Pre-season Through Week Six Stats

My we've been busy this season! Here's a few statistics/totals for the season thus far:

Number of Volunteers: 136
Number of Volunteer Hours: 5000
Number of AT Club Hours: 1736

Rock Steps: 56
Rock Cribbing: 1255 (cubic feet)
Log Steps: 59
Log Cribbing: 861 (cubic feet)
Sidehill Trail Dug: 5027 ft.
Crush & Fill: 1470 (cubic feet)
Other: Constructed a 22-foot bridge a 15-foot bridge, and a new moldering privy

So there you go, that's pretty impressive work and we still have six more weeks to go; we can't do it without you! By the way, there are still spots available on the crew for most weeks left so if you haven't come out (or you are thinking about coming again) let us know!

Cheers,

Kerry

Letter

We're changin' lives here at Konnarock!! Ok, not really, but folks have a good time (as many of you know) and it's nice to hear it once in a while. So, I thought I'd share a letter we received from a Volunteer from week one.

Thanks Chris!

Enjoy,

Kerry

Week Six, Intermission....

It's hard to believe we're midway through the season here at Konnarock. As it says above, time for intermission but first, a recap of week #6….

Ted, Brian, and Crew #1 headed out Thursday to pickup where the crew left off last year at the Lynn Camp relocation. As always, working with the Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers (PATH) has its luxuries; this time was no different as the crew was treated to a home-cooked breakfast each morning and dinner every night. Sidehilling was the name of the game on this project with the crew nearing completion on the first week (we still have one more to go).

Meanwhile, Christine, Kelly, and Crew #2 headed down to continue work on Unaka Mtn with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club. And as in previous weeks, the crew was treated to an amazing waterfall to cool off in at the end of the day.

For now, the crew will take a much needed two week break and be back in July to tackle another 6 weeks.

Cheers,

Kerry

Waterfall near Unaka Mountain

Lunch time! Volunteers on crew 2 take it easy.

Inspecting the work on the Lynn Camp Relocation

Taking it easy under the tent at Lynn Camp

Nature Shots

Christine, crew leader for crew 2, has an knack for taking some great shots of nature, both up close and far away. Following week #5, Christine brought some great shots taken on the Big Bald project, check them out.

Kerry

Angel's Food Cake (aka "We Came, We Sod, We Conquered")

Kelly and Dave transport gear on the Gator; thanks Dave!

Crew 1 waiting for their table before getting "their feed on" at The Homeplace


Crew Volunteer, Brett H. is never short on jokes, or origional poses....

As the conclusion of another great week here are a few details/play by play statements…..

Crew 1, with help from Dave Hrdlicka (USFS), shuttled gear atop Angel's Gap with an ATV and dug nearly 800ft of sidehill with help from the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

Crew 1 had many "visitors" to camp including foxes, deer, and a "bear-grouse."

Crew 1 went to eat at "The Homeplace" in Catawba and got their fill of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, pinto beans, country ham, corn, biscuits, peach cobbler, iced tea, lemonade, and coffee (did I miss anything?).

Crew 2 enjoyed great views atop Big Bald while working with the Carolina Mountain Club.

Crew 2 rolled sod to make way for the trail and likened the soil underneath to "cake," saying that it would be great for gardens but "we'll have to see what happens as trail".

Week six, here we come!

Kerry

Carolina Mountain Club members clear the trail corridor of thorns for construction

Group shot with "Fernhenge," (ask Christine to explain).

Roll up your sleeves and roll some sod!

Videos

Thinking about getting rid of your old VCR tapes after you bought that new DVD player? Don't be silly, donate them to the Konnarock Volunteer Trail Crew, multi-week Volunteers are standing by.....

Seriously though, if you have movies you want to get rid of, we'll take them!

Kerry

Duff, Man...

A Volunteer on Crew 2 checks out the scenery.

Are you a veteran Konnarock Volunteer? Have you dug sidehill, set a rock step or check dam? If so, you most likely know what duff is. For those who don't, duff is the organic material sandwiched between the leaf litter (on top) and mineral soil (on bottom). And, for trail building, duff is something we can do without; duff holds water, is not structurally sound and therefore leads to bad trail. So what do you do when it's all duff? Seriously, as Ted and the rest of crew 1 found out this week on Unaka Mountain, you crib and crush…..

Meanwhile, Christine and crew had a great time working with the Nantahala Hiking Club on the Rufus Morgan rehab project.

Kerry

Duff, there it is....

And then, there was crush & fill....

A much needed snack and rest

I swear we cover proper tool carrying in the orientation.

Week #5-Running Low

Due to a few last minute cancellations, etc, we have several spots open on the crew for next week (6/7-6/11). We'd love to have full crews again so if you're intersted, please contact the office in Blacksburg (540.953.3571) or here at base camp (276.677.4055).

Thanks,

Kerry