BIYF Winter 2020-2021: Go Zwift or Go Home!!!!

[Mathers]

1-14-21
1 hr
1 bridge
3 points
The battle of Springfield in 1780 the Continental Dragoons battled the right column of the British forces.
https://strava.app.link/8WKoEWsB2cb

 

[Steve Vai]

1 + Bridge = 3

The Randolphville Bridge may have only been added to the Registry in 1999, but it's history goes back significantly farther than that.

Upon his return to Prostitution after the destruction of his Mill, Mr Gockel longed to go legit. He took what was left of his life's savings and bought a mode of transportation that would allow him to escape the hardships of Feltville. He bought his first Penny Farthing for 3 Cents, a year's wages in those days.

He would ride his Penny Farthing to a field on the outskirts of Olde Westefield, where he grew a special lettuce given to him by the Lenape Indians. Riding many miles throughout the lands he would sell the lettuce to people that wanted to make sandwiches and have picnics with Birch Beer. Eventually, he made enough money to enroll into the University of Rutgers. He rode his Penny Farthing across the Randolphville Bridge every day during his Commute to the School, 2 miles away.

At Rutgers, Mr Gockel joined the Football team, enjoying a sport invented only a few years prior. While his former life as a Prostitute made him a formidable Tight End, athletics would not be Mr Gockel's strong point. He would turn to numbers as console. He spent many hours of study adding and subtracting them from one another, becoming so good at it that he would graduate with top honors.

His high grades landed him a job out of College at one of the most prestigious Accounting Firms on the Street that he lived. They would sail around the world, hiding Client Assets in Tax Free Markets, making several dollars in the process. His success can be seen even today as you gaze upon his bicycle which has not one, but two gold bells on it.

 

[Piston Honda]

1/14
2:28 + dark + bridge = 5.5 points

Not on list: Landing Lane Bridge

Landing Lane Bridge - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Built in 1895, this 2 lane bridge is just wide enough to squeeze your wide-body Civic and F150 Raptor through. While much of the original bridge has been replaced, the piers were only refurbished rather than being replaced, as this would have required Coast Guard approval, which would have added years to the refurbishment project.

The plaque from the 1895 metal truss structure is on display at the northern end of the bridge.

On the list: Old Stone Arch Bridge

Old Stone Arch Bridge (Bound Brook, New Jersey) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Built in 1731, it is the oldest bridge in New Jersey. Since the early 1870s, the Old Stone Arch Bridge has been buried up to the parapets due to the construction of a railroad embankment.

In the image below, the only visible part of the bridge is in front of the concrete barrier.

 

[ekuhn]

Not on list: Landing Lane Bridge

Landing Lane Bridge - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Built in 1895, this 2 lane bridge is just wide enough to squeeze your wide-body Civic and F150 Raptor through. While much of the original bridge has been replaced, the piers were only refurbished rather than being replaced, as this would have required Coast Guard approval, which would have added years to the refurbishment project.

Soon to be widened! Construction June 2022! Going to mess up getting to Football games (walking across the bridge), but should be better for all. If you've ever seen two busses on the bridge, its a little tight.

Landing Lane Bridge Will Be Replaced, Opening in 2023

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - The rickety, narrow Landing Lane Bridge spanning the Delaware & Raritan Canal will be replaced by a wider bridge with two 11-foot lanes, two 1-foot shoulders and a 6-foot...

www.tapinto.net

 

[w_b]

Soon to be widened! Construction June 2022! Going to mess up getting to Football games (walking across the bridge), but should be better for all. If you've ever seen two busses on the bridge, its a little tight.

Landing Lane Bridge Will Be Replaced, Opening in 2023

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - The rickety, narrow Landing Lane Bridge spanning the Delaware & Raritan Canal will be replaced by a wider bridge with two 11-foot lanes, two 1-foot shoulders and a 6-foot...

www.tapinto.net

LOL, no kidding, I was riding the walkway over the other week, when a truck came over. There was no room, for any other vehicles, in either lane, while he was traversing. Was glad I chose the walkway.

