Pine Barrens Adventurer

Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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I wanted to get an early start on Thursday to go to the pines for some exploring to Amatol and other places, but i had some things arise so i did not leave til around 1 pm, the sun started coming out finally so it was off to the Amatol Racetrack. Don't you know it, i got half way across the Betsy Ross Bridge and dull and dreary returned, full cloud cover incorporated.

I arrived on Moss Mill Road to my go in point to the old racetrack.
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I traveled for a very short distance making a right turn to go to the old track. Arriving at the track, i took this pic of southwest portion of it. On the feeder road to it i had to clear some fallen trees on the road, and some overhang to get to it.
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I rode on the track for a distance going southeast, noticing depressions on each side.
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I wanted to go further southeast on the track to where the gun club property is to see if there is a sign or a fence warning about private property, but i had other places to go to yesterday. This place definitely needs a lot more exploring trips to reveal any secrets if there are any.

Returning to Moss Mill Road going southeast to Elwood road, this is one of their signs, they do mean business.
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Making a left onto Elwood road, i passed this on the way, i think it was part of the old munitions plant.
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Traveling further up Elwood road i reached the entry point to the town site.
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I arrived at the dirt bike pit pass the ballfields, which is a part of the town site taking four pics, here is one of them.
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This is another case of where a lot more exploration is needed, i did not even go to the munition ruins, i had still other places to go, so i left the site traveling to Sweetwater, then over the Green Bank bridge, then to Lower Bank to take a pic of this spot at the Mullica River which Scott told me about.
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Then over the Lower Bank bridge to go to Clark's Landing road, making a left turn to go to the Clark graves. this pic was taken looking upriver to Lower Bank with the Pacemaker plant tower in the background.
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Then it was time for a hike to the Clark graves. This is one of many trips i have taken to them as i discovered this place in the early 80's, on the way there is a major party site, loaded with the usual trash, and this sign from the state, of course it is being ignored.
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After passing this trash site, the trail got real narrow, flooded in parts, i had my knee high boots on, i came upon this footbridge, 75% of it is still intact, the other section is collapsed, someone put a fallen tree across the broken section, i went in the water instead, it was only about 6" deep.
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Hiking on a bit further i approached the graves with this enclosure around them. Notice the watermark factory slogan, this is a good watermark program, but i will hold off from doing that yet. I had to crop this pic as the damn camera strap got in the way.
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Thomas Clark Stone
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Ruth Clark Stone
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I had to go to one more place before i called it a day, so back to the car to Clark's Landing road to Port Republic, took a pic of the Chestnut Neck Monument on the way, got on the parkway north to the New Gretna exit, then reached my last destination somewhere in the pines, i took this pic of the little bugger and every time i tried to get a closeup it was fly off time, but i least i got a shot.
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Onward to my last quest of the day, i was about 12 feet from it last weekend, but, i was by myself today, no b'ing about the rain, the washouts, the sugar sand, so i found it quickly.
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It was now time to go home, i was late for dinner, so on the way home forgetting about dinner, i stopped for a cold one at the Magnolia Road Tavern, don't you know it once i left the tavern the sun was out.

All in all it was a good day, 131 miles on the car roundtrip. I have more photos in my album, 24 in all if you want to view them.

Jim
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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Excellent stuff, James. That round structure sure looks like a Radar dome.

Thanks Mark, i am thinking that the term radar was coined by the British in WW2, since the plant dated to WW1, it was probably the building beneath the dome.

Jim
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,956
8,703
Nice pic of #37 Jim! Thats a tough one to find since it is so small. Looks like you had a good day.

Guy
 

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
Thanks Mark, i am thinking that the term radar was coined by the British in WW2, since the plant dated to WW1, it was probably the building beneath the dome.

Jim

Right, but are you sure the building is contemporaneous with the rest of the plant? Because I've seen a lot of radomes and that looks like one :). In fact it looks pretty much like what any ASR-9 TRACON radar looks like.
 

lgench

Explorer
Jan 19, 2005
125
0
Bristol, PA
Radar dome resembles the one that was next to the NJTP at RCA's Mooretown plant in the 60's related to the DEW Line. Or maybe there was a NIKE site nearby. The cover protected the radar antenna.
Len in PA
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
74
Radar dome resembles the one that was next to the NJTP at RCA's Mooretown plant in the 60's related to the DEW Line. Or maybe there was a NIKE site nearby. The cover protected the radar antenna.
Len in PA

I will be in the area again sometime next week, there were quite a few people milling about in and out of the facility, i will stop and see if i can find out any history on the place.

I miss that dome in Moorestown, but i really like the ship design.

Jim
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,344
330
Near Mt. Misery
NIce report Jim,
Amatol warrents a good day trip all by itself. I 've walked the old track and it is amazing when you compare it to the old photos. At a certain point the track is gated off as I recall and it is surrounded by alot of private land with many signs. I don't know how much of it is actually on in the Hammonton WMA.

Jeff
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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See: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/wmamaps/hammonton_creek_west.pdf

Looks like about 75% is within the WMA. Another nice report Jim - thanks! Will have to get up there and check it out myself this fall.

Thanks Jeff and Boyd

I wish 100% of it was in WMA lands, there is a treasure trove of ruins in there, i haven't even been to the plant site ruins yet.

Also, when hunting season starts, i also heard that the gun club leases the WMA land, so if any exploring is to be done it should be done before the season starts. Also from what i heard, either though that is WMA land, you will not get the look of kindness if you are on it.

Jim
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
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I have just finished uploading pics from my outing to day called Burlington County Explorer, i also have pics from my Saturday and Sunday called B & O express,in my albums if anyone wishes to see them. A trip report for the weekend trip will follow tomorrow.

Chris (dragoncjo ) you need to free up some space on your pm's.


Jim
 
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