Stewards of Stewart update from the mailbag

[GG]

Saturday, June 13, 2015 is our next Stewards of Stewart work day.

We have several options to consider:

a) Return to the south section of Fiesta to tidy up the portion of trail we cleared last year AND to complete the stone path through the normally flooded portion of the trail that is about mid-way between Orlando Drive and Dawn; also erect a sign post and signs for both Fiesta and Pine Root.

b) Walk-in Pine Root from Orlando Drive to lessen the mud-wallow at the base of the solid rock climb by digging a �sump� and drainage channels to draw water away from the trail or raise the trail tread;

c) Construct our standard �causeway� through the first mud wallow encountered on the north end of Escarpment (south of the Spike).

d) Ditto above on the mud-wallow in Pittman-Robertson that is just East of Windsor. Use of rocks, landscape fabric and wheel barrow crushed stone in from New Road.

e) As you ride through the forest and see opportunity for making trail improvements please share them with us because we want to hear your suggestions.

We plan to work from 09:00 to about 12:30. Cold water and Gatorade will be available.

Plan to meet at the Ridge Road Parking lot between 8:30 and 9:00.

Looking forward to seeing you and having a productive work day.
Thank you.

PS June 7th is the SPARC fund raising ride. http://www.stewartstateforestbiketour.com/
The Stewards of Stewart participate by clearing the trails, marking the course with direction arrows, caution tape, marshalling the course and of course the post ride clean up.
When you are riding between now and then please take a little time to trim the overgrowth since the course covers many of the trials.
Several of us will be clearing the trails during the week and you are most welcome to join us.
If you want to help marshal on the 7th and/or clean up please let me know. [email protected]

[GG]

News from Stewards of Stewart:

Personal commitments and schedule conflicts during July result in cancellation of the SOS July 2015 work day.
However, SOS volunteers will work between July 13th and the 25th to help prepare, mark, marshal and clean-up trails for the July 26, 2015 �S.O.S. Mtn.Bike Challenge Race� that is part of the New York State Mountain Bike Race Series.
The Bicycle Doctor of Middletown, N.Y. will be hosting this race and donate a portion of the race profits to the Stewards of Stewart.
The course is 9.5 miles, and starts at the Ridge Rd. parking area.
View the course map at: http://www.middletownbicycledoctor.com/TeamBicycleDoctor.html
Everyone is invited to help out and prepare for this event by riding (see the above map) and clearing the path and reporting any problems to [email protected] and/or [email protected].
We also need volunteers to help marshal the course on the 26th to assure prompt notification of any injury, assist in directing the racers at key intersections, sweep the course and of course clean up after the race.
If you want to help please contact the above email addresses.
Or if you prefer to race in the event please sign up at:
https://www.bikereg.com/sos-mt-bike-challenge
The Stewards of Stewart is a volunteer organization and our volunteer who created the Stewardsofstewart.org website no longer has the time to maintain it.
The current website was constructed prior to the advent of WordPress and we have a volunteer who is developing a replacement website using WordPress but being a rank beginner he is stuck on a few key items that prevent (delay?) its completion. Any volunteer willing to help or complete the website please contact [email protected].
That�s all the news for now and we hope to see you on the trails.
Thank you.

[GG]

From the mailbag: August 15, 2015 is the target for our next work day in Stewart State Forest.
The current plan is to re-visit the partially completed �causeway� through the mud wallow on the south portion of Fiesta.
We�ll utilize the nearby rocks/stones and expand what we did on our last effort to lengthen and raise the stone �path�.
Since the mud wallow is too far to wheel barrow crushed stone we will collect various sizes of the nearby stone, use sledge hammers (SOS has access to two) to break up the smaller stones to fit between spaces of the larger stones and look for a nearby source of donor soil to further compact our stone �causeway�.
Please bring work gloves and eye protection.
We�ll meet at the Ridge Road Parking lot and work from 09:00 to about 12:30ish. The rest of the day is then open to those who want to ride.
SOS will provide cold water and Gatorade. SOS will also provide two wheel barrows, several shovels, a rock chain sling, some Pulaskis, McLeods, two sledge hammers, a few rock bars and a basic first-aid kit.
Thanks to the modifications the volunteers have done over the past year or two, Fiesta is more popular than ever and this improvement will complete our efforts. Thank you volunteers.
See you on Saturday, August 15th at the Ridge Road Parking lot.
PS Many trails now have problem overgrowth. Is anyone interested in having an additional work day or work days in August to weed whack and hedge trim some trails like Scofield?
You will need to bring your own weed whacker or hedge trimmer and safety gear since poison ivy and multiflora rose is abundant. To clear Scofield from Ridge Road Parking lot will require a lot of people and a lot of hours (how�s that for being specific). One or two people might be able to complete the task by December but a concerted effort by many people should make it a manageable task and hikers/bikers and horses will appreciate the effort. What other trails are in severe need of trimming?
Any volunteers?

