Friday, October 15, 2010

Back in the Woods

Hi, all! Long time, no see, huh? Well, it's been busy around here lately. I haven't been sitting at the computer enough to put two words together... and the time that I do spend on the computer is usually spent on Facebook. (Sorry.) BUT anyway, here's a bizarre photo for you, that I took here in Iselin...

 


Looks kinda like a Weird NJ site, doesn't it? Well, it's not. Although I think I could make up a crazy story and hype it and we would attract plenty of bored teenagers.

The husband and I like to hike... and we hiked back in the woods... and this is what we found.

Anyone have any guesses? I have my own ideas about how and why these mounds got here. But I'd rather hear what you have to say. Leave me a comment. And I'm also wondering - do you think that it matters? They made me very uncomfortable. But really, I wonder, what difference do they make? Weird, yes. Problem? I guess not... give me your thoughts on this! :D

 
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12 comments:

  1. maybe some kids made them, to ride their bicycles or sport bikes over... where in iselin is this?!

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  2. If you follow the brook along the library, towards School 18, these are back in the woods.

    They are actually quite tall. I don't think the kids did it because there are too many of them and it would have been too difficult for them to move that much dirt. Plus, they are very regularly spaced, and too close together to get a good ride.

    I think that a bull dozer did it - I know that a year or two ago, the county or the parks department or someone was working on drainage and the brook. I have no idea WHY the bull dozer guy would have left this like this, in such neat little mounds. I guess it doesn't matter? But it's kinda spooky or something.

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  3. They were made by kids, by hand. There is no way a bulldozer could make them. They make a paste-like mud and form them to the shape, like a mason would do. Then cover them with plastic to dry. Search around and you will find their stash of wheel barrows, shovels, and pails for the water. Pretty amazing ! They are where the old horse track was behind school 18. I stumbled upon them myself years back and asked my nephews what they were. My guess was to hide behind for paint ball wars. They looked too insane for bikes. I was told they ARE for BMX bicycles. Motorcycles would destroy them. A REALLY great example of these is in Woodbridge at the end of Ridgedale ave, or you can get there from behind the skate park on Rahway ave. I watched a kid do his thing on these once, it was insane! I was totally impressed.

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  4. Wow!!! I'm amazed!!! They must have taken a LOT of time to create them; they are really big. I never really thought the kids had any kind of energy for a project like this! I would love to see someone ride on them. Any links to videos?

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  5. I was thinking they came from digging the graves at the cemetery, perhaps extra dirt from each opened grave?

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  6. Bwahaha... a good thought for Halloween... I hope that it's not true. But it does look spooky enough, and it does remind me of a cemetery!

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  7. these are the woods right next to school 18 on elizabeth ave in iselin..... the mounds are construted by kids like myself 15 years ago....this is a spot where we would ride bikes and make jumps and trails and other things as well... i had some good times back in those woods

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  8. I am totally impressed that kids would create something so painstakingly, and it seems that they have lasted all these years! I would love to see some kids riding back there, but I'm pretty sure that adults would not be welcomed. I wonder if any videos exist?

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  9. thats is why you dont see them being used anymore....the neighbors complained about kids going into the woods...the township multiple times drove in bulldozers and knocked down the jumps...but i dont think u will see any kids back there anymore, they are to busy playing playstaion and on the computer...there used to be couches and a fire pit back there to... we would stay back there all day

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  10. Kids today don't know what they are missing out on... how long ago was this? 90's?

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  11. there used to be loads of these scattered in iselin, woodbridge, sea warren, avanel, and the surrounding areas. the 90s was around the time they were made, no one knew what to do or where to go to not get in trouble, so they jumps were made as a place to skate and bike and hangout, but apparently we were all still a burden to the people surrounding the areas. hours and days and weeks were put into those, repeatedly, even after a mom went and got the skatepark put in, cause thats where everyone felt at home. After constantly putting hard work into something everyone loved only to have to watch as it was obliterated before our eyes, everyone gave up, and at that point even being outside would get you in trouble with the police, so we were all forced inside to play video games or face the chance of getting in trouble or having a record for minding our own business. its sad, really, but what else could you do?

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