CATS crush at Boise - April 26, 2018 - City of Loveland Natural Areas

Yes – I mean the crusher fines (mostly sand) were hauled into the trail bed by muscle power of the members and determination to get it done. The wheel barrow group delivered over 50 loads to the trail. With sore arms and happy faces they pushed on up to 715 pm with 175’ of crush properly placed and crowned. Nice job! On the other end of the trail – we had yet another group (not gaggle) working on a neat bowed up monowall with rubble reinforcement to keep the trail out of the depression under the direction of Dean. That gang (not gaggle) did a superior job tying in the trail with last week’s work and pushing us around the bend in the river. Connie did some great solo restoration work which is ongoing and will be needed again next week. There is an art to that function of our work too – check it out. Lots of energy spent out there on such a great cool day/eve in the spring here in Loveland. Again the birds graced us with appearances from the Eagle, Osprey, Herons and this time we actually looked in the river and saw some big schools of trout. Our break was on the embankment of the river as we enjoyed homemade treats Kathleen made and handed out. McGraffs was the target of our beer quest and feeding. Such good times – good conversations too!

Members: Kathleen, Hans, Leigh, Dave Kopp, Andy, Scott, Connie, the Bob, Dean, Brandon,  Hours:  4.5

RESULTS:   175’ of new crusher fines delivered and placed, 185’ new trail, 30’ new monowall

ROSES:
·       “It’s all good!”
·       Love the variety of work and birds
·       Made a dent in the crusher fines pile
·       Good weather
·       Herons all over the place
·       Eagle and Osprey too
·       Trout in the river
·       Nicely placed stone on monowall
·       Sitting by the river – relaxing
·       Non-quitting attitude from wheel barrow group
·       Two groups tonight (not gaggles)
·       Good at switching out different jobs – helped relieve some folks
·       Great restoration work
·       Looked like a good group doing rock shopping – I hear we are running out of stone?
·       Nice sunset
·       Good tool round up and racking back into the van – thanks
·       Good food at McGraff’s and the extra-large beer glasses!
·       Where did the time go – we shut the place down at 10 pm?
THORNS:
·       None – we are blessed!

This year our numbers on the trail are increasing and we are able to do so much more. I am ever more amazed at our devotion to sometimes mundane – boring repetitive work, but for some, this is fun and exercise. Some of us need to lose the belly or increase arm strength. I have to admit I was trying to shut down the hauling crew and have them come down to the river and work, but it was not going to happen. We have some good focused members that stay on a project and get it done. I was put in my place and continued to haul loads in both directions. There seems to be no complaining or whiners out there (except me). How can this be?
On to another subject; the fun part of my job is at the end in the pub or restaurant when I get to chat with the members. I hear things that make for good topics to write about. The thought of being out on a project brings out a thought about repetition. The more you come out the more things talk to you. For instance, tools; you may not have a favorite tool yet, but in time the tool will talk to you. It will gravitate to your hands and you and the tool will become one. (Sounds like Star Wars or something). And so with projects, you will have a favorite project. More tenure with CATS you will find yourself and your specialty. You may end up as a rock guru, trail buster, restoration specialist, stone steps, design, rock shopping with an acute eye for the visionary rock needed. You may be all these things. We try to share these skill sets and hope folks adhere to the correct principles of trail. Knowledge is power and at CATS we share with the understanding that passing on skills to others will benefit all of us as we are living in the present, the trail and rock structures built are a testament to our love of nature and mankind in harmony. We do good work and it shows. Thanks.

Link to Photos: Click Here.

On the trail,
Bob Johnson

Go here to sign up for events: http://trailcats.org/volunteer

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