Workday and Newsletter

Hey gang:

I just got back in town from a two-week vacation of sorts (one week of vacation and one week of conference). I am happy to say that I am well rested and re-energized about the park. It is a great time of year to build some trail and complete some of our projects. Lets get started, shall we?

WORKDAY

Saturday, November 10th, will be our next workday. We will meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill near the creek-side trailhead. Look for my maroon pickup truck with camper shell. I will try to make a sign this time.

We have two main projects for the workday. One or two crews will be covering some of the logging roads left by the loggers after the tornado. Another small crew will continue installing sign posts if David and his auger are available. If not, I have other projects.

The reason that the old logging roads need to be covered is two-fold. First, they are susceptible to serious erosion due to their layout, the way they were constructed, and their width. If there is a good side to the drought this summer, it is that we did not suffer serious erosion at the park in these areas. We have already built new trails bypassing the areas that we will be covering. The second reason for covering these logging roads goes back to one of FORP's original goals: create a stacked loop trail network that is easy to follow. By closing off these random logging roads that lead nowhere, it will cut down on the confusion at the park and allow people to learn the new loop system.

UPDATE – NEW TRAIL SECTION

As I stated above, we have already built new trails bypassing the logging roads that are to be covered. I built one of those this past Saturday. I spent five hours at the park on Saturday connecting two existing trails and bypassing a logging road. This new section is located on the trail leading to the amphitheater and is located just above the creek. It is part of the White Oak Loop. I have been scouting this area for several months now trying to find the best way to site this section of trail. I have flagged it different ways but not been totally happy with those options. On Saturday, I made some changes that work very well. I flagged the trail, cleared the corridor, removed deadfall and downed trees, and installed an erosion control devise above one of the turns. The trail is open, fully marked, and ready for use. The only thing left to do on it is to install one additional erosion control devise that I will do sometime this week or next.

I am very excited about this new section of trail. It is not incredibly long but is very fun. It is built to proper trail-building standards for avoiding erosion and blends very naturally with the landscape. Please enjoy the new section of trail and enjoy not having to use the logging road. Mountain bikers, you will be happy to find that one of the two turns is in-sloped (bermed) so you can maintain your momentum in the turn. I may extend the bermed area at a later date as I feel it would benefit the trail.

RESEARCH

While in Florida and Chattanooga, I rode some of the local trails. Each was quite different and unique in many ways. I learned something from the trail builders in both locations, particularly Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga. I am excited about taking what I learned at both trails and applying it at Rotary Park. Above all, my visit to both sites reassured me that we are building great trail at Rotary Park and doing the right thing by taking our time and building it right the first time. One of the trail's I visited is less than a year old and already suffers from serious erosion issues as a result of poor trail placement.

I look forward to seeing everyone on the trails.

Chris

Ride Today

Some of us will be riding at the park today should anyone want to join us. We will try to meet at the Main Trailhead (Pavilion I) at 4:30.

Also, if anyone is looking for projects you can do at the park outside of scheduled workdays, there is some extensive chainsaw work that needs to be done in order to complete the next section of the White Oak Loop. I have started flagging it but cannot complete it without some tornado damage being cleared. If you are interested, call me. 801-3898.

Chris

Work Today

Gang:

Although I am not quite caught up on my Fall yard work, I'm taking the afternoon to go work in the park, weather permitting. It is last minute and certainly not an official "workday", however, I thought I would put the word out in case anyone is free this afternoon and wants to come and help. My work will be in the new section of the White Loop where we worked on our last official workday. That is above the small Boy Scout bridge leading towards the back of the park.

I will be benching and making improvements to the trail tread. We did a great job on our last trail day, however, the dry conditions kept the soil from bonding; some of it has blown away. With the chance of rain at 40%, today is a great day to reconfigure the trail tread. If you come, bring your Maddox, a leaf rake, and/or a bowhead rake. If you can't bring tools but would still like to come help, don't sweat it. I am bringing extra tools and can share if you don't have any.

Also, as soon as the underbrush dies down from summer, I will be flagging the remainder of the White Oak Loop. When that is done, volunteers can go to the park at their leisure and begin clearing, i.e. you will not need an official workday to do the work. I hope to have the large loop open by Spring but it will take folks going to the park and working on their own.

Also, a special thanks to Kurt Kowalski for leading a pack of Cub Scouts as they completely closed off one of the troublesome logging roads. They did a fantastic job and have solved what was fast becoming an errosion problem. Kurt has posted up on the Boy and Cub Scout leaders message board letting local leaders know about the need at Rotary Park. Both the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts have been great partners in the rebuilding and maintenance of Rotary Park. Thanks, guys.

Happy trails,

Chris