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Post by timbarnes on May 23, 2011 18:26:56 GMT -5
Trimmed back about a mile of the Sycamore trail before the storms hit today. Also removed the paw paw tree that was on the trail. The trail was wet today, so it will be too bad tomorrow to walk on. Hope to get back out Wednesday. Didn't work on the reroute today. Trying to get rid of the greenbriars and poison ivy before Memorial Day on the beginner trail. The park is expecting a full campground, so there will be a lot of users this weekend.
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Post by timbarnes on May 31, 2011 15:41:57 GMT -5
Getting some help maintaining the trails this summer. Two IDNR employees will help with the trails being the primary responsibility of one of them. Going to start training them Thursday. They will monitor whether the trails are dry enough to be ridden and check for damage after storms. Going to let them use my Rockhopper and BOB trailer - hell, I can't ride it anyway (damn neck). Also went over the reroute with the Harmonie staff today. They're cool with what Daniel and I started. Hope to get back on it once the weather breaks a little and the guys are trained.
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Post by timbarnes on Jun 6, 2011 14:28:31 GMT -5
Tarl and I worked on the trails today. We removed the big branch that was embedded in Walnut and partially blocking the fast section before the first bridge going out. Tarl cleaned off Walnut to the walking trail (yellow barrier tape) and I trimmed back some more on Sycamore. Plans are to complete the trimming on Sycamore tomorrow and blow off the section that is recently trimmed.
The trails are in good shape. There were a few ruts from yesterday, but we fixed most of them. The rest will be ridden flat with some traffic. Hope to start working on the reroute soon, but we'll have to wait until the weather breaks some. Its just too hot to tackle the briars and honeysuckle now.
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Post by smackgilbson on Jun 9, 2011 10:52:35 GMT -5
Worked on the reroute for about 2 1/2 hours last night. Blazing thru this crazy briar patch at the momment. It's slow going. Good news is the #4 hiking trail is about 10 feet from where I'm clearing. Really the trail could come out here but it would come out at the top of the hill instead of at the bottom where the trail comes out now. I think to really do it right the reroute needs to tie up with the existing walnut trail down close to where the damn has been washed out. There is about 30 feet of big thorn bushes ahead untill it opens up to a mass of sapling trees. But at least then I'll have a chance to get out the clino and get the right grade back down to the existing trail. It looks like there is about 75 more yards to go to connect it all up.
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Post by timbarnes on Jun 9, 2011 11:10:47 GMT -5
Zack, how did you stand the heat and bugs? I worked about three hours just trimming Sycamore and was shot yesterday. My neck will let me trim and leaf blow but nothing more (looking down with no strain), so I couldn't help last night. Still a few weeks out before I can help with the hard stuff. Do you need any specific tools that would make your job easier? I can either line them up for you from HSP or buy them, if necessary. Just let me know.
Agree with the tie-in point. I was planning on breaking off the walking trail where the original trail did and angling northwest almost immediately with the reroute. Sounds that's what you have in mind, too. This will skirt the eastern side of the pond.
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Post by smackgilbson on Jun 18, 2011 0:01:11 GMT -5
Alright...! As of tonight the reroute trail corridor has been officially cleared thanks to the new attachment Tim picked up last week. The thing runs thru those briars like butter.
There is some fun stuff on this reroute that people may enjoy. First off it runs thru some of the craziest thick vegetation i've seen at HSP (Mainly torn bushes and honey suckle.) There is a down hill /up hill section to the trail with grade reversals, and to keep the flow there is going to be a pretty big banked turn (almost a full u-turn).
Now all we need is some volunteers to rake and bench cut. It would be nice to get back to the work days that we have posted on the kiosk. If we could get 10 People The reroute would be knocked out in a day. Really! And if people continued to show up we could start in on the next sections of trail (which is most defiantly is the best harmony has to offer.) Call/text me at 457-1708 or email me here or at smackgilbson@msn.com
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Post by smackgilbson on Jul 8, 2011 10:33:29 GMT -5
Trimmed around the reroute last night before the rain ran me out. Now 3/4 of the trail is ready for the rhinos and finishing. I'll be working on it a sometime for a bit tomorrow, monday and wednesday weather premitting.
