Topper and I went up to Lake Oolagah for our first ride since our wreck on trail in mid-August. My plan was to ride the long loop and see what shape it was in. After the 3 horrendous ice storms and 2 major floods Oklahoma has experienced since 2006, the trails were in pretty rough shape. I couldn't get around the men working on the bridge just outside of camp on the long loop so GERALD DALE said, "Susan, you can go through the water on this side; it's not deep."
LIAR!
Fortunately, Topper is smarter than me so we didn't go swimming.
The short loop is in need of major chainsaw work. Folks have made go-arounds but that's not a good idea. I'd like to get out there and work on that section before we get ice. Dad is game but can't leave Mom alone for that long. I have another FRIEND () who can help...maybe.
Does anyone have experience in finding someone to sit with an elderly and feeble lady? Where do I look and what questions do I ask? Is this a job for home health? I'll ask around the church and see if anyone can stay with her. It's just KILLING Dad that he can't come with me anymore!
Angie Wagstaff and I are making plans to permanently mark the trails. The only trails we aren't using is the ones around Kite Hill. Those are super tough trails and really not what I want for Indian Territory.
I've GOT to brag about everyone who came to work on the trails. As their "supervisor", I was impressed with their work ethic and energy.
Bruce Burton came over early Saturday morning and worked all day. He went home and BBQd for 7 of Amber's vet-student friends then returned Sunday morning and worked some more! Thank you Bruce!
All 4 Dales came to camp late Friday night and left late Sunday night. They brought two 4-wheelers, a dirt bike and all kinds of construction equipment (not to mention a pack of dogs and 7 new-born puppies!) and worked HARD all weekend. The boys blazed a trail between the camp and the bridge. Just about every stick and leaf in camp has been picked up and burned. On their way home (a 5-hour drive!), they stopped in Muskogee to return my generator. We are blessed to have a family like this who are willing and able to drive a total of 10 hours and work hard all weekend. Thank you so much, Dale Family!
Y'all, do you have ANY idea how much work Jim Baldwin has put into that trail? He MADE that short trail ALONE over 10 years ago. He is the ONLY one to maintain the trails for years. He put TWO bridges on trial several years ago using his own money, time and effort. He got some help from the Boy Scouts but orchestrated the work efforts. He's had the materials for this bridge for FOUR years before everything worked out to put it in. When he had the time, the weather was bad. When the weather was good, he was working elsewhere. Jim also jumped through the hoops to receive an AERC trail grant. We get to ride at Lake Oolagah BECAUSE of Jim Baldwin! THANK YOU, JIM!!!!
We had two other men helping Saturday. One was a pleasure rider and the other was Jim's nephew. Both men were hard workers and very nice. Angie was hoping to have 10 riders help on the trails around Kite Hill and 20 showed up! We are developing friends amongst the pleasure riders which only helps. They can help maintain the trails because they ride there often.
OCER is blessed to have people like Jim Baldwin, the Burtons and the Dales who go out of their way to work so WE can ride. Others have worked hard on other trails...Jodi Schlup, Nancy Mitts, Kathy and Bud Crothers, Paul Sidio, Dan & Susan Keil, Laura Marshall, Mary and Katrina Mosshammer, Karren Beason, Jane Huff, Kathleen Prescott, Ann McFarland, Winnie Clutter, Terri Chapman...just to name a few...who have worked on trails extensively over the years in order for the rest of us to have a place to ride.
THIS is what it takes to put on an endurance ride. If you can EVER help in any way on your local trails, please do your part. Even if you break a branch on trail, you are helping maintain that trail. It takes all of us doing a little something to make these rides happen!
