Tuesday with Alfie

[manumuskin]

Al,

If you don't go back yourself, you and I can head back there one day and also check out Bob's stone. Then we can clear away the brush and look it over better.

Also, as soon as it warms up in March and we have a decent day let head out to the Great Swamp by Wescoat and look for the stones I sent you the cords for a while back.

Guy

would the rectangular plots be in the medder south of the great swamp? down by the deer in the snare pic whip took?that would be a great area to hunt.didn't you say that those plots are still privately owned but that you don't know by who?i wonder if someone is still paying taxes on it? if not the state will have it soon.you never really truly own anything worth anything.
Al

 

[Teegate]

Al,

I will send you an email.

Guy

 

[whippoorbill]

Union Lake WMA/Maurice River Bluffs Nature Preserve

Alfie and I stayed local this week, checking out some areas near his home in Millville/Laurel Lake. We pretty much drove around Union Lake Wildlife Management Area before joining up with Al's brother, Bill, and walking for a few hours around the bluffs on the Maurice River. Enjoy the photos.

white pine grove

walking the bluff trails

Bill (nearly as handsome as his brother)

old grain silo (so sez the historian we had along)

spring

a most impressive mansion

check out the chimney!

inside

inside spin

the back yard

final leg

 

[manumuskin]

thats my little big brother who is quite proud of being both much taller and much uglier then I am.
Al

 

[bobpbx]

Stunning photography as usual Bill. Unfrikkinbelievable (if that is a word).

I was there last year (Al showed me the way)....at that house....and my photos are downright embarrasing next to yours. I shan't post any. No sir, I won't.

 

[manumuskin]

I had forgot about that Bob.it was after the bear swamp hike wasn't it? we found a bunch of old cars further back behind this building that i had never seen before.all i was aware of was the very old truck out front which looks 40ish.the blue bomb in the back and another station wagon back there looks 60ish.
Al

 

[glowordz]

Nice views along the river bluffs! Looks as if y'all had some climbing to do.

The pine grove shots are beautiful, with the trunks, looking mysterious, expanding to the full, incredible height of the trees. On my laptop, a quarter of that photo fills the screen, and scrolling down gives a marvelous effect.

I'm curious about the mansion and its backyard of bodies that my husband would love to see. Is this a deserted homestead that belongs to the Nature Conservancy? Can anyone suggest how old the mansion might be?

Thanks for sharing your day.

Glo

 

[manumuskin]

the mansion is supposedly a house that belonged to one of the wheatons.thats what i hear anyway.I know it has been a ruin since the 80'sthe burnt wood inside is still present so i would assume it burnt less then 30 or 40 years ago,how long can burnt wood last? the chimneys are red brick i say that makes it no more then maybe 120 years old...how long has red brick been around?
there are much larger and nicer white pine groves down near belleplain,more remot too.
Al

 

[whippoorbill]

.

 

[whippoorbill]

window and door

 

[whippoorbill]

alfalfa

 

[Pine Baron]

You made this one look like a portrait done in oils. Very cool.

John-

 

[manumuskin]

Billy you gotta fish eye! made that house look like a silo!
I wondered how long it would take you to screw up the courage to post an alfalfa face! you should see the old shot someone got of me over on the cougar thread.

 

[bobpbx]

Notice the difference in vegetation. I was there in May. Al, notice the tulip poplar leaf.

 

[whippoorbill]

Bob,

These are great. Thanks for posting them. The old place sure serves up some seasonal flavors, doesn't it? Wow on the contrast between the heat of summer and dead of winter. I love all the green vegetation "taking over" in your shots. Since the mansion is so close by to my home, I suspect I'll pay it a few more visits, taking in the transitions. If you have any more photos from your visit there, I'd love to see them.

Bill

 

[manumuskin]

Bob
I also see virginia creeper climbing the walls(better then Rhus radicans) also stinkweed (sumac) by the way you should pay a visit in the spring.all around the house and along that corner of the field is stunningly hot pink midget rose bushes gone wild.the roses are about the size of a quarter ad they ramble all around that corner.you would think after that much time has passed they'd revert to the wild rose that is white and really doesn't look like a rose but smells awesome.I'll have to keep a watch and let you know when they bloom.
Al

 

[whippoorbill]

friendship

Today's original plan had to be aborted due to road conditions ... they're rather horrible throughout the barrens. A simple ride to and hike around the bogs of Friendship was eventually decided upon.

Thanks for looking and good night.

Rockville Road impassable.

The bogs at Friendship

 

[manumuskin]

Whip
in that google image you can see the islands on the other side of tulep from the one we were on and evidence of the old burn too.
i sense some new frog bogs come spring.lomger walk but might be worth it.
Alfie

 

[Teegate]

Great photo's Bill as usual. Did you get picked up by helicopter? Your tracks just stop.

A portion of that was the route we took on the PBX "Tip Toe Through the Tulpehocken" trip on 4/3/2004 except we were on the other side in that area.

A great hike!

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

guy
we headed to an island at are furthest penetration.another favorite of mine,bill had never been to it then we retraced our steps an went arond the other side of the carpenter frog bog.that area is really out there.i see by your route through the upper tulpe swamp that you crossed one large island i call the eight because it's shaped like an 8 but you missed some nice smaller ones more toward center.That would be another favorite area of mine,i consider the tulpe to be the prime barrens river.wading is much the same but the crowds make it unpleasant in summer,There are other nice small creeks but the tulpe is a barrens river,there are a few holes in it seven ft deep.I know because we waded the whole thing from carranza road to wading river and i found a couple holes where i could hit bottom and just have my hand sticking out.
Al