The Woods of Minespung .... A PBX Hike

[Teegate]

All,

Back on October 4 all of the members of PBX received the invite from Bob for our first PBX trip of the season. Here is an edited version.


Hey, let’s do another trip! It’s been awhile, and we probably need it much more than we know, you know?

The title of this trip is “The Woods of Minespung”. We’ll meet at the waypoint “ParkNov7” in the below map at 9AM on 7 November, a Saturday. This area is likely infrequently explored, with perhaps only an occasional hunter. The trip length is 2.5 miles as the crow flies, which leaves room for exploring other areas if the terrain and time allows. But you know, we usually have a record of adding about 30% of distance to planned routes, so even if we follow the plan, it will likely end up being at least 3.3 miles or so of dense woods. We will be heading counterclockwise in a long oval, starting with “Peek In”

Happy trails to you!


On the trip today were:

Hewey
Bobpbx
Me (TeeGate)
Jessica
RednekF350
Rednek's wife Dottie
Their dog Murphy
Behr655 after a 5 year absence
Oriental on his second PBX adventure
Smoke_jumper for the first time
and "Lost Town Hunter" Ted Gordon


We met a short distance from High Crossing at 9AM and headed off for the shortest hike PBX has ever done. Normally, this area would be very wet but with the lack of rain it was obviously going to be dry.


The hunters have been busy.

Bone dry!

Normally would be flooded.

Murphy and some of the crew checking out the lack of water.

It appears someone may have made this small weir to raise the level of the spung for some reason. Various scenarios came up but no real conclusion.

Did I mention it is dry?

This was our route. Click to make larger.

I did not take many photos but I suspect the others will be along soon with some more. Even with the light rain it was enjoyable and also nice to see everyone again.



Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

Someone somewhere once said that people on this website don't really like to hike.

 

[Teegate]

Someone somewhere once said that people on this website don't really like to hike.

Someone somewhere can take a hike.

 

[RednekF350]

Although she will probably pay for this on a later hike with blood, Dottie said the hike was almost too easy.
It was a great crew today and we saw the return of a legendary PBX member and I sure hope to see more of him in the future.
I will put my photos together tomorrow.

 

[smoke_jumper]

It was a good day even with the rain. It was nice meeting everyone. I'm glad you guys decided to take it easy on me for my first time. I'm afraid the next one will make up for it

 

[RednekF350]

The day started and ended cloudy with just enough rain to make one a little damp but not uncomfortable. We had a group of ten out for this one and it was our first hike since June. My wife and Springer, Murphy were part of the crew too. Steve, a long time PBX'er, made his first hike in many years and was a welcomed addition !

We essentially explored an assortment of spungs and short savannahs, all of which were as dry as a bone. The spongs were all very close together and we had a point of interest to explore every 15 minutes or so which kept it fast paced.

Our very own PBX Rockstar Botanist, Ted Gordon, was along again for this one. His knowledge of Pine Barrens history is as amazing as his knowledge of the flora. Ted's willingness to share his knowledge with any one who asks a question makes these hikes an educational experience that can never be duplicated. I feel privileged to part of it.

Thanks to Bob for putting another one under our belts.

Ted and Bob analyzing one of the many interesting plants from the day.
Murphy thought he saw a dog biscuit bush.


Ted and Bob in pursuit.


Waves of smokegrass.


Good conversation. Murph is on the biscuits.


Our mascot Murph. We hiked 4 miles, he ran 8.


The somewhat damp crew.

 

[Teegate]

Very nice Scott.

 

[Teegate]

All,

While on the PBX hike on Saturday I was walking behind Lost Town Hunter and Oriental and overheard Lost Town Hunter say that Mannis Duck Pond was named for Manasses Dellett who is buried in the Atsion cemetery.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=36574014&PIpi=17336778

However, the name is not spelled Mannis so I want to check with him to make sure I heard correctly. I went the cemetery on Sunday morning and found this. Still not spelled correctly.

 

[smoke_jumper]

All,

While on the PBX hike on Saturday I was walking behind Lost Town Hunter and Oriental and overheard Lost Town Hunter say that Mannis Duck Pond was named for Manasses Dellett who is buried in the Atsion cemetery.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=36574014&PIpi=17336778

However, the name is not spelled Mannis so I want to check with him to make sure I heard correctly. I went the cemetery on Sunday morning and found this. Still not spelled correctly.


