URE Workday March 23rd *** Last workday before trails open *** (1 Viewer)

[neslrac]

Hi Everyone – We’re going to have one more work day before the OHV Trails open up for the season. This Saturday, March 23rd we’ll meet at the Uwharrie Hunt Camp at 9 am and then head to the trails to install guardrail, pick up trash and install some orange diamonds and trail numbers. The one area that we know we need to “reinstall” guardrail again is the Dickey Bell Trail hill climb. Mike & Austin rode some of the trails today and cleared some of the trees. Tomorrow Mike & I are going to ride the rest of the trails and come up with the rest of the projects for Saturday.

Please wear appropriate clothes for working around augers, hammers, etc and for the weather, and wear closed toed boots or shoes that are ok on the trails. Bring food and water, work gloves and any tools you might have to help with installing the guardrail – D rings for dragging guardrail, socket sets, rock bars, claw foot hammers for diamonds, etc. We’ll have the augers, post hole diggers, sledgehammers, shovels, guardrail draggers, and the sign supplies.

We’ll try to be done by 2:30 pm. Thanks a lot everyone. We’ll get done what we can. I’m glad it’s finally drying out. The trails will open up on Friday, March 29th. Bye - Terry

 

[fourtrax]

Sorry i wont make this one. in the middle of moving.

 

[forrest5000]

I'm out of town.

 

[erymer]

Unfortunately I am already committed as well.

 

[lumbee1]

If I can get the truck running, I will be there.

 

[neslrac]

Hi Everyone – I wanted to send you another reminder that we’ll be having a OHV Work Day this Saturday, March 23rd. We’ll be meeting at Uwharrie Hunt Camp at 9 am. Two projects are to reinstall guardrail that has come down due to trees over the winter on the bottom of the Dickey Bell Trail hill climb. We’ll also reinstall guardrail at the top of the Dutch John Trail hill climb. We’ll also need some folks with winches that can winch a large tree and root wad down the rest of the Dutch John hill climb. Mike cut it yesterday but we couldn’t winch it down the hill. We may also be hauling some of the old log crossing logs over to Cove Boat Ramp where we’re reusing them to replace the old split rail fencing there. I know this is the first weekend of March Madness, but I hope we can have a good work day with a good turn out now that it’s finally drying out.

Remember to bring food and water, dress in proper work clothes, wear work boots or closed toed shoes, and work gloves. Bring any tools you have for installing and bolting guardrail together. We’ll have tools too. Thanks. Bye - Terry

 

[lumbee1]

Hey @neslrac How did it go today? I really wanted to come but had to work on getting the Cruiser operational again. It's finally fixed so I will definitely be at the next workday.

 

[neslrac]

It was a long workday. Didn't get off the trails until 4:30pm. Spent many hours in the morning doing recovery for trucks that got stuck in the mud. Volunteers are wonderful but many come out with road tires, do not air down and have very little 4x4 driving experience. I asked Terry to add to her safety briefing in the morning that if you are not trail ready or have little experience that you should leave your vehicle behind and jump in someone elses. Guard rails on Dicky Bell and Dutch John went well. Spent almost the entire day getting a tree stump and root ball down the Dutch John gulch using a winch. Took us hours. I didn't get any pictures because I left my phone in the truck. I'm sure Terry took some. At 3 pm, we got off the trail and I drove to the back entrance to Dutch John SR 516 to open the gate. The F350 we used to winch down the stump couldn't make it back up due to all the loose and mushy soil from the tree falling and had to exit from the other trail entrance. In any event, its about 3:30pm, we are transferring tools etc and Terry gets a call from Mike. Two non volunteers entered the trail head at rcky mtn loop and got stuck within 100 yrd. Morgan (Carolina Trail Blazers) and I went back around and extracted the vehicle. Mike forgot to lock the gate once the volunteers left the trail and these two guys snuck in. Luckily Mike heard them or they would have been locked in, stuck in the mud and no camping gear. So all in all, a long day, but the weather was gorgeous and many volunteers showed up. We needed them because we put two 30ft tow straps together and about 20 of us dragged the stump the final 50 yrds off the trail and it wasn't easy. You have no idea how much a stump and root ball weighs. How did your day go

 

[lumbee1]

It was a long workday. Didn't get off the trails until 4:30pm. Spent many hours in the morning doing recovery for trucks that got stuck in the mud. Volunteers are wonderful but many come out with road tires, do not air down and have very little 4x4 driving experience. I asked Terry to add to her safety briefing in the morning that if you are not trail ready or have little experience that you should leave your vehicle behind and jump in someone elses. Guard rails on Dicky Bell and Dutch John went well. Spent almost the entire day getting a tree stump and root ball down the Dutch John gulch using a winch. Took us hours. I didn't get any pictures because I left my phone in the truck. I'm sure Terry took some. At 3 pm, we got off the trail and I drove to the back entrance to Dutch John SR 516 to open the gate. The F350 we used to winch down the stump couldn't make it back up due to all the loose and mushy soil from the tree falling and had to exit from the other trail entrance. In any event, its about 3:30pm, we are transferring tools etc and Terry gets a call from Mike. Two non volunteers entered the trail head at rcky mtn loop and got stuck within 100 yrd. Morgan (Carolina Trail Blazers) and I went back around and extracted the vehicle. Mike forgot to lock the gate once the volunteers left the trail and these two guys snuck in. Luckily Mike heard them or they would have been locked in, stuck in the mud and no camping gear. So all in all, a long day, but the weather was gorgeous and many volunteers showed up. We needed them because we put two 30ft tow straps together and about 20 of us dragged the stump the final 50 yrds off the trail and it wasn't easy. You have no idea how much a stump and root ball weighs. How did your day go

Excellent report and I'm sorry I missed the activities. I can't imagine going to Uwharrie in road tires especially with soft conditions and the possiblity of mud. I would have loved to see a root ball that big.

 

[neslrac]

Pictures of the tree trunk removal from Dutch John chute.