Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Thursday, July 28th Bridge Work at Cemex


Good Afternoon Fellow NCTr's:

I've put together an eight-foot-long, foot and DR mower bridge over the past week and it looks and works pretty darn good sitting there on my back porch. However, since I don't have any water related issues on my back porch here in Canfield, I thought it might have more utility on the rerouted section of trail below the haunted house at Cemex where we need to cross over a seasonally-wet water course.

The plan is to gather at the Fletcher Hill Road trailhead tomorrow evening (Thursday, July 28) at 6:00 PM to carry in and install it. With enough hands on the carry in we should be able to knock this task out in a couple of hours. Jim Nocera and I worked one evening last week on this part of the trail, finishing up the grubbing and paint blazing and so this bridge is the final step on the reroute. Appreciated his help on another warm and buggy evening on the North Country Trail.

Come when you can and stay as long as you want - all help is appreciated! Hope to see you tomorrow evening at Fletcher Hill.

Dave Brewer
Trail Work Coordinator

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Five Things


Good Evening Fellow NCTr's:

It has been a busy week already with more on the radar screen for the next six days to let you know about. Yesterday, Dr. Ron Strickland, author of the forthcoming North Country Trail Guidebook came to Wampum and hiked, took notes, photos, and GPS coordinates on our sections of trail at Cemex, into Wampum, and then out through Gateway, Mines and Meadows, GL148, finishing up at the Edwards Farm trailhead. My sense of the timing of the day's events was way off and I apologize for any inconvenience it caused. Wanted to appreciate everyone who came out to meet Ron and/or take the walk with him - an awesome Wampum turnout and welcome for a Monday. Thanks to Jim Nocera, Bob Cody, Rob Prowel, Richard Lutz, Cody Magill, Dwight Fox, Gail Blakely, and Terry for taking the time. There are some photos from yesterday here and here. Cody also has a few posted here. It was a great (WARM then THUNDERSTORMY WET) ten-mile hike (one I had never done before at one time) and I think he was impressed with all of the work that we've put in building quality trail.

Speaking of "building quality trail", Jake Erhardt made the trip out to the haunted house at Cemex with me this morning and we finished grubbing out the top part of the reroute there, connecting with our existing treadway. Appreciate his help on a warm, muggy, buggy morning. All we have left to do there is to put in a short bridge for the mower and get the new pathway paint blazed. Moving forward! There are a couple of pics at the first link above, following the shots of yesterday's hike.

Thursday evening, July 14th, we'll be heading to Watt's Mill at Gamelands 285 to hang our "NO DUMPING" deterrent signs at the parking area, and to spend some time getting the backpacking shelter area mowed and ready for business. We'll meet at 6:00 PM at the trailhead on Watt's Mill Road and plan to stay out for a couple of hours. I'll bring the ladder, tools, signs, and hardware - bring some drinking water and your favorite bug repellent.

Saturday morning, July 16, David Wright and Jim Houk will be leading our first Wampum Chapter Monthly Hike, taking place at McConnell's Mill State Park. The plan is to meet at the parking lot on top of the hill at 9:00 AM and hike approximately five miles total - down one side of Slippery Rock Creek, cross over, and hike back up the other side. Here's a map of the park. Come on out to walk with these guys - bring a friend along! Should be a beautiful day.

Lastly, a reminder that the Wampum Chapter monthly meeting will be held at Hitos in West Pittsburg this upcoming Monday evening, July 18th, at 6:00 PM. Come on out for some North Country Trail discussion and comaradarie. If you plan to order dinner please come a bit earlier.

Hope you can make it out for some or all of these upcoming events. Thanks for all you do for the trail!

Trailwide Event Calendar
Dave Brewer
Communications Coordinator.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Two Great Hikes - One Low Price FREE!


On Monday, July 11th Dr. Ron Strickland, author of the forthcoming North Country Trail Guidebook, will be hiking our ten miles of trail around and through Wampum. We wanted to invite everyone walk with us for all or part of the day, or at least come out and meet him and welcome him to the area. This section of trail has been tagged as one of the trail's "premier segments" to be highlighted in the trail guide along with three others in PA, and it will be a great opportunity to show off all of the hard work we've done as a group to link North Dakota with New York on our National Scenic Trail. We have a lot to offer within the Wampum Chapter range in the way of the "hiking experience".

The plan is to meet at The Store in Wampum at 9:30 AM on Monday the 11th, shuttle a vehicle(s) out to the Edwards Road trailhead, then drive to Sankey Hill Road and begin walking westward through Cemex. We'll plan to have lunch at Jata's in Wampum (I'm thinking around 1:00 PM) and then resume hiking west out of town, up through Gateway, Mines and Meadows, GL148, to finish up at the Edwards Family Farm around 5:00 or so. Other than the meeting time in the morning the timing is somewhat up in the air, depending upon our hiking speed and what we stop to take a look at and investigate along the way.

Wampum Area Trail Map

Our second great hike - David Wright and Jim Houk have organized our first Wampum Chapter Monthly Hike, to be held at McConnell's Mill, on Saturday morning, July 16th. They plan to take off from the parking area at 9:00 AM and using the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail (NCT), Eckert Bridge, and the Kildoo Trail do a five mile loop down one side of Slippery Rock Creek and back up the other. That's always a beautiful, scenic hike and we're hoping to get a great turnout for it! Please plan to attend and spread the word.

Again, hikers should meet at the large parking area on top of the hill at 9:00 AM, wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather for this "moderate difficulty" hike, and bring their own water and snacks. A vehicle will be spotted in the bridge area for those who might need a 'lift'.

Map of McConnell's Mill

Thanks to David and Jim for organizing this outing - should be a great hike!!