Lehigh Gorge State Park (4-May-2016)

The plan for this trip was to go around the bridge pillar in this photo and up to an area I have yet to check out this year. I was going to collect small items while also scouting for tires. When I got to the bridge I found the rains had raised the river enough that I couldn't get around. I didn't think and if I had, I would have realized there was another way to go, I guess I just wasn't awake yet. Instead I went down river and worked on collecting small items off of the flood plain I had most recently taken the tires off of. 

Before and after. If it is hard to see, you can click on the photos to enlarge them. Removing all of the cans is a time consuming process.  

The cans not only have to be picked up, all of the sediment has to be removed from them too. Ones that are completely full can be difficult to crack open, but it has to be done. The sediment belongs there and the cans can't be recycled until they are cleaned out.

Plucked some cans from the water. At first I wasn't sure what the plastic object right at the water line was. Found out after I picked it up. 

A disposable camera. If I thought the film inside could be salvaged I would get it developed just to see what the people were doing when they lost it. 

If you are a return reader you might remember something like this from another post. Not far up river  I found a similar toy crib. In that case I thought I found both sides. Found more pieces that looked like they belonged to this one. In both cases the items looked old and I find it strange that I would find more than one set of these. 

In each area I worked on I would make a small pile until the surrounding area was clean, then I would bag it up and move on to the next spot. 

I did not know sponges like this existed. It was large and there is a good chance it was used as a bailer for a kayak. 

With a bag and a pack full it was back to the car to sort recyclables from non. 

During the sort I noticed this was not just a small piece of plastic. It had a pirate and a chest on it and when moved he opened it. Now that is one fancy tiny piece of trash.

This was the haul and I still wanted to do more. It has been killing me that I still haven't gone through the one section at the Glen Onoco Access. I remembered the easiest way to the area that earlier had disappeared from my mind. Back to the river for some trash and to do some tire scouting. 

It didn't take long to fill my pack with small items and that was all I brought with me on this second round of the day. I was mostly looking for tires and man did I find them. Tire after tire. This portion of riverbank is just packed with them. More than I have seen on any stretch so far.

I have to come up with a plan, which may involve a boat. Nothing is going to be easy in removing all of these tires. 

This was a surprise. I had found an old one a couple years back, never thought I would find a new model. I don't have a way to charge it, but from the sim I was able to find out how it was lost. It was on the head of its previous owner when they decided to go off of a rope swing not far up river. It was not secured. If you decide to use a rope swing on the river, don't have a camera on your head and for your safety wear a personal floatation device. 

Anyone know what this is? The part in my hand was heavy, could be filled with sediment though. At the other end of the white wire was a large suction cup. 

This was the second haul of the day. There is so much more work to be done. I still can't get over how many tires I found. The photos I put on here are just a few of what I actually found. I will be back again soon. Tomorrow I have something I have to get done, I will be doing a clean-up, most likely it will be on the Delaware though. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Tuscarora State Park (3-May-2016)

With the tire removal and two hikes yesterday, I wasn't up for much today. Headed over to Tuscarora State Park for a short hike and lakeside clean-up. I knew there would be more trash even with cleaning the shores by kayak not long ago. I hit some of the most heavily used areas near the lake and as I expected there was trash.

Fishing line. On the bank, in branches and wrapped around sticks. Picked up a lot of it. It is not heavy, it will fit in a pocket, so why is it so hard for people to take this out with them and dispose of it properly?

A couple of the few old items I found on this walk. They have most likely been on the lakeside since the early 90's.

Do you remember Crystal Pepsi? 

Fishing line also around a rock. 

These hooks were still in good condition. They may get some use in the future. 

Can you see the flip flop? I almost missed it.

Full 2 pack of Oreos. Who wants them?

It was overcast, yet the lake was nice and clam with the sounds of bird calls echoing across it.

This was everything. Close to a full pack and grocery bag. Was only shooting for a full pack so I did meet the goal of the day. Will be back to doing a larger clean-up tomorrow. 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

State Gamelands (2-May-2016)

Went to take a short hike this afternoon on a local state gamelands. It had been awhile since I visited this particular access. It has never been a real trashy area and I didn't think there would be more than a couple cans and a plastic bottle or two. I was disappointed right out of the parking lot when I found the sight above. 

The coolest find of this trip. Not the oldest 7-Up bottle I have found, it was an interesting one though. This will be going in the old bottle collection. 

This is a more common occurrence than you may think. People not only like to litter, but they like to put rocks in their garbage before leaving it where it doesn't belong. 

This was a sign for the small run that passes under the trail. Now ripped down, there was also graffiti below it on retention rocks for the bridge. 

