Taylor County Aug. 18-21 2011

Taylor County Aug. 18-21 2011, a set on Flickr.

A few pics from Taylor County. I wasn't there for too long so sorry about the dearth of pictures!

Taylor County Recap

Like the Brewers keeping up their torrid winning streak, the Mobile Skills Crew checked off another “win” with the Taylor County project. With the largest gathering of volunteers for a MSC project at Wood Lake ever, the goals were easily met, making one reminisce of the legendary Point Beach MSC project of 2006. Whereas at Point Beach volunteers were asked to go for a swim Saturday afternoon, the gears shifted and goals pivoted in Taylor County to include maintenance and upkeep of an additional 10 plus miles of trail.

Tim took a rare project off, thrusting Randy (a.k.a. the jargonnaut) into the Team Leader role. He oversaw a huge project area and succeeded with his usual aplomb. By the time I arrived at the event Thursday evening, most of the project goals were within striking distance thanks to the domination of people like Rich, Cowboy, Fred and Bill. When jokingly asked at 5 why he wasn’t working still, Rich said they took his tools away. That says something when you have to take the tools out of the volunteers’ hands at the end of the day to keep them from working too hard and long. How many people can say that about their job, much less something they volunteer for?

Thursday night Allan gave the stragglers around the campfire an impromptu astronomy lesson. He brought us out right in time to watch the space station slowly slide across the darkened sky. A remnant of the perseid meteor shower graced those with enough patience or the luck of looking up at the right time.

We welcomed the Mentor/Mentee program from Chicago and they got us moving in the morning with their version of a warm-up. It was a little of this and little of that with a lot of movement. I think I work harder during morning stretches than I do in the field.

Friday saw crews spread over a large area as maintenance crews were sent out to chainsaw, mow and brush back the trail corridor. We got our marching orders and my crew was going to be working from the western most Bear Ave. crossing to Hwy 102. Arriving at the worksite, we found a crew already working our area. Who could this be? Walking ahead, I find out it was Buzz’s crew. I told him he was heading the wrong way, but he explained how the trail twists and turns and to go west, you have to go east first. I wasn’t buying it so he got out the map to discover that he indeed was going the wrong way. Good to see the High Point Chapter Leader confused by the trails in his county! In hindsight, I shouldn’t have said anything and just had my crew trail behind Buzz’s crew touching a few things up and pretending to work.

I was lucky enough to be working with Becky and Mack for the whole day, except for the part when I lost them. We were told to work up to “the creek” and then head back, so at lunch we headed down the trail to figure out where the creek was and start working back. We went a ways and stopped among the hemlocks to eat with a creek in sight, but not THE creek. I decided to continue down the trail to find “the creek”, I returned 30 minutes later creekless and crewless. Not a whisper or sign of their whereabouts. Uh-oh. I hustled down the trail hoping to find them while trying to imagine how to explain this one to Brad and Randy. 15 minutes later I finally ran into them working diligently. Whew!

Drew and Joe were barnstorming with the Billy Goat mower between Bear Ave and 102, while Jason was leading a chainsaw crew somewhere between Wood Lake and 102. There were crews doing signage and crews finishing up the new tread and bridge. Needless to say, a lot was going on. Everyone safely returned and a lot of the people went for a refreshing dip in beautiful Wood Lake.

Like the crews stretched out across Taylor County, Thelma’s cooking stretched our bellies. A few of us were talking about how we gain weight at projects from all the food we eat so we decided to limit ourselves to one plate (albeit a heaping plate) to combat the MSC 15. It’s similar to the freshman 15 where your freshman year in college you gain 15 pounds from all the food, beverages and ranch sauce you consume, except you don’t have to be a freshman, just a MSC volunteer.

Friday evening the 2011 MSC class, “Weather or Not” received their Crew Leader shirts. The class this year has been great, adding new insight and enthusiasm into Mobile Skills Crew projects. They’ll use their new knowledge and spread it back to their local chapter, creating a stronger and better Ice Age Trail. Next up for this year’s class is to get their hats. Mack, class of 2009, received his Crew Leader hat in an impromptu “ceremony” in the campground before he left. The hat is the last step in the crew leader process. You have to go through Crew Leader Training, be current with your First Aid/CPR and chainsaw certifications and have been an active crew leader in good standing. Oh, chilly willies are actually the last step, but that is for another blog post.

