Hike #1198; Palmyra/Philadelphia/Camden
2/3/19 Palmyra/Philadelphia/Camden with Jennifer Berndt, Justin Gurbisz, Jack Lowry, Sarah Jones, Craig Craig, David Goldberg, and Dan Asnis
This next hike would be an outstanding one that again would connect places I’d been before with places I’d never seen, and end up being far more interesting than anticipated.
Pennsauken Creek
I met the group at the northern Pennsauken station on the River Line, formerly the route of the Camden and Amboy Railroad just across the Pennsauken Creek from Palmyra NJ.
Old trailer
My plan was to hike a little bit of the trail system we’d not done yet on the NJ side there from the perimeter series, then cross the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to reach northern Philadelphia. We would then attempt to follow the Delaware River downstream to Philadelphia and finish with the “high line” they have there, which echoes the more famous one in New York.
Things wouldn’t quite go as planned, but it would be fine that way regardless. We’d end up with an outstanding route with a whole lot to see.
Abandoned
We started walking from the station, which was my jump off point for a couple of the NJ Perimeter hikes. We headed across the 543/New River Road bridge over Pennsauken Creek, and then turned left over the cloverleaf edge to follow Rt 73 north. We didn’t have to go far before there was a vacant lot on the left where we passed through an opening in a fence to an area that was associated with old dredge spoils. There was an old trailer out there immediately on the left.
Abandoned
We didn’t go into this somehow on the NJ Perimeter hike. I think the area was more blocked at the time and we went in from the flea market. So we had to check it out.
Abandoned
“Paul” was written on the door to the trailer, and we went inside to have a look around. Justin found a thing of thumb tacks he ended up flinging all over the place, despite my pleas to hang onto them and put them in funnier places during the course of the day.
We headed out of the trailer and onto the old dirt road through the lands, and then reached the fence that blocked off the flea market. We went to the far end of this, and were able to pass through a hole that took us in to it.
Craig stand!
We wandered right into the mess of it all and started having a look around. This was good anyway, because Craig was running late and would be able to meet up with us earlier.
We checked out a lot of displays, and I ended up buying a Stevie Wonder CD collection that my ex, Cathy used to have. I always loved the set, and they had it for only five bucks.
I then found some socks, 12 pairs for five bucks, so I couldn’t turn that down either.
Old dredge spoil crap
As we walked around the outside of the place, there was one particular spot with all sorts of stuff out, and a couple of box trucks. There were all sorts of things. I noticed a George W. Bush tee shirt that read “Constitutions are for pussies”, with him wearing a crown. I thought it was kind of funny. Then I found another that was a bowling shirt from the TV show “Big Bang Theory that Wil Wheaton (from Star Trek) was in, called The Wesley Crushers (his character’s name).
Palmyra Nature Cove
I had an idea to get this, but all I had was a $100 bill. Most of these places don’t take those sorts of things, so I figured I might have been screwed and couldn’t get anything else. They had these mini apple pies, two for a dollar, and only a buck for an entire box of three sleeve mini chocolate cupcakes.
The guy selling all of the stuff was bundled up from the cold, but his voice was familiar. It was very familiar. I couldn’t quite place it then. When he turned to me, I recognized him. I didn’t know from where at first, but I knew I did.
The Delaware
I listened to him talk a little bit more and then realized who I thought he was.
Back in 2000, before I purchased my stock of 41 pairs of shoes at an average of a dollar a pair at closeouts, I would get them at other thrift places. I’d inherited a bunch of old bowling shoes I used to wear on all of the hikes one size too small. In the Spring and early Summer of 2000, it got to the point where my feet were bleeding from wearing them, and I ended up having to borrow duct tape from a trucker to get through a hike.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
At the time, we would frequent the Bargain Outlet in Washington, which occupied the former hardware store with the giant hammer hanging from it.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
I’d buy lots of blank cassette tapes in there and make mix tapes from my drives to wherever I was going. And whatever other crap I needed. My mom’s original hair salon was right across the street, and so we’d stop in after school or whatever and then go over to the store.
