redbrick Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Hi all! My middle son's 13th birthday is coming up next month (so you can expect to 'see' him here, that's all he's been talking about for months!), and as a present, I'm planning a creek crawl trip for him and his brothers. I thought maybe Big Brook and the Ram, and possibly Poricy Park, IF they're all close enough to manage. We live just east of Hershey PA, so the Jersey shore is a three hour daytrip. I'm planning on either the weekend of the 20th or 27, whenever I can get a day off (Saturday OR Sunday, work has been manic!). I could use any advice, tips, tricks, etc. that anyone has to offer. I could really use an address for the sites for mapquest. Thanks! Andy (redbrick) "All living things do one of two things. They either grow, or they die. When they stop growing, they immediately start dying. The mind is also a living thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taxman56 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 No rain lately, your best bet is sifting the grave banks. Big Brook has regulations on size of sifter 18x18 and hand trowels only. If it rains the day before and your lucky, you might get some picking in before the regulars beat you down to the creeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Ahoy Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Yea, it's definitely sifting weather at the moment, unless as Taxman said, you get lucky and get rain the day before. The day after a rain, local collectors usually make their rounds, and after that, you're back to sifting. However, let me know and I'd be more than willing to meet up with you and help you out down there. Big Brook and Ramanessin are very close together, but I have never been to Poricy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbrick Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Thanks, Darwin, that would be great! There is one catch, though. My work scheduling is extremely last-minute. I usually don't know if I'm working Saturday until Friday. If you can work with that, great! If not, I completely understand. Andy (redbrick) "All living things do one of two things. They either grow, or they die. When they stop growing, they immediately start dying. The mind is also a living thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbrick Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) Well, it looks like the date for the "Jersey Expedition 2011" will be on Saturday, August 20. We'll be leaving the house as early as possible (I'm hoping to be on the road by 7:00, maybe earlier) and heading to Big Brook and the Ram. Anyone want to join in? I do still need to figure out "street addresses" for the sites, so I can get directions from Google maps. Can anyone help with that? Also, I understand that the Ram has a shovel size limit. I have two entrenching tools with blades 6 inches wide by 8 and 8.5 inches long, repective. Are these too big? Thanks! p.s., I expect my son will be bugging to register on the forum on the 18th, that's his 13th birthday, and he can'trwait! Edited August 10, 2011 by redbrick Andy (redbrick) "All living things do one of two things. They either grow, or they die. When they stop growing, they immediately start dying. The mind is also a living thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I don't think you will find a street address for either. For Big Brook there is parking on Hillsdale Road where it crosses the brook. Trails lead up and down stream as well as to the creek below the bridge (watch out for the Poison Ivy at that spot). You can also access the brook where Boundary Road crosses it. That is the next bridge upstream (west) or parallel of Hillsdale Rd. The Hillsdale Road access is the easiest but the most used as well. Fossils can be found both up and down stream throughout the gravels. The oyster beds are closer to the stream so there is a better chance of getting those fossils downstream. You might get a few different opinions about best locations. In the dozen-odd years I collected there I eventually found good stuff everywhere. For the Ram I always went in across from Village Elementary School which is on Holmdel Middletown Road just north of 520. The greenbelt park is across the road and you just follow the trails headed to the right, sticking with it until it gets to the stream. Again up and downstream always produced fossils. If you go up this time you can go down the next. The entrenching tools will be fine. Just don't bring full-size shovels or spades. Good luck. I really miss the cool waters of the brooks during these long hot summers. Pray, shout, sing or dance for rain! All efforts are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Ahoy Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I have to check my schedule, but I may be there on the 20th. I'll let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbrick Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Erode, thanks for the directions and tips. You can have some of our rain, we seem to have a surplus at the moment! Make mowing the lawn interesting, to say the least. Darwin, we'll keep an eye out for you! Andy (redbrick) "All living things do one of two things. They either grow, or they die. When they stop growing, they immediately start dying. The mind is also a living thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbrick Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Darn autocorrect! I didn't mean to misspell your name, Erose! Andy (redbrick) "All living things do one of two things. They either grow, or they die. When they stop growing, they immediately start dying. The mind is also a living thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now