Mack getting his MSC hat

Perhaps to celebrate all the shirts given out and the success of the project, Rachel busted out some Seagram’s Black Honey Whiskey that was very well received around the campfire. The Packers won and so did the Brewers so it was another good day. Later as the fire burned into the night, I sent myself a text to remember a quote that was both profound and hilarious. The next morning it was more confusing and nonsensical than anything. Something about pi being cyclical…

Saturday folks were back out maintaining the trail and improving signage. While hiking the trail last year, I didn’t care how the trail was blazed, as long as I could follow it. Now, after thinking about it, it would have been so much easier if the entire trail were blazed consistently from Potawatomi to Interstate.

We have “pulling a Crary” where you sneak away in the evening without anyone noticing and now we have “pulling a Kaufmann” where you show up late Saturday night after Matt did that at the Grandfather Falls project. Leah re-emerged from her Appalachian Trail “vacation” and pulled a Kaufmann Saturday night. Who’s going to be the next?

Sunday ended with the Brewers sweeping the Mets and the Mobile Skills Crew finishing a sweep of Taylor County.

Taylor County Preview

Ah yes, Taylor County once more. After taking a year off from our yearly trip to the High Point Chapter, we return to help take care and improve the 80 plus miles of Ice Age Trail through the county. Base camp will be at Wood Lake County Park, which may be my favorite campsite for an MSC event. We’ve had some good times up there, especially doing our morning stretches in the snow a few years back! Our water bottles were freezing in the morning, but I think everyone was just excited to be working in such a beautiful spot with the snow adding wonderment to our surroundings.

The project will have a little bit of everything, from a half mile reroute, to rock work, boardwalk, bridge construction, mowing, maintenance and as always, updating signage. There literally is something for everyone. I know I'll be doing a little of nothing like usual. Work is so much easier when you watch everyone else doing it for you.

This years class of crew leaders, Weather or Not, will most likely be there showing everyone how things are down. They've been very well represented at the last few projects and their enthusiasm has added to the MSC atmosphere. Come up and enjoy everything the Northwoods have to offer! Hopefully the wolves will serenade us to sleep. We've been spoiled with our run of beautiful areas this year from Straight Lake to Plover River to Grandfather Falls and now Wood Lake. If all this hasn't spurred you on to make the trek up to Taylor County, maybe the chance to enjoy Rustic Road 1 will tweak your interest. It's the first rustic road in the state!

Grandfather Falls July 13-17 2011

Grandfather Falls July 13-17 2011, a set on Flickr.

A pictorial recap. I need to take better pictures of the volunteers!

Like a Pig in Mud - A Grandfather Falls Recap

Pat is the queen of getting dirty at MSC events (she can be working in dry sand all day and still somehow be the dirtiest one at the end of the day), but at the Grandfather Falls event, everyone was a challenger (except Pete). We slogged through rain, humidity and above else, mud. It may not have been the Ghost Mountain Boys march across New Guinea in WWII, but it was close. About 500 feet of structures (rock walls, clear spans and puncheon) were completed by the most adventurous group of volunteers I’ve ever seen.

People started showing up Wednesday to get to work, but the first official day was Thursday (when are they just going to make Wednesday an official work day?). Thursday got off to a great start as I was relegated to digging postholes with the Schwilkster. He pointed out that one hole was on higher ground than the other so we should dig it a little deeper. When we tossed the 6x6’s in the holes, they came out perfectly level. Too bad the same can’t be said about the job Pete did cutting the wood for the kiosk.

Pat contemplating how she can get dirtier after lunch

Things were moving along in the field as Jason, Rex and Disco Dan were constructing a 36-foot puncheon/clear span that was needed to help ferry hikers and workers across a wet area. Jennifer and her crew were dominating a rock wall to help support the tread. Further down the trail, Bob, Bill and others were attacking a clear span that bridged a gully. All this work was setting up to let the saunterers haul lumber on Friday.