 

[chemgirl]

1/13

1:31 + 4 bonus = 5.5 points

Looks like I was riding the same area as Robin. I knew there were a lots of old bridges over on the 'right loop' of my ride. They all cross either the South Branch Raritan River or the Coopalong Creek. I stopped and took pictures of the first five. The last two on Lower Kingtown I just rode over. I don't take riding pics, because the whole process of gloves/phone/pics adds too much time. There are so many old bridges out in Hunterdon, I could string together routes like this that span numerous bridges for several days.

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/lowerlandsdown/
Pretty sure this was Robin's bridge too.

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/kiceniuk/

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/hamden_river/

This one was built in 2005 so not historic, I guess I should have realized that when it had a separate bike/pedestrian lane.
https://bridgehunter.com/nj/hunterdon/bh53176/

This is the pedestrian-only bridge that connects River Road to Hamden Road. I could not find any info regarding this bridge. I may have found something on BridgeHunter that claimed the bridge was destroyed, but it clearly isn't.

For the two on Lower Kingtown that I didn't take pics of, only one is considered historic, built in 1925. The other was originally built in 1916 but then destroyed and rebuilt in 1997.
https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/lowerkingstown/
https://bridgehunter.com/nj/hunterdon/bh53355/

Now todays ride is going to seem very boring.

 

[stb222]

1/14

1:31 + 4 bonus = 5.5 points

Looks like I was riding the same area as Robin. I knew there were a lots of old bridges over on the 'right loop' of my ride. They all cross either the South Branch Raritan River or the Coopalong Creek. I stopped and took pictures of the first five. The last two on Lower Kingtown I just rode over. I don't take riding pics, because the whole process of gloves/phone/pics adds too much time. There are so many old bridges out in Hunterdon, I could string together routes like this that span numerous bridges for several days.

View attachment 148646

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/lowerlandsdown/
Pretty sure this was Robin's bridge too.
View attachment 148649

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/kiceniuk/
View attachment 148648

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/hamden_river/
View attachment 148647

This one was built in 2005 so not historic, I guess I should have realized that when it had a separate bike/pedestrian lane.
https://bridgehunter.com/nj/hunterdon/bh53176/
View attachment 148650

This is the pedestrian-only bridge that connects River Road to Hamden Road. I could not find any info regarding this bridge. I may have found something on BridgeHunter that claimed the bridge was destroyed, but it clearly isn't.
View attachment 148651

For the two on Lower Kingtown that I didn't take pics of, only one is considered historic, built in 1925. The other was originally built in 1916 but then destroyed and rebuilt in 1997.
https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/lowerkingstown/
https://bridgehunter.com/nj/hunterdon/bh53355/

Now todays ride is going to seem very boring.

Nice! Knocked the bonus out all in one ride.

 

[thegock]

1/14/21

1:28 1.5
DARKLY 1
Bridge Boni 2

Total 4.5

IM🍑M ENTS

I am now afraid to open this thread for certain reasons...

Another day of hiding money overseas started before 9am, so the average ride temp was 32 degrees on my early morning rounds. Jim sold the bridge in his picture a bit short. It sits astride the Blue Brook on the original road from the Fields West of Elizabeth

to New Providence, which dates back at least to the 1800's and possibly earlier. You can see the original rock structures that supported the north end of one earlier iteration in the photo below. What you can't see is that they extend west eight more feet on the other side of the bridge that must have been more than 24 feet wide.

This was enough room to drive my team of oxen over the bridge, while delivering blow up dolls to Feltville in the 1800's.

 

[Steve Vai]

1/14/21

1:28 1.5
DARKLY 1
Bridge Boni 2

Total 4.5

IM🍑M ENTS

I am now afraid to open this thread for certain reasons...

View attachment 148653

Another day of hiding money overseas started before 9am, so the average ride temp was 32 degrees on my early morning rounds. Jim sold the bridge in his picture a bit short. It sits astride the Blue Brook on the original road from the Fields West of Elizabeth

View attachment 148655

to New Providence, which dates back at least to the 1800's and possibly earlier. You can see the original rock structures that supported the north end of one earlier iteration in the photo below. What you can't see is that they extend west eight more feet on the other side of the bridge that must have been more than 24 feet wide.

This was enough room to drive my team of oxen over the bridge, while delivering blow up dolls to Feltville in the 1800's.

View attachment 148654

I'm amazed after almost 150 years, your original rock work at that bridge landing is still intact. Quality Craftmanship.

