Have you ever seen a road runner repave a street? Or drive the street cleaner? Or volunteer as a flagger while work is being done on a road? One of many things that separates trail running from road running is the fact that runners and race directors are citizen stewards of the trails we use. As a community we are contributing more and more hours of labor each year.
Logging Out Blowdown
When asked recently by an RD who was having troubles getting the FS to issue him a permit for a race, I suggested that he become an asset to the trails community. I suggested he acquire some skills that he can use to organize and lead groups of volunteers on projects in his local forest. He liked that idea. But how does one do that?
Building a Bridge
One way to acquire those skills is to take some classes and learn the newer ways we’re building and restoring trails. We have two upcoming opportunites in Oregon to take classes from CPR, to Chainsaw Certification to Tread and Drainage – all for free (see the list of classes).
Tread Work
The first long weekend of classes is May 14-16, 2011 in Westfir Oregon (register here). The second long weekend is June 3-5, 2011 in Allingham, Oregon (register here). These training weekends are being offered through a combination of volunteers and employees from Deschutes and Willamette National Forests, The High Cascade Forest Volunteers, and the Pacific Crest Trail Association, along with several other groups – at no cost to us. Register now as the classes fill up.
Oh, and a Conduct the Juices t-shirt to the first person to tell me what Curt’s favorite trail work tool is? He’s holding it in the photo above.
That would be a “rhino” Curt is holding.
Is that Arizona slang?
http://www.cascadefire.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=369_475_436_439&products_id=1596
I don’t think so Craig.
I can’t remember the name but it is a shovel with the tip cut off and then bent at a 45 next to the handle! And it is to do tred work! I really want that shirt!
Can’t believe you don’t have one yet.
Curt’s might be considered a “Super Rhino”.
That’s not what he calls it.
I thought it was a rhino also?
It seems you don’t need your own saw to take the saw certification class? Becoming a sawyer is a dream of mine….
Amy, that is awesome. Don’t think you need one for the cert class but I will ask and if so we’ll find one for you to use.
Amy, no you do not need your own saw, but they may question why you are getting certified if you don’t have a saw. Tell them you are with us and that you will be using one of our saws on work parties.
Sweet–thanks!
The one with the brown handle that the person with an orange shirt is wearing is a rhino and the other tool with the yellow handle is a McLeod. Does Curt name his tools like you name your friends????
I think he calls it “Daddies little trail hoe”
From now on I will! Thanks John. BK is very close but that ain’t exactly what we call them in the Pacific NW. “I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK’…
It’s funny how my mind works. Can anyone else see Craig reprising the lead role in this video? lumberjack-song
Curt, this could be a candidate for Georgetown Hotel karaoke. Thanks for the link!
You guys must call the rhino a “Chinga” up there.
Rhinehard, or something similar sounding. sounds best when Curt says it in thick German accent.
We have a winner! I think it is spelled Reinhart but you are close enough. Since you already have a hoodie and so does BK, I’m torn between giving one to Kellyroy for all the trail work he’s done for Waldo or to Amy if she gets certified on the chainsaw. I’ll let you decide, White Trash.
Decisions, decisions…
Sucks to be the winner sometimes, or so I hear. You could also decide to give it to Ticer for his “Daddies little trail hoe.”
O.k., I’ll give it to Amy, provided 1) she gets a her chainsaw cert, and 2) there’s pictures, preferably with her using a 24″+ chainsaw.
If not, Kelly gets the hoodie. I owe Kelly some stuff from previously too, so I’m working on that as well.
WT
Didn’t I see a blog on “Ticer’s little trail toe”?