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Post by smackgilbson on Jul 25, 2011 23:44:55 GMT -5
Rick_D and I knocked out a good chunk of the reroute tonight. Now the trail is about 3/4 the way done. The remaining section that is not done yet is cleared just grassy so Im going to call it a short hike-a-bike section. But there is no real reason to go out to the road anymore so I took down the caution tape. Ride It!
The good thing about the remaining section is that there is only about 20-30 yards that needs bench cut. The rest of it just needs to be trimmed down to the dirt raked and packed. Oh, also we have to throw some rocks in that stream that runs trough the trail and cut out that small fallen tree, but then it's done and in the bank!
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Post by daniel240 on Jul 26, 2011 6:49:13 GMT -5
Nice work guys! I'm glad it's close to being done.
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Post by smackgilbson on Jul 28, 2011 9:59:26 GMT -5
Reroute is done now. So Go ride it!
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Post by timbarnes on Jul 28, 2011 14:54:51 GMT -5
I removed the tree on the reroute, cutting it up in small lengths and putting it in the ditch to make a temporary crossing. Not bad, if I say so myself. Also did a little touch-up trimming as I walked back to get the flagging tape and flags. Used the flags to "close" the old route near the walking trail. We'll probably have to get a log over there sometime. Figure people will only go by them once, though. They'll remember after that the trail goes nowhere that way.
All of us trail riders owe a special thanks to Zack who did the majority of the layout and work on this reroute. It was very difficult work. Just ride along it slowly and look at the briar bushes on either side and you'll get an idea of what had to be cut through to make this route. Blazing trail in the summer when the briars are thick and the bugs/ticks are in their prime is not fun. Also thanks to Daniel Goldbach and Rick Decker who put in some hard, hot hours getting this done. Sorry I wasn't much help, but this damn neck thing seems to go on forever.
BTW, I left the water jug that somebody forgot on the side of the trail. I'll remove it in a week if it hasn't been claimed.
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Post by smackgilbson on Oct 26, 2011 17:20:02 GMT -5
We are Starting on new Trail!!!
The first trail work day of the season will be Saturday Nov. 5th
And We need your Help!
We will be working on a section of trail extending from the end of walnut for about a mile. This section will include the longest downhill at HSP yet!
But wait there is more: We are going to make a weekend of it! There will be free camping in the camp ground Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th for registered volenteers. And free entry to the park. Here is a schedule of Events.
Friday Nov. 4th: Camp ground will be open on a first come first serve basis make sure to register with the main park office as a volenteer if you have not already. If getting in late Tim Barnes or myself will have the paperwork with us on saturday.
There will be a night ride starting @ 8pm at the Sycamore trailhead. Till whenever.
Then its back to the campground to enjoy a nice autum night under the stars in So. Indiana!
Saturday Nov. 5th: Trail work will start at the Walnut ridge shelter area @ 9:00 am
We will break for a pinic style lunch around 12:30 over at the Sycamore shelter area. Feel free to bring any food and drinks you want.
After lunch we will resume work on the trail till whenever. We will break for the day early enough to take a ride for anyone who wants to before the sun sets.
Saturday night and Sunday day are open to camping and rides as well. Your call there!
This will be a fun and productive weekend. I hope to see a good number of people there helping to add some more trail to this great trail system. If you have any questions do not hesitate to call.
Zach Glisson 812-457-1708
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Post by bballr4567 on Oct 26, 2011 22:49:54 GMT -5
I'll probably make it out there on Saturday morning to help out.
Josh
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Post by timbarnes on Oct 31, 2011 9:27:00 GMT -5
We're trying to get a rough count on how many are coming for the work day Saturday. Please PM or email me if you plan on coming. Also, let me know if you are going to be camping so I can pass it on to the HSP staff (its free, you know). Looking forward to seeing a big crowd Saturday.
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Post by timbarnes on Nov 3, 2011 16:23:22 GMT -5
Today, I chainsawed and blew off the new corridor that will be worked on Saturday. Although it was drizzling rain all day, the ground should be easily worked Saturday. Don't know about the scheduled night ride tomorrow night, but I will keep you posted. Alex S. will be checking the new corridor this afternoon. He and I will be working in the park tomorrow. Come on out and help if you want. We'll be past the "Trails End" sign. Park in the Walnut Ridge picnic area next to the first pile of wood chips and walk in.
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