Traik Work TR

“I just did a week-long trail work trip. I've done several weekend trips on this trail. This area burned in 2007, so post-fire there are lots of overgrown spots and fallen trees. We blasted two miles through the chaparral in 4 days. Not very far, but it's nice and wide and will be hikeable for a few years.

We had horse packers carry in supplies (cold beer) and cook all the meals. So although we worked really hard, we were pampered a bit. Met some really interesting people. It was a good time.

https://picasaweb.google.com/toejamhikes/SanRafaelWorkingVacation#”

“I'm always greatful to the folks that do the work to maintain the trails. Nice pics, too - how close to camp was that rattler?”

“that was a beautiful southern pacific rattler. nice job toejam.”

“The rattler was in some trees next to two tents. He made a heck of a racket for a while, then we didn't see him again.”

“Good on you toejam, nicely groomed trails are always appreciated. However from the thread title I thought you performed a tracheotomy on the trail, which would've been especially impressive.”

“Thats a lot of hard work. I've only done day work on the trails around here. A couple weeks ago we were working in the dunes again trying to get rid of black mustard, an invasive species and since the "floating" board walk was flooded and floating willy nilly that was fixed too.”

“What the...? I wasn't drinking when I posted this, but I was in a hurry. Now I'll never be able to find it in the search function.”

“I thought there was some "new" type of outdoor activity.

First time I ever heard of a "traik"”

“Yeah, I'm as bad as Spirit Coyote.”

“maybe you can get one of the mods to fix it for you.”

“They could just ban everybody who posted here and it would be gone.

No need to take myself too seriously.”

“Hey, I heard that.”

“We could change it into a name calling slug-fest...”

“Troll!”

“First time I ever heard of a "traik"”
chili36
9:43:39 AM
5/21/11

I have heard of it and one (spelled "trach" normally, but pronounced "traik"). Traik work is what you might need if you party too hardy at Traikl days.

(funny how I read "trail" - didn't notice the mispelling until Toejam pointed it out)”

“oops - meant to write "I've heard of one and had one."”

“We need some people who can do traik work on the trail. SC perhaps?”

“I did another one of these long trips a couple weeks ago. I hiked in 11 miles on a Monday. Another guy drove in and brought my full backpack & camp chair. I lost the trail on the way in & had to bushwhack a bit. Got to camp in the middle of the afternoon and went for a swim. My pack & the rest of the crew soon arrived.

We camped by an old ranger cabin built in 1939. Had a lady and sometimes two making us 3 meals a day. Many varieties of beer on ice. Vehicles drove in & out a long bad road in support. Had a few hikers and some biologists come by.

We weren't allowed to work the bad trail I hiked in because the ranger didn't get the required paperwork done, but I did go back & flag it, it got trampled some and maybe some unofficial work was done.

The trail we worked extended 6 miles into the wilderness from our camp, so by the end of the week the walk to work & back was really long. We did mostly excellent work.

Most of the time I used a customized mattock the maker (one of the group members) calls a ripper hoe. Our biggest problem is brush growing in the trail, and the ripper hoe can blow up a bush fast. But the head weighs nearly 4 lbs so you only have so many swings in a day.

We had killer hot weather for a few days, bitterly cold winds for a few more, a thick layer of dirt on everything, and great company. I rode out on the following Monday. The ride took about 1.5 hours to get back to where I'd parked. We'd eaten and drank so well all week no one wanted to get lunch afterward. I happily sped home and got a shower.

https://picasaweb.google.com/toejamhikes/SanRafaelWorkingVacationMay2012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKyr3Ji06fuFswE&feat=directlink”