Have not heard someone mention gumbo mudder's in years man. You ever go jump into the river below the dam ? I spent a lot of time down there to cool off after the trails.
Out of curiosity, how does the condition of the park today compare to how it was in the past? That is to say, was there an equal number of beer cans/bottles strewn about say 15-20 years ago? Or has it been more of an upward trend since you (and others) started going there back in the 80s?
I will just speak for myself here but to me it has been getting worse and worse over the past 10 years or so. I myself do not remember so much garbage on the trails back then. I also do not remember really needing to put as much rail up to keep people on the trails. Back then though there were really just bikes and OHV vehicles out here. No side by sides and no quads. Everyone camped on the sides of the trails back then. I used to go to the Mulinex store back then every morning for an apple fritter while I was on the trails. Back then if you had any type of 4wd it would make it pretty easy on all the trails stock .
I will just speak for myself here but to me it has been getting worse and worse over the past 10 years or so. I myself do not remember so much garbage on the trails back then. I also do not remember really needing to put as much rail up to keep people on the trails. Back then though there were really just bikes and OHV vehicles out here. No side by sides and no quads. Everyone camped on the sides of the trails back then. I used to go to the Mulinex store back then every morning for an apple fritter while I was on the trails. Back then if you had any type of 4wd it would make it pretty easy on all the trails stock .
Accessibility. In the last 10 years, its become easier and more popular to finance a toy to go cruise around in the woods in/on so there are more yayhooz that have never been to a work day, but just think the trails appeared there and stay there for their own abuse. Callalantee used to be 30 minutes from my house and I rode there either in my rig or my dirtbike most weekends. The last 3-4 years it was open, we saw more and more trash on the trails and more and more fancy new SxS's or new quads in the parking lot. Cant tell you how many times I came home with a bunch of trash that wasn't mine in the back of my Xtra Cab...and I had my fair share of aluminum trash on some rides there. Harlan was the same way, but the trash in town greatly outweighs the trash in the park so you kind of don't notice it.
I have some "galvanize" spray paint that I'll carry with me next weekend on the trails. If I see any graffiti on the guardrails would it be okay if I covered it with this paint?
I really wish we could paint them to blend in better but funds are not there. Maybe we could get enough donations to FOU and the USFS to approve it and get a contractor out there to paint them to better blend in.
I really wish we could paint them to blend in better but funds are not there. Maybe we could get enough donations to FOU and the USFS to approve it and get a contractor out there to paint them to better blend in.
I'll put my money where my mouth is and donate $100 towards the cause if it gets organized.
The trash didn't become a problem until the early 90's or at least it didn't start getting bad. I think the fact that the forest just didn't have as much traffic back then and the popularity of off roading has since taken off in the last ten years contributes to more trash. More people= more trash.
What are the painters thoughts on an arless sprayer and gen in the back of truck for a more cost eff way to paint these? I am working on cost and premission as now.
That's what it would need to be. It would need to be an airless system. It would need to be a type of paint that will adhere and stay good on this stuff. I am also going to guess here that the FS will want some orange or some other color thrown on so they do not get sued over it blending in and someone getting hurt hitting it.
That's what it would need to be. It would need to be an airless system. It would need to be a type of paint that will adhere and stay good on this stuff. I am also going to guess here that the FS will want some orange or some other color thrown on so they do not get sued over it blending in and someone getting hurt hitting it.
There are some companies that make steel-backed wood guard rails (often used in historic sites, parks, etc.) - while I suspect it's expensive, and I'm sure no one wants to replace all of what has already been put up at URE perhaps the same design concept could be used? i.e: instead of painting the metal, put wood plank overlays on them to give them a more natural feel, sort of like this:
Let it be a sacrificial lamb. Better to slap it there than a rock or tree. Sometimes if you give them a place to put stuff like that it won't end up elsewhere.
I find it hard to believe anyone from Rausch Creek drove all the way down here to put a sticker on a guard rail, its an 8 hour drive. You might want to make sure who it is before people start bad mouthing another ORV park.
To answer if I have figured out who it was. I " think " I have but can not confirm or deny it. This person had this sticker on his FB page and goes to Uwharrie. I asked him about it in and he said he still had his sticker and it was just something he had made for himself a while back. So I figure it a case closed myself as I could not actually find it being a club but just an individual. If it was a club I could of used it as a teachable moment. Individual not so much if they deny it was them.
So I " assumed " it was a club sticker of which I can not prove so I made an ass out of me. I am fine with that as I am one in person also.
Any idea how much the total project would cost?
perhaps the same design concept could be used? i.e: instead of painting the metal, put wood plank overlays on them to give them a more natural feel, sort of like this:
