Uwharrie Trail Work Day #10, February 26th

[DRaider90]

Is this hotdog stand that presumably is going to be there something being put on for the volunteers? Just wanna know if I should pack a lunch. I'm planning on heading up Friday and camping up there, I'm feeling some early dawn fishing at Badin before the breakfast.

Terry The Hot Dog Guy won't be able to make it for this work day, so the hot dog stand won't be an option this work day. You can either pack a lunch, or pack a snack and then eat a late lunch at the Outpost after we are done. Or we may eat lunch at the outpost and go back to work. Just depends on how much we get done etc.

Sorry to hear others can't make it out, there is always the next work day.

 

[K45]

I changed my plans around because I thought it was canceled, but I might can make it but with no 4x4 so I will need a ride once I get to the outpost.

 

[BigClay]

I also changed plans when I saw it was canceled, so I won't be able to make it to this one.

 

[Sal-XK]

Eli I sent you a PM about camping

 

[Your Hot Dog Guy!]

Is this hotdog stand that presumably is going to be there something being put on for the volunteers? Just wanna know if I should pack a lunch. I'm planning on heading up Friday and camping up there, I'm feeling some early dawn fishing at Badin before the breakfast.

Expo, I usually try and support the volunteer workers and some times offer a special deal or something. I'm there for everyone and especially the workers. The Outpost serves a very good breakfast and lunch and dinner, I eat breakfast there on a regular basis. Chris always helps out the workers when he can also. I like giving the volunteers a place to meet and kick back and reflect on work at hand. I made every work day last year and proud to be there to support the guys and gals that pitch in and help the Rangers! The last work day last year we came down and with help from NC4X4, fed the workers at no charge for a year well done! Can't wait to meet some new faces this year.

 

[DRaider90]

It won't be the same without Terry being there, but I will make sure to make up for it by bugging him twice as much when the next work day rolls around.

To those that canceled hope you can make it the next work day. I have a good bit of prep work to do still for the work day so my night/morning will be almost non stop.

 

[johnski]

I plan to be there tomorrow morning. I'll try to meet up with the group at breakfast. Figured that I've kept saying that I should get to a workday, maybe I should quit talking and start doing.

 

[Sal-XK]

Here is a link to the pictures I took Click Here

 

[DRaider90]

Learned a couple things today.

1.)The "1-person" Forest Service augers are actually 4 person. They are dangerous at best with only one person operating them, the kill switch is a joke.

2.)After spending a good 20 minutes trying to start them, they were only good for making "pilot holes" for the bigger auger. They also make good hole markers so no one steps in the open holes.

3.)"Big Red" as I heard it called ending up saving the day. The Auger bought with donations to the group made the work day possible. It was still a long day hitting rocks and having to re-drill holes (we wished we had a bobcat/auger). We also learned its more of a 3 person auger than a 2 person.

4.)10+ people are must for putting up guard railing. We had enough people to split up into 2 groups. One group used big red, and the other went ahead and drilled pilot holes with the FS augers plus laid out the rail/posts at the next site. We even had 1 or 2 extra to swap out people on the augers etc so people didn't get beat to death.

5.)Once again we learned that chains are not required to drag guard rail. D-Shackles and straps/hooks can be made to work. We rigged up 2 different set ups, 1 for guard rail, and 1 for posts.

A HUGE thanks to everyone for coming out and making this work day a success. We logged 75 hours between our group, which is awesome. Without you guys these work days wouldn't be a success. I think I did more coughing than working, so I know it wasn't me (and yelling at the FS auger that wouldn't start, heh).

 

[GSRswapandslow]

i hate i missed it...i had planned on making every work day this year
i just don't think that my Fit is trail worthy.......lol

 

[Limey]

You guys did an awesome job with the guard rail. We had fun picking up trash and having the place to ourselves. My 16 year old, Milly, did some wheeling for the first time. She's hooked already...





She got a big kick out of driving up Falls Dam while you guys waited at the side of the trail and watched. I'm in big trouble now

It was good to see familiar faces and to meet some new ones

 

[Sal-XK]

My 16 year old, Milly, did some wheeling for the first time. She's hooked already...

She got a big kick out of driving up Falls Dam while you guys waited at the side of the trail and watched. I'm in big trouble now
It was good to see familiar faces and to meet some new ones

Ya buddy you did it now Thats pretty cool though I hope one of my kids get into wheeling as well. It was good to see you again.

 

[johnski]

This was my first workday and I must say, you don't know what it truly involves until you've been there. I've read old threads where people who have never put in the time/effort to attend a workday make rash judgements about what it takes to get the work accomplished. Simply, the tools that are available equate to using a garden hose on a house fire. You can get some work done with the manpower and tools that we had, but you could exponentially increase the effectiveness if heavy equipment was available. The new auger was great, but imagine what could've gotten done with one of these...

That said, thanks to Eli for working diligently to put all of these workdays together and to the regulars who have made it a priority to maintain the trails that we all use. It was great to meet all of you guys. Met a bunch of quality people. I look forward to wheeling/working with you again.

