|
|
Post by johnboy on Sept 2, 2008 15:34:44 GMT -5
Does anyone have any new details about the possibility of Bartram Trail being "made" all the way to Wildwood ? Last I heard was COE was in negotiations with Long Cane Trails ?
|
|
|
|
Post by dparrott on Sept 2, 2008 21:59:14 GMT -5
That's very old news. We had initiated some contact with the Savannah River Land Trust who was interested in helping with a grant to have the connection with Wildwood; the Executive Director resigned and no further effort along those lines has picked back up again. Almost 2.9 miles of an estimated 9 miles was recently completed to the Columbia Co. Water Works Rd and an additional smaller piece will probably go in but we may wait until after hunting season as a row of tree stands lines the CCWW Rd. Access for the next portions will be made via that road. I hope we can pick back up on the grant route for there are more serious obstacles to completing the rest of the way by hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Sept 3, 2008 7:51:08 GMT -5
I wish you were correct, Johnboy.
|
|
|
|
Post by lotasports on Sept 5, 2008 8:05:00 GMT -5
............." Additional smaller piece "...............Where in tarnation is that located ? Where will it start ? Where will it end ? Is the old Bartram hiking trail still visable from CCWW road to Wildwood ?
|
|
|
|
Post by brianW on Sept 5, 2008 8:31:20 GMT -5
I noticed trail blazes on the other side of the water works road (Wildwood side) but I only ventured about 100ft. and than turned around.
There seems to be blazes that go off in the direction of Petersburgh campground/boat ramp this might be the "smaller section"
|
|
|
|
Post by bike50percent on Sept 5, 2008 11:24:23 GMT -5
I think Dale Parret is talking about a short new piece at the end of the new extention , by the picnic table . From the picnic table area you can see deer stands lining the gravel road that leads to the highway . We have done a road ride back to the West Dam from there several times and you can see 20-25 deer stand lining the road . If the new short piece is anywhere close to this village of deer stands you may want to switch out your orange vest for a bullit proof armour . Me and some ridders stoped at American Sportsman for orange vests and we over heard some hunters calling, trying to get the phone number for "Thats Incredible" because last time they were hunting they saw a deer with a orange vest riding a Mt bike in the woods .
|
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Sept 5, 2008 16:05:32 GMT -5
If I am thinking correctly, there is an old trail going all the way from Petersburg to Wildwood.
It is just that...and old hiking trail with fall line sections, very little on the contour.
I think it is/was blazed yellow when I saw it years ago with the ACOE.
It wasn't a line I'd have anything to do with making a modern day MTB trail. It would either not get used and grow over or get used and erode pretty badly.
I didn't walk the entire thing, but I did stand/walk on the section near Wildwood where it comes into the park. And we scouted sections close to West Dam. It was those sessions that led to the new line from West Dam to Petersburg in a more sustainable fashion.
What is/was frustrating about this project is that the first phase was to be funded with an RTP Grant. The grant was written, awarded and then never administated - it was simply never enacted because.....the RTP Program is a reimbursement program. You spend the money and then get reimbursed. The RTP Program would not "front" the money to the ACOE. The ACOE has rules that it can't expend dollars that will be reimbursed later. So it was a mexican standoff, and the $100K RTP was never spent on the project.
Instead, the ACOE funded it themselves. The plan was to continue the trail with ACOE funding, but that got nixed by the War on Terror (Iraq).
Then the final nail was a shift in duties at the ACOE and the person with the energy for the trail was moved out of recreation and into some other function. It was a scheduled transfer that just had poor timing as far as the trail was concerned.
This is all from memory of 5-7 years ago. But I think it is pretty accurate.
|
|
|
|
Post by johnboy on Sept 5, 2008 16:25:34 GMT -5
Anybody up on politics ? Which administration historically favors this type of channeled recreation spending ? Democrats or republicans ?
|
|
|
|
Post by pedalpusher on Sept 6, 2008 9:26:46 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Sept 8, 2008 15:22:41 GMT -5
Anybody up on politics ? Which administration historically favors this type of channeled recreation spending ? Democrats or republicans ? Doubt this has much to do with our issue. RTP probably won't be renewed. Perhaps, blame the bridge collapse in MN. The RTP is funded 100% by gasoline taxes paid at the pump by gas powered trail vehicles. These are ATV's, 4 wheel drive jeeps, snowmobiles and motorcycles. The gas you put in your car and drive to ride your bike DOES NOT fund the RTP. This would be like driving to the mall....you used a paved road to get there. The key is the "off road" use of gasoline. Anyway, the highway fund is broke. And even though the off road fuel tax raises over $200M per year, and only about 30ish % of it is used to fund the RTP, I don't think the votes will be there to spend this 30ish% of the $$$ on trails and not on highways. This is both my opinion and what the national director of the RTP told me at the IMBA Summit in Utah back in June. I think our best bet is to try to get the Savannah River Land Trust, Columbia County and the ACOE to sponsor a 2009 RTP Grant. Prolly (maybe) the last year the funds will be there. While not germane to our situation, the last time RTP was renewed it had broad bi-partisan suppport. Both parites supported it with majorities....the dems with a larger majority as I recall looking at the votes years ago. Locally, I think the SC delegation was not in support of renewal. I can't recall the GA delegation. |
|
|
|
Post by johnboy on Sept 10, 2008 9:23:44 GMT -5
Thanks , sounds like we got to keep our fingers crossed for the funding to build Bartram all the way to Wildwood . The new Bartram Extention has its own unique personality , but it could use more riding to really pack it down ( Hopefully the upcoming Bike Feast at Bartram will help with this ) . Thousands of great bike trails have been built this way but several miles to Wildwood would take years to finish without a trail company using heavy equipment . Anxious to see what "Little Piece" Dale has in mind at the picnic table ? Dale really does go unselfishly far and beyond for Mountain Biking in the area !
