Hike #485; Atsion to Berlin

 Hike #485 5/15/10

5/15/10 Atsion to Berlin with Jillane Becker, Shep Glennon, Dave MacArthur, Jason Kumpas, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Chris Herbig, Russ "Lord Byron" Rapp, Shelly Janes, Dana Janes, Chrissi Carney, and Alex Chujko.

Group shot in Berlin Park

This next hike would be focused around a party at Carol and Rob's house, celebrating the birthdays of both Carol and her sister Nicole (they called it the Buttery Creamer Party). I arranged for a hike that would connect their house with Atsion where we'd finished a hike on the old CNJ railroad way back.

This was also the first hike for our friend Dave MacArthur!

After meeting at their house on Dunham Loop, Berlin NJ, we shuttled cars to Atsion. On the way, there was an old lady holding hoagies up in the air for sale and Jillane bought me one. I finished it in like five minutes.

We got to Atsion and I went to check out the visitor's center and get some maps.

Once everyone was together, we began walking out and around some buildings around the office. There was a restroom at the way far end of the field, very inconvenient and smelly.

We ended up just walking back out to Rt 206 anyway. There were tons of bikers apparently heading down Quaker Bridge Road from here.

We turned left just over the Mullica River crossing, then passed an old abandoned house. Soon we came to a stone furnace stack which I climbed into. I read somewhere that this was part of the Raleigh Cotton Mill site.

Looking out of the old Atsion ruins, apparently one time a cotton mill was here.

We walked into the woods just beyond the tower and looked around for a few more ruins but we really didn't find anything.

Ruins at Atsion NJ

When we didn't see anything in particular we headed a bit to the south parallel with rt 206 on the dirt road and soon reached the old Jersey Central rail line with the tracks still in. I'd already followed this from Carranza to here, but not further southwest. We wouldn't follow that one on this occasion either. Atsion was once a junction with another branch that went almost due west to Atco. I know next to nothing about the line, except that it looked like it was followable, and was even a road further down.

I could barely recognize the junction site. The one line southwest still had tracks in but this one would have been long gone.  Across Rt 206 the entrance road to the beach area at Atsion Lake was built over the rail bed, but it soon turned left away from the main road on a plain sand road.

Looking for ruins in Atsion NJ

We went a short distance and soon another road went off to the left, also flat looking, but not the rail line we were looking for. It was pretty difficult to walk for a while, such soft sand was like walking on the beach.

Old rail bed heading out of Atsion.

To the left of us after a bit it looked rather weird. It didn't take long to figure out that there had been a fire along this rail bed to the south, and that the rail bed served as a fire line that kept it from spreading to woods to the north. Everything was charred and black except for a very nice new light green moss growing everywhere. it looked quite increidble.

New moss and grasses growing in the charred remains of Pine Barrens following a forest fire.

We continued on, and only occasionally did we see any black cinder dirt to remind us we were on a rail bed. I think we saw a couple ties here and there too. We also saw quite a few snakes in this area as I recall, and maybe a turtle? I can't remember all that well.

We came to one point where there was a big washout in the rail bed. I looked at it and though "Eh, I could jump that". No one looked as though they believed me. I think Shelly might have. Either way, I knew I could do it, but no one really challenged it except Dave I think. I liked the fact that I was pushed a bit I suppose, and so I ran it and made the jump. Maybe Jason Kumpas might have egged me on too. Not sure.

Old rail bed in Wharton State Forest west of Atsion

As we continued the rail bed became a much wider sand road, and less attractive in my opinion too. There were a few side roads here and there that joined in, and we could see there was a lot of ATV traffic along it. Overall though, it was rather boring in this stretch.

Restion on an old rail bed, Wharton State Forest just east of Atco

The rail bed did get narrower again as we reached civilization, but then again got wide. More side roads and trails were joining all of the time.

Railbed in Wharton State Forest east of Atco

We were soon able to hear the roar of loud engines I think to the north. I believe Jason told me that there was a drag strip over there in use, which would explain it. We soon came to where we could see some building,s and then were on Raritan Ave, a paved road built right on the railroad bed.

Along Raritan Ave, formerly the railroad bed toward Atco.

The first portion was more sparsely populated, especially on the south side, but it was a wide paved road, so it was rather unattractive. To top it off, it was straight as an arrow for too long. We continued along, and I remember Rob showed up for something...to pick someone up or something. I know Shelly and Dana cut out early but I thought they turned back at some point. I really can't remember for sure...

Resting on the rail bed, now Raritan Ave

Resting along Raritan Ave near Atco NJ

We continued on and the road eventually started to turn slightly to the right. Near here there was a big yard sale on the right, so we stopped to look at stuff and chatted with the owners for a bit. I think everybody got something or another. Jason actually got Carol's present there! I don't remember what I got...does'nt matter since it surely burnt up anyway, but oh well. Jillane had some stuff she wanted to get but it was too big to carry, so we asked if we paid for it could it stay on the porch and we'd pick it up later at night. Again, I don't remember what any of that was, but on our way home we did stop to pick it up and it was there (and more difficult to find the place in the dark).

Near the junction site in Atco, we stopped at a store I think. We then continued along the active tracks to the east. When we reached Cooper road we crossed them and were along a ball field. We went over and sat down on bleachers or benches or something for a break, and soon a train came. Dave asked if we should run to go see, it and I agreed, so we ran over and I was going to take a picture. A cop nearby however started yelling at us to get away from the tracks. I remember this being a relief to me that there were still people that would push me to do crazy things besides Kyle.

From here we walked Cooper Road south to White Horse Pike northwest. I remember stopping in a pizza place and some other place too on the route, but other than that it was just a crappy long road walk that I would never want to do again.

Once in the middle of Berlin we took a side trip down West Broad or Rich street or something to the left. This took us to the Berlin Borough Park. We crossed the ball fields and took a break for a while along the trailway and some benches, and waited for Chrissi and Alex to arrive and join us for the final leg of the trip.

Once they showed up, we continued south along the tiny beginnings of the Great Egg Harbor River, which started as little ponds just to the north in the park. We continued out to Watsontown Road and then turned left. We continued and walked in the fields to the left instead of right on the road, which was pretty.

Some of the group in a field south of Berlin along Watsontown Road

We soon reached Dunham Loop and the remainder of the day was partying in celebration of Carol and Nicole's birthdays. I believe I might have shit bagged the house...meaning hid junk all over the place. Kyle and I used to do it quite a lot, and during the previous Decemberween party we hid all sorts of stuff.

Although the hike was one of the most boring routes we'd ever put together, there was a good feeling behind it for me. Realization that life goes on as it must, and that I need to just be strong for all of my friends, and so I was.