One day, my brother Tea Biscuit went in there barefoot. Apparently he was visiting my mom and all of his shoes were shot, so she gave him money to go in and get some new ones.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
The shoes there were $9 only, often for name brand stuff. The owner was so amused that he said “Well, they’re only $6 if you wear them out of the store...”.
View on Tacony Palmyra Bridge
The owner was always a really nice guy and appreciated our business. I went in so many times and chatted with him about the hikes or whatever I was doing.
And here I was, standing before that same guy. When he closed the store up, he told me that I should go to visit him at one of the flea markets he went to. This was probably back around 2003. I hadn’t seen him in over fifteen years, but I was felt certain it was him.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
I asked him “Hey, did you used to own a store in Washington NJ?”
Kind of surprised, he gave me a look and said “Yeah! I did!”.
I had really long hair at the time and probably look 99% different, so he certainly didn’t recognize me, but we chatted a bit. I think I was familiar after a short while. I wished I’d talked to him more. It’s all coming back to me now that he was originally from California, and that he chatted with my ex girlfriend Cathy a lot about that when we’d go in.
On Tacony Palmyra Bridge
He told me he still owned a house in Washington and rented it out, but that he doesn’t get back up there much. He also said he did some other area flea markets as well. Maybe I’ll see him around again before another 15 years.
I ended up buying the junk food and shirts, and after chatting he accepted my one hundred dollar bill.
We walked around a bit more, and I was tempted to get a Super Nintendo Mini they had had for only twenty bucks. I probably should have gotten it. I miss that stuff.
Delaware from the bridge
They actually had it so you could play Super Mario Bros. there, and of course I had to play a couple of the levels. It seemed that reaction time on it was a little slow, which was one of the things that kept me from purchasing it.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
We continued around the perimeter of it, and when we were done headed to the corner where we had come in. Craig was still behind.
Just into the woods there were some old metal things on an elevated piece of land. This was along what used to be a dredge spoil. I think this might have been anchors for some sort of machinery associated with it. Most of the land around there is now Palmyra Cove Nature Center. We had done the outside of this the previous time we were there, so this time I wanted to do more of the internal trails.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
We were not in the preserve just yet; we had to wander around a bit along the roads and such on the outside, and then go off trail to the first trails on the inside.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
We reached the outer trail in these woods, after walking the base of what used to be the dredge spoil, and turned to the left. This took us to the edges of ponds, the Perimeter Trail.
Tacony Palmyra Bridge
The trail led us out to the Delaware River, and the tide was very high. The previous time out there, we were able to walk along the very low tide right along the river edge.
Kensington and Tacony Railroad bed
This time, we had to turn right and follow Delaware River Trail back to the nature center.
I thought the nature center was closed because it was a Sunday and walked right by it. Had I known, I would have gone inside...and then we would have found Craig! He had been inside waiting and we just walked right by!
We turned right after passing beneath the Tacony Palmyra Bridge, and then crossed over into Philly, with great views along the way.
Kensington and Tacony Rail bed
The bridge was completed in 1929, to replace a ferry at the site that was in service from 1922. I love that the bridge looks more like a taco than any bridge I’ve ever seen anywhere.
From the PA side, we made our way around the jughandle a bit, slide down the grassy slope, and turned right on the bit of frontage road. There was a gate there we could pass thorugh, parallel with the bridge that would get us out to a relatively new section of trail that will be likely part of East Coast Greenway.
At the bridge
It was an abandoned railroad, with catenaries still in place. This was originally the Kensington and Tacony Railroad, built in 1886 to serve the industries along the Delaware. It was formally abandoned in this area in 2005, after which it was turned into a trail. To the south, the line, which connects to the former Pennsylvania Railroad, still has trackage in place.The railroad bed took us to the south beneath the Tacony Palmyra Bridge.
Justin checked out a sort of dock thing that went off on the north side before passing under.
Dan Lurie special
On the other side of the bridge, the trails split. The rail trail went ahead, but there was a crushed stone surface one that went to the left. This was known as Lardner’s Point Park.
Then and Now showing the 1929 construction of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to replace the ferry that had been there prior to that, since 1922.
