829 Southdrive

829 Southdrive

A New Jersey state of mind



Thursday, March 29, 2012

Others Who Crossed The River Into New Jersey




Christmas night, 1776, months after the 2nd of July, George 
Washington and his army of 2400 cross the icy Delaware from 
 Pennsylvania to the New Jersey side.  He was immediately taken
aback by the lack of sidewalks lining the streets and lanes.  Vowing
to press on, he and his troops began the nine mile march to Trenton
to see what all the fuss was about regarding 'tomato pies'.
Something about thin crust and chunky tomatoes.





What I just said.





Another person who's recently claimed to have crossed the same 
river to settle on the Jersey side may have taken this bridge to 
get to his destination.  But I'm thinking it was a different one.
This would have made Washington's crossing a bit easier, and
it"s very conveniently located right across Rt. 29 from the park.





The mighty Delaware looking north into the stiff March wind.
That sandy area to the right is purportedly where the landing
site was for the troops that frigid winter's night.





The view looking up the Delaware-Raritan canal which runs along
the mighty Delaware.  The path is great for bike-riding, and if I had
gone 2 miles farther today than my 5 mile ride north, I would have 
reached O Docker's old stomping ground, Lambertville. There he 
quickly realized that in fact, he had moved to a foreign country.





The supposed trampled path through Washington's Crossing State
Park where the troops trudged on, knowing that less than 9 miles
from here, they'd have a quick scuffle with some drunken Hessian
soldiers, and then tuck in to a little scungilli marinara, Joey's tomato
pies, and wash it all down with some Chianti from straw bottles.




After the troops watched the bowl-games on New Year's Day,
they geared up for the next donnybrook that would take place in 
Princeton two days later.  But that's another history lesson.


22 comments:

  1. I've always thought it an amazing coincidence that he happened to cross the river at a place called Washington's Crossing.

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  2. I have seen that stretch of the Delaware, in December and its looks pretty much as the painting depicts it; fast water and lots of ice. What is cool is how G.W. crossed it standing up in the boat.

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  3. Lambertville used to be my old stomping, drinking and eating grounds as well. In fact I often miss that town. Everything was in walking distance.

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  4. What are "tomato pies?" Thin crust and chunky tomatoes made by Joey, wash it all down with some Chianti from straw bottles. Sound like my kind of party!

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  5. Doug, among his many firsts, G.W. invented Stand Up Paddleboarding. So standing up in a rowboat was a cake walk for him.

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  6. Nah Joe, it was a pie walk - they were after some of those Chambersburg tomato pies.

    I think it's just a Trenton thing, but locals think you can say pizza or pie, but never pizza pie. To them, it would be like saying you sail a bateau boat. So, it's tomato pie or no pie for you. Go figure.

    People from Jersey just like being difficult.

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    Replies
    1. Pie = pizza = me looking in the mirror saying, "Duh!" I guess I really am hick.

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  7. Judging by that picture, GW also invented ice boating and 3/4 length hiking pants.

    PS. She wore a brand New Jersey.

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  8. Washington, Washington
    Six foot two, weighs a f#cking ton.

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  9. Let's remember that the painting at top is an artist's rendering. GW was most likely sitting down for most of the ride, sucking down a cracklin' cold Yuengling tall boy. Meanwhile, the boys in the boat were scooping up the the river ice to chill the many cases of such that would slake their thirst when they fulfilled their mission of consuming Trenton's finest tomato pies.

    Ah, road trips! These guys deserve hero status because they left the missus' at home on Christmas night and went out with holes in their socks and no shoes, so they say. The Hessians were lulled into complacency by the offering of a pilsener styled bier, but were then brought low by the Jalapeno Diablo pies recommended by GW.

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  10. If it hadn't been for my bell, Americans would still be speaking Hessian.

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    Replies
    1. Hessian-speakers have always had a good national medical coverage and (for the last half century anyways) no foreign wars. I would think your bell was a mixed blessing.

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    2. Oh come on Doc. That Hessian system has only been working for 125 years. It's too soon to say whether such a system will prove successful in the long run. In any case, such a system is probably going to be ruled unconstituional in the US in the next few months, and who would want a system that is against some rules dreamed up by a bunch of 18th century slaveowners even if it is really good?

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    3. I had that in mind when I said your bell was a mixed blessing.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Not to mention that the signature Philly food on a brötchen would be würst than a cheesesteak.

    ... on second thought, that might be a good thing. The Emperor of Steaks might never have had his day.

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