Skeeboggan Trail - 7/18

The Skeeboggan trail is coming along nicely.  The entire trail is dug out and we just need to remove the organic matter to prevent deterioration.  There were a couple of bikers that we ran into on the hike up today and they had tried using our trail.  One of them hit a rock pit and flew over his handlebar.  We felt sorry for them, but we did put a gigantic branch over the start of it to prevent this from happening.  Anyhow, after talking to them we decided to widen the trail around the turns just to be safe as a stretch of it is on a ridge and too quick of a turn would throw the rider over the edge.  In short, today was another physically taxing and very productive day.  We should easily be able to knock out the last bit of it tomorrow.

Skeeboggan Trail - 7/17

I believe the place we worked at yesterday was called Skeeboggan, an area of Thompson Park.  We returned there today and continued where we left off.  I took up the chainsaw and fell two hazardous trees, bucked up another four that were already on the ground, and moved all of the debris off the trail-to-be.  I opened up a path 6 feet wide through a jack straw so we will have to see if that is good enough for Jocelyn when she pays us a visit tomorrow.  Hopefully it is as I was making it rain wood chips!  Will be more than happy to alter the route if need be though.  Life is good.  I spent the last half hour just sitting on the porch watching the leaves dance in the wind.  For a time I was fearful that my time in AmeriCorps had ruined the outdoors for me, instilling fears of all manner of things and suffering a number of maladies from insect and plant alike, but this trip back to Montana is proof that I have not lost my fascination or my admiration of nature.  To think in just a month this grand adventure will be coming to a close… it boggles the mind—my mind anyways. 

Well I’m off—off to do what I cannot say, but I feel the need to move.  Good night all!

Skeeboggan Trail - 7/16

We went somewhere completely different and yet we were essentially working on the same project: completing the course for the 100k bike race.  One major change is that we were actually creating trail as opposed to simply performing maintenance.  To do this we need a couple of people to tear the plants out until we get to the bare mineral soil, some others to remove the excess debris from the side of the trail-to-be so the water doesn’t collect, and another few to tamp the path.  Then there is rock and tree removal/demolition, creating water logs, and trimming the vegetation in the area.  In other words, there is plenty to keep us all busy!  The two Butte teams started off performing different tasks (ours was making a couple bear boxes aesthetically pleasing) so we only got maybe 80 feet done, but never fear, it looks like we will be continuing this project for the remainder of the week—and it will definitely be done by then.

I forgot my camera today, which actually turned out to be quite nice.  I didn’t feel obligated to take photos and it was as if a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.  Not that I mind the burden, this year has been amazing and I would be deeply saddened if it were not documented in some fashion, but it was a nice day off!  Um, that’s all I think.  Off to go eat some dinner and enjoy another Montana sunset.  Catch you later!

Continental Divide Trail - 7/15

We began work on the Continental Divide Trail.  There is some 100k bike race going on soon so we have been charged with the task of readying a huge portion of it.  Jocelyn says that she uses our trails as examples to show others how it’s done.  That’s a huge compliment!  Good to know that our hard work is being recognized—it slips the mind sometimes that our efforts are appreciated when we are out in the wild for a spell.  Anyhow, the two groups stationed at Butte attacked a portion of the trail from both sides and met in the middle.  There were 8 miles in total and almost all of the drains needed maintenance.  Add a couple dozen fallen or hazardous trees and that summarizes our day of service.  Well… almost.  There also were a few thunderstorms that rolled through and we were too far in to be able to make it back to the trucks.  So, whenever we saw a bolt of lightning we all found a live tree some 20 to 50 yards apart and hunkered down and waited it out.  We did this twice and probably should have a third time, but we were up on a ridge we needed to make a quick getaway.  By the time we met up the Montana weather decided it was time to drop hail on us.  The hail only let up for rain to soak us to the bone on the hike out.

It was fun, don’t get me wrong, just exhausting.  Now to warm ourselves with taco delicacies.  Later all!  

Haystack Trail - 7/14

Haystack Trail was the task of the day.  This older trail winds up (quite steeply, I might add) to where an ancient fire tower once stood.  We made it to the top and all that remains of the tower is a decaying set of wooden stairs and a concrete block that may have once been a part of its foundation.  I am pretty happy about the hike up.  Although it was a tough climb, my previous week helped condition me for the challenge.  It was great! 

We just had a feast… my goodness.  Danielle made an Italian concoction and there were some left overs.  I tried to rid her of that problem and am now on the verge of a food coma.  Before I succumb to it, we had to put in water bars on the trail we did today in addition to clearing it of fallen debris.  With how steep this path was we had to dig miniature canyons to divert future rainfall.  We did a good job though!  Jocelyn, our main contact in the area, expected this project to take us a couple days and we wrapped it up in one.  Go us!  Mm, all right, it is time.  Good night friends.

Gorge Lake Trail - 7/12

So last night wasn’t exactly over.  Here in Montana it doesn’t get dark until 10pm, so when we finished our quota of trail and found ourselves with hours of daylight left we broke out the game Risk (which we had just discovered under a seat in our vehicle).  I played the game as a Stark would, honoring allegiances and being a man of my word… and I won.  At the start of the game my sole intent was to play spoiler as my troops were divided, but wildcard Chelsea mad e a couple of crippling attacks on our other players, which kept me in the game.  Normally the Iron Throne (or world domination) cannot be achieved without backstabbing and deceit, but yeah, it just happened.

No sooner had I won the game then thunder boomed outside.  We packed all of our gear in a record breaking time and drove out of our hazardous camp.  The road was in rough shape and we were near a roaring stream—with rain we easily could have gotten trapped up there where radios and cell phones were useless.  As it were, we made it back onto the pavement and called HQ.  Bruce said he was looking at the radar and there was no severe weather in our area…as lightning was touching down all around us.  Still, he is our boss and is experienced in disaster situations so we took his word for it and ended up sleeping in the truck.

Fast forward to today: we cleared the Gorge Lake Trail with some serious effort.  Liana and I had trouble with our saw so we manually moved or broke what trees we could that blocked the path. My shining moment was when I moved a 30 foot tree with a width of about 18 inches on my own.  I felt like a boss.  Again, the elevation from our starting point to finish has a 2000 foot difference.  Man, Montana is hilly!  That or we are just the lucky ones this week.  Regardless we got the job done and returned to Fleecer where the other teams graciously let us use the newly fixed shower first.  Not to go and relax.  Tomorrow is the Folk Festival so we need to recharge while we can.  Later all!

Rock Creek Trails - 7/11

Last night I dreamt that I had just completed a program that was very selective about its members (I’m not sure if it was meant to be AmeriCorps).  One moment I was being welcomed back to East Lansing by Abby Rudnicki under a shower of confetti and then the next I was given a series of challenges to complete.  It felt like a scavenger hunt.  The only part I remember is flying around town in a tactical fighter jet battling an aircraft of unknown origin. 

It was quite the pick-me-up along with the continued support of my team.  They suggested I add Gatorade to my daily intake and I’ve been feeling a lot better since.  In fact, we completed the Rocky Mountain Trail today!  Our adventurous crew has now been assigned another trail out in the middle of nowhere.  I am a little envious of the other groups stationed in Butte as our food supply is all but exhausted, but you can’t beat the view out here. 

Anyhow, we’re about ready to hike in.  Talk to you all later!