A relatively new addition, this park opened up in 2012, and the next one down opened in 2016.
At Tacony Palmyra Bridge
Lardner’s Point is named for Lynford Lardner and his descendants. He arrived in Philadelphia in 1740 and rose to prominence as a land agent and colonial official. In 1760, the Lardner homestead, known as “Somerset” or “Tacony Place” was constructed at about this point. Five generations of the Lardner’s called the place home. The house was demolished to make way for the railroad around 1889.
The area was very popular for fishing and outdoor recreation, but the area was soon industrialized and the the Delaware became basically an open sewer.
Delaware River
The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, and the Delaware actually cleaned up quite a lot. Fishing is more popular again, and there are more boaters.
We followed the path out closer to the waterfront. There were old foundations and such around. Some of it was the former end of the old ferry that the bridge replaced. There was also a woolen mill and a saw works in the area.
When the formal path turned back to the right to rejoin the railroad bed, we continued ahead on an informal footpath that headed into a wooded swath along the waterfront.
Kensington and Tacony RR bed
There was a concrete pier heading out with good views of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge and the Delaware up and down stream. There giant chunks of ice floating, and the tide was still coming in so they were floating up stream. It was rather warm, so they were breaking up and moving a lot in the middle, but a lot was jammed up along the edges.
We continued on the path into the woods and saw a box off to the right. It looked like there was a black cat with it, so I of course went over. Then we saw more of them.
1924 image showing the ferry that was there first
The black cat was rather friendly, and would stay close enough to us that after a few moments I cold pet him. Someone had put a lot of work into some nice wooden cat houses.
The old Tacony Pamyra Ferry
They had individual food dishes nailed to the tops of the shelters, or nailed to wooden planks laying on the ground near them.
We continued on the waterfront until we came to a chain link fence. We couldn’t go around or over, and when I tried to get back to the railroad bed from over there, it was totally fenced in. We had to head back along the river in the direction we’d come from. There was one guy with his dog wandering through there that was probably annoyed by our presence.
As we headed back, there was another path that led off to the left. I opted to try this one to get out. While we came to another chain link fence, and we’d have to go all the way back out and around, it was interesting that there were way more cat houses out there.
Making friends
There was a whole little woods full of old sterilite containers, each one with a single cat perched on top, with it’s own food dishes. This was the most dedicated I’d ever seen anyone to a cat colony. It was quite nice. Not many of the cats were unafraid, but it was nice to be around.
We made our way back to the railroad grade and continued to the southwest.
The next little settlement along the way was Wissinoming, which takes it’s name from the creek called the same.
Along the Delaware
The area was first settled in 1675 by a Swedish farmer named Peter Cook. Back then, it was lush forest and wetlands. Like everywhere else, growth was inevitable and the draw of the river too convenient. In 1884, there were only sixty nine homes in Wissinoming. Within twenty years, there were nine hundred, plus seventy businesses and four new churches.
BEAVER!
We passed by more industrial areas, and then came very close to the Delaware as we headed down stream. In that stretch, I saw an animal from afar out on the ice jam.
Along the Delaware
It moved on from the weeds and over the ice. It looked at first like a ground hog, which was kind of unnerving seeing on the ice. I had a closer look at it and realized it was a very large beaver. I knew for sure when I saw it’s tail.
Trail along the Delaware
Beavers are typically quite shy, and this might be the closest I’ve ever actually been to one in the wild. We watched it as it moved along the jam, and then it dove into the water in a small hole in a short while. It was really cool to see.
We moved on from here and passed some sort of bombed out looking buildings to the right.
We soon reached another historic marker, this time denoting the former Summer home location of Matthais W. Baldwin, of Baldwin Locomotive fame.
Likely old ferry point
The famous “Old Ironsides” was hand built by Baldwin. Although he made a fortune building trains, he was also a great advocate to many social causes.
Along the Delaware
Even as a young man, he fought for the abolition of slavery and the right from black men to vote. He also built churches and raised money for the care of Civil War veterans.
In 1888, Baldwin’s former home became The Old Ladies’ Home of Wissinoming, a retirement place for older women of “good moral character, quiet spirit, and peaceful behavior”. Someone made some quip about the women of Metrotrails at this point, but I don’t remember what exactly was said.
Former Kensington and Tacony Railroad
The trail soon opened up to the Frankford Boat Launch and park area. This area takes it’s name from the former Frankford Arsenal that occupied some of the site. The site was once the sole provided supplier of military ammunition in the United States.
The land for the site was first purchased by the government in 1816 for production and improvement in military, which included everything from bullets to timing fuses and artillery shells. It was of particular importance to the Union Cause during the Civil War.
Former Kensington and Tacony RR
Among the weapons extensively tested at the site was the Gatling Gun, a former of early machine gun.
Frankford Arsenal
We walked a little further ahead to the Frankford Creek, which provided water power to the industry. The trail did not continue on the rail bed from here.
Old Frankford Arsenal area
The bridge was in place, but there was no good way around. Justin and I were about to go around the fences and get on it, but we’d have had to go around fences on the other side that would have proven probably very difficult. Aerial images looked as though it would not at all be easy to pass through.
We instead turned back and started heading out toward the Tacony Road, with the remaining buildings of the Frankford Arsenal off to our left. It was an amazing site to see, now a sort of defunct and struggling industrial park. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the sprawling old and interesting looking complex.
At Frankford armory
As we walked out the road, there was a chain link fence blocking off the entrance. Technically, the boat launch was closed, but we walked in on the rail trail. We ended up having to climb over the fence to continue out. Fortunately, no one gave us shit for it. What did happen was that I cut a scab off of my right shin that had been healing for a long time. I keep getting injured at just about he same place, and the wound I’d gotten back in September had still not yet closed in. I rolled my leg up which kept bleeding for a while.
"Speed Cushions"
We continued to Tacony Street and turned left, past a sort of castle tower built into the former outer wall of some of the arsenal that had been apparently demolished.
Another injury
The place remained in service until 1977. There were promises that year that the Carter Administration would keep it open, but they closed it anyway, and most of the projects were moved to the Picitinny Arsenal in NJ.
We walked by the front of the place, and they actually had open gates and a guard sitting there. The rest of the complex had some sort of housing on it that reminded us of the housing seen at the former government facilities at Sandy Hook NJ.
We turned to the left and headed down Bridge Street. This took us across the Frankford Creek. Along the way, there were not speed bumps, but rather “Speed Cushions”, a term I’d never heard anywhere before. I had to get a photo of Justin laying on top of one looking quite comfortable.
We made a stop at 7 Eleven for snacks and such, and then continued down to Richmond Street where we turned right.
Savage
My plan was to follow a path on the south side parallel with the road, and then cut through a former industrial site. That industrial site was fenced and pretty inaccessible, and much of the group wanted to stop for some food somewhere, so we opted to keep on the road.
The neighborhood we passed through here was known as Bridesburg.
The area was early on known as “Point No Point” because from afar it looked like there’s a point of land at the mouth of the Frankford creek, but it would look like nothing again seen from a different perspective. The area because a predominantly Irish and German borough in the 1840s.
We stopped by a little pizza place on the right, I think Bridesburg Pizza, but there was nowhere to sit. The proprietor of the place was really cool, and he said “I don’t really want to send you to the competition…but you wanna go to the place a couple of blocks down the street where you can sit down”. I thought that was a really nice gesture.
Old rail line
We continued, but it certainly wasn’t only two blocks. It ended up being more like six or so. The place was Old English Pizza, near the corner of Orthodox Street. We went in, and I felt it only appropriate to get a Philly Cheese Steak from Philly.
South of Bridesburg
It was pretty good, but honestly I’ve still never had a better cheese steak than the ones I’ve had from Dicola’s back home. No Philly Cheesesteak has ever topped it.
Delair Bridge
After our lunch, we made a left turn down Orthodox Street to the old railroad crossing. It was gated on the northeast side of the road, but we could walk it the other way. There was a cop parked right there by us, and I was thinking he might say something to us, but it wasn’t posted or anything.
