CRAMBA: Clinton River Park Trail (Dodge Park Trail)

[mkow1234]

*beep* cold to be out there lugging around chain saws!
Thanks for your hard work, BW!
This is the closest thing to a "local" trail for some of us urban east siders, and your efforts are really appreciated!

[Weihs]

Here, here! I second that!

[blacksword]

Np.. I'm not normal, I enjoy cold.
I think it was 20d at 9am when I was out there.. it was perfect.

I just hope we can get the next section built early in the year next year, too much rain and it will just languish. We just couldn't do a lot with the trail this wet rainy season.

[mkow1234]

So that next section to be built must be where that tight, flagged section went 100 feet or so the other way into the woods, down a small hill and dead-ends by some fallen trees. I hope you can map a good route to connect with the next section (with the aforementioned overzealous landscaping homeowners). I'll plan to show up in the spring, well before mosquito season.

[Weihs]

down a small hill and dead-ends by some fallen trees

Sometimes it dead-ends into a flowing river, hahaha!

[i69whitey]

down a small hill and dead-ends by some fallen trees

Sometimes it dead-ends into a flowing river, hahaha!

you really need to narrow it down more than "dead ends into a flowing river"
that covers about 17 places (so far)

[Weihs]

you really need to narrow it down more than "dead ends into a flowing river"
that covers about 17 places (so far)

Excellent point, Whitey! The particular dead-end that I think we're talking about is near the end of the "newest" trail - there's a cut out to the paved trail, but if you continue it takes you down into a swampy, mosquito infested area that *sometimes* is a river, as we discovered on the last trail day. Excellent boardwalk opportunity, IMO.

[i69whitey]

i know the place well. as i do most of the system there. was just kiddin'

and i look forward to being able to ride all of it once it freezes solid

[blacksword]

We have to get through that low land, to get to the fun stuff!

And it likely will be a boardwalking opportunity. Aaron put in for a grant from Home Depot for $2500.. hopefully we get it!

[c0nsumer]

We have to get through that low land, to get to the fun stuff!

And it likely will be a boardwalking opportunity. Aaron put in for a grant from Home Depot for $2500.. hopefully we get it!

How will you keep it from floating away?

Maybe this is a good opportunity for a suspension bridge?

[blacksword]

We have to get through that low land, to get to the fun stuff!

And it likely will be a boardwalking opportunity. Aaron put in for a grant from Home Depot for $2500.. hopefully we get it!

How will you keep it from floating away?

Maybe this is a good opportunity for a suspension bridge?

With 4-5' deep 6x6" posts cemented in.
There have been other ideas kicked around too.

[i69whitey]

they found a way across the stuff out by the gazebo,
so this should be a minor obstacle.
it will have to be "safe" for the masses but will at least allow us to get to the fun stuff

[utabintarbo]

We have to get through that low land, to get to the fun stuff!

And it likely will be a boardwalking opportunity. Aaron put in for a grant from Home Depot for $2500.. hopefully we get it!

How will you keep it from floating away?

More importantly, how will you keep it from being trashed by all the little bastards that run around out there looking for stuff to break?

[blacksword]

We have to get through that low land, to get to the fun stuff!

And it likely will be a boardwalking opportunity. Aaron put in for a grant from Home Depot for $2500.. hopefully we get it!

How will you keep it from floating away?

More importantly, how will you keep it from being trashed by all the little bastards that run around out there looking for stuff to break?

By hopefully turning it into enough of a trail system, that people ride and use it often enough to avoid them having time to vandalize.
We also plan to overbuild.

[Roy]

Because of vandalism and high water, wood structures are probably going to be short lived.
Here is a out of the box Idea: Pre-cut huge dead fall, wait for high water, float it in to position.
Crazy, probably would not work. If you could use heavy logs, it would make it harder for the vandals to move.
For example: At PLRA after the trail was rerouted, someone keep opening the old trail. We then closed the old trail using huge logs that were dug into the old trail crosswise. These logs took several people to move. Who ever was reopening the trail then gave up. Anything that will take 3 or 4 people to lift should discourage any 98 pound vandal. Cross planking works, but makes for a rough ride. (Bald Mt. North).
Anything that is heavy and does not have steal appeal will work.
Roy