[GG]

from the Stewards: On Friday, 8/7/15 two Stewards removed the downed tree across Scofield trail and decided to clear as much of Scofield North as they could in five hours.
The result is that Scofield North is now �good-enough� and if anyone wants to improve the cutting and trimming they are most welcomed to do it and much appreciated.
But Scofield is now "rideable". Enjoy the shaded tunnel through the Japanese Knotweed.
This is also a reminder that we have a work day scheduled for Saturday, August 15th.
Meet up at Ridge Road to start work at 09:00.
Check out our previous email on the Stewards of Stewart website for more info.
C U on Saturday.

[GG]

On the hot humid day of August 15, 2015 five SOS volunteers took on the challenge of improving and expanding the rock path through the Fiesta mud-wallow located on the South portion of Fiesta.
This was a continuation of our effort from last year to see if we could make the passage more acceptable to riders.
The five volunteers consisted of what is becoming our standard four plus a newcomer who vowed to return for future workdays.
We hauled rocks of any size and shape from the nearby rock wall to the mud-wallow where we sort of pieced together a firm walkway and created our own item 4 crushed stone by sledge hammering medium sized stones into small sized stones to fit into the spaces between the larger rocks.
The result was a great improvement to the passage but we still have more to do to meet the high standards of SOS.
Take a ride through it and give us your opinion.
After the above effort the SOS Sawyer and Swamper cleared the downed tree on Colden aka Wishing well.
Vigilantes had constructed an attainment move consisting of rocks and downed limbs to climb up and over the downed tree.
SOS cut the tree so those who want a clear path can do so and those who want to try the attainment move can give it a try.
NEWS FLASH: On Fiesta North end there is a large tree that fell across the go around path near the small pond to avoid the Spring muds. The DEC and NY/NJ Trail Conference Sawyer Group was contacted with a request to remove the tree or cut a path through it since the task exceeds the experience of the SOS sawyer.
EXTRA NEWS FLASH: On August 20, 2015 the DEC will have a Grand Official Dedication Ceremony for the Great Swamp Walkway. If you can attend please do so to show the attending politicians that investing into Stewart State Forest for trail construction and mountain biking will get them votes. I�m including a copy/paste section from the notice sent out by the DEC for your information and to share with others to spread the information.
Our next tentative date for our work day is September, 13, 2015 where we expect a special visit from a NYC group of riders who love Stewart. Plan to come out and watch us work them to exhaustion or at least come out and meet and work with these wonderful people.
C U on September 13th ?
Here is the DEC invite:
An Invitation to the Opening of New Boardwalk across the Great Swamp at Stewart State Forest. Please join NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Martin Brand for a tour of the new Boardwalk and trail across the Great Swamp at Stewart State Forest.
Event Details:
What: DEC Regional Director Martin Brand will officially open the Boardwalk and along with staff from Region 3 Lands & Forests will lead a tour of the new 800� boardwalk and trail that crosses the Great Swamp. The boardwalk offers great views of the swamp and opportunities for wildlife viewing and others forms of recreation.
Where: Meet at the Ridge Road parking lot (at the intersection of Ridge Road and Maple Avenue) at the Stewart State Forest.
When: Thursday August 20, 2015. Meet at parking lot at 10:30 AM for shuttle van service to the boardwalk. Remarks and tour 11:00 AM to Noon.
Please RSVP to confirm your attendance. You may call (845) 256-3018 or send an e-mail to [email protected]

[TriassicDoc]

I have tentatively put this in my calendar. Nothing is certain since I now work in emergency response, but I will be there if I can!

My main office is in New Windsor, right down the road from Stewart. My mtb has been in the shop for what seems like a decade, but finally out. I have been perusing Stewart on my cross bike, which is mostly fun, but I can't get the full effect of Fiesta without some suspension or new joints, but it seems like a great trail/area! Hope I can help out.

[steven336]

As you ride through the forest and see opportunity for making trail improvements please share them with us because we want to hear your suggestions.