This was part of the same Kensington and Tacony Railroad we were walking before. It didn’t look totally abandoned, but there were lots of weeds growing through the rails. We crossed Hedley Street, and then passed beneath Rt 90 ramping up to cross the Betsy Ross Bridge.
Delair Bridge
We then crossed over the Frankford Creek, or another branch of the Frankford Creek or something. I’m not really sure how that works.
The creek used to be a meandering thing, but it was straightened out starting in 1901 because the industries on the flood plains were causing major flooding up stream. I guess both things were branches of it, but I don’t know for sure.
Just after the creek crossing, we passed beneath the start of the Delair Bridge, the first bridge to connect New Jersey with Philadelphia.
We were right on time to catch a train passing over it.
We couldn’t continue on the tracks ahead from here, so we had to turn to the left down Lewis Street to Delaware Avenue. There, Craig wanted to take us on a brief side trip off to the left a bit. We followed down Delaware Avenue just a bit in the opposite direction and we checked out an abandoned power plant to the right. This is apparently the Richmond Substation.
Old rails
People get killed in these places all the time, sneaking in and such. Justin told me that our friends Kat and Kevin recently found a dead body in the Frankford Creek there.
Old bridge
He was apparently trying to steal copper tubing or something and friend himself. People get killed down that all the time too.
We headed back to the Frankford reek where there was a recently reactivated substation area and a former railroad bridge over the creek. We turned back the other way from here, and continued on Delaware Ave. There was a paved path parallel with the road, apparently now the East Coast Greenway. We saw evidence of old rail spurs all along the area. The railroad used to be closely parallel with this road, and it was the main line for the arteries we were seeing. The road finally started to turn inland away from the waterfront at General Pulaski Park.
Kitties
At this park, there were more feral cats and feeding dishes and such everywhere. We took a break here, and put some bits of food out.
Kitty
Like the previous time, there was a black cat that was friendlier than all of the other ones. Some of the cats would let me pet them, but they were skittish. A white and tabby greyish one went for food but would slap me with his/her paw.
Once one cat got some food, more cats started appearing from the waterfront in droves. It was a huge army of cats appearing from everywhere, all looking very healthy and adorable. I was loving it.
While there, we here pops like firecrackers that sounded similar to far off gun shots. The cats all scattered and ran off. They disappeared in almost no time.
Historic Polish church in Port Richmond
It occurred to me right away that these poor cats probably have people shooting at them on a normal basis for this barely even loud few pops to scare them off.
The main part of Pulaski Park was closed off, and it wouldn’t have gone anywhere anyway. We had to follow Allegheny Ave to the northwest for a bit. We continued into the area of Port Richmond.
Like much of the Philadelphia area, Port Richmond was settled early on, starting with farm tracts, but that all changed in the early 1800s with the anthracite coal industry.
Railroad overpasses to Port Richmond
The coal was carried by the Reading Railroad from the mines in the area of Tamaqua. The first conglomerate, the Reading owned the railroad, which was the first ever to justify through double tracking, the coal mines, and Port Richmond for the shipping. This was particularly important, because not only was coal used for railroads and to heat homes, it was used to power the steam ships. Port Richmond remained a very important center of commerce regarding coal until just after World War I when things started going to diesel.
New bridge construction
We continued north to Thompson Street and turned to the left. In a block or two, there was a store on the left we opted to go in. It was kind of funny to me that they had to have a sign that read “no cats”. Apparently, there are SO many cats that people bring them in with them all the time!
The store was crazily narrow, to where I could barely fit through between some places. These little hole in the wall places in cities are always entertaining because they literally are like a hole in the wall.
Old Reading line
We continued down Thompson, and eventually passed underneath the former Reading Railroad overpass.
It was at this point that we met up with Dave.
I had been looking at the two long bridge overpasses before he showed up wondering what it was about. The first one had active tracks still on it, but the other much shorter one did not. Dave explained that this was the Reading Railroad’s way into Port Richmond. He gave us a bunch of history of the area, which I wish I could remember better, and we all turned left to go south on Lehigh Avenue.