Dinner on Thursday was a change of pace, as a busload of the best Lodi has to offer arrived. The Lodi Summer Saunters kids had arrived! In case you were wondering what the worst Lodi has to offer, look no further than Luke. The evening was enlivened by a spirited game of whiffle ball pitting the adults against the kids. It went back and forth, but by the end the adults had won by about 50 (That was probably the hardest the Lodi teachers had worked all year). The highlight of the game was Randy taking a whiffle ball off the face with 30 witnesses looking on. The kids who weren’t playing whiffle ball, amused themselves by loading up the merry go round and spinning it around as fast as they could. Kids these days…

Luke on Strike

Friday, the Summer Saunters kids got out in the field and taught their teachers a thing or two about work. Jacob, Kaile (I butchered that spelling) and Connor were placed on my crew. It was going to be a dirty job building puncheon but someone had to do it. Instead of slowly marching the lumber needed for the 300 feet of puncheon down the trail, it was decided the best option was to park a truck on the side of the road and launch the wood down the hill. Brilliant idea. A few people started chucking the wood (everyone was safely out of the way of course) when Jacob came over and asked if he could throw wood down the hill. “You bet!” I said. He spent the rest of the day tossing wood of varying lengths down the hill. Not a bad day! While the lumber chuckers were having their fun, the rest of the grunts were hard at work building rock walls and puncheon.

Summer Saunters to the rescue!

Luke overcame his Iowa upbringing and actually got a little dirty helping with the rock walls. The other Lodi teachers did a great job of standing there and keeping their clothes clean. Perhaps some other time they will Grace us with their presence and do a little work for a change. Anyways, the saunterers did a great job keeping work going Friday. They trudged through the mud just like the rest of us and even lost a shoe or two in the process!

The puncheon work seemed hopeless for a while, but we finally got the hang of it in the afternoon. You can tell how quick I was working because I stood for so long in the mud that we needed a rock bar to pry me out! Things were looking a little sketchy at the end of the day Friday with how much work was left. Saturday was going to be a doozy.

Friday night the Summer Saunters read a poem for us and received their t-shirts and junior trailbuiler awards. Hopefully a spark was lit in them and they continue to explore and volunteer on the Ice Age Trail. Someone needs to take Rich and Gary’s spot eventually, because they can’t keep dominating forever! For dessert we had ice cream with fresh-picked strawberries from down the road that one of the support crew had kindly picked herself. MMMMM!!!!

In an unrelated note, Pete and Jason decided the quickest way down the Wisconsin River was not in a canoe, but next to it as they flipped it as dusk settled in…

Here are a few of the best quotes from the weekend.

Pete – “I’m 6’5” with my heels on.”

Evelyn – “The most exciting part of the sock…is turning the heel!”

Rachel to Struve with 5 other girls around – “Will you be horning tonight? Will you be French horning tonight?”

Randy – “I don’t care if he farts, as long as I can snore.”

Saturday greeted us with an early morning rain. Perfect for building in the mud! Puncheon was the focus today as crews spread out through the area and began setting the risers and stringers. Pete was forced to actually work on the puncheon where he kept saying, “We’re not building an Irish Pub.” It’s kinda funny having Pete say something like that because how would he know about an Irish Pub? Being frugal, he stays away from anything but the absolute bottom shelf beer and liquor and he is always mixing his beer or drinks to make them taste fruity or mask the taste of the beer. His drink of choice this weekend was a Hamm’s mixed with lemonade to create a “shammdy.” All right, enough of that for Pete’s sake.

Crews kept their spirits up as rain tried to dampen them. The rain stopped in late morning, but the work did not. The amount of work accomplished was something to behold, then again, super trailbuilders, Patrick and Amory were there. Patrick is still in high school but he has put me to shame every time we have worked together, starting at Murphy Flowage 4 years ago when he was 13. He is an absolute workhorse. Coming into this project there was not a lot of experience with puncheon with those present, but that changed quickly. A lot of the people I talked to remarked how they didn’t even take a break because work needed to get done. We’re a crazy bunch to say the least. The Discover Wisconsin film crew made an appearance and of course had to interview me again. I’m pretty sure I said the same exact thing I did last time they interviewed me but I added the word “camaraderie” in there this time.

