Naxja NW chapter adopt a trail?

Hey folks.

I'm hoping that we can "vote" on whether or not the NW chapter can adopt a trail at Elbe. I know it has been discussed in the past, but lets stop waiting and go for it now.

Here's the pitch.

Elbe has money to maintain and "enhance" the trails. They recieve grants and so far, have not been able to use all the money. There are many trails at Elbe that need routine maintenance, and having a 100% user maintained and supported system would be ideal.

The Timber Tamers (my club) has adoped the Sunrise trail. In the past 1.5 years of "owning" said trail, we have held 4 MAJOR work parties, and as per our contract, we have gone out there at least 2 rigs once every 2 months to check on the trail, do maintenance and pick up trash. "We" I say that in quotes becuase the entire 4x4 community helped out, built two bridges early on in the project with help from; Dog Pound Offroad, Broke Bastards Offroad, Thunder Trucks, Faith Wheelers, Naxja, and many others. After the inital forray of work, the Tamers have maintained and improved that trail. We have added rock sections, maintained the bridges and waterbars, and also planned "obstacles" and ordered the matierial to make said obstacles.


The Elbe trail system, as I said before, has money. The cost wouldn't come out of the treasury for maintenance or material costs. All we would require is the manpower. Through the collective masses, we have access to heavy equipment and all sorts of tools and tricks to get what needs to be done, done.

I would really like to see the NW chapter of adopt a trail. It isn't hard. We can adopt it, and just do maintenance as per contract, one day every 2 months. Or we can adopt a trail, and make it HARD. The choice is up to us.....

I forgot to add, I can be the HMFIC, and direct the traffic. (Would need a BOD to sign the paperwork) but, from the logistics side of the house. I would be willing to do it. I could direct the when the where and the what, and just put the work partay schedules out.

Are you serious??? You mean this chapter would actually "wake up" and do something and be more active like the other chapters?? I commend the thought of this idea, but am sure that like everything else, this Chapter will yak about it but never commit. And im not talking about Admins or BODs..... more along the lines of "the people". Personally I will vote yes and second this but i do feel this way about us not really being a chapter per-say.

:soapbox: *back to drinkin*

Oh and the way you wrote up the last part, I feel like this was an infomercial for adopting an ethernopian kid... LOL

Karl,
I think it is a great idea for us to adopt a trail. I would support such a venture and we as a group have talked about this in the past.

My ONLY concern is that Elbe is not a comon ORV park that many members currently visit or are familar with.

Is there availability at other places (Reiter, Walker, Evan's, etc?)
Or is this a unique oportunity at Elbe?

Your experience with this type of venture will be VERY valuable to us as a group and we appreciate your support and assistance.

Michael

2xtreme said:

Is there availability at other places (Reiter, Walker, Evan's, etc?)

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RTW has the first pretty well covered, but both Walker and Evans have expressed a desire to involve local 4x4 groups in trail upkeep.

I've got contact information and insight on both, Michael, if you'd like more info. I just don't think there's enough support from the NWC to commit to anything.

-----Matt-----

I know this was discussed about a year ago, but nothing came from it. I believe that we need to get on the ball and do something about it. I think more commonly used parks should be the main focus. The NWC can adopt more than one, but if there isnt enough chapter involvement, it would be harder to do, but doable.

Ive been all for this since Michael, Matt, myself and others discussed this a while back. Ive been pondering bringing back up, but the lack of chapter involvement and support from the BOD, its been on the back burner. Its time to pull it to the front of the grill.

CanMan said:

I know this was discussed about a year ago, but nothing came from it. I believe that we need to get on the ball and do something about it. I think more commonly used parks should be the main focus. The NWC can adopt more than one, but if there isnt enough chapter involvement, it would be harder to do, but doable.

Ive been all for this since Michael, Matt, myself and others discussed this a while back. Ive been pondering bringing back up, but the lack of chapter involvement and support from the BOD, its been on the back burner. Its time to pull it to the front of the grill.