Old rails
We walked to the end of the road under the Delaware Expressway and Richmond Street, which were elevated high above the ground level. There was some new bridge construction going on as well, and we turned to the left under some of them and to the former Reading Railroad lines. If we’d climbed up onto the bridges before and walked this way, we would have gotten to the same place. Justin and Craig went up and came back down. I’d have gone up too if I’d realized we’d end up over there.
Pipe dreams
We crossed over Richmond Street on a former railroad bridge, and then turned to the right on the grade parallel with the new construction. It was wide and a cinder base. It seemed like a really cool little place to be. Paths led off toward the Delaware to the old docking areas, which I felt like we should have checked out, but we still had a ways to go and didn’t want to add an insane amount more.
We continued until we got to a fence area and then emerged onto Cumberland Street near the corner where it became Beach Street. There were rails in the pavement going across from where we came from. We continued onto Beach Street heading southwest, and then there was a giant line of concrete pipes heading a good distance. Of course, we had to walk through all of them rather than go on the road.
Amazing Philly view
When the road turned hard to the right, there was an unpaved path going off to the left toward the Delaware. There was a chance that if we followed this, we might have to turn back, but at this point I decided we’d do it.
Old Port Richmond pier
By this point in the hike, I had pretty much decided we would not be doing Philadelphia’s high line as part of this hike. Although it was supposed to be the main draw to it, we’d seen so much stuff already and it took so long, there just wasn’t going to be enough time, and I was quite content with what we’d already seen, and the more things we were going to see on the way.
This section was really nice. We headed out to an old pier area, and there was an outstanding view of the Ben Franklin Bridge downstream.
Ben Franklin Bridge view.
The sun was starting to set, and it was particularly beautiful. The peace of the location was broken up only by Justin continuously throwing glass bottles and breaking them. The area was so littered with them, and he got such great satisfaction with every shattering sound, that it continued non stop until we were away from that place.
This was a surprise then and now...
We followed along the pier route and then emerged through a hole in a chain link fence to the next bit of Beach Street. The streets change names and go inland, then come back out.
Power plant spur
I assume that at one time, Beach Street must have continued right on through, but I’m not sure.
We continued on Beach Street heading to the west, and the pavement was cracked all over, with railroad rails and old pavers exposed and easy to see. It was a really cool area to be walking. The heavy industrial area was now pretty dead, but we could see how important it used to be by the great many little rails spurs went over to everywhere.
Ahead, an old power plan appeared on the left.
City of Philadelphia image of Delaware Generating Station
Delaware Generating Station was constructed in 1917 and decommissioned in 2004.
There are plans to turn the area into an event venue, and the station has been eyed for possible use as a social hall portion.
Delaware Generating Station
We walked around the outside of it, with it’s crumbling concrete façade and expose rebar. On the other side was Penn Treaty Park, a lovely little park with great views of the old plant and of the river and bridges.
Delaware view
The area is known as the Fishtown section of Philadelphia, but was historically the Lenape village of Shackamaxon. It was here that in 1683 William Penn entered into the treaty of peace with the local Lenape Chief Tamanend under an Elm tree. The treaty between Penn’s people and the Lenape lasted over a century until the Penn’s Creek Massacre
Penn Treaty Park and the old power plant
The Elm tree fell in a storm in 1810, and a monument was erected to it. Even then, it was recognized for it’s significance, and the trees offspring were grown and replanted. The site became a lumber yard, and was recognized for it’s significance as a park in 1898. In 2010, a descendant of the original Elm was planted here.
We headed out toward the waterfront here, and then out onto the rocks to get the better look at the old power plant on the upstream side that had been abandoned for some time.
The cute couple with their new baby
There was a guy there admiring the view or fishing or something, and I struck up a conversation with him. He said he had lived in the neighborhood for forty years, and that they now wanted to turn the old power plant into sort of a club.
Delaware and bridge scene
There was a new stadium being built adjacent to it, and the plant was to become the restaurant and night club portion. He said they didn’t have the parking for this and that it was going to destroy the neighborhood. He said that Penn’s Treaty Park was going to be destroyed, and he was just going to hang out outside and sell cigarettes and condoms.
