I can’t believe it has already been a little over a month since I started serving as an AmeriCorps Member. I remember like it was yesterday driving through the Lakes Region with so many thoughts and expectations running through my head. Arriving at Mead Base, where I am spending the next 5 months living. Meeting my coworkers/roommates for the first time. Carpooling to our first day of work. All nervous but excited to get underway with our service. So many meetings and new names our first week, and a whole new world of duties.
Since then I have met so many amazing people, explored unique places, and learned so much. I am now on the tail end of the training and certifications I will get from my service and I can’t help but think back to where it all started, my first two days of trailwork training. Day one was at Homestead. On this day, I and the other service members in my crew were brought out to learn how to prune branches that were encroaching on the Winona Ledge Trail. Our supervisor, Phil, explained the need for 3 feet of clearance on the trail and showed us that walking on the edge of a trail helps you determine this. Anything that touches you should be considered for pruning. I remember being so hesitant to make any cuts, but as I traversed the trail I started to gain confidence while also quickly realizing this was not as simple a task as I first perceived it to be. Even when a trail is maintained yearly, new growth in the understory moves surprisingly fast. As a group we were sweeping the trail, a trail less than half a mile in length. It took us over an hour to clear a trail that would usually take me thirty minutes to hike. I remember being surprised by this, but not for long because at the end of the trail was an outlook with a spectacular view of Winona Lake. The view plus the satisfaction of knowing I helped make the trail a more pleasant experience for the next hikers made the added time all the more worthwhile.
Day two my crew got introduced to the Castle in the Clouds property. What a stark contrast to the day before in terms of trail maintenance. There are so many trails that we had to take a UTV just to reach a few decent sections of the property in one day. We started the day by heading up Turtleback Mountain Trail and utilized our new found pruning skills to trim back some brush on the Bald Knob Trail. While pruning we came across drainages; areas where water can run off trail or filter into the ground. These new features gave us a second objective and a whole new set of tools for our trail sweeps . First and foremost is the McLeode. A versatile piece of equipment with a thick rake on one side and a wide hoe on the other. The McLeode is great for removing leaves and other biomatter that clog up drains with densely packed particles. Rakes and hoes can sufficiently deal with these issues as well, but when you are hiking all day, it's nice to have a compact tool. Pruning and drain clearing took us most of the morning and by the time we got to the end of the trail I was in much need of a break. Only three quarters of a mile and I was worn out. We sat and enjoyed the fantastic view from Bald Knob. It was genuinely breathtaking. 180 degrees of pure Lakes Region. You can see almost all of Lake Winnipesaukee and mountains galore. Hard to believe part of my day can be enjoying good views. The rest of the day was filled with learning to drive the UTV and exploring the countless trails at Castle in the Clouds. There were fantastic stands of Beech trees, glowing green from the sun's rays, a quiet swamp surrounded by endless wildlife, and even a Momma Bear and her four cubs scampering away as they heard the UTV descending the trail. It was a truly spectacular day, and to end it off we got our first real project, to devise sustainable bridges to put across a section of washed out drainages on the Faraway Mountain Trail.
Since my first week I have gained formal training in trailwork as well as a host of certifications. I have also participated in multiple other trailwork days and have gained knowledge and confidence in quite a few aspects of trailwork. It has become my favorite part of service as it combines getting to know new people and outdoors handywork. I love getting that feeling of accomplishment from cleaning up a section of trail or looking at a freshly laid waterbar, and the connections made while completing the task with others are irreplaceable. With a little over 4 months left in my service I can’t wait to take these newfound skills and make a positive impact in the conservation of the Lakes Regions!
Since my first week I have gained formal training in trailwork as well as a host of certifications. I have also participated in multiple other trailwork days and have gained knowledge and confidence in quite a few aspects of trailwork. It has become my favorite part of service as it combines getting to know new people and outdoors handywork. I love getting that feeling of accomplishment from cleaning up a section of trail or looking at a freshly laid waterbar, and the connections made while completing the task with others are irreplaceable. With a little over 4 months left in my service I can’t wait to take these newfound skills and make a positive impact in the conservation of the Lakes Regions! Learn more about Graham here.