North end of Scofield there is a boulder inches from the singletrack. any chance of removing it? I clipped it with my pedal went cart wheeling down the trail. At least it is exposed now because they cleared the trail

[GG]

Hi steven336

Sorry to hear you went cartwheeling! I hope you are OK!! Here's a long answer to your question...

Generally natural trail features like rocks and trees on established trails are not removed unless they block the trail. Usually if that happens (a trail is blocked by a downed tree or large rock) either a 'helper rock' is used to allow riders to ride over the obstacle or in the case of a tree that falls due to weather it might be removed if it can't be made to be 'rideable'. My advice is to practice your skills so in the future that rock won't send you flying! In the meantime, when you get to an obstacle you have trouble riding, walk it for now, and someday you'll be able to ride it! And even the best riders clip their pedals sometimes...the trails keep us all on our toes!

And thanks for asking the question, before modifying the trail yourself! In the future, questions about Stewart trails can be directed to: [email protected]

Happy Trails!!

[TriassicDoc]

I rode the Scofield trail yesterday and I was kind of looking for the boulder, but did not see it.

I decided to check out the Pinwheel trail and must have gotten off track somehow--I think it needs some maintenance because it has gotten very overgrown! I started removing debris from the trail, but ended up in the middle of the woods somehow, definitely not on the trail. There are a lot of interwebbing little trails in the vicinity, too, which should probably be closed off.

[GG]

What's the Pinwheel trail?

[TriassicDoc]

It's on the map near 3 Sisters ? Trail exists on google maps, but not so much in real life

[TriassicDoc]

Do you ever ride there after work? I plan to be there every day at 5:30, except also I will be doing the Dark Horse group ride on Wed.s out of the shop. My office is closest to the Weed Rd entrance.

[GG]

I do but I'm usually starting my ride around 245...you should check out camp orange too...it's a bit farther west on 17k but awesome!!!

[TriassicDoc]

Oh yes, I have heard of this place! Will definitely check it out.

[steven336]

[GG]

from the SOS: The tentative work day scheduled for September 13th is rescheduled for Saturday, September 19th. This is due to a conflict with the SPARC horse event on the 13th.
The NYC group cannot make our September work day so we are relying on other volunteers to step up.
Our current plan is to make our �burrito� type path through the large mud wallow that exists during Spring and into Summer on Pittman-Robertson trail.
This area is located a short distance from the intersection with Windsor. We have an ample supply of rocks nearby and the distance from New Road not extensive since we will wheel barrow crushed stone from the New Road intersection to fill our �burrito�.
Looking forward to conquering another mud-wallow on the 19th. Hope to see you there and as usual we will work from 09:00 to about 12:30 or 13:00 so people can ride in the afternoon.
Remember: We meet at the Weed Road Parking lot between 08:30 and 09:00 on September 19th.
Hope to C U there.
Thank you.

[TriassicDoc]

Can't make it--NYS Trails Council.

[GG]

from the mail bag: This is a quick reminder of the Stewards work day this Saturday, 9/19/15.
We meet up between 8:30 and 9:00 at the Weed Road Parking lot.
See you there.

[GG]

From the mailbag: Our next Stewards of Stewart work date is Sunday, October 25th.
Meet at Weed Road parking lot in time to start work at 09:00.
We plan is to remove the soft, crumbly outer edge of the downhill, sharp left turn that is immediately after the cut through the rock wall on Orchard Trail.
Our thought is to create a rock curb along the outer edge of the curve, add some crush stone fill to create a somewhat embanked turn.
We plan to work from 09:00 to 12:30 or 13:00 so the afternoon is available for riding time.
Hope to see you on Sunday, October 25th.
Thank you.
PS Please let us know your ideas or suggestion to improve or repair a Stewart trail and the location of downed trees blocking trails so we can clear them out in a timely manner.

[GG]

Report of 10/25 workday: "Five volunteers took on the challenge to improve a portion of the Orchard trail.
As mentioned previously, the outer edge of the left turn on the rooty downhill near the upper portion of the trail was becoming more �crumbly� and getting larger.
Using Pulaskis the crew made a step shelf to hold large rocks to form an outer retainer type �guide-rail�.
We then filled in the space with crushed stone and firmly tamped it level with the retainer rocks forming a firm outer portion of the turn.
Two passing bikers volunteered to test our efforts and declared them a success.
Check out the photos of our work efforts on the Stewards of Stewart website: http://www.stewardsofstewart.org and Facebook.
Looking forward to seeing you in the forest."