A Day in the Mud

It was an interesting change from what has become a frequent pastime of building boardwalks everywhere.  A hardcore group of volunteers including Chris Coucill, Van Williams, Richard Meyer, Bob Shull, Clark Lennon and Ted Thomas finally got to work on a bridge at Roger's Refuge, which had slipped its footings and floated away. 

Before. 

Successfully flipped. 

Fortunately, it was also able to float back, with a little urging.  After quite a bit of dragging, prying, lifting and flipping, it was back in place and ready to face the next flood.  During the project, the group suffered 3 casualties: Clark, Van and Bob (pictured), in that order, slipped on a very slippery slope, and later had to be helped to their feet.

Man down!

A good days work. 

How to Get Lumber Up a Hill

In a massive logistics operation reminiscent of D-Day, the FOPOS trail crew recruited a small army and provided it with the necessary equipment (work gloves, water, bug spray) in order to move the vast quantity of materials needed for building infrastructure uphill and into position for the coming Woodfield Campaign.  The temperature was around 95 degrees, the army was primarily 9th grade girls (9) and boys (3) from PDS.

The crew.

The materials were 80 2x10x8 foot planks and 120 4x4x2 foot cross ties needed for the planned construction of 320 feet of new boardwalk to accompany the 220 feet installed last summer.  Although this project was not officially part of the work covered by last year's ANJEC grant, we were persuaded by this year's floods that many more feet of boardwalk were needed.

The materials to be moved.

Hitching a ride and taking a break.