Ladies and Gentleman, Start Your ENGINES!!!!

That's right! We have approval to start moving earth! Rich Edwards from IMBA came out to the park yesterday and gave a brief presentation on our trail concept to the park management and resource people from Richmond. It went really well and we got approval on the spot to begin trail construction!
I'm so psyched to start the actual work of trail building after spending so many months in the design and layout process! This is gonna be sweet! It will take a few years, but when all is said and done, we'll have around 25 miles of new trail on the ground!

The Governor's Conference on Greenways, Blueways and Trails

Wow, this is pretty cool! I just found out today, that I get to be a co-instructor of the Mechanized Trail Building workshop that is a part of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society's 54th Annual Conference with The Governor's Conference on Greenways, Blueways and Trails, being held in Richmond, VA, from October 4 - 7! I get to show people from all around the state, different agencies, localities, dignitaries, trail people, etc., how to build trails with a mini skidsteer! What's also amazing is the fact that from all the other State Park operators, they chose me as being the expert! Well, I don't know if I'm an expert or not, but someone volunteered my name and that's good enough for me! This will be an awesome networking opportunity! This is quite an honor! There will be a plethora of distinguished speakers and guests. I get to help out with the mechanized bit, and attend the whole conference, SWEET! *BONUS, I will be representing my agency and getting my name OUT THERE! Helllooo job offers!

Speaker Highlights

Keynote Speaker
Charles Jordan October 5, Opening Session
Charles Jordan, Chairman, The Conservation Fund
Charles Jordan is one of the most influential voices in conservation today. An outspoken proponent of our nation’s parks, Jordan is nationally recognized for his leadership and responsiveness to the diverse publics he serves. Before being named as chairman of The Conservation Fund, he served as director of the Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation and director of the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. He also held recreation management positions in Palm Springs, Calif. Jordan was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors and was later appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve on the American Heritage River Alliance board.

Also Speaking…

* Mike Riter, Trail Design Specialists
* Fred Lashley, The Unturned Stone
* Troy Scott Parker, Natureshape
* Dick and Joani Dufourd, Recconnect
* Richard Edwards, IMBA Trail Solutions
* Charlie Denney & Jeff Olson, Alta Planning and Design
* Craig Della Penna, Northeast Greenway Solutions
* Daniel Slone, McGuireWoods

OK, so the didn't have time to put my name in there, but one day...

here's the details:
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational_planning/rpconf.shtml

buggers!

So, I've been out in the thick of the woods for quite a few days now, flagging new trails and re-routes of old trails. When I say thick of it, I mean pretty darn thick, heavily covered and very brushy woods with dense undergrowth. Most days I have totally forgotten to spray myself down with Deep Woods Off with DEET before venturing off into the woods, and I have suffered no consequences. Today, however, I sprayed myself down thoroughly: legs, boots, socks, waistline, arms, etc. Guess what? I got home tonight, took off my uniform, and found myself loaded with seed ticks and scratching from chigger bites! Do those little buggers LIKE DEET? I know I don't, it makes me feel a little weird after dousing myself with it. Maybe I'll just go without, but is cancer better to have than Lyme Disease?

trail work

I'm flagging out preliminary re-routes and new additions to some of the trails in the park. This week I've been working on Allen's Mountain Trail. I didn't know this before I began this project, but Allen's Mtn summit lies entirely on park property. The old, existing trail never went up there. There's no view from the top, but if there's already a trail going pretty close, and it's sustainable, might as well build a trail that tags the summit! The summit is what it's all about!
I've flagged close to 60% of the trail to be re-routed. If it's all approved, I'll have turned a 1.8 mile single loop into an infinite mileage three stacked loop system trail. It'll be sweet!

I also flagged a re-route to the bottom portion of Turkey Roost Trail, which was very steep, and started flagging a new trail that will go from Massanutten Shelter to link up Allen's Mtn, Point Trail, Bluebell Loop, and Wildcat Ledge Trail. This new trail will allow access to all these trails, while limiting the general publics access to the campground.

Flags used so far: 1100+