Mercer County Park Conditions

Big Al

Well-Known Member
Fair conditions Sunday. A couple of muddy spots. Took care of a couple of smaller trees on upper Blue & made a couple of go-arounds for some bigger trees. Saw Mick and @TAS out there with the chainsaws doing work too.
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TAS

Well-Known Member
Monday, MIck & I cleared the two big tree piles near the ponds (see previous post above). The one tree still overhangs the trail but it is stable and locked. We may attempt to clear that entirely at a later date if necessary. We also cleared a widow maker on the pond trail towards the power line exit.

Yesterday I cleared the smaller stuff and overhangs from the power line right of way back towards south post road. All the trees in Al's post above have been cleared. We still have to clear some bigger trees near the power line right of way. That section got hit really hard by the tornado. Multiple trees laid flat and root balls out of the ground leaving big holes in the trail bed. Looks like a bomb went off!

Al suggested that we might do a reroute in this section. The original trail line here had been wiped out by downed trees when hurricane Sandy came thru, but parts of it are still viable. Perhaps it can be restored. The current trail in these pics is not the original but a reroute due to Sandy. More on that idea later....

Mick & I plan be out there Friday to get the rest done.

TAS

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TAS

Well-Known Member
Blue North Trail Update!
Today Mick & I cleared up the remaining big downfalls on Blue North near the second gas line right of way. We identified a dangerous widow maker for which a trail reroute is suggested. I also cleaned up a log over in the same area. Been wanting to do that one for some time.

There is a hanging tree across the trail adjacent to the Yellow Brick road section but it is stable for now. We will get that one at a later date.

So Blue North is now open for your riding and dancing pleasure!

TAS

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Big Al

Well-Known Member
Blue North Trail Update!
Today Mick & I cleared up the remaining big downfalls on Blue North near the second gas line right of way. We identified a dangerous widow maker for which a trail reroute is suggested. I also cleaned up a log over in the same area. Been wanting to do that one for some time.

There is a hanging tree across the trail adjacent to the Yellow Brick road section but it is stable for now. We will get that one at a later date.

So Blue North is now open for your riding and dancing pleasure!

TAS

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Great work, @TAS ! Thank you and Mick for your efforts.
 

Big Al

Well-Known Member
Decent conditions today. Upper blue was a little muddy, especially near the golden road but all the downed trees have been removed!
There are 2 trees down on Son of Blue. One huckable and one not so much.
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TAS

Well-Known Member
Son Of Blue is open for business! Got out there today. Beautiful afternoon!
The first pic is of the "huckable"one. that was easy peasy....The next two are of the "not so huckable".
That one took some doing.

TAS
 

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Big Al

Well-Known Member
Good conditions yesterday. Couple of areas got damaged from the storm. One on red between the tennis center and East Picnic. Also, a couple of trees down on upper Blue near our recent reroutes. On Upper Blue the bridge is sagging pretty badly and a reroute is needed around a wet spot nearby by the little bridge next to the beaver pond (not pictured). @TAS

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TAS

Well-Known Member
Al, Thanks for the report.. I'll get the one on red trail today. Not sure when we can get to Blue North. I have to hook up with Mick for that. The wet spot by the pond has gotten much worse since the beavers moved in. The even built a second dam.
Yes the "bouncy" bridge is in dire need of repair. It's on the "To Do" list. Just need to get the repair materials and assemble a crew to get all done.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Cleared the tree on Red Trail this afternoon. Unfortunately I had to remove the tree over the trail with our marker on it. There was a widow maker pinched up between the two trees.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
When I got there I wondered who?.... then thought... Must'a been Al! Yeah it was a bit sketchy. That widow maker on top of the leaner was not being held up by much. I had to cut the leaner in two places and kick the section out to make it drop. Didn't get a pic cause my phone ran outta juice. Cleaned up those two big branches on the left so we can mow the margin with the Hog.

TAS
 

TAS

Well-Known Member
Good conditions yesterday. Couple of areas got damaged from the storm. One on red between the tennis center and East Picnic. Also, a couple of trees down on upper Blue near our recent reroutes. On Upper Blue the bridge is sagging pretty badly and a reroute is needed around a wet spot nearby by the little bridge next to the beaver pond (not pictured). @TAS

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The above trees on Blue North were cleared today. Plus the widow maker!

TAS
 

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TAS

Well-Known Member
Mick & I cleared the tree on the Red Trail adjacent to the West Picnic area.

The big log over past the BMX pit was cut thru on the trail bed (photo).
The log over was moved to the right side. It will settle in once a few riders go over it.

We will address the tornado damaged trees by the ponds at a later date.

Trail Maintenance is this Saturday @9AM. Please see the TM posting for details.

TAS
 

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TAS

Well-Known Member
Mick, Al & I had the brush hog out last evening in Van Nest. Can you say SMOKY? From the parking lot: Orange, Yellow and the connecting trail in-between have been trimmed. We removed two downed trees on the connector. The area below the dam was also cut.

TAS
 

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