 

[rick81721]

1/14

2:44

2.5 pts

outback with bob

Ride on mountain bikes thru north port then north along the Myakkahatchee creek to the Carlton reserve. First stop at the rope swings

Then we stopped at the Deer Prairie Slough bridge - only built in 2000 so not historical but we always stop here to see wildlife. Decent size gator was sunning

Further down, we see this couple every year. Do gators mate for life?? Note the big male is wearing a fancy hat of swamp weeds - presumably some mating ritual.

 

[pygmypony]

1/14
1 hour ride, + 2 pt bridge bonus = 3 pts total

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a couple of bridge pics...the first two are the bridge that carries Oak Tree Road in Edison (county rd 604) over the Conrail Lehigh Valley RR Line, which dates back to 1855!!!

according to this article, the bridge was slated to be replaced back in 2012...something tells me that project stalled! i dug up another doc that shows this bridge as having been built in 1931, but it looks like it's been updated since then...still, it's a mess

another historical tidbit...this bridge is basically right behind St Thomas (FKA Bishop Ahr, FKA St Thomas) HS, pygmypony, class of 1988.

the second bridge is on the same RR line, at Park Ave, which i think at that point, is So Plainfield. a very non-exhaustive google search only came up with this hit on that bridge, which doesn't have much info, but man, there's a historical amount of trash under that bridge!

 

[Soundguy]

1/14
1hr = 1pt
https://strava.app.link/k67iQizY2cb

Nothing cool here just been working on the Commencal all morning and wanted to test ride it somewhere that I’m never too far from the car. Dickerson Mine is not a great place to dial 170mm of suspension tho, lol.

 

[iman29]

1/14/2021
58:32 = 1 Point
Bonus Bridge Pic = 2 points?
3 points total (please)
Bridge No. 1401-096 Naughright Road

Today was one of those days where I was going to ride, then not ride, then ride, then ride Zwift but then I said F*ck it and decided to get outside even though work meetings ran over and I only had an hour. I figured it would have taken me longer to get Zwift set up to ride then it would to get dressed and get out. I even had the chance to ride with a local WFH buddy so it was much better to get out. I literally had max time an hour to ride and even that was cutting it close so I had too make sure I at least got past the rounding rule time. I also hastily said "Oh good a Bridge" and when the traffic light was red I snapped a quick pic.

All I could find is the name/number of the bridge online. I thought it would be easy to find more info somewhere online but I failed to find any. so if the masses decide to call BS on the bridge pic I understand - hoping for at least credit for the effort to stop and take one of some nice scenery.

I was also thinking this might be my last outdoor ride for a bit depending on the outcome of tomorrow's ortho visit for my left shoulder which I am pretty sure is partially separated from the stupid tip over/fall I had a few weeks ago. Stay tuned on that one...

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[Robin]

1/14 - 5 points

Part 1 - making the most of my DARK (bonus) morning (listening to How a Flea Circus Works on Stuff You Should Know) + bridge bonus* (4 points)

Part 2 - after school jaunt (1 point) - I realized I forgot my bibs/pants so luckily my skinny jeans were somewhat comfortable. I already hit my bridge bonus max but this was a cool one too.

*Higginsville Road Bridge - I ride over these bridges often - thinking they were the same - but each one (there are 2) are significantly different according to the Historic Bridge information. The one I'm on was built in 1893 and restored in 2000. The one north was built in 1890. So I wonder how they got over the southern part if it wasn't built until 3 years later...or did they just not use the road for several years?

 

[Mtbdog]

1/14
2:02=2 pts.
Today's Total=2 pts.

Whipping Post - Frank R's 16.9 mi bike ride

Frank R rode 16.9 mi on Jan 14, 2021.

www.strava.com

 

[Jmann]

1/14
1:31
1.5 points

I missed the post about the bridge bonus, I could have hit up all the bridges over the gowanus.