The end of the workday came and it was a sight to see. Everyone who had been in the field came back “Pat” dirty. You could tell by the look on people’s faces and the mud on their clothes that everyone worked hard. It was one of those silent acknowledgement things that no one needed to say. The only thing people worked quicker at than the puncheon was opening the cooler at the end of the day for a beer (special shout out goes to Randy for keeping the beer coolers filled with ice!).

Section destined to be Mammoth Tales Cover quality someday

Saturday’s dinner was another Thelma special – ham and cheesy potatoes! There were two desserts and I wasn’t sure which one to take, but Thelma told me I could have both! Score two for me! After dinner, Tim presented crew leader hats to a few folks who have finally earned them after going through training and proving their worth as a crew leader. Jo and Jenks received their hats while Thelma was awarded one for her indefatigable work with the support crew over the years. There’s a reason why people find a way to gain weight at MSC projects – Thelma’s a great cook! A few of us headed down the road to Bev and Tom’s Bar. If that’s not a townie bar, I’m not sure what it is. I think the bar is in the basement of the building and 75% of the jukebox is country. The owner was great and we enjoyed ourselves.

As the project wore on the camp area began to resemble Hooverville. Tents were stacked close together and clothes were strung from trees hopelessly hoping to dry out in the dense humidity. Jason, Pete, Leah and I dubbed our campsite “Hobo town.” We had empty beer bottles decorating the picnic table along with dirty boots, bandanas, socks and whatever paraphernalia we needed to dry out. I felt right at home and I look forward to the next hobo town!

Hobo Town!

Sunday morning awoke with a renewed sense of optimism (or stubbornness) as 20 people or so volunteered to head out and finish up the puncheons. It was going to be a mad dash, but the work needed to get done. With crews determined (and with Patrick) we powered through and completed the puncheons around 11, ahead of schedule. Everyone was pooped, but another classic end of Sunday at MSC event scramble occurred. The puncheons needed ramps to help eliminate the steps and make a more smooth transition. The best borrow pit we could find was half way up a hill that had a 70% grade. No problem! A bucket brigade formed and the ramps were built in short order. Why leave a trail “close enough” when you can take an extra 20 minutes and finish it up? The walking weary headed out knowing they worked hard and it was a job well done.

When starting a rock wall, you gather the stones you need and lay them out and imagine how they are going to fit together. The stones come in all different sizes and shapes but when put together, they create something stronger than they could ever be on their own. It’s like the MSC volunteers, we come from all over and are different shapes and sizes (mostly irregular), but put together we create a foundation that cannot easily be shaken.

I’ll leave you with a passage Theresa sent out from Sigurd Olson’s book “The Lonely Land” that sums up the Grandfather Falls project better than I have:

If a man can pack a heavy load across a portage, if he can do whatever he has to do without complaint and with good humor, it makes little difference what his background has been. And if he can somehow keep alive a spark of adventure and romance as the old-time voyageurs seem to have done, then any expedition becomes more than a journey through wild country. It becomes a shining challenge and an adventure of the spirit.

How swiftly a place becomes home when the tents are up and a fire burning.

Grandfather Falls Preview

The Mobile Skills Crew (MSC) continues it’s water theme this year as we head to Lincoln County July 14-17 to work on the Grandfather Falls segment (lets hope he doesn’t break a hip). In June, we had the pleasure of working at Straight Lake and then along the Plover River, but in July we turn our attention to the patriarch of rivers in our state – the Wisconsin River. It is a much smaller and swifter river in the Northwoods then its large, ambling version further south.

The trail follows the river for a few miles and work is needed to upgrade this segment to befit its standing along such a great river. The scenery will be wonderful (even the hydroelectric plant has some interesting views) as will the camping, which will be at Camp New Wood County Park overlooking the Wisconsin River.

There is also a nice local drinking establishment, Pankow’s Bar, just north of the project on Hwy 107 that I recommend. I know I’ll be making a stop. Anyways, back to the work.

