Trails Update: Apr 30, 2021
Southern rock (and cedar)
While Renee filled her brain with the latest and greatest first aid techniques, the rest of the crew spent another week in the far south of town to finish tidying up the Runaway Train/ End of the line link. We filled in some of the low spots and replaced another wobbly bridge.
Next, we repaired the broken bridges on Garbage and Trainwreck. Quality decking cedar was harder to find than graffiti or toilet paper around there… seriously. Angry face.
“Spring is for love birds”
... or is it “spring is for bird lovers”?
We get to work pretty deep into the woods on most days. In the silence of the deep woods, my ears notice every cracking twig, bird cawing and tree creaking. We need to stay sharp: creep or be creeped...
Cheakamus crossing and its surrounding trails are not the Deep Woods. I was overwhelmed by the heavy equipment crashing, children scream-playing and external speakers “hiking”. I think the wildlife noticed too… Birds and toads sang with extra gusto trying to be heard above the man-made cacophony.
Of note: the hummingbirds. My house is surrounded by hummingbirds. They are lured to the area by my neighbour’s 3 or 4 sweet water feeders. It was nice to see them in action in the wild. Their call sounds like connecting to “dial-up internet”. Kids: ask your parents. “PrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrFF FF FFcawow PRITPRIT PRIT!” with bright red flash helped us locate the rufous hummingbirds as they fed on wild currant flowers. At lunch time, one bird put on quite a show of their aerial prowess: Zooming straight up to the tree tops and making his call as he buzzed Liam and I, then hovered for a moment, seeming to check us out for a few seconds. He repeated the pattern 7 or 8 times! Buzzing closer and closer to our increasingly nervous laughter.
Perhaps he was trying to complain about the chainsaw noise Benoit had been making all morning...
Tuesday Dig Nights are back!
Dark clouds loomed but this did not gloom the mood at the first volunteer trail night of the season. We had two groups of social distant diggers put a serious dent into the Piece of cake/Yoda’s/Yellow Taxi conversion. Thanks to Melius Suspension for providing refreshments.
We’ll be in the same location for the next few weeks. Remember to sign up! HERE
See you on the trails!
Dan Raymond
WORCA Lead Trail Builder
