FoOT Supporters,
   
FoOTnotes  has been a little too occasional lately (or is that not occasional enough).  Your editor apologizes.  We will try to do better.   Friends of the Ouachita Trail is off to another great start with the trail in good shape and volunteer hours piling up at a record pace.  For those who haven't been out lately, this is the best time of year for trail maintenance.  The cool weather is good for hard work, and the lack of summer growth lets us see what needs to be done.

Trail Status
   
Condition Report: 
The trail condition report, always available on the FoOT website (www.friendsOT.org), shows less than five miles of trail in a "Red" reporting condition. 

Campaign to Find-a-Friend for the Ouachita Trail

During the holiday season I asked you to make your lists and check them twice to think of family, friends, and organizations you can refer for membership in FoOT during the New Year.  I reminded you that there are several ways to become a member - adopt a section of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, donate time in other ways (maintenance and administrative), and/or donate funds.  As an active member of FoOT, I’m hoping you made membership recruitment one of your New Year resolutions!

Tales from the Trail
By Kris McMillen, Director of Maintenance for FoOT


FoOT District Captains Program:

Bill Sears--District Captain for Sections 1 and 2 from Mile 1 at Talimena State Park to 51.6 at Queen Wilhelmina State Park.  He is 48 years old and owns a greenhouse business.  Bill has been active in the Boy Scouts for many years.  He lives in Talihina, OK with wife, Rhonda.  We are also proud that he is a card-carrying (or in this photo a lumber-carrying) member of the Dreaded FoOT Patrol and USFS chainsaw certified.  He was invaluable in the recent Western End Extravaganza Trail Maintenance Outing.  Many thanks to Bill for all his hard work before, during, after WEE and all the rest of the time, too.


Featured Trail:

Ouachita Trail in Section 5--FR 149 to Muddy Creek—Mile 105.5 to 118.7        - This section of the Ouachita Trail is adopted by Arkadelphia Hikers Club, Leona Essman, Hot Springs Bicycle Club, Todd Henne, Nathan VanDiver, John Joswick-Chuck Dumas-Robert Cavanaugh Team, and Brad Curtis.  We recently hiked from FR 149 with a bit of a muddy start.  There’s

Since FoOT’s inception in 2004, Ouachita Mountain Hikers (OMH) has spent nine days a year maintaining the Flatside Wilderness area from FR 124 to FR 94, a total of 10.4 miles of the Ouachita Trail.  Their commitment to and diligence with this section of the trail are exemplary! 

Club member Glen McClain is the "task master" who organizes the work load as

The 2009 annual membership meeting of Friends of the Ouachita Trail was held Saturday, Nov. 21, at the lodge in Queen Wilhelmina State Park.  As usual, the meeting was held at a location near the trail, so that members could combine a trail outing with the meeting.  Jim Gifford, President of FoOT, presided over the meeting.  Thirty-eight members attended the meeting.  District Ranger Jim Zornes (Mena District) and Larry Ross represented the USFS as guests of FoOT.

Kris has posted photos from the 2009 Western End Extravaganza (WEE).    Check them out in the photo gallery.