TR: trail work in the fog

We have been waiting and waiting for rain to continue the work on our new
trail. Throwing shovels of floury Mt St Helens ash wasn't getting us
anywhere. The trail work gods heard our pleas and we had several days of
downpour and then sun, which made conditions for today's work perfect.

First thing is we got it together with the State Park manager to open the
gate for us, so we only had about 1/2 a mile to hike instead of 2. We also
had a great turn out, 8 folks which is really good for us.
Today instead of working on the section that runs through the basalt scree,
we were cutting trail tread, and moving the occasional rock. The soil was
perfect. Several of us have gone out and bought the correct tools so we
were more well prepared than usual. I'm the proud owner of a 2.5#
pickax/mattock with a fiberglass handle. I don't think I am coordinated
enough to handle the ax portion of a pulaski.

So, some pics:
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3105sm.jpg Here the guys are
muscling out SOME of the rocks. We are leaving a lot of them, but a lot of
them are just busted up basalt like

http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3073sm.jpg

Our big accomplishment for the day was getting this climbing turn from
flagged to rideable
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3110sm.jpg

top view, entering the turn.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3114sm.jpg

now before any of you rant at me about the trail looking too easy, recall
that this project is in a heavily used, multi user park area. It's sort
of our flagship introduction as a brand new club. We also will be building
tons of mountain bike only trail in a different local park. Also, the
really difficult section that this trail is an alternate route for is left
intact.

here's our trail tester, checking for flow.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3115sm.jpg

here's a "before" from the same area.

And the requisite group photo. I was so happy that A. showed up today. I
have been the lone female representing for all trail work days so far.

Wouldn't you know the fog burned off and the day turned glorious flaming
fall on the way home?

http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/devilsdown.cfm

~Penny

Links I forgot...

small change wrote:
here's a "before" from the same area.


http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/devilsdown3.jpg


And the requisite group photo. I was so happy that A. showed up
today. I have been the lone female representing for all trail work
days so far.

http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3116sm.jpg



http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/devilsdown.cfm

~Penny

small change wrote:
First thing is we got it together with the State Park manager to open the
gate for us, so we only had about 1/2 a mile to hike instead of 2. We also
had a great turn out, 8 folks which is really good for us.
Today instead of working on the section that runs through the basalt scree,
we were cutting trail tread, and moving the occasional rock. The soil was
perfect. Several of us have gone out and bought the correct tools so we
were more well prepared than usual. I'm the proud owner of a 2.5#
pickax/mattock with a fiberglass handle. I don't think I am coordinated
enough to handle the ax portion of a pulaski.

Great stuff. Do your club a favor and apply for an IMBA/REI grant.
You'll get some free tools. Just about every club that applies gets the
grant.

Glad your day was great. My long anticipated ride with Lance was
cancelled. After two months without rain, mother nature decided to make
up for it in two days. There was 8" of water on the shoulders of the
roads and it's still pouring as I write this. I wouldn't even take a
MTB through that. Lance came onto the stage at the start area to say
thank you. Then two minutes later he left. The entire team I assembled
were very disappointed.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

"small change" wrote in message
...
We have been waiting and waiting for rain to continue the work on our new
trail. Throwing shovels of floury Mt St Helens ash wasn't getting us
anywhere. The trail work gods heard our pleas and we had several days of
downpour and then sun, which made conditions for today's work perfect.

Wow Penny, great stuff. There's nothing better than riding on trails that
you helped build.

Tom

"Ride-A-Lot" wrote in message ...
small change wrote:
First thing is we got it together with the State Park manager to open the gate for us, so we only had about 1/2 a mile to hike
instead of 2. We also had a great turn out, 8 folks which is really good for us.
Today instead of working on the section that runs through the basalt scree, we were cutting trail tread, and moving the
occasional rock. The soil was perfect. Several of us have gone out and bought the correct tools so we were more well prepared
than usual. I'm the proud owner of a 2.5# pickax/mattock with a fiberglass handle. I don't think I am coordinated enough to
handle the ax portion of a pulaski.

Great stuff. Do your club a favor and apply for an IMBA/REI grant. You'll get some free tools. Just about every club that
applies gets the grant.

Glad your day was great. My long anticipated ride with Lance was cancelled. After two months without rain, mother nature decided
to make up for it in two days. There was 8" of water on the shoulders of the roads and it's still pouring as I write this. I
wouldn't even take a MTB through that. Lance came onto the stage at the start area to say thank you. Then two minutes later he
left. The entire team I assembled were very disappointed.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Bummer about the cancellation. I woke to 1.5" of snow this morning and a cool 34 degrees (after driving up Dallas last night in a
hurricane, damn scary). It's warmed up to 44 now but it's damn muddy. I finally started a fire in the wood burner. Forecast is
for continued nasty through midweek so I'm glad I had 3 bikes on top of the car bringing my mpg down to 17.7 and 22.4 so far, this
in a car that typically gets 26-30 mpg on the highway......time for the hitch rack. Now I'm sitting here exercising my
digits.......

Gary

"small change" wrote in message ...
We have been waiting and waiting for rain to continue the work on our new trail. Throwing shovels of floury Mt St Helens ash
wasn't getting us anywhere. The trail work gods heard our pleas and we had several days of downpour and then sun, which made
conditions for today's work perfect.

First thing is we got it together with the State Park manager to open the gate for us, so we only had about 1/2 a mile to hike
instead of 2. We also had a great turn out, 8 folks which is really good for us.
Today instead of working on the section that runs through the basalt scree, we were cutting trail tread, and moving the occasional
rock. The soil was perfect. Several of us have gone out and bought the correct tools so we were more well prepared than usual.
I'm the proud owner of a 2.5# pickax/mattock with a fiberglass handle. I don't think I am coordinated enough to handle the ax
portion of a pulaski.

