Call to arms: St. Clair County Park!

[inasnit]

As many of you know, we've been working with St. Clair County Park for a few years now to develop new Mountain Bike trails on some land that they purchased for their park system. While the relationship with the park has always been good, the initial planning and building has been slow in coming to fruition.

Because of the difficult terrain (low, wet areas, and high ridge-line areas), we'd been talking with the park about hiring IMBA's Tail Solutions to design the trail and help us (MMBA volunteers) implement it. A few proposals from Trail Solutions have been presented, but they just contacted us to let us know that they will have someone in this general area this coming weekend and have significantly lowered their expenses if we could fit their schedule.

So, St. Clair County Park has signed the agreement and is hiring Trail Solutions to help build this trail!

But now, we need to provide volunteers. I'm still working out the details, but what I know is this:

Training and Build days: Saturday 6/11 and Sunday 6/12 with Saturday being more geared toward Trail Coordinators and build planners.
Trail Solutions will be doing the design ahead of time, and will teach us the proper way to implement it. This is an AMAZING opportunity to learn how to build some trails in difficult terrain.

Since this is being condensed into a weekend, Trail Solutions expects 2 full 8 hour workdays. (Times and details are still being worked out)

I know this is extremely short notice, but this came up really really quickly and the park JUST signed the contract today. So now we need to deliver volunteers to make this happen!

The contract limits the participants of the training to TEN - so please let me know if you can make it out so I can get you on the list. If you're interested, please send me an email at metronorth@mmba.org

I will also continue to update this thread as the details unfold.

thanks in advance!

[jalopy jockey]

Awsome.

I assume it will be typical trail building actions and hence there will be an apropriate location for my little trail knomes to clear some brush without getting near power tools?

We have plans on Saturday but Sunday is a strong potential.

[inasnit]

Awsome.

I assume it will be typical trail building actions and hence there will be an apropriate location for my little trail knomes to clear some brush without getting near power tools?

We have plans on Saturday but Sunday is a strong potential.

I'm not sure that this would be the right trailday for the kiddos to be part of, since its going to be a lot of knowledge transfer and education.

[i69whitey]

great oppurtunity to learn from the big guns

enjoy a Jude free trail day
keep the parents informed for future workdays

-peace

[InTeRnEt_RyAn]

Email sent. I hope this is Columbus Park, as I didn't see a location. I would call it NE Macomb/St Clair. It might muster a few more volunteers.

[barroo]

Directions? Tools needed? What time should we be there?

[PK]

The park address is:
1515 Kronner rd
Columbus, MI 48063

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=1515+Kronner+rd&cp=15&qe=MTUxNSBLcm9ubmVyIHJk&qesig=KoFTyfwrvGUGwdQa_H6DAA&pkc=AFgZ2tnIJxcJOuV1x3GGQ2NzxL8yJf5QHEEVYQq-UVg0JILRg_R4msysVCweBdJEtcO8dhO0qZQt5LjEoMayJpVv33PgkPZyfw&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1900&bih=886&wrapid=tljp130752681329100&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl


It's about 1 mile East, and 2 miles north of downtown Richmond.

Keep in mind, this is just the address to the park, I do not know if that's where people will be meeting.

Pete.

[InTeRnEt_RyAn]

PM sent. On park entrance location. Check that, I get it now and which section you are referring to.

[inasnit]

I'm still trying to nail down the details with the park and IMBA, which is why I haven't posted start time or meeting location yet. Chris from IMBA is supposed to be arranging a call with myself and the Park this afternoon, after which, I hope to have all necessary info and will post back here ASAP.

Thanks for your interest - please hang in there while I work this all out.

[inasnit]

Things are starting to come together ..

Saturday: Trail Layout and Design Concepts
Classroom work starts at 9:00am .. this is mostly for trail coordinators / assistant trail coordinators / anyone who strives to one day BE a trail coordinator

After a few hours in the classroom, we'll head out and start laying out & flagging the trail.

Sunday: Trail building concepts
Meeting at 9:00am .. this is for anyone who wants to learn how to properly build trail, and who just wants to help get this trail going! Along with trail building instruction, we will be building the trail that is flagged on Saturday.

Right now, we're planning on meeting at the main park entrance area:
1515 Kronner Rd, Columbus, St. Clair, Michigan 48063
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=151 ... 3&t=h&z=17

For both days, normal trailday stuff applies -- long pants, bug spray, work gloves, etc .. Don't worry much about bringing tools as we'll have plenty in the trailer.

Lunch will be provided by the Metro North Chapter both days. We will also have a water cooler in the trailer.

[InTeRnEt_RyAn]

First of all, thank you to all who came out. It means a lot to me because this park is 3 miles from my house. I think with the advanced or even semi-advanced trailscape it could draw a lot of interest and bring people from farther to the park.

It was quite the learning experience,and well worth the time I spent there for two days. I can't bring myself to take a shovel to my yard but this was a lot of fun, and a great sense of accomplishment. Thanks for the patience and lessons learned.

Here's to this project progressing.

[PK]

Is there a Columbus Park trail conditions thread???????

Pete.

[bender13]

Has there ever been discussion of a "new miles added" counter on the front page? I really like the 50 in 5 project by the SW Chapter and think it would be nice to see the total annual miles added across the state. Maybe every chapter could set a goal at the beginning of the year. Is there a count of existing trail miles?

Jeff

[c0nsumer]

Has there ever been discussion of a "new miles added" counter on the front page?

Not that I'm aware of. This would also only occasionally jump, then stagnate, and look like its not going anywhere.

Is there a count of existing trail miles?

Yes, we just have to sum things in the trail guide.

[InTeRnEt_RyAn]

Is there a Columbus Park trail conditions thread???????

Pete.

First official unofficial trail report.

Where there was a suspected "mouse". The trail sustained some mole damage. Maybe the park can set up a catch and release....dead or alive.