Pick a Trail! Any Trail!

  I was up early to get all my stuff in the car & get up to Linda's by 9.  We'd hoped for the same cloud cover & cool that we'd enjoyed on our ride yesterday - but no - blazing sunshine!  It wasn't going to deter us!  The Olympics were just outrageously beautiful when I pulled into Linda's.  Our equipment was loaded, water & snacks.

The "Before"

We had Many, Many trails to pick from - but decided on two that were part of the larger loop that we sometimes do & others do fairly often.  This was verified when two riders wanted past while we were working!  With ear plugs in - they had to do some yelling to get our attention!  Linda was determined to break in her brand new weed whacker!  With the two that belong to the PRA in the shop & both of ours out of commission - I took my pruners!  I've been known to do a Lot of Damage with pruners!

Ripe native blackberry!

Following along behind - gave me the opportunity to find the fruit & partake!

On our way down -

Overgrown is the mildest word I can use to describe this trail.  It was so totally overgrown that Linda started down working just one side.  I started taking branches off the trees.  When I do - I take them right to the trunk & all the way to the ground.  It was tough & we were totally soaked with sweat within the first few minutes.

Linda heads back up to get the other side of the trail~

Once into the trees, we turned back up the hill to knock down the other side. 

The "after" shot!

Another - showing my work on the trees~

Once we were back up at the top, where we'd left the truck.  We re-evaluated our decision & decided that since were were already filthy dirty, sweaty & miserable - that we'd might as well go over to the other area that we'd really hoped to do.

Now we were out in the full sun & it was even warmer~

Again - I brought up the rear, tossing, cutting & taking down whatever Linda missed.  Moving debris off the trail & knocking back the branches on the new trees that were too close to the trail.

"Black Caps"

 I found more berries too!  I thought they were a raspberry - Linda said as kids they called them Black Caps.  They are one of the sweetest berries I've ever picked!

Here's where we finally quit - at the "Y" - but it works as a "before" for this trail~

We were both amazed at how long the weed whacker ran on a tank of gas!  Almost longer than we did!  In the old days - we'd clear all morning - then ride all afternoon.  Things have changed!  We were more than happy to crawl into the truck & turn on the air conditioning!  We'd worked for almost four-hours.

Me on the trail - "after"!

Discussing the trails, the users & the little amount of work that gets done - we both were thinking that if anyone wanted to pick a day & contact Linda - she would be happy to take them out to a trail that needs work.  It's amazing what two people can accomplish!  But we also discussed that so many Endurance riders just pound the logging roads & hardly even venture onto the trails - so I guess that relieves them from trail-clearing responsibility?  Not really..  So - if you're interested, pick a trail, pick a day & come help!