[TRTC-news] Saturday June 4 is National Trails Day

Fri Jun 3 12:53:01 EDT 2005

Hi Friends of the American Tobacco Trail,
*
National Trails Day is Tomorrow, June 4*

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 4 is National Trails Day. We hope you can make 
it out to one of the many events happening on trails and greenways in 
the Triangle.

First off, the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is partnering with 
REI to work to do clearing and brush removal on the ATT north of New 
Hope Church Road in Chatham County. For more info check this link.
<http://www.americanhiking.org/WS4D_Cookie=10.04.2004_20,00,38_1428866/Forms/ahs_ntd2/*ws4d-db-query-Show.ws4d?*ws4d-db-query-Show***GNM-BFE-202202202208202206-1419***-ahs_ntd***-***ahs_ntd2%28directory%29***.ws4d?ahs_ntd2/detail_interior.html>
Meet at REI in Durham or Cary about 10:30. If you can, call either of 
the stores as listed in the description to let them know you are coming 
so they know how much food to bring and the number of T-shirts to bring.
*
Or you can meet at the trailhead at 11:15-11:30*. Here are directions to 
the New Hope Church Road trail crossing. 
<http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> New Hope Church Road is 
the third trailhead from the top. If you can, please let me 
<mailto:billbus at gte.net> 919 545-9104 know if you are coming so we can 
make appropriate arrangements. If you can't let us know you are coming, 
come on anyway because we should have plenty of food, t-shirts and room 
for you! 

This workday is open to all ages. However, parents please come supervise 
your children.

There are a lot of blackberries on the trail in this area, so you may 
want to bring appropriate containers. If we don't get them, the birds 
certainly will!

Bring appropriate clothing including work gloves long pants, full shoes, 
sun bug and briar protection. I'm wearing my lightweight long sleeve 
shirt for extra protection. There are a lot of ticks out there, so be 
prepared! Permethrin works well for ticks, but it goes on clothing ahead 
of time. Mosquito repellents may offer some protection as well.

The rain, though welcomed, should clear up by tomorrow morning, but 
things will still be wet and probably muggy. There could be a scattered 
shower earlier in the morning. Be prepared.

You should also bring your own water, though we will have plenty 
available. Be prepared to hike up to 1/2 to 1 mile, one-way, to the work 
area.

We'll be moving brush bucket brigade style, off the trail so that this 
portion of the ATT can be mowed and kept clear. We'll also be picking up 
trash and perhaps junk on and around the trail as well.

This is currently one of the most remote portions of the ATT. However, 
this will be changing with the Amberly Development being built adjacent 
to this section. Thus, this is an excellent time to see this portion of 
the trail in its pristine state.

Again, contact REI <mailto:hphilli at rei.com>919-806-3442 or me 
<mailto:billbus at gte.net>if you have any questions.

Also, happening tomorrow is the Grand Opening of Phase II of  Wake 
County starting at 10 a.m. at the brand new White Oak Church Road 
trailhead. For more info click here. 
<http://www.americanhiking.org/WS4D_Cookie=10.04.2004_20,00,38_1428866/Forms/ahs_ntd2/*ws4d-db-query-Show.ws4d?*ws4d-db-query-Show***FCH-CCC-270270270277274276-1435***-ahs_ntd***-***ahs_ntd2%28directory%29***.ws4d?ahs_ntd2/detail_interior.html> 

This event will be the formal grand opening of this 1.3 mile-long 
section of the ATT from the Wimberly Road Trailhead to the new White Oak 
Church Road Trailhead. This will make the ATT a continuous 5 miles in 
Wake County. New restrooms at both the White Oak Church Road Parking 
area and the New Hill-Olive Chapel Road Parking area were included with 
this phase.

The Triangle Greenways Council <http://www.trianglegreenways.org/> will 
sponsor a bike ride along this new section of trail immediately after 
the grand opening. For more info, contact Don Belk 
<mailto:donaldrbelk at earthlink.net>  919 469-4084.
This event is open to all ages. Bring your bike or just come and walk!

Note both the ATT work day described above and the bike ride are 
happening at the same time. But they are located within five miles of 
each other, so getting to one or both should be easy.