 

[Sal-XK]

I agree getting threw all the rocks and roots with even a two man auger was difficult to say the least. By the time you get threw the rocks your exhausted and bruised all to heck after the auger beats you up a little. Then half the time we would get half the hole dug just to have to move and start over because we couldn't get threw so drill two holes to get one. My hands were pretty cramped from the death grip on the auger, holding the wheel driving home was not fun. It's all about taking care of the trails we all use and I would bet that anyone who has attempted to dig holes in Rockarrie would agree that the bobcat with auger would be great. Allowing us to get more work done for sure. Also we only had one auger that was wide enough and even though we bottomed the thing out we still had to hammer the posts another 6" down to get the right hight. Can we do without a bobcat? of course we can. But were working pretty hard to get very little work done, and its volunteering not a job I don't think any of us can afford to get hurt out there and not make it to work on Monday. I think if were going to get the railing up quick enough to keep people on the trail and from damaging the forest we need a bobcat because once the heat sets in are numbers dwindle some so less people working even harder in the heat even less getting put in. We have one more workday before were dodging traffic slowing us down even more. This would be a good day to have a bobcat out there before the season opener.

 

[Tech11]

We've got a very good line on a volunteer with connections of getting a skidsteer to help us out. While it won't be every work day we can probably get one with an auger in there at a substantial discount versus renting one as we have done in the past.

The big two man one that was donated worked very nicely and is quite appreciated. I'm wondering if an extension can be made to get the additional depth we need when we don't bottom out on the side of the mountain, a rock, or alien spaceship/tommyknockers.

I don't know how much more guard rail we'll be doing, but if the FS wants to block off illegal by passes, and is halfway serious, we'll be doing a metric butt tonne.

Seems like March will be finishing guardrail, and putting up trail markers and trail head markers. Getting ready for the April One opening. I don't know where the times goes but next weekend DST starts.

I appreciate all the people that come out and volunteer, and I also appreciate the people that volunteer in other ways, be it donations of money, resources, or miscellaneous.

I'm hoping this year we can really ramp up the participation in the workdays. But we're really going to have to work on our communication with the FS more.

I want to show the FS, the off road communities, and the local communities how much ass we can kick when we set our minds to it.

 

[DRaider90]

They do make extensions for the Auger Bits for around $40, a 12" one would probably work perfectly:

I like the idea of going through our contact to try and get a bobcat/auger out there. But I also think its a good idea to get something concrete set up with a rental company etc. The old adage of "not putting all your eggs in one basket".

It would be great to have a Bobcat/Auger for the March work day. It would ensure we would at least put a nice sized dent in what needs to bet up as far as guard rail goes. The 4 pieces we got up with big red and the pilot hole augers was great. But with a bobcat we could double that easily if not triple it.

 

[Limey]

Ya buddy you did it now Thats pretty cool though I hope one of my kids get into wheeling as well. It was good to see you again.

You too Sal.

I know, I think I'll have to be a spotter from now on . Will try and make it next month, but have family incoming on the 23rd. I'll be out in April...

 

[expo XJ]

excellent teamwork

This was my first experience with NC4x4 out at UF on a volunteer day. I just met all of you at UF and I must say that this was an excellent day of teamwork for all us volunteers that made it out. Everyone was truly interested in beautifying our off road park, and I was impressed with the turn out as well. As for Equipment I'm going to run the idea of the skidsteer by some ears, because it would really make life a lot easier. I'm unsure if he has an auger bit for it, but it never hurts to ask. It seems to me we need at least one more of the four handled/ two person augers for all the guard rails that we'll be installing.
Limey: you've set the bug in now, and you may become the spotter yet which is awesome.

 

[cghorton]

I apologize for not making it out to the work day. I read JC's post about it being canceled and never checked again about it...

That really grinds my gears because I was looking forward to working on the trails...

 

[War Wagon]

Eli,

I talked to my friend and got a great price on renting a Bob Cat with tracks and auger. I PM'ed you Wed. but haven't heard anything back. I was told that we need to let him know ASAP because that this time of the year they book up fast.

Jim

 

[XJfreakHO]

War Wagon, PM CLTDBA if you can't get a hold of Eli, his inbox seems to fill up all the time.

 

[War Wagon]

War Wagon, PM CLTDBA if you can't get a hold of Eli, his inbox seems to fill up all the time.

I have and CLTDBA said that Eli is the one to make the call on this.

 

[chris]

War Wagon, PM CLTDBA if you can't get a hold of Eli, his inbox seems to fill up all the time.

He has already shared the pricing info with me. We just need to get a confirmation from Eli that the money is/will be available and we can reserve the bobcat. Eli did send a PM to me stating he planned to drive to the RS Braswell in Kannapolis to thank them and to confirm everything.


Also, let's move this conversation to the March 26th Work Day thread so that everyone knows what the current status on the bobcat is.

 

[War Wagon]

Also, let's move this conversation to the March 26th Work Day thread so that everyone knows what the current status on the bobcat is.

Good Point, I replied on my phone and just saw 26th and put it in there. LOL By the way I did PM Eli again after he sent out the message that his inbox had been cleared out.

Jim