...golf...the mere word produces really bad feelings - over 15 years ago a large group of off road motorcycle clubs,shops and enthusiasts "tried" to sway the local goverment to allow riding in a remote heavily wooded area. We were "that" close to getting the vote to go our way when a bunch of enviro-nut cases said that the impact would destroy the natural preserve (they used that wording to bring attention to their cause..even though it wasn't recognized as a preserve).2 1/2 years of research,organizing,petetioning went down the toilet in 1 freaking evening!!! Too add insult to injury,the local gov. decided 2 years later to turn it into a golf course community ...nearly removing over three quarters (3/4)of the woods that would have been still intact except for maybe a few and some trimming Guscycle
Trailwork is probably my 2nd best hobby.[very close to riding them] Many times I decide to clear trails instead of riding unless a friend calls & wants to go riding. To me it's peaceful, an oportunity to take my golden retriever & just get away. It's hard work but very satisfying when I bring my buddies over to ride. Honestly I take some wine in a ski flask & some cigars & something to eat & spend 1/2 the day out there. I start in mid October & finish about now.[too hot!] Then the rains come & the flooding & the storms & everything grows up again & I start over. Kinda suks huh! A machete is all I take & then I note the chain saw stuff & go back another day or reroute the trail. I take care of about 35 miles & I'm thankful it's still open.[so far]
As far as ticks go, I tape my pant legs & when I get back i strip off & do a quick search in the garage & leave the clothes there or outside after spraying some OFF repellant. I then take a shower & do another search. I then use the same clothes the next time. [no reason to smell or look good in the woods right] Ha! When my wife gets a tick, believe me I hear about it
I dug into some old camping boxes in the basement & found the mosquito/tick repellent I bought in the Everglades a couple of years ago. The bottle says 1 application is all you need, do not re-apply LOL. Taping the pants, wearing a old bandana around my neck with a long sleeve shirt & a tight fitting ball cap has worked out well for me as the only tick I have found was on the outside of my clothing. Still working in the woods, but its really hot & humid here lately & I'm not getting the yield I was hoping for... Trudging along, looking down the trail, still having fun.
Yeah, my trails are open for the most part but I can't see them sometimes.[have to be careful]. Here's how my season goes. Start working trails in mid October after the dual sport in McArthur, Ohio. Lot's of stickers & weeds & fallen timber from the summer. Late November to March is absolutely the best time to clear trail. I go about twice a week for aboout 5 hrs each day. It's usually cool or cold, no ticks & sometimes snow. Really beautiful! Good time to make new trail because I can see everything really well. April brings the rains & usually the Ohio River floods about 1/2 the trails. Afterwards I clean up the driftwood & logs. In May we have strong storms & a occassional tornado so I'm usually cutting trees or rerouting. I quit about June because it is so grown up & the ticks. also pretty hot. Ride, Fish, & play Golf [dirty word!] during the summer & start again in October. LOVE IT
it was fun the first half of a decade. got a little old toward the end of the last part. i cant do it anymore. pretty darn tough work. it was cool riding in saws on our backs and all manner of tooling. choppering in pavers, logs and peeler core. hanging by ropes. bivouac'ed on a ridge w/ your scoot and your mates- no one for miles just you guys and gals. some good times, great contacts and a lot of blood sweat and beers. now when i see someone yank a fence or poach something we just closed it really pisses me off. i respect fenced areas, it's there for a reason. might have some pics ill see and scan em..good times, hard work, nobel effort giving back. go chuchupate hotshots! hooah!
ditto! except when im roosting one of the links to peices on a paddle tired CR500...braap! if ya aint? its a must do for the bucket list....sooooooo naughty, and statisfying!!! "go ahead, put a lawn on my trail system...see if i care!" golf courses and tract homes (full of hipocrite tree huggers) closed off more access to more open space and did more enviro damage than any 1000 dirt bikes ever did.
Hey, so the Perry Mountain 24 hr race is over & now I have some recruits. Snapping into action Sunday morning, Fathers Day at it best. Gonna get 25 miles out of this tract if it kills me/us, hopefully in the next coup[le of months. If 7 year old baseball wasn't taking my time I'd go out every evening. Phuhhh Baseball....arghhhh
Our trail bike club (Idaho Trail Machine Assoc, the chapter being the Treasure Valley Trail Machine Assoc) does a lot of trail clearing/repair work every year, and works in conjunction with our state trail ranger program and forest service. Goes a long way in efforts to help get our trail open to motorized use. One of my most recent "rides" with some of the guys (& gals) went about 12 miles in 3hrs.......looked at my Trail Tech at one point and saw we were averaging 8mph on the single track........not really my 510's happy place. (FYI: having a 2-stroke along when packing a chain saw is handy for backup fuel if needed) With my limited ride time and having to watch things physically a bit more now days, I can't really say I enjoy this stuff anymore, but once in a while I don't mind it.
You have some fine looking woods there, nice pictures. One thing about the woods in Alabama, if they are hardwoods the canopy of the trees keeps the underbrush from getting too thick. I hate the thick privit & will usually route around it as it's a maintenance nightmare. Baseball is over now, the boys underachieved a bit this weekend & got knocked out of the tourney...My 7 year old wasn't phased much, after a ice cream cone he asked... "Finally, can we go ride in the morning?" LOL
The older I get, the more I enjoy it. A machete is much better for under growth. That will wear you out!
Sounds like he's got the same thought's you have! Bases loaded in the 9th with 2 outs, would he have striked out!
The fruits of my labor..... High humidity & 100+ with the heat index.... 100oz camelbak didn't last long.
