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Post by seenvic on Jun 8, 2004 14:05:25 GMT -5
617 is the road that is the second right turn. I know it seems like you are turning, and that it should be another number or at least a qualifying letter after the number - but there is not. The road that takes you to the 5.5 mile mark is 617. I am 100% sure of it.
618 is the road that you get on after a mile into Turkey Creek Trail.
After giving this some thought....I have been riding here since 1991. This is the second "rescue" I know of. The first was two riders (husband and wife) that got into Turkey Creek, it got dark and they no lites. They were "rescued" by SC DNR about 100 yards from the end of USFS 617.
So, are there other stories out there of emergencies? Or are there 2 in 13 years, with only one being of the medical kind?
The real treat of learning the roads is having a place to ride when the trails are wet and ya don't have a road bike.
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Post by Angela on Jun 8, 2004 16:27:58 GMT -5
Nice to know that number, thanks! I know a guy who broke his femur at Jaws on Modoc several years back....I don't think he had a cellphone and was riding alone so he had to get himself out.........without another rider with him and without a cell phone he was basically SOL as far as a rescue anyway.
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Post by imnav8r on Jun 9, 2004 12:21:32 GMT -5
This is a great discussion and one I'm sure others as well as myself are giving a great deal of thought. Some good information was presented at last night's meeting. It's fortunate indeed that there aren't more stories of difficult emergency extractions for local riders. I for one am going to make it a point to not ride alone as much as possible and if I have to do so, make sure someone knows where I am if I don't return in a timely manner. I think having a computer that measures distance traveled is vital if one is able to at least tell the 911 operator which trail you are on, the approximate time you began the ride, and how far you've traveled from a starting point. That may not lead to the nearest point of access to you, but at least they would be able to determine about where you are on a map of the trail and then perhaps determine the best way to get to you. The mile marker idea presented by Bill Victor at the meeting last night is an excellent idea. Hopefully, we can install those in an upcoming work party and folks will be mindul of which one they've passed as they ride.
Angela, thanks for giving us food for thought. Be safe everybody!
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Post by imnav8r on Jun 9, 2004 12:27:03 GMT -5
After discussing this with a friend, a suggestion was made that I thought I'd share with the group. My last response makes the assumption that a rider would have their cell phone with them while riding. That could very well be a bad assumption. Perhaps none of the riders in your group has a cell phone or there just simply isn't a strong signal for it to work. So the suggestion is to provide an emergency call box at the ends of each trail, similar to what you find on some roadways. That way you would at least have a way to call for help if needed providing you or someone can get to it. I'm sure this would be expensive but worth any price to the person it helps.
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Post by Paul on Jul 15, 2004 19:15:53 GMT -5
I have been talking with the USFS about emergency medical services (EMS) accessing the MTB trails in our area. The USFS has just completed marking an OHV trail and developed a plan with the local EMS for accessing the trail. I was told that the same concept could be applied to the MTB trails. I was told that a drill with the EMS would take place to ensure everything worked as planned. I have not received any feedback about the drill. A 4”x 4” blue metal plate would be attached to trees at certain mile points. The work MILE will be on the plate along with the mile point. These would be placed every 0.5 mile. They would be placed on both sides of the same tree so there would only be one location for that mile point. Access points to the trail would be designated with a letter on the same type of marker. The marker would be placed on a tree near the road and the same letter would be placed on the trail (if the trail did not actually cross the road). The USFS maps would then be updated to reflect where the markers are located. The local EMS agencies would be given a map of each trail. All this information was discussed at this past Tuesday meeting. Everyone in attendance agreed to mark the USFS MTB trails as stated above.
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Post by chipbeef on Aug 4, 2004 22:48:31 GMT -5
At the risk of sounding like the total computer geek that I am...
This is a perfect application of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology, speciffically the concepts of synamic segmentation and routing.
Okay, now that I have just spewed much jargon, here is the english explanation...
Most Emergency Operations Centers (eg 911 call centers) use GIS technology in some form or another. If we can find out what platforms they use, we can supply them with datasets that will allow them to route emergency vehicles and extraction crews to the proper locations, including the proper traill access points.
Because trails are inherently linear (as are roads and streams) and they intersect, parallel or come close to roads, we can, based on the distance along the trail, determine which access point is closest (this is a 'network' problem and similiar to the river mile system).
How do we so that? Using handhelp GPS recievers, our cycle computers and GIS software, it should be possible to develop datasets that the local EOC's would be able to integrate into their existing GIS software systems.
To do this, we would need to do the following:
1) Generate a list of county and municipal 911 centers that have a trail we use in their coverage area 2) Contact the EOC people at each of these localities and determine the degree and nature of their implementation of GIS technology 3) Collect data for each of our trails (geographic coordinates of access points, roads that the access points feed off of, generate a set of coordinates for the various "mile markers" on the trail using handheld GPS) 4) Mark the mile marker locations on each trail with a sign (in case someone doesn't have a working cycle computer or their cycle computer is producing inaccurate data) 5) Collate the data sets and convert them to a format that is usable by the local municipalities.
I know this is kind of rambling, but their is huge potential from the technology here...I will try to develop more detailed and coherent design and post it on my website (ebpowell.homelinux.org/index.html) once I get everything worked out (and my web server running again).
Chip
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Post by seenvic on Aug 5, 2004 8:10:30 GMT -5
I've got all the trails GPS'd already. Can put them in shape file if needed.
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Post by chipbeef on Aug 5, 2004 16:50:41 GMT -5
Shapefiles would be a great start! Just zip 'em up and e-mail them to me at ebpowell@backpacker.com.
The question now is the deployment of GIS in the various EOC's in Edgefield and Mccormick counties. SC is evidently lagging in this area, but GA has sponsored delpoyment on the county level with state funding (based on a conversation I had with David Nix, Aiken County Republican Chair (and co-worker) over lunch today).
I will endeavor to find out more and flesh out these ideas in the comming weeks.
Chip
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Post by wooglin on Aug 5, 2004 21:38:36 GMT -5
The question now is the deployment of GIS in the various EOC's in Edgefield and Mccormick counties. SC is evidently lagging in this area, Now now Chip. We just like to think that we can find our way on our own.....
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Post by chipbeef on Aug 6, 2004 17:19:40 GMT -5
oops...that sounded a little heavy-handed (must not post stuff at midnight...must not post stuff at midnight...must not). I was not trying to denigrate Mccormick or Edgefield counties. Sorry if it came across that way (must not...)
What I was trying to communicate is the degree to which the area 911 centers would have the technology required to implement my notions already installed. I am well aware that GIS is an expensive proposition, so counties in SC that do not have the state-level support that is available in Georgia would have prioritized these expenditures lower than they would have if grant money were available.
Again, I really meant no offense.
Chip
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Post by wooglin on Aug 7, 2004 9:27:06 GMT -5
Again, I really meant no offense. Not to worry, I took none. Just pokin' at you a little. Contrary to popular belief, some folks in SC do use modern technology. I happen to be one of them. Of course, I am a damn Yankee transplant....
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Post by Paul on Jan 16, 2005 11:14:15 GMT -5
The US Forest Service is ordering carsonite post to be used as mile markers. We will install these on Turkey, Wine, Modoc and Horn Creek trails. We will also install them at trail access locations.
Once these are install the US Forest Service trail map will be revised to show the markers. An emergency response plan will be developed using the markers and maps.
We will have a work party soon to install the post.
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