|
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Sept 10, 2008 9:37:20 GMT -5
Agree 110% on Dale.
|
|
|
|
Post by bikerides4u on Sept 16, 2008 11:19:12 GMT -5
Someone mentioned a work party at Bartram to get it ready for " Bikefest " , does anyone know the date of the work party ?
|
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Sept 16, 2008 20:31:27 GMT -5
I am only aware of trimming needed at the airstrip and now potentially a work party to replace the bridge - other than that it was in great shape the last time we rode it!
|
|
|
|
Post by dparrott on Sept 18, 2008 20:54:42 GMT -5
Update on the extension:
There's a big clump of poison ivy at the entrance to the new section - also a small tree blocking a dip fairly close to P'burg - a hand saw will take care of that but I didn't have any tools with me.
I rode it last evening when the tread was still a little damp from the recent rains. Resistance to heavy rainfall is excellent!!! ---especially since the Boy Scout bridge was washed out by the same rains.
The "additional smaller piece" is to extend across the CCWW road for about 3/4 mile to where it pops back out to the same road. It's the only place where COE land crosses the road. The trail originally didn't do that but Paul, COE and I rerouted it last winter. We'll probably tackle that after hunting season. I need a break and more importantly, even though I don't hunt, they are users of public land and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate us barreling in on the road while perched in their stands.
COE has obtained the materials (today) needed for the 2 bridge refurbishments. Looks like either Oct 25 or Nov 1 for a work party. Materials will be delivered by COE boat and they will haul off all the old stuff. We need to strip and de-nail planks from 18' and 25' bridges and install new planks with hardware cloth. We will also decommision 2 other bridges that have been by-passed by tearing off the old dimensional lumber. We'll be able to use many hands.
In parallel with all this, we are setting up a meeting, hopefully for early Oct. with Columbia County and COE officials and Tom Sauret - mother SORBA Pres - to pursue a grant to professionally construct the balance of the trail. Stay tuned on this. Paul is leading the effort on this front.
As Angela has pointed out in another thread, the Boy Scount bridge needs to be reset and the weeds along the airstrip need to be cut prior to the Bikefest. I will be mostly out of pocket the next 4 weekends and would like someone to step forward to lead one or both of these efforts. Angela, Daniel and Brian have seen the condition and can assess the distance to move the bridge - I expect 8 strong backs to move the bridge. The airstrip can be cut with one of our gas-powered trimmers and the head of the airstrip can be accessed via gravel road - look at the map.
|
|
|
|
Post by azdrawdy on Nov 5, 2008 18:02:28 GMT -5
As Angela has pointed out in another thread, the Boy Scount bridge needs to be reset and the weeds along the airstrip need to be cut prior to the Bikefest. Barbara and I took care of the airstrip this weekend. Launched from Lake Springs and used the boat to get two Stihl trimmers near, hiked the rest, then did the trimming. Ran into several people riding the trail. MD |
|
|
|
Post by dparrott on Nov 7, 2008 0:08:14 GMT -5
thanks, Michael
|
|
|
|
Post by johnboy on Feb 11, 2009 13:00:17 GMT -5
Does anyone have an update on this ? Thanks
"The "additional smaller piece" is to extend across the CCWW road for about 3/4 mile to where it pops back out to the same road. It's the only place where COE land crosses the road. The trail originally didn't do that but Paul, COE and I rerouted it last winter. We'll probably tackle that after hunting season ."
In parallel with all this, we are setting up a meeting, hopefully for early Oct. with Columbia County and COE officials and Tom Sauret - mother SORBA Pres - to pursue a grant to professionally construct the balance of the trail. Stay tuned on this. Paul is leading the effort on this front.
|
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Feb 11, 2009 13:47:47 GMT -5
In parallel with all this, we are setting up a meeting, hopefully for early Oct. with Columbia County and COE officials and Tom Sauret - mother SORBA Pres - to pursue a grant to professionally construct the balance of the trail. Stay tuned on this. Paul is leading the effort on this front. Now this some sense. Oct 2009? |
|
|
|
Post by dparrott on Feb 12, 2009 23:16:02 GMT -5
We had the meeting. Columbia Co. has, I think, about $1M to renovate the entrance area at Wildwood Park. Construction is supposed to take place this Spring. The expectation is that there will be an underrun and the County seems very interested in using that to bid out on the completion of Bartram from the Water Works Road to Wildwood. A COE ranger - Pepper Shields - recently flagged some switchbacks coming up the big hill in Wildwood and has asked me to check them out. That should happen in the next few weeks.
|
|
LIKE us on Facebook
