School Creek Trail Maintenance Day
Posted: 04 Dec 2012 09:59
School Creek Trail Maintenance Day
Saturday November 23
All important details at:
http://SchoolCreek.org/
(old, original discussion below)
I have to admit, I've ridden thousands of miles of trails over the last several years, yet I've not done a single day of trail maintenance. I always let myself off the hook because I live so far away from these riding areas. I'm grateful for the local riding clubs that keep the trails cleared. I've been riding in AR or CO many times where it's obvious SOMEBODY spent many days with a chainsaw clearing fallen trees out of the way.
Each time I ride at School Creek, it seems the low-hanging branch problem is worse. Many of you went home this past Sunday with bloody lips, noses, necks, etc. It's a riding area in need of some love and not a lot of local support to maintain it.
I called the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the School Creek ORV area. I asked about the legality and protocols surrounding user groups performing trail maintenance. They told me that they are letting the maintenance go because they plan to shut it down end of 2012. JUST KIDDING!
Actually, a nice lady named Misty with the Corp called me back and seemed pleased that somebody cared about School Creek. She explained that the easiest path was to coordinate with SCORVA, a user-group already "authorized" to do trail maintenance at School Creek.
I found this website for SCORVA, but it pops ads and probably has not been udpated in a very long time:
S.C.O.R.V.A.
School Creek Off Road Vehicle Association
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/scorva/
Misty gave me the name and number of Kim Jackson, the lady who runs SCORVA. Kim was glad to take my call and explained that she had hip surgery so has not been riding much at all this year, and last year the riding area was pretty much closed most of the season due to flooding. Therefore, SCORVA has not done much maintenance in the last 2 years. She also explained that most of her crew are Fort Riley soldiers who get moved or deployed so it's hard to keep a consistent group of motivated folks.
I had a nice, long conversation with Kim. She told me before the flooding and her hip surgery, she "practically lived out there". (I think Kim is the lady who yells at you if she catches you bending any of the rules. Some of us have met her. She has a personal passion to keep the riding area open and safe. Kim was unloading her bike when a quad did a donut right in front of her truck and threw a rock--breaking out her headlight.) Kim explained that she even has a setup on her forks that lets her mount her chainsaw on the bike.
From what I gathered, there are not really any strict rules regarding clearing trails and nobody is going to get in trouble for using a chain saw and limb lopper to clear low-hanging branches. She explained that when cutting back pine trees, you should cut the branch all the way flush with the parent branch or trunk--do not leave death sticks poking out on pine trees! Technically, we are supposed to let the Corps know when we do trail maintenance. Kim and I agreed to work together gathering support for an organized trail maintenance day sometime this winter. She will handle letting the powers-that-be know our plans. A sunny, low-wind, above 35 degree winter day would be perfect for a day of clearing branches with friends and a little riding. We'll bring a huge pot of chili and a camp stove, etc.
It seems some School Creek fans are found on the kansasoffroad.com forum, too. Maybe we can rally some support for a real work day to clear the trails.
http://www.kansasoffroad.com/cgi/yabb2/ ... 1160846492
If we do this, it would be helpful for those of you with quads to bring them to carry tools, water jugs, etc. Maybe we could get official permission to have side-by-sides on that day for the maintenance. I know some of you have those kind of utility vehicles. (Side by sides are not normally allowed at School Creek.)
I don't know how much one person could really get done in 4 hours or so, but I know 10 to 20 folks with tools could do a lot in a half day. I know it's over 2 hours away, but are you interested in helping to keep this great, KS riding area open and safe? Post up here or let me know privately. If enough folks are willing to help, we'll keep our eyes on the forecast to coordinate a day that works for most folks. I'm thinking sometime Jan, Feb, or March.
Troy Wolf
RideForum.NET
troy@troywolf.com
913.669.0958
Saturday November 23
All important details at:
http://SchoolCreek.org/
(old, original discussion below)
I have to admit, I've ridden thousands of miles of trails over the last several years, yet I've not done a single day of trail maintenance. I always let myself off the hook because I live so far away from these riding areas. I'm grateful for the local riding clubs that keep the trails cleared. I've been riding in AR or CO many times where it's obvious SOMEBODY spent many days with a chainsaw clearing fallen trees out of the way.
Each time I ride at School Creek, it seems the low-hanging branch problem is worse. Many of you went home this past Sunday with bloody lips, noses, necks, etc. It's a riding area in need of some love and not a lot of local support to maintain it.
I called the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the School Creek ORV area. I asked about the legality and protocols surrounding user groups performing trail maintenance. They told me that they are letting the maintenance go because they plan to shut it down end of 2012. JUST KIDDING!
Actually, a nice lady named Misty with the Corp called me back and seemed pleased that somebody cared about School Creek. She explained that the easiest path was to coordinate with SCORVA, a user-group already "authorized" to do trail maintenance at School Creek.
I found this website for SCORVA, but it pops ads and probably has not been udpated in a very long time:
S.C.O.R.V.A.
School Creek Off Road Vehicle Association
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/scorva/
Misty gave me the name and number of Kim Jackson, the lady who runs SCORVA. Kim was glad to take my call and explained that she had hip surgery so has not been riding much at all this year, and last year the riding area was pretty much closed most of the season due to flooding. Therefore, SCORVA has not done much maintenance in the last 2 years. She also explained that most of her crew are Fort Riley soldiers who get moved or deployed so it's hard to keep a consistent group of motivated folks.
I had a nice, long conversation with Kim. She told me before the flooding and her hip surgery, she "practically lived out there". (I think Kim is the lady who yells at you if she catches you bending any of the rules. Some of us have met her. She has a personal passion to keep the riding area open and safe. Kim was unloading her bike when a quad did a donut right in front of her truck and threw a rock--breaking out her headlight.) Kim explained that she even has a setup on her forks that lets her mount her chainsaw on the bike.
From what I gathered, there are not really any strict rules regarding clearing trails and nobody is going to get in trouble for using a chain saw and limb lopper to clear low-hanging branches. She explained that when cutting back pine trees, you should cut the branch all the way flush with the parent branch or trunk--do not leave death sticks poking out on pine trees! Technically, we are supposed to let the Corps know when we do trail maintenance. Kim and I agreed to work together gathering support for an organized trail maintenance day sometime this winter. She will handle letting the powers-that-be know our plans. A sunny, low-wind, above 35 degree winter day would be perfect for a day of clearing branches with friends and a little riding. We'll bring a huge pot of chili and a camp stove, etc.
It seems some School Creek fans are found on the kansasoffroad.com forum, too. Maybe we can rally some support for a real work day to clear the trails.
http://www.kansasoffroad.com/cgi/yabb2/ ... 1160846492
If we do this, it would be helpful for those of you with quads to bring them to carry tools, water jugs, etc. Maybe we could get official permission to have side-by-sides on that day for the maintenance. I know some of you have those kind of utility vehicles. (Side by sides are not normally allowed at School Creek.)
I don't know how much one person could really get done in 4 hours or so, but I know 10 to 20 folks with tools could do a lot in a half day. I know it's over 2 hours away, but are you interested in helping to keep this great, KS riding area open and safe? Post up here or let me know privately. If enough folks are willing to help, we'll keep our eyes on the forecast to coordinate a day that works for most folks. I'm thinking sometime Jan, Feb, or March.
Troy Wolf
RideForum.NET
troy@troywolf.com
913.669.0958