Log 2015080801

The DR Mower is a big 400lb machine.  From what I'm told, it's like a large lawn mower with a snowblower's front end and using it is very physical.  But I've been told that the 200ft gain/ loss on either side of the Little Muskingum River flats is just too much for it. And I should look for some kind of way to ford it when the river is real low.  The problem is that I can't guarantee that we can do that while we have access to federal property on both sides.

But I just got help from a colleague who lined me up two possibilities today.  One is somebody in the area who owns a weed whacker and the other unit is in Michigan now and won't be back for a week.  The problem with the weed whacker is that the flats are 1.1 miles long and the brush that has to get cut three feet wide is three feet tall itself.  The only thing that we have going for it them is the fact that I can still see the forest floor though them, so it's not very thick.  But I imagine that with two of us, it would probably take an hour and 20 minutes just to reach it on either end and an additional hour between the two of us to cleaning.

But it might be easier to ford the weed whackers across the Little Muskingum River from NFS property on Alexander Road in Lawrence Township of Washington County?  When I was considering how the DR's might do it, the TMT and I discussed using a couple creek mouths that terminate into the river, but gradually incline from it back to the embankment.  Maybe this is back on for the weed whackers and I need to go do some more in-person research?

Log 2015042301

- I attempted to reorganize the supply point, but I realized that I need to pack the car and trailer to do it and that won't get done until tomorrow.

- Since the photos files didn't transfer to the laptop, I am revising my maintenance stratedgy.  I plan to use the National Forest Service's "Lane Farm" Campground and begin working on Whipple Section, Pts. 05 - 06 in the counter clockwise direction. Now that I'm unable to determine which items are "priority," I'm going to start with my hardest hit area, which is in a low growth forest and along the Little Muskingum River.

- I now know that I need something different than the unit that I have to sharpen my ax. It's dull right now, but it's blunt force should suffice for what I need.

- Two days ago, I spoke to the post master in the unincorporated community of Whipple in Washington County about maildropping water.  And she informed me that it should be no problem as long as the bottle(s) are sealed by the factory.

- According to mine and OTHR's standard, the off-road trail on The Wilderness Loop is projected to be a 15 mile per day. Under that standard, no more than 3 miles is justifiable to come off trail to reach an amenity.  It's unfortunate because both the Scenic River Trail and it's on-road equivalent exceed that. I know this because I tracked it on the GPS yesterday. However, if T420, or an old remnant of it somehow intersects the Scenic River, it may still provide a more direct route that might just do the trick.

- I've got a full tank of gasoline in the car and more in the budget to spare.

- At the supply point, the weed eater didn't have much gasoline. And upon starting it, it didn't turn over with what it had, but it was promising. With the help of some mid grade gasoline, I think I can get it started.