Transformer

Visit #1260, Saturday 25 July 20, 7:00-9:50AM, 3.0 miles, 4.6lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 70's, climbing into the 90's today, with very high humidity. Sunny.

This week I played "Transformer", changing from mild-mannered hiker in disguise to special purpose machine when my task changed.

Of course, I arrived at Hubbard Park as a mild-mannered hiker. I transformed into a chainsaw wielding trail blazer, heading out to clear a fallen tree I discovered last week on the trail behind the water tank.

Immediately after starting out, I found what looked like new graffiti on a tree.

Fortunately, I was set straight by a passing Hubbard Park regular who said people were out in force earlier in the week, re-marking the trails. They also told me the group was picking up litter, so I didn't expect to find much this week.

Further up the Soap Box Derby trail, I came upon another new trail marker. This was beginning to look good. Unfortunately, my travels today would not permit me to examine more of the trails to see the quality of the job.

I shortly reached my tree.

This was a quick and easy job.

The cut tree in the background-I removed that in September 2011. That was a much larger job.

I made the short walk back to my van and transformed into my next machine.

The approach to the same trail that led me to the fallen tree goes up a steep hillside, which for decades has been littered with glass. As the trail erodes it exposes more glass. Roughly once a year I try to clear the trail. In the past I would bag the dirt and glass and cart it away. This year I decided to rake and shovel it off-trail.

Surprisingly, just prior to reaching the trail, I met a woman walking her dog and she complained of the glass on the trail which prohibited her from walking her dog on that trail. She was thrilled to hear I would be trying to clean it up today. The work took roughly 30 minutes. It will be interesting to see if this work needs to be repeated next year.

I returned to my van for a second time and transformed back into mild-mannered hiker, albeit with my constant companions the hedge clippers and loppers. I canvassed the trails on the south side of I-691, picking up litter and trail trimming as necessary, mostly thorn bushes.

At the walkbridge over I-691 I found another new trail marker.

I then started finding "trail markers" which I considered less than professional, such as this one. Clearly, the group performing the work was neither experienced nor considerate of maintaining the natural beauty of the trails.

Returning to my van yet again, I transformed from mild-mannered hiker into Map Repairman.

In February of 2020, I labeled the map board in the parking lot with the significant landmarks. At the time, I used a removable adhesive. Sticky fingers recently removed two of the labels. I replaced the labels using silicone adhesive.

I transformed back from Map Repairman to mild-mannered hiker and dropped off my litter.