Trails Update: June 27, 2019
Can you feel the weather?
I could be a weatherman: I’m only right some of the time and I can feel when the rain is coming.
Rain feels itchy.
Ok, well… the mosquitoes tell me when the rain is coming.
Last Tuesday, they insisted a storm was brewing (so did the weather network, actually) but that did not scare the 15 volunteers that braved the forecast for some satisfying digging on the Chipmunk Rebellion. We were treated to food and drink (also thunder and lightning) from Vorsprung Suspension.
In true weatherman fashion, I was wrong this time and the rain stayed away from our fun!
Final Chipmunk attack! (for now)
It’s time for one final push on the Rebellion before taking Tuesday nights off (go ride your bike!).
Our 9th and final trail night of spring is on July 2nd. This trail night is sponsored by Chromag so you know it’s going to be a (work)party!
Meet us at the Lower Sproatt yellow gate (AC/DC exit) at 5:30.
Bridge first aid
I’m a scavenger and a recycler (and perhaps also a hoarder) of wood. I try to efficiently use every piece of a tree or better yet use one that’s already on the ground (succumbed to a natural fate). I also prefer repairing over re-building things (evidenced by 2018 work on “Get over it”) and this month I realized that I’ve learnt as much about “renovations” from my carpenter friends as I have from taking first aid courses! Nails, braces and bracket supports are really like Band-aids, splints, and crutches.
This week we tackled repairing Comfortably Numb’s 50m log ride (damaged by winter deadfall) and A-frame bridge (aging gracefully). We made good use of a red cedar cleared from the trail 3 years ago and got creative merging new parts to existing wood..
Bird musings
This week, I had some close trail encounters with woodpeckers drumming and Grouse … “grousing?”.
I also know of a Dark-Eyed Junco nest. When I found it, there were 3 eggs in it.
A few days later, there were 4…? This was odd. The parents seem bold for attention… they are in fact experts at distracting attention (and predators) away from their nest with chirps that sound like “tchock, tchock... tchock”.
A week or so later, the nest was bursting with chicks (cute). They grow up so fast! I returned a few days later to find a lone egg in the nest. Was this the bonus 4th egg?
I wonder what will happen next...
See you on the trails!
Dan Raymond
WORCA Lead Trail Builder
