When A Plan Comes Together

Visit #838, Saturday 21 December 13, 10:45AM-2:20PM, 8.4 miles.
Temps in the 50's, balmy with increasing clouds.

I can smell when something is out of the ordinary. Having dealt with recurring graffiti at the north end of Merimere Reservoir, graffiti which appears to be the work of the same person, I sensed it would be wise to be prepared this week in case "NAER" decided to make a 3rd attempt to immortalize themselves.

To refresh your memory dear reader,  NAER first appeared the week after Thanksgiving. I swiftly dealt with that.

NAER reappeared roughly 4 weeks later. I discovered it, left to fetch 2 cans of spray paint, and used one of the cans eradicating Part II.

So I told myself to be smart and carry the remaining can of spray paint this week in case NAER tries again. My Spidey-senses were tingling.

I love it when a plan comes together.

I was joined by Paul Bernier this week, more for company than assistance. The snow would keep most people off the trails so I anticipated minor littering. Today's schedule would include inspecting a lightly used trail for fallen trees as I did last week, and venturing onto adjoining land outside of Hubbard Park to clear some other fallen trees, hence the long +8 mile hike. I carried the chainsaw again.

In a break from SOP, we parked near the north end of Merimere Reservoir outside the Hubbard Park gate since most of our work would be north of the reservoir. As we entered the park I immediately saw that NAER had tagged the jersey barriers adjacent to the concrete they painted last week.

This would be a non-problem to address since I planned ahead and carried the second can of spray paint. I was all over this like gray paint on concrete!

NAER exhausted his can of yellow paint and left it at the scene.

We hiked up the road then picked up a trail that parallels the road, a trail which terminates near the radio towers. Again, a plan came together as we found a fallen tree whose branches were hanging low over the trail. I cut while Paul pulled them aside.

This was light work and took no time at all. Trail restored.

 The rest of our hike was north along the ridgeline away from Hubbard Park, but we did manage to collect some trash as we walked Edgewood Road back to the north gate at Merimere Reservoir.

Part of our trash collection included one of NAER's spray paint cans, so we did manage to fulfill our duties in the park this week.

Merry Christmas!