knobbyhead
Next off the Island.
I ussualy post the training sessions in the hartshorne/ huber section.
They are normally held in the springtime so i suspect you'll have to wait until next year.
Hartshorne/Huber Conditions
- Thread starter jerzey111
- Start date
I ussualy post the training sessions in the hartshorne/ huber section.
They are normally held in the springtime so i suspect you'll have to wait until next year.
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
Tracy's response:
Thank you for your e-mail We had one session back in June – the main focus was to work on the area adjacent to that bridge on the Rocky Point Trail. I haven’t been back since – I hope that held up for a while. We have two sessions scheduled for Hartshorne Woods Park right now – October 5th and November 16th. I am currently collecting names of those interested in joining the volunteer trails team. New volunteers will be required to attend a 2-hour classroom informational session. Additional training will be provided on the trail with staff and volunteer crew leaders. Attached please find the Volunteer Application to distribute to the mountain bikers that are interested. If there is enough interest, I will schedule a training session, most-likely on a week night at Thompson Park Visitor Center in September. This way the new volunteers can partake in the projects we tackle in October and November.
I’ve attached a MAP if you’d like to indicate the areas you have found to be of greatest concern. Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Best regards,
Tracy Shiffman
Coordinator of Volunteers
Monmouth County Park System
805 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738
732-842-4000, ext. 4283
You can email the Volunteer Application to Tracy: Tracy.Shiffman@co.monmouth.nj.us
I'll also send her a list of the overgrown areas, but could use your help describing exactly where they are. My best recollections:
- the part of Rocky Point if you make a right off the paved road coming up from the dock
- Grand Tour near the Monmouth Hills section on the map
Thank you for your e-mail We had one session back in June – the main focus was to work on the area adjacent to that bridge on the Rocky Point Trail. I haven’t been back since – I hope that held up for a while. We have two sessions scheduled for Hartshorne Woods Park right now – October 5th and November 16th. I am currently collecting names of those interested in joining the volunteer trails team. New volunteers will be required to attend a 2-hour classroom informational session. Additional training will be provided on the trail with staff and volunteer crew leaders. Attached please find the Volunteer Application to distribute to the mountain bikers that are interested. If there is enough interest, I will schedule a training session, most-likely on a week night at Thompson Park Visitor Center in September. This way the new volunteers can partake in the projects we tackle in October and November.
I’ve attached a MAP if you’d like to indicate the areas you have found to be of greatest concern. Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Best regards,
Tracy Shiffman
Coordinator of Volunteers
Monmouth County Park System
805 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738
732-842-4000, ext. 4283
You can email the Volunteer Application to Tracy: Tracy.Shiffman@co.monmouth.nj.us
I'll also send her a list of the overgrown areas, but could use your help describing exactly where they are. My best recollections:
- the part of Rocky Point if you make a right off the paved road coming up from the dock
- Grand Tour near the Monmouth Hills section on the map
CommandoStyle
Well-Known Member
The area marked in red is pretty overgrown; however, I suspect by the time the trail maintenance occurs much will have died off and it won’t be as much of an issue.
Thank you
Thank you
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
I was thinking of just passing along the overgrowth areas first and see if there’s a way to get them addressed now, rather than wait for the next TM session.
The other fixes will be tougher to agree on and implement.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
Agree. Just have them address the easy stuff for now.
The overgrowth will be dead by October (or nearly so)
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we need 1 list, prioritized. with estimated effort (maybe).
might even want to ask the hikers?
I think it is great that they are willing to put on another training session. that is progress.
Please ask what they think is a minimum number to run the session.
fantastic job. This is the speed of progress - accept it, embrace it.
might even want to ask the hikers?
I think it is great that they are willing to put on another training session. that is progress.
Please ask what they think is a minimum number to run the session.
fantastic job. This is the speed of progress - accept it, embrace it.
TimBay
Well-Known Member
I got a similar response from Tracy today. So, If you haven't done so already, please register to become a volunteer. They're willing to add a training session if there's interest in joining the fall sessions. So please sign up soon and let me know so that your training can be coordinated.
If we can show that we have people able and willing to show up, that can help to add more sessions and better maintain the park.
