Debris on Indian Creek

I went out and walked from Gravel lot 14 all the way down to where "Bottom Hollow Road" crosses the trail and threw off debris. The trail has considerable limbs and twigs from the icing that we recieved. I think they got it worse than we did in Chillicothe. I didn't run across any trees down but lots of leaners that had lost roots and were overhanging the trail. I blew the trail off in December so the leaves are gone. The deer are running the trail as evidenced by the hooving on the tread. One has to be very carefull with the thaw cycle going on as south exposures will thaw out during sunny days and produce a muddy trail. If your going to ride out at Indian Creek it needs to be crunchy frozen or you'd be better off riding gravel roads. This is a great time to hike at Poosey as all the streams are running and the views of the hills and hollers are best at this time of the year. Why not be a "Trail Buddy" and bring your family out for a hike and throw off debris as you go! If you hike through and clean a section, how about posting and letting us know!

Went back out today and cleared some more! It's kinda like nature was thinning out the old, and weak. Be prepared to see lots off trees broke off and laying on, and across the trail. Don't plan on moving very fast as there are a considerable amount of "derailure breakers" all over the trail. I plan on working during the week and trying to get as much possible cleared each morning before the thawing starts. This may be short notice, but I'd like to get a group and meet this weekend at 9:00 am at the shelter house trail head and split up and get the trail cleared so we can start riding. The forecast is calling for cold weather so the trail should be good and frozen in the morning. I don't think it's going to be above freezing so we can ride when we get the trail cleared. What do ya think?

Made it out for a nice hike-a-bike this morning. Man it was cold out! Did a good bit of trail cleaning on the way (it makes for an excellent excuse for a newbie to get off the saddle and pant for a while ) Cleared some large branches and a lot of wrist sized stuff. The plan is to stop by W-mart and get a nice collapsable saw tonight, i hit a large patch of limbs near where the trail is close to the water and turned around, if i get a chance they will get cleared out.

NEWBIE REPORT 1: Winter riding, personal opinions only!
Your hand will freeze for the first half hour no matter how many gloves you wear, but by the time you come back a glove liner will be enough.
Wear lots of layers, but remember you will get HOT!, and frozen sweat is not a friend. Make sure you can pack out what you wore in.
Camel back bite valves freeze.
Snot rockets are the rule not the exception
Stuff any kind of style man antics, wear the pac boots, ride flat pedals, frozen toes cut great rides short.
Opinion only: Buy a three dollar full face shield or balaclava. Along with an ear warmer they allow the top of your head to breath, and it helps regulate body temperature easier. (IF you have hair )

I started at Parking Lot #17 and headed south and cleared a ton of small limbs and several big branches. I cut some small trees that were hanging low over the trail, I don't think they were an issue yet but could be in the future. I think the mess of limbs that FoxBoy was refering to was on the double switchback, WOW what a mess. I cut several limbs and trees to get that back open but it is ready to go. I went ahead and cut some smaller trees up the hill that were leaning toward the trail to avoid some future issues. I continued south all the way to the creek just before Dog Hill and picked up a lot of very small branches that could pose a threat later. It will be a whole new ball game after the snow is gone becuase I am sure that there are several under the surface of the snow. The creek just before Dog Hill is full of debris.

It was -4 when I went out this morning but I didn't think it felt any colder than 1 or 2 degrees. The only thing that got cold was my fingertips, my gloves were frozen solid on the fingers. I rode my bike back out and my gloves kept freezing to my brake levers, I guess I just wasn't suppose to use the brakes. I saw a deer walking down the trail and I yelled at her for using the trail and not picking up branches, she stared at me, flip me the tail and ran off. I'm still a little hurt by that one. FoxBoy, I was looking for some of your snot rockets you were talking about and I think I saw one ahead of me on the trail but a squirrel ran out and grabbed it and ran up a tree with it, boy will he be in for a surprise at dinner time. I guess the rest of them disintegrated on impact.