This was the oddest item I found all day. Water, from Iceland. Why? The packaging states that it is carbon neutral, however, did the company factor in the impact from the gas the person who found the bottle had to use to dispose of it?

This was it from this short hike. A pack plus a grocery bag of glass bottles. This hike was just a short part of a long day. I kept the post short and I am heading to bed. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Lehigh Gorge State Park (2-May-2016)

After scouting over the weekend it was time to take the tires out. Back to the Glen Onoco Access, back across this bridge and back to the riverside. I headed to the furthest pile of tires I had waiting for me below Lock #2. 

This trip was meant to be specifically for tires, so I didn't even bring an extra bag with me. I did have my pack as I always do and did pick up a few other items. This was the most interesting find of the day. I wonder how old it is and how does an ice scrapper make it into the river? I did look up the business it was from and it looks like they are still around. I am pretty sure this would be too brittle to ever use as a scrapper again.

Grabbed these and found a path up to the trail. Took two trips with Penny along.

The tires along Lock #2. This was after I picked up a second small pile of two tires. In order to get them back I had to carry two ahead, tie Penny to a tree and go back for the rest. Penny will not walk back and forth with me for trash when I have to do this. 

Hopefully the last time these tires will ever be along a riverside. 

With the first five tires out I was ready for round two. Back down to the riverbank to pick up the last tires that I discovered on Saturday. 

Before taking the last of the tires up I walked through one last section that I skirted around on the last visit to this area. Just wanted to make sure there were no more tires that I missed. There weren't, but can you see all of the cans. I did pick up a few, this spot needs a ton of work though. 

This was my favorite part of taking these tires back. Not much vegetation in this cut and I was able to roll the tires to where they were in this photo. Any break from carrying them is appreciated. 

This was everything for the first excursion of the day. Jeff Greco who has helped with clean-ups before was going to help with getting these tires out, but I got there early and finished before he arrived. When he did get there I suggested we go up to the Drake's Creek Access. 

With Mr. Greco along I was able to see some cool birds up close. He calls them in, points them out and identifies them. This is a Black-and-White Warbler. There were many of these flying about, but this one came in the closest and took time to pose for photos. 

While following a bird as it flew through the trees Greco spotted this Porcupine. 

Trying to get closer photos of the Porcupine I found this. It is Gypsy Moth Caterpillars emerging from an egg mass. I have never seen this before. I have already seen their tents in some trees and it is looking like it is going to be another bad year in this area. 

                           

This came from the hike around Drake's Creek. I am not happy to say I missed all of these items on my last clean-up there. 

At one last stop we got to see Prairie Warblers. This individual didn't seem to mind when I moved closer to it. A couple times it even flew to perching points closer to me after I took a few steps towards it.

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Lehigh Gorge State Park (1-May-2016)

With a cold rain falling I set out to the Glen Onoco Access of the Lehigh Gorge State Park yet again. There is a seemingly never ending amount of trash to be removed from the banks of the Lehigh in this area. This trip was mainly meant to scout for more tires further down river, of course I took a bag for other items as well.

I took the trail to Lock #2 this time instead of going right to the river and working my way down the bank. This way I would cover more ground quickly and not get sidetracked with a lot of other trash before I got to the new areas for tires. 

This is Lock #2. I think it is awesome that trees have grown directly in the center of the lock in a strait line. From here I took the path on the far end down to the river. Immediately I started finding tires. 

At first glance I didn't think there was much I could do about this tire. On a closer inspection though I realized it was the tire itself was not reenforced with metal which many of them are. It also had a little bit of dry rot. The combination of those two things allowed me to rip it apart. I had no special tools, just pulled it apart and out from around the tree.

Even when people try their best they still loose things in the river. I have found several pairs of glasses with the safety cords still attached. Found four pairs total for the day. 

Found a good number of items right at the waters edge and plucked some other things out of the river itself. 

Just with a quick look you might not see the two things that had been removed in these before and after shots. Two tires were in the river here. I am very glad that I checked this section on the trip. I don't know how much rain we are expecting, but the river is sure to rise and items like this could have been taken further down stream.

I made two piles with the tires I had discovered on this search. I put them far enough away from the river that they will still be there tomorrow, no mater how much the river rises. It looks as though I will be taking around ten out tomorrow, including the ones I found yesterday.

With the rain I didn't see a single person on any of the trails, but the river was a different story. I had first a group of kayakers, then a small group of rafters. The rafts were labeled as one of the local rafting companies, my guess is that today was a training day. 

I was soaked by the end and I didn't have nearly as much trash as I wanted to remove. There is so much still down there. I really don't know how to convey to you the reader how big of a problem this actually is along all of our rivers. I am beginning to think I am the only one who actually realizes how much trash is out there. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA