MCP Trail Maintenance

Big Al

Well-Known Member
TM fun (well work) this Saturday!!! Lots of trimming to do. If you ride here you already knew that!

We will be running the "Brush Hog". So we need folks to follow and trim what the machinery misses.

There are also some short sections that need a manual trim.

We will meet at the Marina near the volley ball courts on the south side of the lake at 9:00 AM
Bring something to drink.
Please attire in appropriate clothing for woods work.
We will supply the gloves and tools.

TAS
In!
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
July TM Date Change!!!! Saturday July10
We will meet at the Marina near the volley ball courts on the south side of the lake at 9:00 AM

Plenty of trimming to do. If you ride here you already knew that!
We will be again running the "Brush Hog". So we need folks to follow and trim what the machinery misses.

There are also some short sections near the old farmhouse that need a manual trim.

Please attire in appropriate clothing for woods work and bring something to drink.
We will supply the gloves and tools.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
BIG THANKS to the crew who showed up this Saturday.. I don't have the names as Mick kept the roster...

July 10, 2021 Trail maintenance report.
Two crews were employed. One crew with the Brush Hog.
The other with power and manual hand tools.
All trails were cleared on both sides.

All the power line crossover trails and trail heads from West Picnic area have been cleared.
The trail from the BMX pit that is in between Orange and Red ending on the paved path was cleared.
Orange trail from the BMX pit to the paved path was cleared.
The short connector trail between the BMX pit and Orange trail was cleared
Yellow trail and the yellow split trails were cleared from Red trail to Orange at the dam Spillway pool.
Orange trail was cleared from the Spillway pool, along the creek until just before the small bridge.
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Last TM Mike and Rudy had mentioned that where the blue trail (north) exits to the power lines was overgrown. I got my weed trimmer running today and cleared it. It was a good test!
TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Bridge Work Today! The "Too Old Guys Bridge Repair Crew".... Mick & I ventured out today coated in skeeter repellent.
We repositioned the 2nd bridge and rebuilt both approach ramps. Also cleared some troublesome roots between the bridges. Have drills - will travel!

TAS
 

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TAS

Well-Known Member
TM report for Sat, Oct 16th. Beautiful morning! We focused on Blue Trail, repairing the trail surface between the Rowing Center and the single bridge. A few decisions and the crew quickly set to work. Cut drainage nicks and trenches. Excavated gravel and clay soil for the trail bed from out of the upturned tree holes. (good stuff!). The trail surface was raised and packed. Time will tell as to how well the surface holds up but we will keep an eye on it.

Three yellow jacket stings were suffered but we perserverred!

Big thanks to the crew: Geff, Rudy, Julien, Matt, Caleb, Al, Mick & yours truly.

TAS
 

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TAS

Well-Known Member
Update on the Blue trail.... Rode there today and It wasn't looking good. There were sticks and branches across the trail which I removed. Several big long ruts and the soil level on the trail surface had compacted.
There was no standing water but the surface was very, very soft.

The good news is that the high side we built up was fairly firm and compacted.

I walked the ruts over to fill-flatten them. Then rode over the section 4 times.. The high side is fine. But the side with the drainage trench is still soft.
I think it just needs more time to dry out. Which this weeks weather should do.. I hope!

We may have to add more soil if the surface continues to compact.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
TM Report for Sat 11/20/21 It was cold! Mick, Mike, Rudy and I were present. More loads of gravel were harvested from the power line road and applied to the section previously posted above. Mick brought a Gorilla cart that made short work of moving the gravel. The Brush Hog was used to cut back the foliage on either side allowing more sunlight and airflow. The drainage nicks were cleared of debris.
The section of trail surface was compacted and angled for runoff. The Hog was also run on Son Of Blue and a short section of Blue by the lake.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Anchoring Bridges and Walkways.... Today Mick and I had planned to anchor the new "walkways" on Blue by the lake that were constructed by Scout Troop 66... However we had both forgotten that firearms hunting was in effect on weekdays! The rangers were actively checking the East Picnic parking lot and shooing folks away.... Sooo off to Van Nest. We repositioned and anchored the bridge that had floated away from IDA. Some nice folks had re installed and retied it using the rope that Mick had used. THANKS! We dug channels for the beams and slightly repositioned the bridge. This allows it to sit flat to the ground instead of on top. We then anchored it with rebar. It's not perfect but its stable and anchored. Will have see how it holds up this winter. It needs a a few new deck boards and will get to that later.

