American Tobacco Trail Workday Saturday December 22 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, December 22*, at 9 a.m., north of the Chatham-Wake County 
line at 9 a.m.

Please join us, *Saturday, December 22 *at  9 a.m. at the north of the 
Chatham-Wake County line in Chatham County.

*Directions:
*
 >From I-40 Exit 276, Southpoint Mall-Fayetteville Road, go south - away
from Durham - toward Jordan Lake.

Go past the mall on your right and 2.4 miles all the way to the end of
Fayetteville Road. Here, Fayetteville Road intersects NC 751 at a light.

Turn left at the light. Go 6.6 miles, passing O'Kelly Chapel Road at .75
miles and New Hope Church Road (see Exxon convenience store on left) at
4.2 miles. At or near 6.6 miles is Lewter Shop Road on the left. See the
sign for Jean's Berry Patch (now Pumpkin Patch). Turn left onto Lewter 
Shop Road.

Go approximately 2.5 miles or so. See a place with small auto/truck size
trailers on the right. Immediately beyond his place is the Chatham/Wake
County line. The road changes texture at the county line. About a 1/4
mile beyond the county line, you'll see White Oak Church Road on your
right. Continue beyond to the first left past White Oak Church Road.This
is Farrell Road. If you cross the ATT and construction beyond, you've 
gone too far.

Next:  See *Farrell Road* below.
*
Directions from Cary:

*From Cary take High House Road to NC 55. On High House, cross NC 55 at 
light moving west. High House changes to Green Level Road. Go 
approximately 2 miles to 4 way stop sign. Turn right onto Green Level 
Church Road and drive approximately 3 miles. Pass Green Level Church on 
your left and Brooks Park on your right. Cross the ATT (you'll see bike 
and pedestrian crossing signs) Turn right at the first right past the 
ATT onto Farrell Road. If you come to the intersection of White Oak 
Church Road on your left, you've gone too far.

*Farrell Road: *

Turn left onto Farrell Road. Go about 3/4 mile. Pass the Turtle Farm
subdivision entrance on your left. The trail will be on your right. 
Continue on to where the paved road turns to gravel. Park on the left 
side of the road before the road turns to gravel.  I'm sure our cars 
will be parked there so you'll see them. We'll be working on the trail 
to the east of there. We don't want to park in or near the driveway 
where we'll be working, so we'll walk a few hundred feet in.

Our goal is to work on some drainage ditches in this area. We'll be 
continuing digging of some ditches done by several groups over the past 
few months. We'll also be doing some hauling and toting of logs and 
brush that was cut a couple of weeks ago. We'll spread and compact dirt 
dug from some of the ditches worked on as well. There will be plenty to do.

Last week, James McClay,  Bobby Lam, Jennifer and Pat Wheeley, Travelin' 
Jack Walker, Frank Bennett, and me spread and compacted the dirt that 
Roger Truitt had dug in his ditch digging the week before. The group 
expanded a ditch started by Dilys Bowman that same week, as well as 
hauled away some limbs and brush. Bobby Lam went the extra mile and 
removed a sizable stubborn stump from the new ditch. Way to go Bobby! 
The trail is looking a lot better, and will indeed drain much better!  
Thanks for the super work by all.

The weather is supposed to be seasonable this weekend, so please dress 
accordingly.

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. Please dress 
appropriately and bring plenty of water!

We'll work till about noon or so.

*Do note* that if you are volunteering for school *Environmental Service 
hours*, and you say you will work for 3 hours, you need to be prepared 
to work until noon, or a little after because we need to plan for our 
work and cleanup of our work. If you need to leave earlier, you need to 
let the workday leader know ahead of time. Thanks!

As always,bring work gloves, full shoes or boots, long pants, and other
clothing appropriate for the weather. Bring water and a snack if you
like. Be prepared for briars because you will be in the woods.

You will need to sign a waiver and participation list.

While you don't have to bring any tools because we do have some tools,
we do have a wish list of tools if you'd like to bring them.
 
If you have one, bring a round or pointed end shovel.

If you have a cutter style mattock, please bring it.

Feel free to bring a small hand pruning saw if you like.
 
We can always use a pickup truck which you don't mind hauling brush,
logs and trash on the trail, please contact Bill Bussey 
<mailto:billbus at gte.net> 919 545-9104 or Frank Bennett 
<mailto:FJB675 at hotmail.com> 919-851-3992 so we can make plans.

We'll work till about noon, and probably a bit after.

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:cdevereux at nc.rr.com> 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 anytime 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, December 22* Chatham Workday 9 a.m. Just north of the 
Chatham-Wake County line. See directions in November 10 Workday post

*Saturday, December 29* Chatham Workday 9 a.m. Just north of the 
Chatham-Wake County line. See directions in November 10 Workday post. 
Maybe No Workday, so stay tuned!

*Saturday, January 5* Durham Workday Scott King Road Access 
<http://triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> 9 a.m.

*Saturday, January 12* Chatham Workday 9 a.m. Just north of the 
Chatham-Wake County line. See directions in this Workday post

*Saturday, January 19 *Durham Workday Fayetteville Road Access 
<http://triangletrails.org/DIRECTIONS.HTM> 9 a.m.

*Saturday, January 26* Chatham Workday 9 a.m. Just north of the 
Chatham-Wake County line. See directions in this Workday post

*Other Notes*
 
You can print out our latest ATT map *right now* at 
http://www.triangletrails.org/ATT.HTM . Click on both links under the 
thumbnail for both sides of the map.

Don't let the thumbnail fool you. This is our new color ATT map done by 
Wayne Horton of Winston-Salem.
*
Update on Your Help Now to Keep the ATT I-40 Bridge Moving
*
Over 100 users and supporters of the American Tobacco Trail contacted 
Durham City Council a few weeks back requesting them to use 2/3 bond 
funds to help fund the completion of the ATT in Durham, including the 
I-40 bridge and the four miles of trail south of I-40. TRTC maintains 
and manages three miles of this gap area.

There were concerns that these funds should be used instead for water 
projects, ADA compliance projects, and projects in other less affluent 
areas of town. These will be discussed and voted on at the next City 
Council meeting on January 7, as well as their work session happening 
today, December 20.

Thus, even if you wrote or called earlier, we could sure use more emails 
supporting the ATT and the bridge because we now need to make the case 
about health, commuting, and the diversity of users.

I've spoken with many from outside this area who after experiencing the 
ATT, note specifically the diversity and variety of users. All shapes, 
sizes, colors, ages and backgrounds use and enjoy the ATT.

It isn't used by only a select group of bicyclists. It truly is a trail 
used by everybody! It is trail used for a variety of reasons. And it a 
source of pride for Durham!

*So please contact* Mayor Bell and the six council members and urge them 
to fund the ATT bridge and trail south to the county line. 

Please mention at least one or more of the reasons why the continuation 
and connection of the trail is important to you. Again, emphasize 
health, commuting, and the diversity of users. Any reason important to 
you is fine.

Please urge the Council to fund the ATT bridge *now* because we've come 
too far to stop now and have the project stall. It has been stalled long 
enough! With construction costs rising daily, we need to also remind the 
council to do everything it can to ensure that we have a final cost and 
design for Phase E ASAP.

You can send an email to all Council members at: council at ci.durham.nc.us

You can also call (919) 560-4396 and leave a voice mail.

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 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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