The June 29th workday was our first hot one of the summer, but fortunately it fell on what we decided would be a half workday due to the 'Art in the Park' special event. We also switched to our earlier summer start time which meant more time in the cool morning hours, so overall not too bad.
The initial plan for the day was to continue fine tuning work on Sequoia Trail starting at the Kirsch Connector and working up toward the Wastahi area where we left off the previous workday, but one of the Crew noticed an area of bull thistle in front of the visitor contact center near HQ and insisted we take care of the problem. So after a couple of equal opportunity thistle haters headed off to battle thistle
The remainder of the crew started on the Sequoia Trail as we resumed work from the last workday trimming back Ceanothus that begun overhanging the trail along with digging out numerous roots and stubs from the trail tread.
With a large crew, the work didn't take long and the last hour of work was spent opening up a short reroute of the old trail that takes it away from some of the old Wastahi campsites and a sometimes wet, boggy, area during the winter.
Despite the first early start of the summer, we had an excellent turnout of 25 and 157 hours. So, thanks to Arnie Arcolio, Fremont Bainbridge, Daryn Bieri, Jim Brooks, Rory Brooks, Cecil Coe, John Collins, Justin Farris, Michele Gelblum, Peter Gelblum, Mimi Guiney, Matt Kelsey, Marc Koenig, Janie Leifhelm, John Martin, Joe Mitchell, Mike Peasland, Dale Petersen, Dale Stadelman, Whitney Mitchell, Brian Washburn, Bruce Washburn, Chris Young, and newcomers Ori Faigon and Greg Lendahl, for a fast workday.
JUL 4th in BC
One of the reasons the Trail Crew has been able to carry on its work for 55 years is a sense of community that people bring with them and this year one of the Crew thought it would be a good idea to participate in annual Boulder Creek July 4th parade, so we did! We carried various hand tools with us along with a wagon that carried the Big Bertha chainsaw and the old Trail Crew sign from the pre-fire tool shed.
It was nice to participate in a community event and we had a good crew turnout of 14 along with two family members.
In the pre-fire days you could stand on the deck of the headquarters building (below top left and burnt phones right) during the busy spring-summer season and catch the fragrance of the Western Azalea's white flowers blooming immediately below. Like most of the park they did not fair well in the fire, but in another sign of the Big Basin recovery they have returned to their previous location and are blooming again. Those bushes have been there for more than 45 years; they managed to return from the ashes and still smell wonderful!
Bruce found a tiny, tiny nest. Guessing a hummingbird.
by Mike and Jeff
photos by Bruce, Mike, and Mimi