Click to expand...

Yeah...we tried this, but it fell through miserably.

I like seeing the dialog open back up on this. Perhaps the next BOD will support it, not that we didn't. We were always for it, but you can't always count on your 'volunteers'. :spam:

2xtreme said:

Karl,
I think it is a great idea for us to adopt a trail. I would support such a venture and we as a group have talked about this in the past.

My ONLY concern is that Elbe is not a comon ORV park that many members currently visit or are familar with.

Is there availability at other places (Reiter, Walker, Evan's, etc?)
Or is this a unique oportunity at Elbe?

Your experience with this type of venture will be VERY valuable to us as a group and we appreciate your support and assistance.

Michael

Click to expand...

Reiter could use some folks to adopt a trail. But there is no funding. So the NWC would have to pay for any supplies it needed.

Walker Valley is funded and they do need folks to maintain the trails.

Evans needs folks as well, but I am not too farmiliar with the way the Forest Service goes about the adopt-a-trail system. I know they do it, I just don't know how they go about it.

Basically it boils down to a commitment. The NWC would only have to maintain a trail, we wouldn't have to get all gung-ho about it and build a monument or anything. It's 1 day every two months for a year. If'n it falls through, we can shit-can it and move on.

We have the man power. We have the interest. And we have the desire to do this. Many of us have talked about this and considered this for some time now.

Trust me, I understand all of our "ISSUES" and realize that this would be challenge for a small handful of people, but that challenge shouldn't be that large. I think that the most difficult part will be for someone to "COORDINATE" all of the activities and day's.

IMHO, it would make sense for us to adopt a trail at Evan's only because it is a well known area to the majority of us who live in the greater Seattle area and would be a good spot for us to visit on a regular basis with a wider variety of rig's. Walker is my second choice because we have a small but active North end group also that could probably commit to running these trail often enough to keep up with them also.

Karl's offer of assisting in this endevor is really great. I also believe that this might be a good way for us to "ease" into this and at least get more familiar with the commitment and organization and participation that we can expect from the group.
I can commit to working down at Elbe on several occasions during the year. The harder part for me is to be there every other month to inspect and coordinate with others the activities that we would like to tackle.


Michael

KarlVP said:

Reiter could use some folks to adopt a trail. But there is no funding. So the NWC would have to pay for any supplies it needed.

Walker Valley is funded and they do need folks to maintain the trails.

Evans needs folks as well, but I am not too farmiliar with the way the Forest Service goes about the adopt-a-trail system. I know they do it, I just don't know how they go about it.

Basically it boils down to a commitment. The NWC would only have to maintain a trail, we wouldn't have to get all gung-ho about it and build a monument or anything. It's 1 day every two months for a year. If'n it falls through, we can shit-can it and move on.

Click to expand...

I would kick in my support to a trail closer to my home as well. The NWC is actually a HUGE geographical area and it is going to be hard to get everyone or even a majority to pitch in on one specific trail. In many cases it may be more practical for individuals to join seperate groups like RTW, Timber Tamers, etc, who are more focused on trail maintance or at least a more limited geographical area. (After seeing how well run and organized the TTCW was I am toying with checking out the Tamers).

Perhaps it would be more effective to get splinter (shadow) groups to adopt trails?

I think this is a great idea for the chapter to participate in. Members and Volunteers (someday my name will turn red again).

I think it would behoove us to start off with a game plan and some coordination.


One idea might be to organize a core team of Trail Support Personnel
- Members that would like to participate
- Are in the general area of the supported trail ( to make sure they can participate)
- Designate a Trail “lead” to coordinate it the activities.
- Set a minimum amount of members needed to justify it. So that there are enough people to make sure its supported.

I would think if we structure it this way, we would be able to adopt a few trails in the North West. These activities would also lead to more “group trail rides” and clean up activities.


This being said, As much as I would love to participate with Elbe, or some of the others, I am pretty sure (not positive, really kind of guessing) that they are all more than 6+ hours away from Portland, making it impossible for me to sign up for a heavy amount of involvement.

