View Full Version : Kudos to Trail Maintainers!
I just want to send my thanks and appreciation to all you maintainers out there!
I just bought a large piece of property (40+ acres) where the survey had last been done a few years ago. I knew the metal rods were still in place, but hadnt (if ever) been visited. Going only on the paper survey and some skewed gps coords, I made my way to the 2 most remote corners.
Needless to say, I had to bushwhack 90% of the way through dense woods, thickets, briars, brambles, spiders, ticks, vines, weeds... you get the idea... for over a 1/4 mile. I suppose doing this in August and in Alabama wasnt the brightest idea Ive ever had, but I was determined to locate my property corners, and make a viable path to them for future use.
I believe the work I did compares to what trail maintainers and especially builders encounter. Since I have not yet done trail maintenance, I wanted to send my thanks to all of you out there for what you do. I have a whole new appreciation for your work!
I hope to join a vol. vacation crew in the near future as my thanks also!
SGT Rock
08-30-2006, 15:34
If you get the urge when I get back, you are invited up to Tennessee to stay at our house and go do some trail maintenance with our family crew. Always happy to get some help. But be forewarned, my boys try to turn it into fun.
WalkinHome
08-30-2006, 21:58
What you experienced is the same (with varying levels of difficulty) as club members enjoy when they take on a section of trail and perform the less well known task of "Corridor Monitoring." It is great fun, finding the silver colored medallions (monuments), finding and maintaining the survey marks on trees and witness trees, putting up small signs telling all that this is protected land and generally making sure no one encroaches on the AT Corridor. It is a unique way of getting to know the trail (corridor) like no other. If you are interested, contact your local club (or ATC if you want to know more about the program) and maybe they have a section just waiting for you. Depending on the "threat" to the AT of your assigned section, visits may be only once a year although when first taking this on be prepared to spend some time getting it up to snuff.
WalkinHome
08-30-2006, 22:00
P.S. It is a great excuse for me to stay at Shaw's too!! I'll have the 3-By!
Mountain Man
08-30-2006, 22:52
Thanks for the kind words ALHikerGal. Same here as Sgt. Rock said, your welcome to come up and stay with my family also and go on a work trip with the Georgia AT club. We do a worktrip, club wide every 3rd. Sat. besides what we do on the sections we oversee. When I joined the club it was to meet other people to hike with but they have a requirement that to join you have to particapate in a work trip. Well I was hooked. I enjoy the trail work about as much as hiking.
When you decide to do a Volunteer vacation work crew check out the ATC website. They have a crew that works the southern part of the AT (except the Smokies) called the Konnarock crew. I've worked with them a few times. Always a lot of fun working with them.
I'm a 2000 miler, but I've spent more time on the A.T. maintaining it than I have hiking it. Although I haven't done much of either in recent years, I want to thank you for your kind words too.
I'm not sure which I enjoyed more, thru-hiking or serving on a trail crew. I'll probably do both again when opportunities present themselves. I'd hoped to spend some time with the Maine Trail Crew this summer, but my work schedule prohibited it. I'll help out the Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew for a few days in September instead. There are plenty of ways to get involved as you can see.
WalkinHome
08-31-2006, 20:56
The heck with that hiker gal, maybe I could interest you in the Maine Trail Crew during the summer up here in Maine. I don't mind poaching a volunteer from Georgia LOL. We have lobstah!! Be safe.
StarLyte
08-31-2006, 21:12
I learned a lot about trail work by observing (yes watching not working) the Potomac Trail Club's "Cadillac Trail Crew" at work for 3 days, 2 miles south of Blackburn. I took many pictures of that weekend, posted them here for you to view if you'd like: click here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=11335&c=searchresults&searchid=4746)
I have total respect for trail crews.
Hats of to Chris Brunton-"Trailboss", Phil, Mark, Bob Peoples, and all trail crew people everywhere.
I took many pictures of that weekend, posted them here for you to view if you'd like: click here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=11335&c=searchresults&searchid=4746)
I have total respect for trail crews.
Hats of to Chris Brunton-"Trailboss", Phil, Mark, Bob Peoples, and all trail crew people everywhere.Nice pics as usual StarLyte.:) Nice to give em a little visual tribute. I like their name.
Mountain Man
08-31-2006, 21:25
What can I say? I guess you've got me beat.:confused: I guess the best I could do is some good ole southern Bar-B-Que maybe some Brunswick stew and something good to wash it down with.:D But since shes from Alabama I'm sure she's used to that. That "lobstah" is pretty good. I got up that way a couple of years ago and eat some lobstah for the first time. I'm going to try some more I hope on my thru when I get up there in 07. Maybe I can get up that way in the next few years and do that Maine trail crew myself. Didn't have but about 3 days in Maine the last time and looking forward to getting back up there.
SGT Rock
09-01-2006, 03:24
Well I'm from Alabama myself, and while I like "lobstah" ok, I would much rather have some smoked barbecue, ice tea, and some fixens' at the end of a long day of trail maintenance. Mmmmmm...
Mountain Man
09-02-2006, 00:36
Well I'm from Alabama myself, and while I like "lobstah" ok, I would much rather have some smoked barbecue, ice tea, and some fixens' at the end of a long day of trail maintenance. Mmmmmm...
Yeah, I know what you mean. I just kind of hated to rain on Walking Homes parade there. Of course, we all know that "everythings better down South" here especially the food.:D
Gosh! Im actually wishing I could clone myself to be in all these great places with all the great food offers! But, alas, I am only one person...
TN and GA are close enough for weekend trips. And I do love BBQ!!
Maine is on the dream vacation list, besides being the beginning of my AT thru next year... Having had true fresh lobster before, I cannot deny it is incredible! I will definately have to find a way to visit other than just to hike!
Star - I like your idea best, but I like that feeling and sense of accomplishment when its all over!
Mtn Man - PM me with some more info or at least some fall (cooler weather) dates, I may be able to squeeze some time off!
Rock - you're not far at all, so let me know when!
Thanks for all the offers!! And thanks again to the maintainers (as I head back to the farm for more bushwhacking....)
Old Hillwalker
09-02-2006, 18:18
I'm an AT maintainer and a Corridor Monitor on two different sections of the trail near my home. Although doing trail work is rewarding with lots of "thank you,s" from passing hikers, I have to say that Corridor Monitoring is a real hoot. It's like a big bushwhacking treasure hunt. My approximately eight mile monitor section has 150 monuments that I must locate twice a year as I walk the boundary following the "yellow" surveyor's blazes. The surveyors ran the boundaries right through ponds, up cliffs and across swamps through some really thick sh-t. I do the usually, five day job spring and fall when the leaves are down. The most difficult part of the adventure is keeping the "line of sight" brushed out. In my section I will never get that completely finished since the stuff grows faster than I can cut the entire perimeter. I was supplied with a full set of surveyor's maps, including 150 sets of locator plots for each boundary marker. A locator plot is a diagram which usually includes three trees with little yellow disks nailed the their bases with direction and distance to the monument. It's amazing how quickly you learn to anticipate the next monument location and number as you cruise through the woods on a warm spring or fall day. You're Welcome :)
WalkinHome
09-04-2006, 22:12
HillWalker, I feel like you do about corridor monitoring. It's a hoot.
Hiker Gal I surrender-the south wins - for now - so when all the maintenance is done in Georgia, you be sure to come up to Maine to do a little bit. Good luck on your Thru and maybe we will see you at Shaw's or something. I have been known to get around. Be Safe