There will be a little boardwalk work (I’m betting Rich will take on that project), upgrading the signage and of course, some finely honed tread work. Luke will be bringing up the Summer Saunters kids from Lodi to join in on the work and let them experience how the trail is built as they traipse around the state sauntering through premiere sections of Ice Age Trail. They were up at Straight Lake last year and it was fun having all the kids running around, hauling duff buckets and greatly increasing the energy of the volunteers (the parents may say differently).

Bring your camera and a poetic eye to capture the beauty of not only the area, but of the volunteers who work tirelessly to create a premiere hiking experience. It’s appropriate the Ice Age Trail, the greatest hiking trail in Wisconsin, nestles up next to the Wisconsin River, the biggest and best river in Wisconsin, for a few miles to use each other and improve the experience of both. Sign up early to partake in this great trail building opportunity!

MSC Reigns over Plover River Project

Rain was in the forecast but weathermen have been wrong before. They were right this time. The rain fell and fell and fell, eventually overflowing the streams and rivers,but it did not stop the Mobile Skills Crew (MSC) volunteers. The number of volunteers swelled like the rising tides of the rivers, but when the rivers slowly started subsiding, the volunteers stayed because there was work to be done. MSC events are like a river rolling high with water, overpowering what lay in its way. We start powering up mid-week and by the weekend, we are a formidable group of trail builders ready to lay waste to whatever challenges the trail (or Tim) tosses our way. After the flood of volunteers dissipates, the only sign we were ever there is finely crafted Ice Age Trail tread (and maybe some matted grass and hidden brush piles). Eh, what’s a little rain when you’re working in one of the most scenic areas of the state?

People started showing up Tuesday to help get the project off to a great start. A new song was started Tuesday night as we huddled under the shelter with a mist blown by the wind reminding us of the precipitation falling outside. The song had something to do with not opening your eyes when your head is up your ass otherwise it will turn your blue eyes brown. Instant classic! I’ve been listening to Randy play guitar and sing the same songs over and over again for the past six years, but Tuesday night I heard at least 5 songs I had not heard before from him. That was definitely music to my ears (or perhaps the $5 bottle of ginger brandy floating around had something to do with it). Speaking of which, Randy is the Weird Al of MSC. He’ll take a well-known song and bastardize it. I’m not sure if he is copying someone else or coming up with these on his own, but he knows a heck of a lot of them.

Wednesday we got started in the field cutting and prepping the white cedar logs for a native bridge crossing of an unnamed tributary to the Plover River. The walk in was a little wet and muddy, but soon enough it was a lot wet and a lot muddy. We got done what was needed for the crews to get started on Thursday in spite of everything Pete tried to do to derail the work. Dinner on Wednesday was delectable. Randy was in charge of project support and he did an excellent job (If you don’t mind his tardiness with the food and his quick wit when it comes to bad puns). We had Randy’s charcoal chicken (If Randy lives for one thing, it’s grilling charcoal chicken with his flip top grill), which did not disappoint. With rain falling outside, everyone huddled under the tent to stay dry and play an assortment of games. Cribbage, probably Old Maid, Euchre and Scrabble were all brought out. If you want to lose in Scrabble, I would suggest playing Dave J., whereas if you want to win, I would suggest playing Brad. Then again, Gail and I were steamrolled at the Euchre table at the hands of Randy and Mark.

Thursday I begged Brad (Buttercup) to put me on the crew doing the rock crossing of the Plover River and he obliged. Our crew consisted of Cowboy Dave, Me (Dave), Dave J., Chuck and Laurel (If you are not familiar, three Dave’s in a group creates a Dave Tsunami) and our task consisted of enhancing the natural stepping stones across the Plover River by replacing them with larger stones and making them more secure. It rained nearly the entire day and the river was at flood stage, but that didn’t stop us from getting the job done.

It was slow going at first, but with the help of the Crew Leaders In Training to move some massive rocks, things picked up speed in the afternoon and by the end of the day we were finished. Brad brought us our lunches as we were nowhere near a road, but he forgot the hot chocolate….slacker. We were in water up to and over our knees all day, but with hip waders, I think we were the driest ones around. Corridor clearing crews did a great job opening up the trailway and setting the stage for some minor tread work to finish the sections. It was a wet and muddy job, but someone had to do it. The bridge crew putzed along like always under the tutelage of Pete. Thursday night the rain held off for long enough for us to get a fire started, what a treat for everyone who wascold and wet after a long day in the field.