However, if there are possibilities in the TSF and other places, I would be willing to do it.


A separate trail support forum would be cool.

Metal Thrasher said:

I would kick in my support to a trail closer to my home as well. The NWC is actually a HUGE geographical area and it is going to be hard to get everyone or even a majority to pitch in on one specific trail. In many cases it may be more practical for individuals to join seperate groups like RTW, Timber Tamers, etc, who are more focused on trail maintance or at least a more limited geographical area. (After seeing how well run and organized the TTCW was I am toying with checking out the Tamers).

Perhaps it would be more effective to get splinter (shadow) groups to adopt trails?

Click to expand...

This is not unlike what we proposed more than a year ago and have done for some time now. I know that many of us have helped and been apart of several formal clean ups at numerous places and we know that we have the numbers to be supportive. The difference is adopting a specific trail and "organizing" the support that we need. We still have not been as good at "organizing" the group for these clean up's that we have supported over the last couple of years. And this is the only part that I suspect we could struggle with.

Personally I believe we are currently capable of adopting 1 trail North of Seattle, 1 South of Seattle and 1 in Portland area. In the future we could consider others (Eastern Washington, Eugene/Medford, Alaska) but I think we need more regular participation from these folks before being able to grow those areas. What we need are a few sellect people who are willing to assist with this activities. Karl has signed up, I would be more than willing to sign up for a North of Seattle area (I would support others for clean up's but can't comit to organization of trails farther away).

Michael

Michael

I'd be willing to help out with a north end trail. Walker gets my vote simply becuase it is close, I am generally there once month, and since I've started wheeling there I have seen a noticable negative difference in the trail conditions, and cleanlyness
-Ryan
Edit: Karl thanks for kickstarting this discussion again, and volunteering for HMFIC. I know that there are a large number of us that are interested, we just need some focus and direction

I'm in for Walker Valley mainly because its close to me. If the Chapter was to only adopt one trail, like something in Evans Creek, I'd still be willing to help out.

Jeremy

We do anything I'll be there. I can't help organize due to school but will go to cleanups givan enough advanced notice.

Megawatt said:

If the Chapter was to only adopt one trail, like something in Evans Creek, I'd still be willing to help out.

Jeremy

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Im sure it is feasable(sp?) to adopt more than one. In all reality, it wouldn't be too much work. Like Karl said, its one day every 2 months for a year. We wheel more than that just for the hell of it.

I like the idea of both Walker and Evans as places to adopt. Both not too far either away for the WA side of the Chapter.

Oregon guys, what do you think of this? Has anyone gave any thought into a trail in Oregon or S. Washington? I think that there are enough NWC members to cover most the areas in both states.

I stated earlier in the thread that it really doesn't involve that much work. You get a crew of 10 folks together, go check on the trail. And if it looks go you go wheeling.

Most of the time, we can have someone who lives near the area do a quick recon and find out what the trail needs. If we do need supplies, you contact the DNR or FS and get your supplies delivered. Then come work party time, just find a HMFIC and go from there.

I think you folks are making this out to be a bigger animal than it really is. Once we decide on a location and start humping it, you will realize how easy it can be.

KarlVP said:

I stated earlier in the thread that it really doesn't involve that much work. You get a crew of 10 folks together, go check on the trail. And if it looks go you go wheeling.

Most of the time, we can have someone who lives near the area do a quick recon and find out what the trail needs. If we do need supplies, you contact the DNR or FS and get your supplies delivered. Then come work party time, just find a HMFIC and go from there.

I think you folks are making this out to be a bigger animal than it really is. Once we decide on a location and start humping it, you will realize how easy it can be.

Click to expand...

Okay. I motion that we adopt a trail. KarlVP is the HMFIC so I guess he gets to pick the trail?

Anybody second the motion? :wow:

Can someone decode HMFIC?

I'll second that.. as long as "humping" the trail doesn't hurt, it kinda sounds painful