Topic: Wilderness Park Trail Work Day information

[Kevan]

Saturday, September 16th, we will begin clearing a re-route section in Flatwoods. This single-track will run parallel to the existing Panther Trail (doulbe-track) and will follow along Trout Creek above the high water mark. We would like to have this section open in time for our holiday Party, the first Sunday in December. Please come out and give us a hand.

Additionally, Ken will have a crew stabilizing a few wet spots on the Heartbreak Ridge Trail in Morris Bridge Park. Ken will have the tools, he just needs a few helpers.

Equally important, we need some volunteers to bring their bikes to ride and clip. Misery and a few other trails have overgrowth from the recent rains.

Please contact Ken (at) SWAMPclub.org so Ken will have enough tools and food, ready for you. Let Ken know by noon on Friday so he can get his shopping done.

See you Saturday.

[Kevan]

From Wes:

A special Thank You to Dave Whyte for being the club's rock hauler of the day. Dave picked up and delivered a load of rock to Morris Bridge for the workday, then grabbed another load and headed to Boyette.
Thanks for Dick Stillwagon for assisting.

[Kevan]

From Ken:

To all the people who showed up today,thank you!!!!!!!!! We accomplished every thing that was on the list.It feels great when that happens. Garry Rossiter, Wes & Marty Eubank, Myron Vanderlaan, Dick & Rowena Stillwagon, Holly Swales, Jay St Charles, Kevan Sheridan, Javier Avila, Gregg Irving, Brian Eckman, Scott Mosely, George Gaskell, Rob Hatton, Ian Hatton and Ken Orlando

Thank you all again.
Ken

On the list for today:

• Re-Route Panther trail section (from double-track to sweet single-track)
• Trim all trails, especially Gator Bait, Grandpa, Misery and Techno Pig
• Add rock to soft sections of Heartbreak Ridge trail
• Close new section of Heartbreak Ridge, re-route to old exit till trail is shored up
• Shell main trail where rock was put under the sand (between power lines and USF trail) last workday
• Repair wash-out at west end of Piglet
• Repair wash-out at allie-up ditch (for Intro to Mountain biking class)

Great workday!

[Forum Manager]

Information from Wes:

On Saturday September 16th we made a good start on the new Panther trail re-route in Flatwoods. Thursday 9/21 we worked to complete marking that trail, and did some rough cutting along the way.

[Forum Manager]

More information from Wes:

Worked on finalizing the new Panther route today (Thursday, October 5, 2006). I believe that with a strong turnout on the Morris Bridge workday, we can open this trail with one day's effort.

There is no feeling of accomplishment like riding a new trail that you helped build. Volunteer a few hours, then ride the thing. It will make you proud.

Our next Morris Bridge workday is Saturday, October 21.

wes

[Forum Manager]

Saturday, Oct. 21st at the boat launch at Morris Bridge and the river, 8:45 a.m.

Hey folks, this time of year seems to always be a busy time for trail maintenance as we get closer to the Fat Tire Fest and our other trails need maintaining too.

Big Ken "Gruff" Orlando will be out of town this weekend riding the great mountain bike trails near Asheville and asked if I would head up his trail day this coming Saturday.
 
What we have is to hopefully open up the Panther "reroute" to avoid the sandy two track and muddy conditions when it rains.
We also need to trim back some of the overgrowth squeezing in on the other single track trails.  Nothing too major this workday so everyone can join in - makes it go faster that way too.  Besides with this trail day you get to also ride your bike!  Not bad, grab some volunteer hours on your bike, get lunch and drink, who knows, might even be able to rustle up some brownies or cookies or something.

Be sure to RSVP to me (trails (at) swampclub .  org) so we can plan on enough tools and lunch.  If you have some favorite trimming tools please bring them.  Better to have too many than not enough.

Hope to see a bunch of SWAMPers or even non SWAMPers there.  Very soon we will be out of the growing season.

Thanks in advance.

Garry Rosseter

[Edit: correct e-mail address]

[Forum Manager]

Hey folks,
Still looking for some dedicated volunteers to help Saturday October 21 at the Morris Bridge/Trout Creek/Flatwoods Trails.  We have the Panther reroute to clean up and open, an assortment of single track between there and the "Y" that needs the face whackers taken out, and some turns need trimming so you can see as you go into them.  As you can tell nothing too hard, so bring the family, bring the kids.  If we can knock all of this out there won't be much left to do but minor maintenance.  Lets surprise those folks going to Asheville with some awesome looking trail to ride when they get back.

Be sure to RSVP so enough food, drink and cookies will be on hand.  Not mention tools.  Bring 'em if you have 'em, or we'll have some to hand out.

Garry

[Forum Manager]

It was a good day for trail trimming.  Not too hot, but hot enough.  We had ten (10) dedicated SWAMPers clearing overgrowth and cutting in the Panther reroute.  If we had a couple of more hours or 5 to 6 more bodies we would have cleared the complete reroute today.  This will be a fun little section to ride once it's complete.  The hogs are active, but it won't take much to establish the singletrack.

Major thanks to George Gaskil, Frank Truluck, Clint Perigard, Kenny Dixon, Dale Scull, Leon Elt, Garry Rosseter, Malissa Irby, Jonathan Noll, and Troy Noll.

There is still a small amount of trimming and clearing to do on the Panther reroute, so we'll be looking to do that on another day.

Don't forget - next Saturday, October 28th, is our combo Alafia/Boyette workday.  We will be looking for a large amount of people for the last big push before the Fat Tire Festival in just THREE SHORT WEEKS.

Much thanks goes out to all who help with trail building and maintenance.  If it wasn't for you folks we would not have the luxury of four great trail systems with over 100 miles of trail in our area to ride.

Thanks,
Garry

[Kevan]

I have some information from Wes too:

The Panther by-pass has been flagged and rough cut from end to end.
The north end hits the pavement directly south of where the aluminum bridge accesses the pavement. The south end hits the two-track about a 100' east of where the road curves and starts heading east. Any farther south and we ran into standing water from this weeks heavy rains.

The trail has been cleared enough so that future trail clearing teams know where to go. Minor adjustments will be required to smooth turns and bypass heavy palmetto clumps.

Click the image to see a larger version of the aerial image that shows where the completed trail will be (roughly). (The white line)

[Ken]

   I  rode  the Panther trail last Thursday, along with all the others, and I really enjoyed it. Still a little rough but it just needs a bit more riding on. It's a really different trail compared to the rest there because of the location and density of the trail( not to mention the roots). Great job guys!

                                               Ken