A Weekend For Power Tools

Visit #804, Saturday 6 July 13, 6:55-8:55AM. 4.8 miles.
Temps in the 80's at the time and expected to top 90, sunny, with brutal humidity.

Whoever is in control of the weather didn't get the memo: we'd like it cooler and drier, PLEASE!

The forecast hasn't changed all week and there was no possibility of it doing so on Saturday, so I got a very early start for my planned activities. Didn't do any good.

I'd toured the trails on my mountain bike earlier in the week and discovered a fallen tree encroaching upon the Main Trail. I decided it was time to break out my chainsaw and tidy things up.

First, upon crossing I-691 via the walkbridge, I discovered someone had taken one of the 2 flags that had been put on display several weeks ago.

Was it a patriotic act? You decide.

Up the trail and around the corner was my first job.

Before:

After:

Up around the corner, these 2 trees have been bowing over the trail for some time.

Before:

After:

 This is the tree that was the impetus for today's schedule of events:

All clear:

At the same time, the city was using power tools of its own on the trails. I'd noticed a few weeks back that the weeds around the Halfway House had grown dramatically making it look neglected. Fortunately, the Halfway House is the launch pad for tomorrow's fireworks display and needed to be cleared. The parks department did a fine job which served a dual purpose; to accommodate the pyrotechnicians and to make the area attractive again for hikers. Good job. Now, let's see if the fireworks company cleans up after themselves as they failed to do after the Daffodil Festival in April. Stay tuned...

I'd also reported on 23 June 13 that the gate at the south end of Merimere Reservoir was unlocked and has been so for at least 2 years. Mark Zebora at the Parks Department responded to my report and now the gate has a lock on it. Thanks!

Returning to the park, I found one of those tiny zip lock bags that I come across time-to-time, bags intended to hold illicit drugs. Most of the time the bags I find are plain but if you perform a Google search you'll learn the bags are usually imprinted. I suppose that's so dopers can distinguish their drugs from very tiny sandwiches. Well, today I found my first imprinted bag. Sort of like a four leaf clover for me:

 The heat and humidity continue to keep trail activity and therefore littering, low. I also found the 5 gallon bucket you see in the photo, and carried it back to the park. How it found its way onto the trails, I haven't a clue..

Cheers!