Sunrise at 1/4 Mile Road

[Teegate]

All,

Very early this morning I had the opportunity to spend a few hours exploring with photographer Albert Horner in the area that many people call "1/4 mile road." This is the area between High Crossing and Hampton Furnace where the fire was around ten years ago and the serious 4x4 users have been digging up since then. It has been mentioned here a few times on the site. Mr Horner has taken an interest in this area, and is trying to bring awareness to the conditions there.

I was up at 4:50 AM and arrived at our meeting location at Hampton Furnace by 5:45 when Mr. Horner soon arrived. Within minutes we were in his vehicle heading to 1/4 mile road. The sun was just coming up and a few of these photo's are dark or overexposed.

Aparently, it is custom to bring a full array of material to put under their vehicle when stuck. The problem is they don't take it home.

Many of these roads go through meadows or swamps that hold wonderful plants. You can see on the left this road goes right through one.

Some area's are seriously damaged.

This fire was still burning.

Through all the damage mother nature still was watching.

And after all of this we traveled to a few locations that brightened the day.

You can read Mr. Horner's blog at the below link.



http://pinelandsimagery.com/blog/20876/a-scar-on-the-pine-barrens


Those who use this area often should be warned that there is serious interest in stopping what is going on there. The push to eliminate the problem may be gaining steam.


Guy

 

[ecampbell]

There was a car carrier parked at Hampton/Carranza Road intersection at 8:30 this morning. I was hoping to get a shot of a wreck but it was gone by the time we finished our walk down Push Line way. It's the only place we have found to be relatively fly free.

 

[Teegate]

There was a car carrier parked at Hampton/Carranza Road intersection at 8:30 this morning. I was hoping to get a shot of a wreck but it was gone by the time we finished our walk down Push Line way. It's the only place we have found to be relatively fly free.

I was at that intersection 3 times this morning, the first around 5:50, the second at exactly 8:21, and the third about 15 minutes later and I did not see it.

Guy

 

[ecampbell]

I was at that intersection 3 times this morning, the first around 5:50, the second at exactly 8:21, and the third about 15 minutes later and I did not see it.

Guy

Marianne just told me that it was Saturday morning that we saw the car carrier. There was a beautifil savannh there once and it still has great plants trying to survive. It's also good for birding. I park just over the RR tracks, I do not drive it. It has been very wet since the fall of 2008. How were the flies?
Besides 1/4 mile we also call it Wharton used truck parts.

 

[Teegate]

You can drive almost all of it. I suspect your Jeep could do it all. I did not see any car parts and I am wondering if there have been people who have been cleaning it up. It was fairly clean except for that one location.

Guy

 

[ecampbell]

Some of those holes are really deep, they would eat me up, and you have to know where they are since they are under water. I've seen trucks there at 9 in the morning with Florida and NC plates. 1/4 mile must be getting alot of press somewhere.
I avoid puddles as much as I can, I get enough challenge just driving the roads. I reciently had my rear brakes replaced (drum), metal on metal. All that grit I suppose. Interestingly my rotors were pristine, I just replaced the pads.

 

[dragoncjo]

Its ashame its so chewed up back, but you can drive the whole road pretty easily as the puddles are shallow right now. I always need to get back there in early springs and the 4*4 have made it impossible to navigate early in spring. As a result the species I help study never gets a good assessment back there because I can't access till late summer when its fruitless back there. In a somewhat related story I was broken down out there on friday and some punk kids started chewing up caranza road right when the pavement ends at the tracks. They were tossing dust and sand on some rare plants in the process and totally chewing up the road, at one point they came within about 20 feet of hitting me....needless to say it got a little ugly out there between me and them...hopefully they learned a lesson.

Guy are they going to shut access off completely there?

 

[Teegate]

Guy are they going to shut access off completely there?

I really don't know what the state is going to do. I just know that there are quite a few people who are starting to get annoyed and are taking action in various ways. The Pinelands Commission will be hearing from them, the state obviously, and the PPA is even getting asked to be involved. Nothing may ever come of it but then again maybe something will. I see nothing wrong with driving through puddles in a road, but to go to the extent these people have seems to me to be harsh. They are going places that can alter the flow of water in that complete area, changing the environment forever.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

. I reciently had my rear brakes replaced (drum), metal on metal. All that grit I suppose. Interestingly my rotors were pristine, I just replaced the pads.

I have the same problem with my vehicles. On both my Escort and my Focus I had to replace the drums every 2 years. They were destroyed as were the bearings.

Guy

 

[oji]

I was told that a rare plant was wiped out in this area. This was told to me while working nearby with members of PPA,NJCF,DEP and the Pinelands Commission so they are very aware of the situation.

 

[woodjin]

That area has always reminded me of areas in the great swamp. Such a shame there has been so much 4x4 damage back there. I can tell you that there is endangered wildlife back there as well.

Those shots of the morning fog are just fantastic Guy!!!

Jeff

 

[turtle]

The whole situation is more than depressing. IF, for some magical reason, it were all to end tomorrow at 1/4 mile.....I can think of several places where the depraving (?) havoc would most likely resume.....

Few areas remain sacred/untouched any longer, even on private property.

turtle

 

[Teegate]

All,

Tonight on NJN at 6 was a report on the damage at 1/4 mile. It may be on again at 7:30 or 11 so you may want to check it out.

Guy

 

[NJBill]

Thanks Guy.
Very good clip, happy to see it was reported on.


http://www.njn.net/television/webcast/njnnews/wednesday.html

Go to 16:15 to view the clip.

Bill

 

[Teegate]

Thanks Bill for the clip online. I tried earlier and it said I had to watch it when the news was on. Maybe now that the 7:30 news is over they upload it. I watched it at 6PM.


Guy

 

[gipsie]

I have had a couple of groups out there cleaning up in the past month or so.... But it is a never ending battle.....

 

[woodjin]

I thought that was a fairly good report.that sort of publicity is exactly what the yahoos don't want.

 

[Teegate]

I thought that was a fairly good report.that sort of publicity is exactly what the yahoos don't want.

They really don't care. Check out some of the posts towards the end.

http://pinelandsimagery.com/blog/20876/a-scar-on-the-pine-barrens


Guy

 

[woodjin]

They really don't care. Check out some of the posts towards the end.

http://pinelandsimagery.com/blog/20876/a-scar-on-the-pine-barrens


Guy

I read through a bunch of the comments. Maybe they don't care, but they should. This type of publicity puts pressure on the state to take action on the situation and that should alarm them. It seems as though they are sitting ducks back there if enforcement action was taken.

What is most disappointing about reading some of those comments is not that they don't understand the environmental repercussions of their actions but their unwillingness to even consider it.

Personally, I never had much of a problem with this sort of recreation taking place in the old sand pits, but this area is far, far more sensitive. It sounds much like the "go-ings on" I've heard about back at old half way in the '70's (minus the Pagans MC), but this isn't an abandoned sand pit.

Jeff

 

[mudboy dave]

Everything I work for gets destroyed by morons like this. I will do whatever I can to put a stop to people like this.
First close 1/4 mile off. Completely off limits to any vehicle including bird watchers, 4x4s and hunters.
Second jack the fine up to about $5000 and community service to be poerformed back tehre as well
Turn it into a permit access only, I'd be willing to pay a few hundred a year to be able to drive back there.
Help me put together a state recognized vehicle acess trail sytem, so laws can start being enforced.

I want to help the situation we have going on back there, but will not be able to do it without the non 4x4 enthusiasts' help. Every time I mention this it goes no further. If you care get ahold of me and lets talk. Lets come up with something.