Springtime On The Tulpehocken, A PBX Hike

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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All,

Back on 5/8 Bob sent this edited announcement out to all members of PBX explaining out final full PBX hike until the fall.

Greetings….my gnarly band of bushwhacking explorers!
It is Springtime on the Western Branch of the Tulpehocken, so lets see if that fabled stream is a good area for Arethusa orchids.
For the Big Trip this year we’ll meet on Jenkins Road about ½ mile east of the entrance to Wading Pines Campground. From there we’ll consolidate and drop off one vehicle at Hawkins’ Bridge. We’ll take another one up to the waypoint “Park”, high in the wilds of the Western Tulpehocken—far from the maddening crowds. We’ll pick our way down along the stream, enjoying the day and checking out the scenery. If we happen to see some orchids, critters, or other interesting growth, all the better. We’ll end the trip at Hawkins Bridge.

This is a departure from the usual big trip, usually held in early May, and usually a longer trip. This trip is about 4.5 miles. While the weather may be warmer and a tad more humid, we will have plenty of vegetation to cover us and we’ll always be near the river. I have chosen early June as there is a 90% chance of no pine flies, and the mean temperature is about 70 degrees in June. Going any later would be pushing it.
Will we return wet and muddy? I hope so.
Happy Trails!..........Bob

So we started our day just off of Tuckerton Road semi close to the JCRR and our first order of business was to get a group photo. On this hike was for the first time Piney Mike, and John who is a friend of Mickey's. The regulars were Gabe (pinelandpaddler), Chris (Hewey), Al (manumuskin), Mickey, Scott (RednekF350), Bob (bobpbx), me(TeeGate), and Paul.

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A closer look. You may need to click on the photo and scroll.
http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/06052011/IMG_7641a.jpg

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Blue Flag Iris

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Orchids! I fought my way through the muck to get this one.
Rose Pagonia
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Bob
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This tributary is as black as oil.

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One of the many Beaver Dams along the way. They are in control.

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Bog Asphodel ready to open. This was a very nice find! Bob picked these location from aerial photo's thinking they may be where we wanted to be and he was spot on!

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You may need to click on the photo for a larger view
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Grass Pink

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Al spotted this Curly Grass Fern. This is a hard plant to photograph.

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Jeff (Woodjin) was not able to make the hike; however, he was able to kayak up the Tulp where we met up with him. We kept in contact by phone until we converged.

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Then it was over, and we all headed back to the Wading Pines Campground for our end of the season Cookout. A great day with great folks! I am sure others will add to this and I will soon have a few video's up.

Guy
 

bobpbx

Piney
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Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
Exceptional photo's Guy. Thanks for all your help in putting this together as well. I have not hooked up my camera yet to see what I got that may be worth posting.
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
We got to see some real pretty country on this hike and Bob had the timing perfect, the weather was great, the flowers were in bloom and we beat the pine fly egg hatch!

A very large savannah we came to in the very first part of the hike.
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A tributary of the Tulpehocken that has no name.
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A hunters bridge over the tributary.
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A beautiful view.
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Gabe picking his way through the muck.
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We past through few cedars on this trip as opposed to other hikes. Here is some of the caedars we encountered today.
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The crew in the last bog we visited. The plant diversity was unbelievable in this bog.
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Guy doing his magic capturing his top notch pictures!
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Bob capturing some shots for his records.
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The color of the Grass Pink is very vibrant.
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A pitcher plant with sundew in the forefront,
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Al is one dedicated explorer. He will do what he has to do to get to where he wants to be, even if that means crawling through the muck to disperse weight.
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The mighty Tulpehocken.
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Bob heading upstream on the Tulpe looking for Jeff as Mike cleans up.
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Jeff in his speed boat. He rated his day a 6-7 due to the lack of fish.
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It was a great hike and we got to see some real nice country and enjoy it with good company.

Chris
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
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Pines; Bamber area
Very good photos Chris. I liked the 4th one, the orchids and Pitcher Plant photos best, but I would have paid $10 to have seen Al do that. I was away from you guys when he gave you that invaluable instruction in weight distribution. I am laughing out loud as I type. :p

That is definitely rich!
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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They are nice photo's. Besides the ones Bob mentioned I find the one of the Tulp quite nice also. It depicts it just like we saw it.

Al is a trip :) I always enjoy exploring with him because it never is a dull moment.

Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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When you have as much weight as I do you learn to redistribute.I kept watching Guy and Bob float across the muck and thought hey! I can do that too! NOT! I had to learn a new way.I think if Bob sat Guy on his shoulders and attempted the same crossings he may have realized what i was dealing with.I had not explored Tulpehocken in so long i forgot how hard it is to get the iron stain out of everything including skin.After a shower and thorough scrubbing my hands and arms are stilltinted orange from the iron.I had forgotten how totally purtiful that stream is.Whip and I lived there for years,He still does I on the other hand have been led astray by stones but must get back while stone season is shut down.Hopefully will be 360 equipped for panorama shooting soon.
Al
 

Teegate

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Hopefully will be 360 equipped for panorama shooting soon.
Al

Al,

I forgot to mention to you that Jessica found an App for her iPod Touch that does 360 photography. All you do if follow the prompts and it does it perfectly. I have Jessica's older unit which does not have a camera, but the next time Jessica comes with us we will give it a try.

Here is the app which costs 99 cents.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/360-panorama/id377342622?mt=8

Update: She never downloaded the old version, and the reviews of the new one is poor. Everyone says they wish they still had the old version to use. Oh well!

Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
I wonder if it can do 360 by 180 which is what I want to do?A complete bubble actually like on google earth.I need to get a panosaurus and tripod to do them with my camera since only a few I've ever done by hand actually turned out right.It's too hard to pivot the camera over an imaginary point by hand alone and I usually miss a spot her or there which screws up the whole panorama.
Al
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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This does it complete I believe. You take a photo and I believe it shows you where to take the next one, and so on. Jessica showed me how it works and I will have to find the site she was showing me.

Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
I want to 360 by 180 the barrens and if I get good put some pics on google earth so the world can see that were not sll chemical dumps and casinos,then again maybe it's good the think that.maybe I'll just keep my panoramas on photosynth and keep the locations secret or do like some people do on google earht and put obviously tropical locations on the south pole.wether they do this on purpose or accidentally i don't know but misplaced Panoramio photos are quite common.
Al
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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It is starting to get cluttered in the barrens on Google.

Guy
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
I kept watching Guy and Bob float across the muck and thought hey! I can do that too! NOT!

Scott and I had the same issue, Guy and Bob would float right over it and we would step foot in the same spot and sink almost over the boot!

I tried to get video of your crossing Al but I could not get my camera over to video in time.

Chris
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
Scott and I had the same issue, Guy and Bob would float right over it and we would step foot in the same spot and sink almost over the boot!

I tried to get video of your crossing Al but I could not get my camera over to video in time.

Chris

Chris
you shoulda told me to hold that pose.I'm quite a ham and would've stayed right there.I learned that technique on the Tulpe and also down here in the marsh mud when I was a kid.At times you have to flat out belly waller your way across at low tide which i have done a few times,first on a dare then cause it was fun:)Nothing funner then a tidal flat mud fight when your a kid.last time I did it I was about 25,I guess I was late in growing up:)
Al
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
It was a wondrous day in the wild woods and streams of NJ.
We walked and breathed in places that those who don't venture far from the beaten path will ever see.

My only regret was that my Canon SX120 started fritzing on me with the lens cover shutter sticking partly shut. I did manage a few shots here and there but would have loved to have taken more.

It was a pleasure venturing out with some very dedicated and hearty woodsmen and the comraderie during and after is priceless. It was aslo good to be out with Al again. He is a one, mean, woods walkin' machine and very well versed in the terrain and flora of the area.

As Chris and Al said, watching Guy or Bob safely traverse anything in the woods is not an accurate gauge for estimating one's own success at the same crossing.

Here is a picture of a branch of the Tulpe with the cedars bowing in reverance.

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A quick streamside break.

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Unfortunately that was the extent of my photos.

The afterparty was probably the best on record with Bambi backstraps, chicken, burgers, dogs, brats, very cold beer and some homemade crazy juice. I hated to leave but my guardian angel (wife) was with me and she kept me on the bent and narrow .

Thanks Guy and Bob for all of your hard work putting this trip together and setting up the water drop.
Looking forward to thirty more years !

Scott
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
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Pines; Bamber area
Thirty more years is absolutely about right Scott. And when we get to 40, I'll hire a coolie to carry me out there and set me in a chair to listen to the warblers and watch the plants grow.

This is for Jeff whose leg was twisted from putting a barbecue grill together the day before, and had to settle for a drift in his kayak....the secret little pickeral spot.
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
Calopogon tuberosus...Grass Pink Orchid. I have seen a white one before. Fabulous.
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The comradeship is 50% of the trip. These two, Chris and Paul, could be talking about hunting, electronics, stock prices, whatever. It is just great....something about getting out there and talking as you explore is really neat.
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There were nice stands of this...Carex folliculata.
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Some of the crew.
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One out in all its glory, one in bud.
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Big Al. I love it when he decides to join us. A real treat.
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A quiet backwater.
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