There are LOTS of events happening in the Triangle for National Trails 
Day. To see them all go to the Triangle Greenways Council website events 
listing. <http://www.trianglegreenways.org/2005NationalTrailsDay.htm>

Please get out, get moving and get healthy, by attending and taking part 
in any of these events, The trails and your body will thank you for it.

*TRTC Meeting MOVED!

*Also, the June meeting of the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 
scheduled for this coming Monday night, June 6, is being moved to the 
Durham City Hall Conference Room B on the bottom floor next to the 
Planning Office, starting at 6 p.m. Note the different time!

This will be an abbreviated meeting to mainly compare notes and offer 
updates. However, everyone is welcome to attend.

After meeting, we'll go to the City Hall chambers where the City Council 
will discuss the Durham 2006 Budget. The completion of the American 
Tobacco Trail *has NOT been included in the upcoming budget *draft. In 
fact, it was removed.

We want to let the City Council know that they should complete the 
American Tobacco Trail, as designed, from NC 54 to the Chatham County line.
*
Time To Write City Hall <http://triangletrails.org/GOVT.HTM>
*
If you can't make the meeting and want to help, click on the Elected 
Officials Link at the TRTC website <http://triangletrails.org/GOVT.HTM>. 
Scroll down to the Durham City Council and send them individually, or as 
a group, a note saying they need to include funding to finish the ATT in 
Durham in the upcoming budget.

There should be some federal funding coming down the pike for this. But 
it will take local initiative and planning to make this happen.

You might also tell them that TRTC has been maintaining and managing 
this 3-mile section of the ATT for the past three years or so with only 
a grant from the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission and from 
donations from individuals and companies. This has opened the trail to 
over 2000 folks per month and is a popular and valuable community 
resource. If not for TRTC's efforts, this section of the ATT would be an 
eyesore, unmanaged and unusable.

It is time for the City of Durham to take over the management, 
maintenance and upkeep of this section of the ATT to make it the true 
regional trail that it is and is becoming.

<http://triangletrails.org/FUTURE.HTM>*Timberlake and Durham Beltline 
Trail Update <http://triangletrails.org/FUTURE.HTM>
*
Thanks to the efforts of Dan Clever <mailto:dclever1 at nc.rr.com>, TRTC 
has been leading the charge to advocate for the development of the 
Timberlake and Durham Beltline Trails.

For more info, go to our Timberlake and Durham Beltline Trails Update 
page. <http://triangletrails.org/FUTURE.HTM>

For a flyer in PDF with lots more info and links on this go here. 
<http://triangletrails.org/Timberlake%20Flyer.pdf>

While there be sure to sign up for the special Timberlake and Durham 
Beltline Trails Update listserve 
<http://rtpnet.org/mailman/listinfo/trtc-timberlaketrail-news> to 
receive future specific information on the status and progress of the 
greenways.

The Timberlake Trail will extend some 20+ miles north to the Town of 
Timberlake and potentially beyond. The Durham Beltline will wrap around 
downtown Durham and connect several Durham neighborhoods by building a 
greenway on what is now an unused rail corridor, which is currently a 
dumping ground and eyesore. This will provide a vital off-road shared 
use trail links to several Durham greenways and trails including the 
Ellerbee Creek Trail, American Tobacco Trail and soon to be complete 
Downtown Trail, among others.

These are exciting projects which will help Durham and the Triangle 
maintain the lead in trail in greenway development in NC and in the 
southeast as a whole. We need your help now to keep these projects 
moving forward.

Whew! Lots of stuff is happening! Please contact us at the links at 
www.triangletrails.org if you have further questions or want to help.

On behalf of the Board of the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy 
<http://triangletrails.org/>, thanks again for your support of the 
American Tobacco Trail and other rail-trail projects in the Triangle. 
Hope you have a Happy Trails Day. Please get out and walk, ride or roll 
on the American Tobacco Trail or other Triangle trail or greenway!

Happy Trails Day,

Bill Bussey
President
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
www.triangletrails.org
americantobaccotrail at earthlink.net
919 545-9104

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/trtc-news/attachments/20050603/3b5a46a1/attachment.htm