I like the idea of seeing if we can get a quick trimming session in prior to the fall. It can be a safety issue for users going in opposite directions, and those prickers are annoying.
I'd also throw in that switchback in Rocky point. It's gotten a bit sketchy and it's hard to see down trail with some of the overgrowth which can be dangerous when bombing it.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
Iggy and commando IDd the areas that made me turn around the other day
And timbay is spot on regarding devils elbow. The erosion is bad enough but the overgrowth is nuts and makes it so you can’t see if someone is coming up/ around the corner.
The other area that I have to assume is overgrown is the area indicated below. Where is it? - You make a right at the bottom of the switchback connector from rocky point, go up the hill, then after the quick/fun little down/up there’s that bramble area that gets simply ridiculous every summer. Note : I am assuming it’s overgrown since I have entirely avoided that section all summer for that reason
That area and the other three are in the same end of the park. No reason they couldn’t get knocked out in an afternoon or two by one or two MCPS staff
And timbay is spot on regarding devils elbow. The erosion is bad enough but the overgrowth is nuts and makes it so you can’t see if someone is coming up/ around the corner.
The other area that I have to assume is overgrown is the area indicated below. Where is it? - You make a right at the bottom of the switchback connector from rocky point, go up the hill, then after the quick/fun little down/up there’s that bramble area that gets simply ridiculous every summer. Note : I am assuming it’s overgrown since I have entirely avoided that section all summer for that reason
That area and the other three are in the same end of the park. No reason they couldn’t get knocked out in an afternoon or two by one or two MCPS staff
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TimBay
Well-Known Member
Also, if any of you are current/former maintenance members, but are not receiving Tracy's emails, she asked that you fill out the application again to be added back into their database to receive the email distributions. I don't think you'll be required to take the course again.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Application has been filled out and sent to Tracy.
Thanks for your continued efforts with this.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
yes. thx
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
fwiw, and this is to the point: these are the same spots that get overgrown in Hartshorne, every year. just sayin'
TimBay
Well-Known Member
True. Maybe next year we try to get more trimming sessions in. Tracy pointed out that more volunteers can equal more sessions and the more people that show up to sessions, the more we can get done. They seem to be open to our suggestions on what to focus on as well, so hopefully we can all follow through and get in there.
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
I emailed the marked-up map showing the overgrown areas to Tracy. Here's her response:
This is excellent – thank you for marking up the map. I had a conversation with the Park Manager last night and these were the same areas he indicated needed attention. I will keep you posted. Meanwhile, I have a number of people looking to be trained for the Trails Team and I am hoping to schedule a special training session for them in September. This way we will have more volunteers for our October and November sessions and a number of local volunteers available for potential projects identified by the Park Manager.
@TimBay and I have been communicating back channel, and we're planning to ride the park some day next week to scope things out.
This is excellent – thank you for marking up the map. I had a conversation with the Park Manager last night and these were the same areas he indicated needed attention. I will keep you posted. Meanwhile, I have a number of people looking to be trained for the Trails Team and I am hoping to schedule a special training session for them in September. This way we will have more volunteers for our October and November sessions and a number of local volunteers available for potential projects identified by the Park Manager.
@TimBay and I have been communicating back channel, and we're planning to ride the park some day next week to scope things out.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
“ I had a conversation with the Park Manager last night and these were the same areas he indicated needed attention.”
So they’re aware of the particularly problematic areas and won’t address it (ie, send out a few guys with hedge clippers)?
Instead you guys have to push for a special volunteer session so that we can get formal permission for volunteers to do it.
I can’t be the only person that finds this absurd.
So they’re aware of the particularly problematic areas and won’t address it (ie, send out a few guys with hedge clippers)?
Instead you guys have to push for a special volunteer session so that we can get formal permission for volunteers to do it.
I can’t be the only person that finds this absurd.
TimBay
Well-Known Member
I think we need to remember that the MCPS manages all county parks and programs, and there are a lot of them. They're also likely under funded amd these areas are a bit deep and somewhat low use by non bikers.
Part of the issue with the volunteering is the bureaucratic red tape. Even in the days of JORBA, they could only do work when a park person was present. By showing up and showing we have numbers, I think that can amd will open up more available sessions to better maintain the park. It's a start at least