ATT Wake and Chatham Long Ride Opportunity

[Bill Bussey]

Hi American Tobacco Trail Users,

I wanted to let everyone know that with the lack of recent rains, it is 
currently possible, as of June 14, to cross Panther Creek without 
getting your feet wet at the north end of the Wake and Chatham county 
portion of the ATT.

This will give you a one-way 10.5 mile ride or walk from the south end 
of the trail at New Hill-Olive Chapel Road Parking Access.

Simply ride or walk north on the ATT from any of the three access areas, 
cross into Chatham County where the compacted granite screenings 
(gravel) ends. Continue another 2 miles or so to the currently undecked 
Panther Creek trestle.

At the top of the trestle, carefully walk your bike down the left (west) 
sloping path. Be careful! It is steep and usually slippery! See the 
obvious sandbar in front of you near the bottom of the path. Carefully 
cross the creek. Carefully climb up the west (left) path to get back 
onto the ATT.

Continue north for 2.4 miles to the undecked Northeast Creek trestle. 
You'll have to turn around here because the water here is much deeper 
than Panther Creek. However, some adventuresome folks HAVE made it 
across here, particularly on foot.

This is the first time we've seen Panther Creek this low since the 
drought last summer. This is an excellent time to get a 21 mile ride (or 
hike, as we saw some scouts doing on Saturday) in 
on the ATT without too much difficulty.

Because we finished mowing all of this section of the trail last week, 
the grass and weeds are cut at a reasonable and comfortable level. Thus, 
you'll have the best ride or walk that you can have, and probably will 
be able to have for the foreseeable future.

On that note, I want to thank the Carolina Tarwheels for making the 
continued mowing of the ATT in Chatham and southern Durham County 
possible. Three or four years back, the Tarwheels made a generous 
donation to the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to purchase a lawn 
mower to cut the 
trail in southern Durham, so it could be used now, instead of after 2010.

Since then we added maintenance of the trail in Chatham County. Thus, we 
now mow 7.3 miles of trail, usually several times a year, to a width of 
at least ten feet - and usually more. This is 8.8 acres of mowing. 
Double that amount because we have to do two passes on everything to cut 
the Lespedeza which is the predominant ground cover on the trail.

Later Tarwheels grants and other generous grants and donations have 
helped us maintain and fuel the mower, and 
done further work and projects on the ATT. Thank you Carolina Tarwheels! 
Thank you to all who have contributed to us over the years.

Enjoy it while you can! Be careful! Your experience may vary. There may 
be better ways to do this. Keep in mind that ANY rain or change in 
Jordan Lake levels may effect this opportunity.

On another note, the low bidder for construction of the ATT in Chatham 
County was selected this past Thursday, June 12. Holmes Contracting of 
Cary was the low bidder for this 4.68 mile stretch of trail. The 
Northeast and Panther Creek trestles (bridges) will be decked and built 
by Span Builders  LLC. of Raleigh.

Construction is anticipated to begin this August with completion (cross 
your  fingers!) expected in  September 2009.

Happy Trails,

Bill Bussey
TRTC