Payback

It was warmer on Saturday than an ice-covered Merimere Reservoir would suggest.

Visit #1179, Saturday 9 February 19, 12:00-3:25PM, 5.6 miles, 4.7lbs. of trash.

This week I got my act together and installed a faster cutting chain with a different profile, on my chainsaw to deliver payback to that fallen tree.

If you remember last week, I suffered a setback in my progress clearing ice storm damage, when I encountered a particularly large fallen tree across the trail. It consumed all my weekly allotted time and I didn't finish.

I was going to win this grudge match!

I hiked up the trails to the Halfway House where I found another fallen tree before even before I reached my objective.

With my chainsaw on steroids, this tree was not a problem.

I reached the obstinate tree, and just as I was unpacking the saw, along came a hiker I've seen before but was not familiar with. He recognized me as well, and seeing I was about to perform some work on the trail he would benefit from, he eagerly offered to help. He didn't have to ask me twice!

With one person cutting while the other cleared the wood away, removing this tree from the trail was a breeze. Except for the stump, which was a bear to move.

Here, my newly hired assistant Chris admires our success.

Chris mentioned in passing there was another newly fallen tree west of here, by the beehive fountain. He was unable to move it himself. Since he so kindly offered to help me with this large tree, I was eager to pay him back, so I followed him about a half mile in the opposite direction from my itinerary to remove this other tree.

This tree wasn't heavy but the trunk was still in the ground so it wasn't going anywhere. Unless that is, you have a chainsaw...

I thanked Chris for his help, he thanked me, gave back my bag of trash and I performed a turnabout to regain my original route.

On the Blue Trail near East Peak, I found these ornaments spelling "LOVE" hanging from a tree, except "OV" was missing.

Reaching Castle Craig, I noticed a remnant of the recently held Tradition Run. It doesn't look like it was officially sanctioned. I hope the parks department considers power washing it away in the spring because it looks cheap.

My Find of the Week was adjacent to the finish line.

My detour finally brought me back to the Blue Trail above Merimere Reservoir, where I could complete clearing the trail of ice storm damage.

And sometimes I forget to take After photos, as I did with these two trees.

Reaching the north end of the reservoir, I walked the road back to the parking lot, and deposited my bag of trash for the week.

On Sunday, I returned to Hubbard Park on my mountain bike to inspect the one remaining, seldom used trail, for storm damage.

I found some, but nothing I can't take care of with a bow saw. I'll return to this trail in two weeks to clean it up, assuming it doesn't snow before then.

Until next week, maintain.