 

[Patrick]

1/14/2021
58:32 = 1 Point
Bonus Bridge Pic = 2 points?
3 points total (please)
Bridge No. 1401-096 Naughright Road

Today was one of those days where I was going to ride, then not ride, then ride, then ride Zwift but then I said F*ck it and decided to get outside even though work meetings ran over and I only had an hour. I figured it would have taken me longer to get Zwift set up to ride then it would to get dressed and get out. I even had the chance to ride with a local WFH buddy so it was much better to get out. I literally had max time an hour to ride and even that was cutting it close so I had too make sure I at least got past the rounding rule time. I also hastily said "Oh good a Bridge" and when the traffic light was red I snapped a quick pic.

All I could find is the name/number of the bridge online. I thought it would be easy to find more info somewhere online but I failed to find any. so if the masses decide to call BS on the bridge pic I understand - hoping for at least credit for the effort to stop and take one of some nice scenery.

I was also thinking this might be my last outdoor ride for a bit depending on the outcome of tomorrow's ortho visit for my left shoulder which I am pretty sure is partially separated from the stupid tip over/fall I had a few weeks ago. Stay tuned on that one...

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View attachment 148680

Headwaters of the South Branch River - it is getting a lot of play today.

 

[Patrick]

1/14

1:30 moving 1.5
Bridge Bonus +4
Points 5.5

Stellar Day! - patrick m's 19.5 mi bike ride

patrick m rode 19.5 mi on Jan 14, 2021.

www.strava.com

This the Elm Street Bridge in Neshanic Station (local name.) It is unique in in the area as it is a lenticular truss bridge.
It is noted in National Register. Built in 1896, it is well maintained, painted every few years. It is a long, single lane bridge!
I have a picture of it under water during Floyd (i think, or maybe Irene?) It spans the South Branch of the Raritan river about 4 river miles before it meets the North Branch.
That is why it is called Branchburg.

Just west (upstream/picture's right) of this bridge is an old Central NJ Railroad bridge also built in 1896. It was taken out of service long ago and replaced by a conrail line just downstream(left) of this picture. It is currently slated to become a linear park as part of the Somerset County Greenway. Following to the left of the picture below, the old railbed runs through Hillsborough and into the back of Duke Farms - if you have been in there, one of the roads is called Railroad ave - that the old railbed. There was a siding near the Hillsborough YMCA that ran into the Belle Mead Depot, then out towards amwell rd/canal rd - you can see the old pilings from the current bridge across the millstone river.
Pilings can be seen from Rt 206 where it would have continued on to @thegock's troll bridge as seen above.

Neshanic Station Railroad Bridge - HistoricBridges.org

Historic Truss Bridge in Neshanic Station Somerset County, New Jersey. A pin-connected truss bridge next to a historic mill sets an undisturbed, traditional scene that is today hard to find.

historicbridges.org

The millhouse behind it has a video on youtube. I've posted it before. There was also a dam to run the waterwheel.
It has been demolished.

To the west of the bridge, there is a fill that terminates at someone's yard. There are clues where the railbed ran through beyond that.
The cut is still there where they moved the fill - but mostly it is gone for a few miles until it appears again crossing Woodfern Rd.
This is where the greenway will pick up and go into Hunterdon county. They have already started - and at the far end of the
Higginsville bridge which @Robin posted, is the trailhead. I rode it today - only problem is that there is a lease on the land for
another year on the somerset side - it is a gun club.

Another shot of the Higginsville bridge. I would guess they didn't need the near section, which is why there was only 1
originally. there is an "island" in the middle.

Oh - one more cool thing - Hunterdon county engineers, and the DPW got together and put a new deck on one of the old bridges on that rail trail.
Came out great - and we have an identical one that needs the same treatment on the somerset side.

 

[chemgirl]

1/14

Just to avoid confusion.....I put the wrong date on yesterdays bridge ride (I posted it today), the date has been changed.

Today, Thursday = 2 pts

I miss mountain biking. So I rode my mountain bike on the road to Clinton to pick up a gift certificate and rode the Coopalong Creek Trail home. A huge mistake, it was a muddy mess. I guess I stick to the road for a little longer.

 

[Piston Honda]

This the Elm Street Bridge in Neshanic Station (local name.) It is unique in in the area as it is a lenticular truss bridge.
It is noted in National Register. Built in 1896, it is well maintained, painted every few years. It is a long, single lane bridge!
I have a picture of it under water during Floyd (i think, or maybe Irene?)

How deep underwater are we talking about here? Pass the deck? The struts?