School Creek Trail Maintenance Day

[Stu]

April sounds good to me. We could do some more trail maintenance in the AM and then ride in the PM.

Stu

[troy]

What a day! After we finished clearing trails, Kyle, Doug, Ryan, Rick, and I all rode the East side for quite awhile looking for places that needed badly to be cleared. We only found a few downed trees to cut off the trail, so we took care of them. The East side is in pretty good shape--big thanks to the FMHSC folks who cleared 6 miles over there for their hare scramble.

So what about the West side we worked so hard on?! Well, Kyle, Doug, and I rode over there for a bit and did not run into any trails that were in heavy need of clearing! Believe it or not, I think we pretty muck KNOCKED IT OUT!

In no particular order, here are the 16 heros. These guys braved the cold and did an amazing job. Hard to believe how much trail we cleared in a few hours!

Joe, Tyler, & Joel (HARD WORKING family!)
Phil D.
Ryan (Looking forward to your photos, Ryan!)
Rick (THANKS for handling the Cycle Zone thing!)
Rick (Grizzly from MOKAN)
Curado (THANKS for cross-posting to MOKAN)
Bryan (from MOKAN)
Stu
JLR
Luc ("Lumberjack" Luc! The legend lives!)
Doug
Kyle
Caleb (Troy & Kyle's nephew)
Troy


I won't lie, I really hoped more folks would show up. I don't know how much the cold was a factor, but there were entire off-road community groups without representation. HOWEVER, we DID IT!

HUGE THANKS to our sponsors who donated a lot of great swag! With only 16 of us, everyone walked away a winner.

MotorcycleCloseouts

Cycle Zone KTM

Letko Cycles

Special recognition to Cycle Zone and Mike Kruger for loaning us their 2010 Arctic Cat ATV that is for sale! Also to Eddie (ajayhawkfan) for loaning us his ATV. Having these 2 utility ATV's helped tremendously with hauling chainsaws and supplies.

What's next?!
Over on MOKANriders, Curado suggests we do a similar event at Perry Lake. I have not ridden there in perhaps more than a year. Stu? Others? How are the trails at Perry? Do they need some tree trimming? If so, let's plan a day and make it happen.

I'm curious to see how long our trimming efforts at School Creek last. Will it be overgrown this time next year? 2 years?

[Savage]

What did you find was the best tool for the job? I remember years ago using a weed wacker with a saw blade on it to clean up brush for a summer job. Just wondering.
Wish the timing would of been different so I could of helped out.

[rycomm]

Hopefully a link to my photobucket page with 71 photos will appear and function below.

http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/rycom ... t=3&page=1

Those are all straight from the camera. I left them all in there, the out of focus, the improper exposed and all. I'm sure a few minutes with photoshop wouldn't hurt. They look better in the camera and on my computer than in photobucket. the colors look flatter. If anyone wants one, feel free to take them, or I can email higher resolution.

I really enjoyed the day out there. It was a little farther than I thought, but worth it.
Troy thanks for letting me ride the 450. That was probably an expensive ride for me.

Also thanks to J.L and Rick for giving me rides back to the parking lot to get gas and tools for my saw.

Hopefully a couple of before and after shots appear below.





And an action shot. Road block removal service.

Better now.

[KC]

How did you guys get ANY work done with that idiot out there?

[Bob Morgan]

Aside: Bob, we had a pretty good campfire but it lacked the master's touch..... best wishes buddy, get well soon !!!

Thanks Phil..............I'm still on the planet. Sore in spots, but on the mend.

Great work everyone!

[troy]

What did you find was the best tool for the job? I remember years ago using a weed wacker with a saw blade on it to clean up brush for a summer job. Just wondering.
Wish the timing would of been different so I could of helped out.

Sorry for the late reply. Without a doubt, chainsaw. I used my chainsaw and some heavy-duty limb loppers. I quickly figured out that everything I was cutting with the limb loppers I could cut in a fraction of the time with my chainsaw. Only tool needed, in my opinion, is a chainsaw. Oh, and lots of energy to throw all the cut branches off the trail.

[troy]

Updated SchoolCreek.org with follow-up, photos, and a tiny bit of narrative. It's mostly all the photos you've already seen with a few that I took of the Hackney boys.

[gagnaou]

New day to clear up some trails, more info:

http://www.rideforum.net/viewtopic.php? ... 032#p17032