the junction with Bulldozed Rd. Turned around and headed back down Hampton Gate to Hawkin Turnpike and took that north to the camping area. Hawkin Turnpike is heavily overgrown so don't drive up that way if pinstripes bother you.
Just for my forum friends, I'll pass on the word that there is a _huge_ patch of perfectly ripe blueberries on both sides of the Hawkin Turnpike about halfway up. I'm thinking about bringing my kids down next weekend to pick, but these are at such a state of ripeness that I don't know they will last. If you're thinking about picking take a jaunt up that way.
Washington-Speedwell Rd. back down to Washington where we looked at some brick and mortar debris at the Tuckerton Rd./Iron Pipe intersection, nw corner. Was thinking maybe this was the Sooy Place or old tavern. Not sure.
Jogged over to Harrisville and headed north on Callico Rd. Fairly overgrown. From there to Oswego Rd. which opened up nicely. Examined some ruins that James also visited recently, that I thought might be the cement plant. From there to Allen Rd. where we drove north to the range gate and back. Thence over to Pushline Rd. and all the way south on that to Dan's Bridge. Pushline is a beautiful drive, but again heavily overgrown and hostile to automotive finishes.
From Dan's Bridge over to Munion Field Rd. and north to Munion Field where we saw a lot of party litter, as well as some bricks from the old Sayersville S&F works (some of which were being used as a fire pit by partiers). Not much else to see at Munion so we headed back down to Dan's Bridge and followed that west and out of the woods.
One thing of note: it was virtually a tick-free day. I don't know where they all went. Granted we were well doused with Permathrin below the waist, but it just generally seemed like everyone except the little deer flies were on vacation.
From there we went back through Hampton Village to High Crossing, and then south on Hampton Gate Rd. All well clear and easily passable roads, little in the way of mud, some loose sand. We hooked north on Mt. Sandy Ridge Rd. for a bit but found it heavily overgrown just a little north of the junction with Bulldozed Rd. Turned around and headed back down Hampton Gate to Hawkin Turnpike and took that north to the camping area. Hawkin Turnpike is heavily overgrown so don't drive up that way if pinstripes bother you.
Just for my forum friends, I'll pass on the word that there is a _huge_ patch of perfectly ripe blueberries on both sides of the Hawkin Turnpike about halfway up. I'm thinking about bringing my kids down next weekend to pick, but these are at such a state of ripeness that I don't know they will last. If you're thinking about picking take a jaunt up that way.
Washington-Speedwell Rd. back down to Washington where we looked at some brick and mortar debris at the Tuckerton Rd./Iron Pipe intersection, nw corner. Was thinking maybe this was the Sooy Place or old tavern. Not sure.
Jogged over to Harrisville and headed north on Callico Rd. Fairly overgrown. From there to Oswego Rd. which opened up nicely. Examined some ruins that James also visited recently, that I thought might be the cement plant. From there to Allen Rd. where we drove north to the range gate and back. Thence over to Pushline Rd. and all the way south on that to Dan's Bridge. Pushline is a beautiful drive, but again heavily overgrown and hostile to automotive finishes.
From Dan's Bridge over to Munion Field Rd. and north to Munion Field where we saw a lot of party litter, as well as some bricks from the old Sayersville S&F works (some of which were being used as a fire pit by partiers). Not much else to see at Munion so we headed back down to Dan's Bridge and followed that west and out of the woods.
One thing of note: it was virtually a tick-free day. I don't know where they all went. Granted we were well doused with Permathrin below the waist, but it just generally seemed like everyone except the little deer flies were on vacation.
