Poto: Hewen's Creek

[parttime]

Had a good ride out there last night, until I busted a spoke on my rear wheel during the beginning of my second lap. Had to ride gently back home. The apples are fun to ride on the straight section, but get me worried in the corners.

Hoping to get out there this week/weekend with a hedge trimmer to get the worst of the thorns out of the central loop.

[bhollen666]

If the weather cooperates I'll be out to weed whack and mow again this weekend.

[bhollen666]

Mowed about a mile of the trail before the mower broke. Rode it right after and it's not too bad though. There are a few stretches that are tight with thorns, but some more are opened due to some additional weed whacking (thanks parttime!), but there is a big tree down now at the end of the pond loop. It's gonna need a chain saw, but you can climb over it for now.

[parttime]

Mowed about a mile of the trail before the mower broke. Rode it right after and it's not too bad though. There are a few stretches that are tight with thorns, but some more are opened due to some additional weed whacking (thanks parttime!), but there is a big tree down now at the end of the pond loop. It's gonna need a chain saw, but you can climb over it for now.

The thorns here are insane! I plan on heading out there during the day this week to finish up the thorns, I will take the chainsaw with me. Let me know if you need help with the mower.

[michael48197]

We now have an awesome new Stihl bush cutter with a solid four lobe bladeto share at RHP and HCP. Should make mince meat out of brush and undergrowth and ESPECIALLY the thorns. So, anyone who has time for trimming at either place, please contact me to borrow it if you want to as it is MMBA property.

[parttime]

there is a big tree down now at the end of the pond loop. It's gonna need a chain saw, but you can climb over it for now.

Tree has been cleared, of course the chainsaw wouldn't start, then the string broke..... Ended up using my trusty Felco 60 (small folding saw) at the rotted base. Took a couple minutes, but it worked just fine. John the hiker helped me move it once cut. He told me that he walks the trail almost every day with his dog, and prunes back alot of face slappers. It's good to meet and see other trail users who are taking care of the trail.

Also trimmed back a low hanging vine. It was too hot at noon to do much of anything else.

[bhollen666]

Ah, you met John and his dog Arnie. Thanks for clearing the tree. Hopefully I'll get out and do some weed whacking this weekend.

[dnale]

Thanks again guys for all of the work! Rode yesterday morning.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[bhollen666]

Weed whacked from the first wooded section to the last wooded section at the NW corner of the park, I to L. You were right parttime, it was too hot for that kinda work today, but rain is on the way. It needs to be raked but it should be a safer ride with less thorns.

The only thing now that needs whacked is the first two field sections, from B to C and from H to I. I wonder if the new NW loop needs it too? Have to check it out next time I'm in it, likely when it cools off next week.

[bhollen666]

Walked through all of the wooded sections today and removed a few smaller downed trees. There is still one ash tree down in the new NW section that will have to be cut down, but it appears to be safe to pass under it. Lots of migrating birds coming through now and the mosquitos are really down with the colder weather.

[bhollen666]

Tree down in the wooded section north of the pond, right after the larger log pile that parallels the swamp. I'll get it out of the way next hike/ride through with the hand saw. Wooded section with the wooden stretches pretty muddy but still passable. Removed a couple other small trees in the hike through today, checking out all but the eastern loop.

[bhollen666]

Downed tree removed after log pile. Cleared the broken branches from the cedar widowmaker in the NW wooded section but it was too big for the hand saw.

[bhollen666]

A couple new trees down from the wind today, all cleared except the big widowmaker in the NW loop. Took out a couple of other smaller trees on the inside of some turns in the central loop of the trail. With all the rain it's kind of soupy, but rideable. Worked through the eastern loop Sunday to clear the downfalls there, plus took out some more trees on the inner side of those turns.

[jjc155]

HIt Hewens Creek for the first time this morning. Nice trail and doubley nice that it is a 5 minute drive from home.

One thing, and i think that this might be more a function of the county parks dept than mmba but how about a few trail markers? Some how I ended up in a driveway of a closed day care on Hitchingham with NO idea where to go from there, LMAO. Plus once I got home and looked at the map again I think somewhere I ended up riding the trail in reverse, LMAOx2

Since I was shorter on time than usual I just rode Hitchinham to Bemis and back to my truck. I would love for this to be a trail that I can just hoop on when I have a couple of hours to kill for a few circuits.

J-

[bhollen666]

One thing, and i think that this might be more a function of the county parks dept than mmba but how about a few trail markers?

The MMBA now has an updated map and a bunch of trail markers so that we can mark the three loops that we have and match them up with the map. The updated map and a proposal for placing the markers have been sent to the township, who will discuss and decide upon it tomorrow at their meeting tomorrow. If they approve we will put up the markers and identify them with the location and the mileage on the trail.