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View Full Version : Apologies to hikers in Georgia



Speer Carrier
08-10-2005, 11:49
My humble apologies to anyone hiking the section just south of Unicoi Gap, in Georgia in the few weeks. I'm responsible for maintaining that section, and while I cut weeds right down to the ground around the first of June, I haven been able to get to the section until yesterday, and the weeds really got out of control.

It took an e-mail from the district overseer telling me to get my butt up there and do something to get me to check it out. I had to hack my way through a short stretch, but got things sort of cleaned up. I'll finish the job early next week.

The maintainers in Georgia take pride in keeping the trail in as good shape as any state, and I didn't keep up with that standard. So, if you hiked the section between Blue Mountain and Unicoi Gap recently, and had to push your way through weeds about shoulder high, and encroaching on the treadway, you can blame your's truely.

Hopefully, I'll do a better job in the future and keeps weeds, excess water, and blow downs off the trail.

Skink

Tha Wookie
08-10-2005, 11:53
Thanks for all the work you do for everyone else! Sooner or later, we appreciate your efforts!

sherrill
08-10-2005, 12:01
The mere fact that you volunteer to maintain a section of the trail, not to mention apparently by yourself, speaks volumes. No need to apologize for anything.

SGT Rock
08-10-2005, 12:28
Skink, all of us trail maintainers can certainly sympathize with you. Sometimes life put a lot on our plate and we have to eat it in small bites. Trail maintenance sometimes has to slide down for other things. Thanks for the work you have done and will do in the future so we can have a place to hike.

Kerosene
08-10-2005, 12:52
What's astounding is how fast those weeds grow and encroach on the trail. Thanks for all your efforts.

Freighttrain
08-10-2005, 13:10
Thankyou for doing all you do

TakeABreak
08-10-2005, 14:05
Skink, No apology neccessary, things happen, thats life. I like most greatly appreciate your hard work and that of all of the maintainer's. If anyone was really upset at you for not getting out there, then they should have volunteered to go out and do that section for you, for the short amount of time you were unavailable.

D'Artagnan
08-10-2005, 15:09
I would like to echo the sentiments already stated and tell you how much I appreciate the work you and other volunteers do to make the experience easier and more enjoyable for those of us passing through. May we never take it for granted.

neo
08-10-2005, 15:39
2 thumbs up for the great job you are doing:cool: neo

Lilred
08-10-2005, 16:59
I echo the previous sentiments. Thanks for all your hard work in keeping the trail maintained. And those that had to bushwhack through the trail, perhaps they can now appreciate more what Earl Shafer (sp?) went through on his first thru-hike. I had to bushwhack through parts of the trail in N.C. this year, weeds over my head, and it made me more aware of what past hikers went through long before we got the excellent maintenance that is part of our experience today. It also made me appreciate more what you maintainers mean to us hiker trash. Thanks again :clap :clap :clap

Hikerhead
08-10-2005, 18:17
No problem. Many thanks for trying to keep on top of it. I have a hard time trying to keep my own yard mowed. This has been sort of a wet year. I thought it was kind of cool last month when I hiked across Frosty mtn. Those weeds were high but the only other time I saw that part of the trail was in April when everything was still brown. It was fun to see what a jungle it can turn into.

orangebug
08-11-2005, 08:13
...And those that had to bushwhack through the trail, perhaps they can now appreciate more what Earl Shafer (sp?) went through on his first thru-hike. I had to bushwhack through parts of the trail in N.C. this year, weeds over my head...Yup, I recall a section north of Hot Springs with weeds encroaching pretty bad last June, '04. It never occurred to me to complain about it.

Dances with Mice
08-11-2005, 09:26
It's perfectly understandable how weeds got out of control since June, usually June - Sept is a slow time of year. But it's been an unusually wet year in GA, 8" above normal rainfall at the ATL airport and N. GA has gotten more rain than that! The roadside grass is as green as it was in spring, it's usually dry and brown right now. Blackberry vines are growing like kudzu.

Backyard example - I planted grapevines in my micro-vinyard and started training them in the double Geneva curtain trellis form. I'd have been happy if the vines reached the wires and started to run a little ways down them during their first year, I expected to complete their formation next year. Instead they're going to completely cover the trellis this year! I'll probably have to trim them back to keep them from over-running the trellis.

Years from now you'll be able to spot 2005 by the big fat growth ring in the blowdown you had to cross-cut.

Tha Wookie
08-11-2005, 11:08
Years from now you'll be able to spot 2005 by the big fat growth ring in the blowdown you had to cross-cut.
Darn straight. Our peppers are not happy about this.

Seems like we got the past 7 years in one summer......

But I still ain't complainin!

:sun

digger51
08-12-2005, 01:19
Skink, thanks for supporting us out there. Whenever I am on the trail I am thankful for you guys doing the real work so I can have the fun.