National Trails Day at Shutes Hosted by the COE

[TNcaveman]

I recieved this earlier this week. I hope we can have a good turn out and build some new trail. We have almost 5 miles built and will have at least 10 when were done. I may not make it due to Scouts, but I will work on getting the new stuff started / marked with Tommy.

Post up if you can come so they can plan for the food / drink quantities. They'll have several weed wrenches. Darryl said that SORBA will be there! (plaese add this to the SORBA Blog and calender).



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Dear Friends of Shutes Branch:

It is time once again for the annual National Public Lands Day on Old Hickory Lake. The staff at Old Hickory invites you to join us on Saturday, September 26, 2009 to help improve, restore and clean-up public lands. National Public Lands Day is a great opportunity to become involved in your community. This year National Public Lands Day will highlight the connection public lands have with water.

We are looking for volunteers to help with butterfly habitat and bird house construction, tree replacement, invasive plant species removal, shoreline clean-up and especially bicycle trail work on the Shutes Branch Bike Trail. All activities will begin at 9:00 A.M. We will provide refreshments for participants to show our appreciation for their volunteer work at Shutes Branch Shelter at 12noon.

If you are interested in working on any of these projects or would like additional information, please give us a call at (615) 822-4846 or (615)847-2395. I (Park Ranger Amy Cline) am the point of contact. Pre-registration is appreciated.

Amy Cline
Park Ranger
USACE, Old Hickory Lake
W: 615.822.4846 or 615.847.2395
C: 615.202.1488

[FullSquishy]

We have added the workday to our calendar on the blog and I will do a write up once we get a little closer to the date and add it to the blog also.

I hope many of our community can come out and help the Friends of Shutes Branch and SORBA on this day. It is National Trails Day in the U.S. and would be a great day for many to get out and help work on this new trail in our area.

For those who don't know much about Shutes Branch check out Steve's blogsite at http://shutesbranchmtb.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

[TNcaveman]

:bump:

I had a change in schedule and can make it :chewie0ol:

The trail is in great shape right now, but will be buffed out some before the big day. The new Ranger Amy is really stoked about the trail. She walked it for the first time a week ago and was impressed.

I hope to have a good turnout since it's been a while since we did a trail day.

Come help build the only new trail in the area!!! The best area is next.

Steve

[FullSquishy]

It would be great if we could get a good turnout for this workday. Could you all post up if you plan to attend?

[encyclopediabrown]

I will be there! :eek:

[bang-flash]

Put me down as a maybe. Will have a definitive anwser this time next week.

[ScraffyZ]

I'll be there.

Rick

[Fuel]

My youngest son has a flag football game that morning. I'm helping with coaching so I can't bail. Don't know if I'll be able to make it for part of the day or not.

[mallize]

I should be there after my son's baseball game.

I live right down the road from Shutes. I've been riding there two or three times a week. It's not in bad shape now but could definitely use some love.

[FullSquishy]

:bump: Anybody else wanna help? Should be a good day to trail work with all the rain we have been receiving!

[swankmotee]

I went out today and flagged the route we'll be whackin' on and it looks like it's going to turn out nice. It will take off where the trail ends now and bring us out now at the base of the gravel lot halfway up the farthermost section below the weather station. This will be approximately a 1/2 mile addition and from there it will be a short hop to finish the upper hillside that we started on last spring so that will bring the miledge up to round 6 or so with some nice climbing or downhill runs depending on which direction you are taking. We really hope that some newbies as well as old guard types will come out and lend a hand because the more bodies the more track we'll be able to clear. Our rangers will be there with some lunch and drinks afterwards so all you will need to bring is some long pants,sturdy workboots, and a willingness to get down and dirty! Hope to see you out there and thanx to Daryll and the Sorba gang for bringing out the trailer and extra toolery.:thumb:

[bang-flash]

Its official, I have been granted permission by the boss to attend the festivities.

[TNcaveman]

It's on tomorrow morning, rain or shine. We'll call it off only if there is a bunch of lightening. See ya'll at 9 am. SORBA trailer will be there. See Encyclopedia Brown work. Here the sound of brush cutters, weed eaters, blowers, etc...

Steve

[swankmotee]

Sorry folks but it's raining steadily and there is lightning and thunder so we'll try and reschedule for next weekend if possible once we check with the Corp staff and Sorba gang.:thumb:

[TNcaveman]

:bump: we got spammed - had to :bump:


I'm going to head over around 8:45 to let anyone know of our predicament. If anyone shows, we might do a little - trail walk in the rain with clippers and rain suit on.

We'll do a reschedule.

Steve

[TNcaveman]

I went to the trail-head area and Scott Simpson showed up ready for action. His computer was down so he came on over. We trimmed the wooded section from Mile 2.3 to past the white rocks section with a weeder and pruners. The water made a lot of stuff droop so we cleared a lot.

It was pretty cool to see the trail under these conditions. ALL trail builders and maintainers need to do this. There were two sections with a lot of flow. It was pretty cool. Looks like the trail will be probably ok to ride with aggressive tires in a day or so. But it will be slick for a few days. Most was still pretty hard. Rocks and roots were real slick.

We'll reschedule with the COE, but we need to also start up the new trail building soon. If you are board, head to the back with some pruners, a saw, or what ever and clear the line Tommy made. We don't need a trail day to make trail! The new stuff is located near the old bath house where the big rolloff dumpster is located. Go through the gate, go past the dumpster, and hang a left where the flagging tape is marking a connector.

Tomorrow would be a great day. Post up if you helped.

And Darryl, add 7 man hours to the trail work tally (plus 9 man hrs for last Saturday - Charlie, Jeff Whitte, and myself)

Steve

[swankmotee]

I went to the trail-head area and Scott Simpson showed up ready for action. His computer was down so he came on over. We trimmed the wooded section from Mile 2.3 to past the white rocks section with a weeder and pruners. The water made a lot of stuff droop so we cleared a lot.

It was pretty cool to see the trail under these conditions. ALL trail builders and maintainers need to do this. There were two sections with a lot of flow. It was pretty cool. Looks like the trail will be probably ok to ride with aggressive tires in a day or so. But it will be slick for a few days. Most was still pretty hard. Rocks and roots were real slick.

We'll reschedule with the COE, but we need to also start up the new trail building soon. If you are board, head to the back with some pruners, a saw, or what ever and clear the line Tommy made. We don't need a trail day to make trail! The new stuff is located near the old bath house where the big rolloff dumpster is located. Go through the gate, go past the dumpster, and hang a left where the flagging tape is marking a connector.

Tomorrow would be a great day. Post up if you helped.

And Darryl, add 7 man hours to the trail work tally (plus 9 man hrs for last Saturday - Charlie, Jeff Whitte, and myself)

Steve

Total dedication man, now thats total dedication! Thanx for that Steve and I spoke with Amy about next Saturday but she said the Corp had other commitments for that day but we can continue on so letz take a tally and see who wants to show up then.

[dirtdog]

FYI...several of us and the SORBA trailer will be at the Monte Sano Festival in Huntsville next weekend October 3rd & 4th.