Tales from the Trail #01 - January 2009

Hello FoOT Volunteers:

You will start receiving a new “column” from the Maintenance Department of FoOT.  It is called “Tales from the Trail” and will have all sorts of news items from the Maintenance Department of our own Ouachita Trail—funny, not funny, entertaining, informative, educational—just whatever—no schedule; just on a whim.

Hope you enjoy.

Tales from the Trail

By Kris McMillen, Director of Maintenance

Tuesday, Jan 20^th.  Chilly, windy, partly cloudy.  Six FoOT members and Patrick Stokes from Pinnacle Mountain State Park jostled and bumped our way to the Penney Campsite through Butch Penney’s property. We shared the yummy brownies provided by Susan Wortham  (I was worried about handing them out ahead of time—before any trail work was done!!) I promised a second helping of brownies if everyone “DID GOOD”.  So away we went by the awesome new campsite and down the .9 mile spur trail to the OT.  Earlier two other FoOT members were dropped off (with their brownies in hand) at Hwy 10 and sent on their merry way to blaze from Hwy 10 to the Penney Campsite—they made it most of the way, but that’s a story for another day!

Meanwhile back at the Penney Campsite we started west hopefully to reach Mile 206.5-the Sawdust Pile.  Lots of briars to clear and a couple of trees to cut.  Two weedeaters were running and the rest of us lopping.  Evaluations were made for a proposed bridge over Reece Creek.  Old designated campsite signs were removed.  The Penney Campsite is currently the only designated campsite on the eastern end of the trail.

We separated at day’s end leaving two of us on trail to meet up with the blazers while the other two were “going home”.  We hiked back and found the two who were “going home” waiting by the trucks.  When I said “Oh you are still here”….the reply was “You promised more brownies if we did good”.  More brownies…..THEN away we all went home with smiling faces and lots of funny tales to tell while driving along. 

Mission accomplished (almost).

Saturday, Jan 24^th.  Again chilly, but sunny—another gorgeous day on the Ouachita Trail with “Friends”.  Many thanks to EJ Pangle for our “pay”—some yummy snacks all packaged up for the trail.  Sixteen FoOT members scattered from the Penney Campsite spur trail—some went blazing, others chainsawing, two weedeating, and then us loppers.  Lots of briars to cut back.  Two “girl” blazers were most proud of themselves for taking along wrenches and removing a Designated Campsite sign, hiding it away in the woods and formulating a treasure map of clues for the proper authority to come and retrieve it for re-use elsewhere.

Another funny tale was of a certain sub-work party going, uh, off trail----“We were NOT lost!”   We now have one clean jeep road out there.  They were eventually found and sent back to lopping on the proper trail.

We are now GREEN from Mile 206.5 to Mile 212.0 (the Sawdust Pile to Lundsford Corner).  Everyone said they had a great day and thanked the FoOT.  Some quotes were:

“I felt the work we accomplished was worthwhile and fulfilling, exhausting and backbreaking....and I'll be back for more! (just kidding about the last adjective)”.

“Had a blast and made myself super sore. Still - I had a blast!”

Two day mission 100% accomplished.

NEEDED:  FoOT is in need of 24 oz. Gatorade or Propel bottles with the twist drinking spout.  We use them for the blazing paint.  If you have any to donate, please get them to any FoOT member who lives near Hot Springs Village and they will get them to me or Ken Schultz, our paint keeper, bmschultzsbcglobal [dot] net