Pier ruins
He started telling us that kids go into the old plant all the time, and that they get killed. After talking to us a bit more, Justin readily admitted that he’d already been inside. The guy didn’t seem to care though.
While we were there, Jason and Amanda (Murphy) Kumpas showed up to say hello. They were going to meet at the high line area, but intercepted us here because we weren’t going to make it over there. They’d recently had their baby, and Jason was carrying him in a sack in front of him. They had recently moved to the NJ side, and were keeping pretty busy with the little guy.
Philly
We chatted for a while, and it was great to catch up. We moved on from there then through the park to the downstream side, and then headed out to Delaware Avenue. We only went around one building, and then turned to the left on the Delaware River Trail, which went around the Sugarhouse Casino property.
We walked around several more buildings and continued on the waterfront as the sun went down, with lots of great views down the Delaware River and of the Ben Franklin Bridge. I don’t remember where we turned away from the waterfront, because I pretty much just trusted Dave and Craig with that.
Philly
They’re the Philly natives, and my phone soon died anyway. I wouldn’t be able to navigate anyone without it.
The plan was originally to head to the high line, then go back across the Ben Franklin Bridge, but it was already dark. The plan changed to just going across the Ben Franklin.
Dave and Craig got us there, and this time the north walkway was open.
I have walked over the Ben Franklin Bridge many times, but never on the north walkway. It’s never been open any time I’ve gone across it, so it was a sort of special thrill.
Ben Franklin Bridge
The walkway was a bit different than the other side on the far end, because it got extremely narrow and was on grates that gave a bit when stepped on. Apart from the ends being narrower, the rest was about the same. The bridge was designed with subway stations built into the main pier areas, but they never went into use as planned.
Ben Franklin Bridge
The bridge was completed in 1926 for a dedication coinciding with a national sesquicentennial celebration, commemorating 150 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The bridge was originally designed to have trolley stations on it in the towers, and rail service directly below. The PATCO speed line still crosses it today, but not exactly it’s original intended use.
We got across the bridge, but it was a bit disappointing because I want to go across the north walkway when it’s light so I can see things. I suppose it was still pretty cool doing it in the dark.
Ben Franklin Bridge
I thought it was funny that it was now well after dark and we were walking through downtown Camden. Anyone who heard any of this would certainly think us insane. Camden has such a bad reputation.
Ben Franklin Bridge
I think from where the bridge walkway spat us out, we must have walked to the Broadway Station near City Hall, but I can’t quite remember. Dave headed back across on the train, and the rest of us got to the station to buy tickets with enough time before the train came.
Ben Franklin Bridge
Train rides are always fun with this group. I brought up diarrhea and Jesus and all sorts of odd things to the dismay of an old woman sitting near us. We don’t really do quiet train rides.
Hiking through Camden at night
When I mentioned the diarrhea thing, there was a young black man wearing headphones across from me, and he picked up a napkin off of the floor and handed it to me with a questioning look. He was pretty funny, and started playing along with whatever we were saying. I said something about socks or something, I can’t remember quite what, and he started saying something about “fuck socks!”, and he took his shoes and socks off. He then started smelling his own socks, which was quite odd. He also used the napkin he’d found on the floor and offered to me.
Philly view
When it was finally his stop, he got off and left his socks on the floor of the train! Very strange!
It didn’t take too long to get to the northern Pennsauken Station where our cars were, and I took Craig back to his at the Palmyra Nature Cove. He was sort of locked in from the one end, but was able to walk in and get it out fortunately.
This turned out to be a really fantastic high with a lot of stuff going on. Justin said it was one of his favorite hikes ever.
It wasn’t my absolute favorite ever, but I really did love it. There was so much to see, and the day flew by so fast. We saw so much more than I expected to see.
There is still so much more of the waterfront that we didn’t get to see yet. It will certainly mean going back and doing more. And we still have to do that elevated rail line. We’ll get there, but our “to do” list only gets longer with every trip.
HAM
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