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Cosmo
09-03-2004, 07:41
Folks--
The roof at Tom Leonard Shelter (leaking since last year, at least) will finally be replaced this weekend. Work will begin Friday afternoon Sept 3rd, and (hopefully) conclude on Sunday by hauling out the debris from the old roof.

Since the weather looks really, really good (for some reason) this weekend, the only disruption will be some early morning noise on Sat and Sun (we'll start about 8am) as we tear off the old roofing and re-install new roofing--including a skylight! Two of the scheduled workers (myself included) will be tenting near the shelter on Fri and Sat nights.

Anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to come up to help out or just shoot the breeze,

Cosmo

cascader
12-05-2004, 19:02
I stayed last night (Dec 4) at the Tom Leonard shelter. After all the posts about it being easy to miss, I worried needlessly--with the leaves off the trees, you can't miss it, esp. with the new red roof. Shelter was in really nice shape--thanks, maintainers!--between the roof w/ skylight, the tent platform (which now is very stable, with a beatiful view south), and the nearby brook running well. There were fresh blue blazes, very easy to see, marking the access trail off the AT, but still no sign.

I was the only human visitor yesterday. However, I was visited last night (once at 1 am, again at 2:30 am) by one or more porcupines--the 2:30 visitor was one cute but pesky beast, very unwilling to leave despite being spotlighted in my halogen flashlight beam and lectured to something awful. Noted that the shelter is well-chewed, so this must be a nightly deal.

The Will
12-05-2004, 20:23
I wish I lived close enough to lend a hand. Thank for the work you will be doing. It's greatly appreciated, even by people such as myself who must now love the trail from a distance.

Cosmo
12-06-2004, 09:24
Glad to hear the roof is doing well. The real test for the skylight will be when a branch falls on a cold day. You should find some rocks in the shelter to use a procupine deterrents, they don't respond well to discussion.

Cosmo

cascader
12-13-2004, 22:10
Thanks for the porkie advice, I'll have a few small rocks handy next time!

BTW, if you maintain or know who maintains the AT coming in from the south, there's a very confusing turn just as you cross Boardman Street at Boardman and Kellog Roads. The AT goes sharply to the left, but the double blazes have faded and are hard to see. An old woods road goes to the right--all too easy to see! I missed the AT and took the woods road for at least half a mile before I missed seeing the white blazes--even after I returned to Kellog and Boardman, it took me a while to find the AT. A sign, as well as fresh double blazes, would be very helpful!

thanks again for all your work on the AT.

Cosmo
12-14-2004, 09:06
Cascader--
Yes that turn can be a bit tricky depending on the state of the brush on the woods road. We have problems keeping it blocked off. It may come to having to actually put a sign there to point folks to the left (northbound). When did you hike in that area?

Cosmo

cascader
12-15-2004, 11:28
Weekend of Dec 3-4. It may have been more confusing w/ so many leaves on the ground, but the AT just there is so much narrower than the old woods road that the latter is hard not to get tricked by. Otherwise trail was well blazed and marked. Only other issue was hunters--when I got back toward the Shay's rebellion marker on Sunday, it sounded like they were reenacting the battle! but I had an orange backpack, by chance, and felt pretty visible.

Cosmo
12-16-2004, 08:12
Yes, I've had to rely much more on blazes when the leaves are down. We may just have to find a way to block the woods road in a more durable fashion or post a sign.

The hunters were probably practicing at the firing range that is near the trail there. Similar place in North Adams at the bottom of Prospect Mtn. Not much huntable land near Shay's until you get to Jug End. Orange was a good choice in the woods that week. FYI, there is no hunting allowed in Mass on Sundays (but I wear orange anyway whenever I'm out during deer season).

Cosmo