FoOTNotes - Vol. 1 / No 2 (March 2004)

FoOT Volunteers and Supporters,

• Progress: Our report card on adoptions now stands at 176.3 miles of the Ouachita Trail adopted !! This has slowed down considerably since last month, but that is to be expected. We still have some prime real estate in Section 4 (Oden District) and Sections 6/7 (Jessieville District). The biggest open section remains the eastern end, much of which is on private property. If any one has a prospect to adopt any of these sections, please let us know.
• Work Parties: As previously announced, we have two important work parties coming up, one to reroute a section of collapsed trail and one to attack an un-adopted section in dire need of maintenance. Everyone is invited to join one or more of these work parties. If you can make either of these, please contact Martha Doty.
  • March 23 - 24: Flatside Wilderness (Sect 8)
    This work party will rebuild a section of trail that has collapsed. The work will probably involve building about 100 -- 200 feet of new trail somewhere around mile 178. A crew of eight - ten people would probably be perfect.
  • April 12 - 13: Fourche Mountain (Sect 4)
    One of our few remaining un-adopted portions of trail in the National Forest needs some serious clean up, so that whoever does adopt it can do so with some chance of success. The five-mile stretch west of Turner Gap has been reported in bad shape. We will attack miles 75 - 80 with all the people we can get.
• Working with the Forest Service: The Forest HQ in Hot springs has ordered several sets of hard hats with face shields and ear protection. These will be available for the upcoming work parties and we will work out a distribution plan for them at that time. They will primarily be allocated in conjunction with weed eaters and brush cutters.
  The Jessieville district has set up a tool locker for FoOT. We are hoping to get similar arrangements in other areas as we progress. Reminder: USFS requests that we always check in with the cognizant ranger district whenever we plan to work on the trail. It is important for them to know work crews are on the trail. If you plan to request the District to provide tools, give them as much notice as possible.
• Working with FoOT: I don't think any outdoor person likes paper work, but some things are important. If we are to get the most out of our FoOT efforts and if we are to perpetuate the organization and its goals, please accept that some reporting is a necessary evil.
  • Several of you have still not signed the Volunteer Agreement with FoOT. If you have not yet done so, please do so. This will protect both of us. If you can't find it, just let me know and we will get you another one.
  • When you do work, please let us have a work report. The reports are important for several reasons. First they give us a "health indicator" for the trail. Second, they highlight areas where work is needed and let both FoOT and the USFS prioritize future efforts. Finally, one of the things important to the forest service is an accurate record of who worked.
• Corporate Sponsors: Last month I reported that Electrolux Home Products (maker of Poulan Weed Eaters) had donated seven weed eaters to our organization. Several of these have already made their way on to the trails. Since then we have two additional sponsors contributing equipment.
  • Husqvarna has contributed a professional grade brush cutter that really goes after the briars and saplings. This is a great tool, but it is also a dangerous piece of equipment. If you want to use it contact me at the FoOT e-mail address, or at 501 922-1680.
  • International Paper has provided us a large quantity of safety equipment, including safety goggles, ear plugs, and hard hats. Please bear with us as we will work on a distribution system for these items.
• Training & Safety: Training and Safety must remain a major focus for all of us in FoOT.
  • Chain Saw certification: Kris McMillen and the USFS are still working to get a chain saw certification class scheduled in the near future. If you are interested in certification, and have not let us know, contact Kris.
  • Brush Cutter safety: I already addressed this issue above. If you use one of the high speed machines, use safety equipment.
  • Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook: We have several copies of this USFS publication and in fact, used it to produce our abbreviated guide. Those who want to dig deeper into trail criteria are encouraged to look at this publication.
• Trail Maintenance Thoughts:
  • Blazing: Here are some useful tips on blazing from Forest Ranger Amanda Robinson in the Jessieville District: "Blazing can be a messy job....what I have found to help is to carry an old rag with you, when you get done with a blaze, wrap the rag around the template. It keeps most of the paint on the rag and not on you. Or, carry a large (gallon) size zip-lock baggy with you. In-between paints, stick that sucker in the baggy. It is also helpful if you cut out a small section of the template, and use it as a handle to carry the template.
    "As far as the weather goes, as long as it's not raining, blazing is fine. We are working on trails as well, and although it is mighty cold, the paint seems to dry just fine.
    "I have the scraping tool here at Jessieville. Depending on how many people are working a section together, I would have one person carrying the scraper and scraping the bark off, then someone behind that person with the paint and the template. It goes much quicker that way, and the poor paint person doesn't have to worry so much about getting paint on them while trying to scrape the bark and hold the template."
    Note for those planning to do some blazing: The district offices can usually provide paint, blazing templates, and scraping tools; FoOT has also been provided some blazing templates that we can distribute.
  • Planning: One of our work groups recently had an experience that re-enforces a lesson some of us learned last year – planning a work party is very important. Trail work does not always go as planned, and all plans should include a "back up plan" that considers the possibility that you wont accomplish what you set out to do.
    The situation last month is a fairly common one for trail maintenance. Two groups set out to cover a certain distance, then split up and work toward each other. When they meet the job is done and they leave the trail together. But what happens when progress is significantly slower than anticipated?
    In the situation last month, both groups were more than an hour behind expected progress. This made them two hours apart as work day ended. Both groups realized they were not progressing and stopped work. Initially, they advanced toward each other. After some time, one group decided the other must have turned around, so they did the same. Wrong assumption, the other group decided to press on. No prior discussion of the possibility caused each group to guess what the other would do. As darkness started to fall, the groups were still separated and unsure of the other's location. In this case, everyone got back to camp OK, and probably laughed about it over the campfire. A simple "plan B" discussion at the start of the day, however, would have saved hours of uncertainty and concern. A back-up plan can be as simple as, "If we don't meet by 4 pm, turn around and go back", but it removes a lot of uncertainty.
• Volunteer Benefits: FoOT has chosen the "Ouachita Trail Guide", by Tim Ernst, as our official reference for the trail. We have worked out a deal with Tim for all FoOT members to get a 20% discount on his Trail Guide for the Ouachita Trail. Here is the deal on the guidebook, straight from Tim:
  "Each book is $15.16 (after the 20% discount), plus there is a $5 per order shipping charge. Arkansas residents need to add sales tax, which is $1.08 per book. So, that makes it:
  
  1 book for Arkansas residents - $21.24; 2 books - $37.48
  1 book for out of state - $20.16; 2 books - $35.32
  
  "They will need to mail a check to me at the address below. Books will be sent out via first class mail the next day after we get the check. This deal cannot be done through our online store, and not charged to credit cards - checks only."
  

  		Cloudland.net Publications
  		HC 33, Box 50-A
  		Pettigrew, AR 72752 (Cave Mountain)

• Fundraising for FoOT: People continue to ask about membership and dues for membership in FoOT. Our by-laws specifically state that anyone who adopts a section of trail and performs trail maintenance is a voting member of the organization, with no dues payment required. We believe it is important that volunteer workers not be required to pay dues, and have no intention to change that.
  We do have financial needs in starting up this organization, however. As we struggle to get started, we are incurring costs associated with mailings, PO Box, safety equipment, gasoline for our equipment, and numerous other expenses.
  We accept membership from people who support our objectives but are unable to work on the trails, and that currently requires a contribution of $25 or more. If you know of someone who may support our goals, please ask them to make a contribution.
  Any of our trail workers wishing to make a voluntary donation to offset expenses, it would certainly be appreciated.
  All donations should be sent to:

  		Friends of the Ouachita Trail
  		PO Box 8630
   		Hot Springs 71910