View attachment 6613

You did hear that correctly. I was pretty much listening to his every word.

 

[RednekF350]

Guy,

There are more than a few Manassas Delletts. I believe the oldest one is the one that is buried behind the Church on QB Road has a headstone there that is very old. He was born in 1811 and died in 1893. You can see his tombstone there but Ancestry .com limits how much you can gather for free. In the link below he had a son named Manassas that died in 1890 which almost jives with the findagrave link below that.

http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/manassas-dellett_166958607

My wife and I used to walk around that cemetery back in the 70's after riding motorcycles through the pines and we always thought that Manassas was a cool name. Although, we never took the leap and named either of our kids Manassas.

There is another buried in Whiting who adopted the abbreviated name Manas. 1855-1899

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11793714

Mannis, Manis and Manas are all variations of Manassas it seems.
Now we need to see when Mannis Duck Pond first appeared on maps.

I am sure Don Catts can fix any distorted facts here.

 

[smoke_jumper]

Hmmmm,
Manassas, I wonder if the Mrs would like that name. We were just talking names tonight. I might have to slip that one in the mix

 

[SuperChooch]

Guy,

There are more than a few Manassas Delletts. I believe the oldest one is the one that is buried behind the Church on QB Road has a headstone there that is very old. He was born in 1811 and died in 1893. You can see his tombstone there but Ancestry .com limits how much you can gather for free. In the link below he had a son named Manassas that died in 1890 which almost jives with the findagrave link below that.

http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/manassas-dellett_166958607

My wife and I used to walk around that cemetery back in the 70's after riding motorcycles through the pines and we always thought that Manassas was a cool name. Although, we never took the leap and named either of our kids Manassas.

There is another buried in Whiting who adopted the abbreviated name Manas. 1855-1899

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11793714

Mannis, Manis and Manas are all variations of Manassas it seems.
Now we need to see when Mannis Duck Pond first appeared on maps.

I am sure Don Catts can fix any distorted facts here.

I've always been interested in the history of Mannis Duck pond and the origin of the name. It aways struck me as kind of a peculiar spot, kind of an isolated place to build a dam. It look like it goes back as least as far as 1930, looking at the 1930 aerial:

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.7438634303833&lng=-74.66658252876283&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=

Which is certainly older than the current dam, from 1962. Which if I recall from reading here previously it was posited to be built by the Lower Forge Deer Club.

 

[SuperChooch]

Hmmmm,
Manassas, I wonder if the Mrs would like that name. We were just talking names tonight. I might have to slip that one in the mix

You're expecting another little one? Congrats!!

 

[smoke_jumper]

You're expecting another little one? Congrats!!

Haha. thanks. It came as a huge shock to us. But we're excited. That was one of the reasons she was a little under the weather when we met up.

 

[Teegate]

I have an email out to Ted and I should hear more by tomorrow I suspect.

 

[bobpbx]

Manassas. I remember. I've always liked Mr. Stills. Great harmonies to go along with that delicious twang of his guitar.

 

[Don Catts]

Guy,

There are more than a few Manassas Delletts. I believe the oldest one is the one that is buried behind the Church on QB Road has a headstone there that is very old. He was born in 1811 and died in 1893. You can see his tombstone there but Ancestry .com limits how much you can gather for free. In the link below he had a son named Manassas that died in 1890 which almost jives with the findagrave link below that.

http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/manassas-dellett_166958607

My wife and I used to walk around that cemetery back in the 70's after riding motorcycles through the pines and we always thought that Manassas was a cool name. Although, we never took the leap and named either of our kids Manassas.

There is another buried in Whiting who adopted the abbreviated name Manas. 1855-1899

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11793714

Mannis, Manis and Manas are all variations of Manassas it seems.
Now we need to see when Mannis Duck Pond first appeared on maps.

I am sure Don Catts can fix any distorted facts here.

Ted is right, the old timers called it Manassas (Dellett) duck hole.

 

[BEHR655]

Although she will probably pay for this on a later hike with blood, Dottie said the hike was almost too easy.
It was a great crew today and we saw the return of a legendary PBX member and I sure hope to see more of him in the future.
I will put my photos together tomorrow.

Dang! I didn't know I was a legend! Lol
It was great to be back with old friends and new. Hope to make more hikes. And look out, I may dust off a trip I started designing a few years ago.