TAS

Scout Bridge on Blue by the lake
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Van Nest
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TAS

Well-Known Member
Beautiful afternoon! Mick and I completed anchoring the Scout bridges on Blue by the lake trail.
They were roped to tree roots but the rebar will further retain them when the lake floods.. Which we know it will.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
FYI Regular Trail Maintenance has been suspended during Jan and Feb. We normally resume in March-April depending on conditions.

Please post a report here if you see something that needs attention. We will do our best to resolve it.

THANKS!

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
First TM for 2022. Come on folks you know you want to!
Dress appropriately, we supply tools and gloves. It is that time of year to complete waivers

Please complete the attached forms for 2022.
Thanks!
TAS

Mercer County Park Trail Maintenance​

Saturday April 16, 2022 9:00 a.m.​


Meeting at the marina parking lot near the volleyball area. Our project will be relocating a short section of the red trail near the tennis center to eliminate a large mud hole Think some heavy Brush Hog work.​
 

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Mitch

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
First TM for 2022. Come on folks you know you want to!
Dress appropriately, we supply tools and gloves. It is that time of year to complete waivers

Please complete the attached forms for 2022.
Thanks!
TAS
Date, place and time for those not in the know. Thanks! Send my love to MT.
Lol, nevermind. I clicked it. I never click stuff. Thanks!
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
All ya had to do was scroll down a bit!! OK OK... Next time I won't past an insert from another web page. Ha!

Mercer County Park Trail Maintenance​

Saturday April 16, 2022 9:00 a.m.​

Meeting at the marina parking lot near the volleyball area. Our project will be relocating a short section of the red trail near the tennis center to eliminate a large mud hole Think some heavy Brush Hog work.
 
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TAS

Well-Known Member
Big thanks to the crew that showed up on a beautiful morning!
Rudy, Paul, Matt, Tyler plus Mick and I.

We successfully rerouted a section of Red trail to avoid a unsustainable and widening mud hole near the tennis center.
We also were able to retrench water runoff from a tennis court drain to reduce erosion to the trail bed nearby.
First pic is where we started... a wall of thorns!

TAS
 

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TAS

Well-Known Member
TM this Saturday 5/21 It's going to be a hot day.....Come work in the cool woods along side a babbling creek!

Plan is to work in the Van Nest area to realign a section of Orange trail along the creek. Area also needs some trimming.

We will be meeting at 9:00 am at the marina parking lot near the volleyball nets.
We have release documents from JORBA and Mercer County to complete and sign if you have yet not done so this year.

Both JORBA and Mercer County are moving to electronic documents this year. Until we have a link and process we will still be doing it via paper for now.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Todays TM was a success.... Big thanks from Mick and I to : Elena, Al, Ron, Ray, Scott, Rudy.
Today we split into two crews at the Van Nest WMA trail head.
Trail work (orange trail) and brush hog (yellow trail).

First a special note of thanks to Scott ...for jumping into the Assunpink creek to retrieve the cart and tools!
Yes the trail had become that narrow. See first pic!

The section of trail bed was cleared, widened and elevated. Brush was trimmed back.
If you get a chance to ride the orange trail along the stream let us know how we did!!

Al and the brush hog crew cleared the Yellow trail beating back the dreaded Mercer thorn.

Attached are before & after of Orange trail.

TAS
 

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