Tim and Old Smokey Lonesome woke up early to promote the trail on Wisconsin Public Radio. They had a whole segment on the Ice Age Trail! Any way we can spread the joy of the IAT is a welcomed endeavour (I know in America we spell it endeavor, but I think the u adds more character to a great word). The weather finally turned for the better Friday with a most welcome appearance by Mr. Blue Sky and his cohort the Sun in the afternoon. Tread crews worked on “the ridge,” popping rocks and making the trail safer and easier to walk. I was more than happy with the work my crew accomplished. Chuck, Evelyn, Bob, Jeannine, Dean, Jane, Dave L, Groovy Struve, Butch Mon and Lisa all did an excellent job. They turned a shark fin in the middle of the trail into a step and tossed in a few mono walls for good measure. I lamented a few years back that my crew and I didn’t get a lot done (not that I ever get a lot, or anything, done myself for that matter) because I had so many new people and had to show them what to do and work with them to make sure it was done right. Randy told me back then that it may be difficult now, but when those volunteers come back, they will already have the basic skills down and will be able to get more accomplished. He was right (That was very hard to say). Nearly everyone on my crew this weekend was an experienced trail builder and only needed a little guidance every now and then. They made my job a lot easier and made some darn good trail. Although I’m not sure it was a good sign that I started with a crew of 11 and ended with only 5 including me. People were leaving during the day for First Aid/CPR training creating an opening for Joelle, one of the Crew Leaders In Training, to get her first taste of crew leading on the Ice Age Trail. Needless to say, she did a better job than I.

Back at camp, people were able to dry out wet clothes from the previous few days. We had burgers and brats for dinner! I always like when Randy is leading project support because the menu appeals to my food sensibilities, namely grilling. We did have conflicting ideas on grilling though; he doesn’t open the first beer until the meat is on the grill while I crack a beer as soon as the charcoal is lit. The night was spent carousing between the fire and the tent. A sing along of “Keep on the Sunny Side” broke out under the tent, which could have been our mantra after a few days filled with liquid sunshine. It was great having Laura and her roving band of minstrels bring their sublime singing voices to elevate the quality of the singing. The quote of the weekend came a few drinks later around the campfire by a certain Crew Leader In Training – “My life has been so enriched by not passing out.” Classic. After taking a ton of pictures of the campfire at the first couple projects, I didn’t think I could find a way to keep the campfire pictures fresh. Apparently I was wrong. Turns out an empty PBR bottle looks pretty sweet through the lens of the camera with the campfire providing backlighting. PBR is the gift that keeps giving.

Saturday awoke with bright blue skies, putting everyone in an eager mood to get back out to the trail. Tim, never satisfied with the status quo, threw out a wildcard Saturday and had a crew head north of Hwy 52 for trail layout and design purposes. It was tough going and more work is needed to figure out how to cross the cedar swamp and traverse as much of the terminal moraine as possible. There was a host of people taking chainsaw training along with crews scattered throughout the project area honing in on the prize. Finished Ice Age Trail. I’m going to assume everything went great and a lot of work was completed because I wasn’t there to toss a wrench into things.

The 2011 Plover River project tested our mettle with rain that didn’t want to stop, but stop it did. We slogged through the showers and mud, never letting the weather slow us down. The determination of the MSC volunteers to keep working through the crummy weather was amazing.

Hope springs eternal at MSC events. The rain has to end, the sun will come out and the work will get done. At my first project, Chippewa River May 2006, we had sleet, freezing rain, high winds and just miserable conditions, but the one thing I took away was at the morning round up someone said that there was a 70% chance of rain that day. Tim chimed in wistfully, “That means there’s a 30% chance of a great day!” It rained, but that optimism stuck with me. Someone is always there at a MSC event to cheer up a soggy trail builder (or at least we have Randy for entertainment). The strength of the Mobile Skills Crew comes from the volunteers and they keep getting stronger. All in all, I guess the only negative of the Plover River project was not being able to jump off the cliffs into the Eau Claire River. Next year!