So, some pics:
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3105sm.jpg Here the guys are muscling out SOME of the rocks. We are leaving a lot of
them, but a lot of them are just busted up basalt like

http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3073sm.jpg

Our big accomplishment for the day was getting this climbing turn from flagged to rideable
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3110sm.jpg

top view, entering the turn.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3114sm.jpg

now before any of you rant at me about the trail looking too easy, recall that this project is in a heavily used, multi user park
area. It's sort of our flagship introduction as a brand new club. We also will be building tons of mountain bike only trail in
a different local park. Also, the really difficult section that this trail is an alternate route for is left intact.

here's our trail tester, checking for flow.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3115sm.jpg

here's a "before" from the same area.

And the requisite group photo. I was so happy that A. showed up today. I have been the lone female representing for all trail work
days so far.

Wouldn't you know the fog burned off and the day turned glorious flaming fall on the way home?

http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/devilsdown.cfm

~Penny

Good stuff as always. Did you guys get any of that snow last week? Brrrrrrr. It's cold here in SW Colorado so I'm staying in
today. WIMP that I am.

Gary

GeeDubb wrote:
Bummer about the cancellation. I woke to 1.5" of snow this morning and a cool 34 degrees (after driving up Dallas last night in a
hurricane, damn scary). It's warmed up to 44 now but it's damn muddy. I finally started a fire in the wood burner. Forecast is
for continued nasty through midweek so I'm glad I had 3 bikes on top of the car bringing my mpg down to 17.7 and 22.4 so far, this
in a car that typically gets 26-30 mpg on the highway......time for the hitch rack. Now I'm sitting here exercising my
digits.......

Why three bikes? What do you do there all alone in that cabin? Or
should I even ask.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

"Ride-A-Lot"
Why three bikes? What do you do there all alone in that cabin? Or should I even ask.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Kids are out of school this coming week so I brought them and their bikes up so they could do something other than watch movies
(currently Nepolean Dynomite, ugh) or play on the computer. It's snowing again, another 1.5" in the last 1.5 hours. Picking up my
wife in Durango late Tuesday p.m. and spending the night there so we can look one last time for river property. Weather has me
concerned about going over Red Mountain Pass so I may opt to go the long way over Lizard Head and through Mancos.

So the things I'd normally do while I'm up here alone.....well....I just can't (:-}.

I am putting down a wood floor in their bedroom and I have some outside wood trim to put on if the weather breaks for an hour or
two. Keeps my hands, well, occupide with a different kinds of wood, yea, that's it.....

Gary

GeeDubb wrote:
"small change" wrote in message
...
We have been waiting and waiting for rain to continue the work on
our new trail. Throwing shovels of floury Mt St Helens ash wasn't
getting us anywhere. The trail work gods heard our pleas and we had
several days of downpour and then sun, which made conditions for
today's work perfect. First thing is we got it together with the State
Park manager to
open the gate for us, so we only had about 1/2 a mile to hike
instead of 2. We also had a great turn out, 8 folks which is really
good for us. Today instead of working on the section that runs through
the basalt
scree, we were cutting trail tread, and moving the occasional rock. The
soil was perfect. Several of us have gone out and bought the
correct tools so we were more well prepared than usual. I'm the
proud owner of a 2.5# pickax/mattock with a fiberglass handle. I
don't think I am coordinated enough to handle the ax portion of a
pulaski. So, some pics:
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3105sm.jpg Here the guys
are muscling out SOME of the rocks. We are leaving a lot of them,
but a lot of them are just busted up basalt like
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3073sm.jpg

Our big accomplishment for the day was getting this climbing turn
from flagged to rideable
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3110sm.jpg top view, entering
the turn.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3114sm.jpg

now before any of you rant at me about the trail looking too easy,
recall that this project is in a heavily used, multi user park area.
It's sort of our flagship introduction as a brand new club. We also
will be building tons of mountain bike only trail in a different
local park. Also, the really difficult section that this trail is
an alternate route for is left intact. here's our trail tester,
checking for flow.
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/IMG_3115sm.jpg

here's a "before" from the same area.

And the requisite group photo. I was so happy that A. showed up
today. I have been the lone female representing for all trail work
days so far. Wouldn't you know the fog burned off and the day turned
glorious
flaming fall on the way home?
http://www.fttrc.org/photos/rs/devils/devilsdown.cfm

~Penny

Good stuff as always. Did you guys get any of that snow last week?
Brrrrrrr. It's cold here in SW Colorado so I'm staying in today. WIMP
that I am.
Gary

some of the passes got dusted but no snow, not really. I did 13 miles up on
Mt Spokane today, solo, saw two moose and two deer. I will see if any of my
fall color shots came out later.

P.

GeeDubb wrote:
"Ride-A-Lot"

Why three bikes? What do you do there all alone in that cabin? Or should I even ask.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws


Kids are out of school this coming week so I brought them and their bikes up so they could do something other than watch movies
(currently Nepolean Dynomite, ugh) or play on the computer. It's snowing again, another 1.5" in the last 1.5 hours. Picking up my
wife in Durango late Tuesday p.m. and spending the night there so we can look one last time for river property. Weather has me
concerned about going over Red Mountain Pass so I may opt to go the long way over Lizard Head and through Mancos.


Probably a good call. Siverton Mtn got a bunch of snow:
http://www.silvertonmountain.com/gallery/album50/aaj


So the things I'd normally do while I'm up here alone.....well....I just can't (:-}.

I am putting down a wood floor in their bedroom and I have some outside wood trim to put on if the weather breaks for an hour or
two. Keeps my hands, well, occupide with a different kinds of wood, yea, that's it.....


TMI!

Matt