The Bloody Shane, A PBX Hike

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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All,

Back on April 4 all the members of PBX received this email from Jeff (Woodjin) about his hike along the Shane Branch. He named it the Bloody Shane because of it's tendency to have briers.

To the troops,

Put on your hip waders and prepare for battle! Running along an ancient cedar swamp and lying a little west of Eagle is the Shane branch. Many moons ago it was converted into a bog system, but now nature has nearly reclaimed it's northern reaches. Let's see whats left before nature swallows it entirely. It will be between 3 and 4 tough and rewarding miles. This isn't much notice, so I am hoping that some can make it. The going might get tough and things could turn bloody. So if you don't mind spilling a little blood, be at Friendship Saturday April 16th at 9am.

Unfortunately, on April 16th the weather was not cooperating so the date was changed to today. We all arrived at Friendship and took Bob's vehicle past Eagle to the beginning of the Shane Branch. This branch begins in the Parker Preserve about 1.5 miles NNW of Eagle and travels all the way to slightly south of Friendship. On this hike was Jeff (woodjin) who designed it, Tom (long-a-coming), Bob (bobpbx), Chris (Hewey), and myself.

We started our day at the very source at the following link location. The first photo below shows us there, with Bob describing what is happening underneath the ground around us.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.7867743395444&lng=-74.57581758499146&z=16&type=h&gpx=

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The stream near the source.

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As we head south towards Friendship it changes somewhat.

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A bridge most likely made by a hunter.

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Jeff found this turtle.

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At times it became quite hard to navigate.

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One of many old weirs that still exist between the bogs.

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A nice sandy bottom in places.

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Quite a few nice views along it.

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Another weir.

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Bob actually fell between these two cedars.

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Bob surveying his kingdom.

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Jeff and Chris almost to Friendship.

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The final moments of the hike.

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Our group photo at the end in Friendship.

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Our tracks.

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Video.

Bob and I discuss if the rest of them will be able to make it across the water they will be coming to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqS7OKAbn0

After realizing they will make it we moved forward. There are unseen depressions along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng2Ff3WufO0

And the final push just before Friendship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK-JtH4iFZs

Because of the perfect day, Jeff's great design, and the many nice places we visited along the way, I rated this a 9.5 out of 10. The Bloody Shane can take my blood anytime!

Guy
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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You can see marks on my camera lens in the video's. I believe they are from me hitting the objects I have tried to use the macro on. I am going to have to get a new camera one of these days.

Guy
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
Nice report as usual Guy. What a pleasant surprise this trip was. I was sure we'd be beating back briars half the day....all sweaty and cursing. But it was really nothing like that. A 70 degree day with a nice mixture of sun and clouds, 5 miles of swamp, interesting topography, and good freinds. How can you beat that? I felt like a kid exploring the wilds of NJ for the first time yesterday. I gave it a 9.8.

I'll try to do some photos tonite. I have a couple videos, but too big for here.
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
Jeff really put together a great hike for us! The weather was perfect! We saw some real nice country along the Shane Branch. It was one wet hike! Hippers were a must for this one!

Towards the head waters of the Shane.
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The Shane flowing through the cedar.
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Guy loves his treestands but this one was unsafe and Guy did not climb onto the platform.
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I did find a stand on the edge of a bog that was safe. A view of Jeff and the bog from the stand.
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Bob educating us on the sedges growing in the bog system.
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Bob and Guy catching up to us after Jeff, Tom and I found it passable.
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A nice swamp we passed through.
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The flooded swamp we went through almost out to Friendship. It felt like a bald cypress swamp of the south.
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Tom almost over the top of his hippers. I went over the top at this crossing as I found a hole to step in.
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A find almost at the end. The remains of the Jersey Devil?
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Chris
 

Teegate

Administrator
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Sep 17, 2002
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Very nice Chris! Thanks for sharing them. I especially like the second one.

Guy
 
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