Chime in I was Lurking
Soooo……
So I have been reading this thread over and over and lurking up until today, And I have to say here we go again.. for 21 years now I have been involved with the MCPS, I started back with Wally and the NJCCC I was one of Wallys Lt's. For years we had some great TM's (with Ed Orr and Lee H) on weekends it varied from a Saturday to a Sunday and yes even on a weekday it was usually a Tuesday or a Thursday from 600-900pm(based upon light) and you know it worked.! I remember working on the Power Line trail ( a fall line trail).
I remember sitting in a classroom with Lee H and Ed discussing how we can setup a trail building class and Wally was involved in this too, it was something new, something no other park in NJ had, and we wanted to be the first, the first to set a standard, the first to have a formal training one that the Insurance carrier was elated to have us do, and that insurance carrier to this day still sets the rules (oh and on that note, no logs over 12" inches in any MCPS as set forth by the insurance carrier and MCPS powers that be) if one is thier it wasnt put in place by the TM crew or a ranger.. So now getting onto the training class
I tend to think that when I teach the class for the MCPS, I try to give more than "How to use a shovel"😎 and try to teach trail sustainability and Proper building technique. It is up to you the volunteer when you come to class to actually pay attention and I hope you learn something from it and not just a waste of your 4 hour morning.
Trail building is an art and science, back 15 years ago trail building technique was different from what we have today, we never really used a dirt berm, or water bar as much as I am able to get them in place now, it was more of a logistical placed either across the trail or made to direct water flow off the trail to help AID in erosion. We didn't pay attention to trail contours or slopes, hell We built a trail on a 13% grade one year. What a mistake that was. It is more than building to how the park should be laid out to reflect it natural terrain. So your telling me its ok to build a trail on a 10%-15% grade? just so we can utilize the parks natural configuration? Not going to happen.. In today's trail building the ideal slope(grade) is no more then 3-6% and that depends on the topo map of that area, wetland conditions, houses and land boundaries. and that is another area when we build trails in any park, what are your park boundary limits when building next to a residence or business, what is the setback? what are your parks master trails plan? all of this has to be taken into consideration and not one of you mentioned it in your postings probably because you didn't know about that.
About 12-13 years ago, a bike club adopted one of the trails in the park and maintained it, they had their own crew, their own set schedule and times.. ( I know because I was one of them) Unfortunately this club decided to post up night riding in Hartshorne woods and other MCPS parks. it is posted in every park that they close at dusk, this means regardless if you’re a tax paying county resident you still can’t ride in the park after dark. This caused a ripple effect throughout the whole park system and the higher ups band all clubs from adopting any trails in any Monmouth county park permanently. Now the "good clubs" like JORBA have to suffer, it is unfortunate one bad apple spoiled the bushel and until said time when they are ready this will never happen.
When a trail is planned, many factors are looked at and some were mentioned above, most importantly trail slope, HW has great potential and Myself and Brian Snyder we were the original park reps for JORBA on hundreds of occasions talked and met with reps till we were blue in the face, they wouldn't budge and Brian can attest to it.
Last year and the year before we had more TM dates at Hartshorne than in the 8 previous years, and I chalk that up to the park users stating the complaints to the park supervisor and calling in and the trail crew leaders also putting in their two pence, it worked we had more dates. Now speaking of getting more dates in a park, it has to come from the park supervisor telling the volunteer coordinator "Hey I want some TM crews in the park". The powers that be who plan these dates are told when they can come in and what might need to be done, remember they have to cover all MCPS parks, not just one.
The day of the trail session, people we don’t know what is going on until the day of the TM, because sometimes the park supervisor will make a change at the last minute, it could be based upon a rain storm the night before, or a tree fallen the night before, we truly don’t know until the day of the event ( and this happens at ever park not must MCPS parks). Ill usually call in as the trail Leader to see if I can get a” hey we are going to be working here” and I will call the other Trail Leaders and let them know or I’ll tell them at the TM day, this is how it’s always been folks, if it does change I’ll be their first to say “Finally”.
Furthermore, getting an experienced group of level 3/4 trail builders to setup our own TM dates was discussed for the last 4 years, it’s a stalemate. I am going to talk it up again this year and continue to push it. I have always talked to the Powers that be about creating levels of TM training, we need to have it and it can work, it’s just explaining it why we need it, were we need it and who is going to run it. Years ago yes it was about the Rangers thinking we were stealing their overtime, but not anymore. We the volunteers have a great report with the park supervisors now and it has taken many years to get to this level, all I am going to ask is don’t set us back to 5-8 years ago when we couldn't even ask for dates and tools and not get anything. Being pushy doesn't help, writing everyday doesn't help, make your points, and suggestions known and your concerns, keep them simple, and informative.
If you want to know why the MCPS builds the way they do, come out to a TM training class and I’ll explain the best that I can, and if I don’t have an answer for you, you can count I will find out and get back to you.
See those of you on March 9, 2013 at Thompson Park annex for our first TM training class..
Kindly,
Mike F.
formally Mikeyonabikey
Now
Fatmikeynotonabikey
