South on the Towpath

Not the First Obstacle of the Day

26 December 2018

Tom wanted to explore the Pennsylvania side of the towpath from Washington Crossing south toward Bristol. He wasn't sure how far we'd get.

Ken, Chris, and I went along with him.

obligatory winter sky and bare tree picture 

 Washington Crossing bridge

I didn't see the entrance to the sidewalk on the Washington Crossing bridge. I didn't see that there was a sidewalk at all until I was several hundred feet onto the steel-grate bridge, telling myself not to look down to the river below. The guard on the Pennsylvania side was nice enough about it when Ken and I got there.

This was my first time on the PA side of the towpath south of Washington Crossing. We went under the new I-95 construction -- the bridge deck looks finished -- and were met with a barrier on the south side.

Like that would stop any of us.

Farther along we went under SEPTA's West Trenton Line railroad bridge.

The towpath was in good shape from Yardley north.

South of town, though, it got a little dodgy. As we got into Morrisville the path disappeared abruptly behind a warehouse at Bridge Street. We walked through the parking lot, carrying our bikes over a culvert using a pallet that was in there already.

Then we had to carry our bikes down a set of cement steps back to the towpath. We only noticed the wheel-width sized ramp after we'd reached the bottom.

Beyond that was a sign warning us that the path would end in 5000 feet. We kept going until the path ended at an active construction site. As we approached an air horn sounded from the railroad bridge above. We were near New Jersey Transit's Morrisville yard.

This being a weekday there were workers at the tunnel. Despite our reputation, we did not attempt to get through.

The towpath continued on the other side. We'll be back.

We turned around, back up the stairs (Chris placing his bike on the ramp this time), and across the Trenton Makes Bridge.

We rode on the streets near the Capitol complex and got back on the towpath at Calhoun Street.

In Ewing we got a little spread out. I used the regrouping to take a few pictures.

The ground, frozen when we started and thawing now, was getting mushy enough to make our ride feel like work. When we finished with 20 miles the distance was enough.

Once the tunnel construction is finished, and once we figure out a good place to start south of Washington Crossing, we'll come back and try to get all the way to Bristol.