CATS - Back at Lake Boedecker #7


CATS – Back at Lake Boedecker #7  23 Aug 2018

Yes, we are back at it again and it was a sunny and windy day and cooled down towards the end. Great bunch of members showed up for this one regardless of the big trek down to Colorado Springs. What I mean is that we had two bunches of members out there tonight and we really enjoyed the company and work. Our regular weekly warriors were there and the trekkers for this weekend both put in some good sweat equity. Golly, I believe we put in the most trail cut in one evening – 440’ of fresh trail. We also made it to the yoke in the trail and now all that is left will be the straight trail over to the bridge at the canal.
Catherine earned her hat tonight and is very close to getting her t-shirt (this weekend). Work is the same out here and the grass was a bit easier to pop out. Not true as we get back into the swamp area, the grass chunks are thicker and harder to pull out. Nice to see Denny and Dave out on this one as it is the first time they laid eyes the trail. After the break, Andy led a small batch of members on a victory lap around the cut in trail. It was observed that in some places the trail is being reclaimed by mother nature. Time ran out on us as the sun was setting and it was time to wrap it up. We ate out on the patio again at the Wapiti and had some good food and drink up to closing time. So fun to get together afterwards and mingle.



Members:  Navy Bob, Connie, Dean, Leigh, Scott, Catherine, Ben Walters, Dave K, Denny, Andy  Hours:   4.5
RESULTS:   440 feet of cut in finished trail
ROSES:
o  Highest amount of trail whacked in one night at this site
o  Catherine got her hat
o  The trail walk
o  Trail manuals passed out
o  Big crew despite away team leaving tomorrow
o  Great sunset
o  ‘Almost done’
o  No skitos – actually a couple
o  Denny and Dave new on trail
o  Ben back in action
o   
THORNS:
§  Need to spray grass kill on entire trail
§  No toads at all
§  Water insanely pulled back (drawn)
§  Windy with concerns of members down wind
§   
BUDS:  Friends – got a great phone call from an old friend today to congratulate us working up at Cheyenne Mountain and he wanted to get together with us sometime when we were there in the Springs. Shanti Toll is the other gentleman that founded CATS in May of 2007 and he went on to set up Manitou CATS http://www.manitoucats.com/  in  Manitou Springs CO. This weekend will somewhat a reunion of seeing old friends in some cases caused by the creation of CATS. CATS trail group not fosters good quality trail work but it promotes long lasting relationships. Same applies with other trail groups and as Shanti and I talked on the phone, we both agreed that building quality trail structures means doing it right and making it last. Our trail clubs share the same interests. Trail Dogs too and RMFI. This weekend will be fun for those that are attending as you will meet other folks that share the same interests and have the same work ethics. Jack Busher will be up there and he is an old friend to CATS and he runs the Trail Dogs (volunteer trail club that manages CMSP trails). He came up here and helped us repair bridges at Lory State Park. Joel Marx is an original member of the first CATS group there in the Springs and he will be there also. We have so much to learn from others and share our skill sets too. I am signing off now as we have to pack up and get on the road to Colorado Springs and Cheyenne Mountain. Remember, friends whether trail buddies or not, require nurturing and sharing of thoughts and deeds. Memories are the essence of friendship and of course picking up the phone to call occasionally – bad me.

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