Gettin' Er Done!

& the vehicles keep coming!

Scott was thrilled!  Our RSVP list was dismally short - but once we had the gate open - the trucks kept coming!  The weatherman had originally said that today would be decent & it was actually perfect for the work we had planned!  Cool, cloudy & wet!  :-)

Even a lonely bike guy came to help!

As we all said, if we ever admit to being too old - that will be the end of the trails...  It's the same people every year who feel the obligation to do their share, some of them ride this area only very rarely - yet still come to work.  I'd asked Scott early on if Butch & I could tackle the trail where I'd fallen & he readily agreed.  We'd hoped that Joyce would make it - to lead us up - but instead, Scott got everyone organized - then guided us up.  We were just ready to leave, when Rhonda stuck her head in the truck window!  She & Donnie had driven up to help!  So - the four of us followed Scott to where we needed to be & started clearing! 

"The Bridge"

 I was almost sick to my stomach when I saw it again...  At least we Could See it today!   Something Butch noticed right away - the planks were installed going the wrong direction.  Nothing to keep a hoof from slipping forward.  In just three weeks, the Salmonberry was already starting to cover it again!

Looking down~

You could also see the impression made by Farah's body in the mud - now filled with water & the rock, that dented my water bottle.  Scott told us that this was originally a trail - but years of rain & erosion have turned it into a creek & a nasty one it is.

From the creek bed ~

I had to go check out the place where Farah made her jump - again - amazed that she did it - as I looked down at the point where she'd launched herself.

The jumping up spot!

 We cleared everything from around both bridges.  Donnie suggested putting up some caution tape so that at least riders would have notice that it was there - since it's really slippery too.  You can bet I'll be doing that next.   We kept clearing forward until we came to a creek & forest - then turned back & started on up the Ridge Trail to where I remembered the trees being down.

Donnie & his chain saw

 Donnie made short work of both - the one above is the one we'd jumped before reaching the bridge.  Butch was doing damage with the weed whacker, while Rhonda & I used our loppers & picked up the mess the guys were leaving behind.  We got a nice long section of the trail done!  Just in time to head back to meet-up with the rest of the volunteers for a lunch break!  It only sprinkled on us - but the brush was so wet we were soon soaked anyway.

Lunch Break!

Sandwiches never tasted better!  Every year, we try to make at least two trail clearing dates, one for the Traildusters & one for Cascade.  We've done this even during the years when I was working full time.  None of the riders I know, that ride here - were with us this day.  Yes - I had my personal agenda - but we would have been here anyway - just working a different trail.  The rest of our group made huge progress on re-establishing the "White" trail through the recent clear-cut.  Still more to do, always more to do, but we all felt like we'd accomplished a lot!