CMC Weekly Trail Maintenance News

11/19/03

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Looking Ahead.......

Trail Maintenance scheduled for this week

Bill Newton's Work Crew-Friday

Ran into some family problems - sister in law died in Penn. and we have to run up there tomorrow (Sunday). I will be back for Friday, but have no time to make any plans so let's go back to Holmes this Friday and finish the shed and any trail work we can get done. Dale, I need you to call Ted at Holmes to set things up. I had told Ted we would not be back there until December. Neal - we will try for Horsepasture a little later. Meet at the Holmes Ranger Station at 8 and let me know if you will be out. Bill

Piet & Skip's Work Crew-Friday

Folks, We will head back to the Balsam Gap section of the MST trail this week with repair work on the section going South from Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the agenda. There was some great tread improvement done in this section a couple of weeks ago but more is needed. Plenty of rock tread work also, for those who enjoy that type of labor. Asheville folks meet at Home Depot at exit 44 of I-40 at 8:00. Hendersonville people at Ingles at 7:20. Howard please bring your saw to get the final trees in this section. Piet and Skip bring sledge hammers and rock bars. Others bring digging tools. Please let me know if you are coming. Skip

Anyone interested in joining the trail crews contact: Hendersonville area-Bill Newton, 828-693-4033, Brevard area-Dick Johnson, 828-884-3685, Asheville area-Skip Shelton, 828-891-3264 or Piet Bodenhorst, 828-298-8371.

Nice letter from a former Trail Maintainer, Jack Springston

Jorge, my address in Charlotte is: Jack Springston,3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215. I feel a little guilty accepting a 20 year award. I worked a lot of hours on the AT, Mountains-to-the-Sea, and Pisgah Forest Trails from 1981 through 1995, usually at least 3 days/week, but since 1996, when I became unsteady in my walking and also I had heart surgery in 2000, so I only worked four or five days during this period. As I read the trail maintenance news, I find very few names I know. Bob Johnson was a first class leader on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday when circumstances required Arch Nichols, Jack Davis, and Jack Trump to retire from leadership. Phil Smith was the titular leader for the Wednesday group, but Bob gave him the technical skills and support on most days. Dick Roberts headed up the Monday group, but it got quite large and Dick, rather than offend any one, let his crew get away with some pretty shoddy trail construction, not unlike some previous leaders. Working with volunteers can get touchy at times. Bob and I worked with Konnarock crews and learned how trails needed to be built. At that time, I was also a member of the Green Mountain Club of Vermont, and they had a much better Trail construction manual than the AT. From about 1988 on, we built a lot of fine trail, using stone water bars and steps, Cowitee Dips when possible, and dug in large locust logs for steps and water bars that required no stakes. Bob learned how to operate and maintain the "Clydesale",a grip-hoist for those who don't know the slang term. He persuaded the club to purchase one and then later, a second one. As the Mountain-to-the Sea Trail will testify, a lot of us know how to use rocks in trail construction. Our club did not have this knowledge prior to Bob accepting the leadership role. Bob was also the first to take the chainsaw course. Most of us were to upset because had to take it. Morgan Summerville gave us a lot of advise, increasing our knowledge of trail design. I hope that the club has properly recognized the work performed by Bob over the period of years he led these crews. If you have, I did not see it in a newsletter. Keep up the good work--Wish I could be a part of it. Jack Springston

Nominate your “Volunteer of the Year” for 2004

Each year on National Trails Day, AHS honors a trail volunteer from every state. We need your nominations to find these highly motivated individuals who spend so much of their time ensuring trails are in good shape and accessible. Who in your organization deserves national recognition for trail maintenance? For more information visit our web site at: www.AmericanHiking.org or contact Shirley Hearn at 301-565-6704 x206 or Shirley@AmericanHiking.org

Fall Section Maintainer Duties

It is time for all Section Maintainers to do their fall walk All waterbars need to be cleaned and reshaped, if necessary, to make sure all the winter rains will do minimum damage to the trail.
Thank you.

Nominate your “Volunteer of the Year” for 2004

Adopt-A-Trail (Section) Maintainers Needed!

We currently have several sections on the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) that would love to have a caring individual who can adopt a section of their very own. As a trail maintainer, you would be the MST's most important advocate and protector. In this role, you would become familiar with trail maintenance techniques so that you understand the big picture as you perform the simple, recurring maintenance and repairs necessary to keep the trail in good repair. One your most important duties would be the "eyes" and "ears" of your section. The section supervisors are responsible for all of the "heavy duty" work and should be contacted to perform trail work you would not feel comfortable doing.

If you are interested please contact me or any of the following and we will explore finding just the right section of trail for you. Don Walton, walt7258@bellsouth.net , 828-298-5084, Stan Smith, ssmith111728@aol.com , 828-456-3042, D.R. Kulp, kulpdr@juno.com , 828-692-0783, Les Love, leslove@aol.com , 828-658-1489, Jorge Munoz, jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us , 828-658-0606.

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Looking Back....

Bill Newton's Work Crew-Friday

This week we will visit Connimera (Sandburg NP) and give them a hand with some water bar clearing and tree removal. Dave has made the arrangements with the park service crew, and may even have a suprise in store for you. I will not be out again this week as I have company. Jim T will bring the tools. Please let me know if you will be out so we can get apropreate tools lined up. Meet at the work center at 8. The work center is down Little River Road about a half mile from the parking lot to the Sandburg place. I would suggest someone who knows the way stop in the parking lot and if any do not know, meet there. I am going to forward Dave's message to encourage all of you to turn out.... Bill

Piet & Skip's Work Crew-Friday

Folks, Well things will be a little confused this week. I am going to be out of town on Friday and several of the other regular assistant crew leaders are going to be taking the chain saw training (I was wrong on the week for the training in last week's note), so Curt Holladay will lead the crew this week with help from John Hillyer. You will be going to Balsam Gap to work on the new section of trail heading south from the Ranger Station. The crew 2 weeks ago got this section started and went across the bridge over 19/70 and into the woods on the far side. This is where the crew will start this week and continue into the woods making new trail. This is suppose to be easy tread work with more raking than digging, so bring a rake if you have one, but also bring your regular digging tools. Meeting places will be Home Depot at exit 44 of I-40 at 8:00 for the Asheville people and Ingles at 7:20 for Hendersonville folks. Please respond back directly to Curt if you are coming. His E-Mail is caholady@bellsouth.net . Hope you have a great day, Skip

Jorge's Work Crew