American Tobacco Trail Workday Saturday March 17 9 a.m.

[Bill Bussey]

  HI Volunteers for the American Tobacco Trail,

This message is to remind you of our American Tobacco Trail workday, 
*Saturday, March 17*, on the American Tobacco Trail at the New Hope 
Church Road Trailhead <http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> at 
9 a.m. 

Please join us,* Saturday, March 17* at 9 a.m. at the New Hope Church 
Road Trailhead <http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> in Chatham 
County. Scroll down the web page to find the directions. However, here 
are directions from Durham:

 >From Exit 274 on I-40, go south on NC 751 toward Jordan Lake, pass the 
Southpoint Mall/Renaissance Parkway area on your left, pass the 
Fayetteville Road intersection light about 2 miles south, and continue 
about 6 miles to New Hope Church Road. See the Exxon Convenience store 
on your left at the intersection, just after the Wildlife viewing area. 
Turn left onto New Hope Church Road and go approximately 2.5 miles to 
the trailhead crossing. If you intersect Yates Store Road you've gone 
too far.
 
Our plan is to remove downed limbs and trees and clean the drainage 
ditches and any thing else that we see on the trail north of New Hope 
Church Road. Steve Lund, "Chainsawyer Extraordinaire," will be cutting 
some of the larger stuff and some pines along the trail that we've not 
yet gotten to.  We'll also have a group from the Triangle Environmental 
Network and perhaps another group as well. It should be a good day. As 
usual, all are welcome.

The area of primary concern will be about a 1/2 to 3/4 mile north of New 
Hope Church Road. If you get there late, then hike north (if you are 
coming from the west on NC 751, then this is left) up the trail until 
you find us.

Frank Bennett was the only volunteer to make it out last weekend. I was 
out of town, as were apparently others. Frank worked hard by himself on 
the culverts we are cleaning out just north of the Chatham County line. 
I know you join me in thanking Frank for his dedication.

As always, bring work gloves, full shoes or boots, clothing appropriate 
for the weather, water and a snack if you like.* *With Spring 
approaching, be prepared for briars because you will be in the woods. 
Also be prepared for ticks and poison ivy.  For ticks, we've had success 
using Permethrin (available at most drugstores and outdoor retailers) 
sprayed on cuffs and waistbands on clothing. 

Bring *work gloves*, *full shoes or boots*, *long pants*, and other 
clothing appropriate for the weather. Bring *water and a snack* if you 
like.* *You will need to sign a waiver and participation list.

While you don't have to bring any tools because we'll mainly need 
"haulers and toters", we do have a wish list of tools if you'd like to 
bring them.

If you have a pickup truck which you don't mind hauling brush and logs 
on the trail, please contact Bill Bussey <mailto:billbus at gte.net> 919 
545-9104 so we can make plans. We'll have a tarp for the bed of the truck.

Feel free to bring a small hand pruning saw if you like. Loppers are 
always needed as well. Also, a wheelbarrow is always handy if you can 
haul it to the site.

As mentioned above we will be doing some chainsaw work in this area. For 
the safety of all, we separate the chainsawyers and their small 
assistance crews from everyone else. If you have a chainsaw, are trained 
or know how to use it, and have full protective gear including helmet, 
eye protection, hearing protection, chaps and appropriate boots, feel 
free to bring it.

If you want to work with the chainsawyer(s), please bring along some eye 
protection and hearing protection, if you have it as well.
 
We'll work till about noon or so. A group of us usually go out to lunch 
after we are finished. Frank and me welcome all to join us.
 
If it is rainy or worse on Saturday, we will have a limited workday that 
would end before noon. Or we may have none at all. Please use your best 
judgment to determine if you want to be working outside in rainy 
conditions. 

However, we normally plan on working at least a little if it is anything 
short of a widespread hard rain. Feel free to contact or call Bill 
Bussey <mailto:billbus at gte.net> 919 545-9104 or Frank Bennett 
<mailto:FJB675 at hotmail.com>  919-851-3992 as late as 8 a.m to verify a 
go or no go.  However, if you aren't comfortable with the forecast, use 
your best judgment and join us or not as you prefer.
If you or your group would like to work days or early evenings other 
than Saturdays, please let Bill Bussey <mailto:billbus at gte.net> know.

Please let Curt Devereux <mailto:devereux at gte.net> 919 919 544-3948  
Frank Bennett <mailto:FJB675 at hotmail.com>  919-851-3992 or Bill Bussey 
<mailto:billbus at gte.net> 919 545-9104  know if you have any questions.

For more information on ATT workdays, please see our Volunteering page 
at: http://triangletrails.org/VOLUNTEERS.HTM

For directions to workday meeting places and ATT Trailheads go to our 
directions page at: http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM*

*Future workdays are still being planned. Here is the tentative schedule 
for upcoming workdays.

***Upcoming American Tobacco Trail Workdays *  *
**       *
*Saturday, March 17  *Chatham Workday  New Hope Church Road Trailhead 
<http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> 9 a.m. (This is a change 
to reflect some clearing and cleaning work with a group from the 
Triangle Environmental Network)

*Saturday, March 24  *Durham Workday  Fayetteville Road Parking Area 
<http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> 9 a.m. (This is a change 
and it may change again!)

*Saturday, March 31* Chatham Workday Chatham/Wake County line. 9 a.m. 
See directions in previous emails or contact Bill Bussey at 919 
545-9104. (The location may change)

*Saturday, April 7 *Durham Workday  Fayetteville Road Parking Area 
<http://www.triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> 9 a.m. 

*Saturday, April 14* Chatham Workday Chatham/Wake County line. 9 a.m. 
See directions previous emails or contact Bill Bussey at 919 545-9104. 
(The location may change)
 
And let me take this opportunity to* Thank You* for all of your help and 
support in building, cleaning and clearing the American Tobacco Trail in 
2006 and into 2007. Thanks to your hard work, expertise and diligent 
efforts, we are making steady progress. Thousands of trail users are 
*now safely using* the sections of the trail and facilities you have 
helped clear, clean and build. We get so many wonderful comments and 
thanks on how well the trail looks when folks use these facilities. 
These trail users are often *amazed* to find out that these improvements 
were done completely by volunteers. Thank you for the great work and for 
volunteering your valuable time to help with this project. Know that it 
wouldn't be possible without the great work of each and every one of you.

Thanks for your help and support in building the American Tobacco Trail.

Happy Trails,

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