En español:    https://conta.cc/3Ju2beO

Our first workday of the fall will be continuing Chantal recovery at the Occoneechee Speedway & JM Johnson Nature Preserve trail. The tasks will involve raising eroded trails, repairing water diversion structures, washing bridges and replacing weakened wood on these bridges. If there are enough volunteers, we will form trash pickup, and invasive plant removal teams.

Date: Sept 13, 9 AM – 2 PM. If you can’t stay for the entire time, please know that we are deeply appreciative of any effort you contribute.

Meeting Location: The Historic Occoneechee Speedway parking lot (320 Elizabeth Brady Rd, Hillsborough).  If this parking lot is full, our neighbors across the street (Vietri) have granted permission to use their parking lot. If you park there, please park downhill (closer to the speedway), the top of the lot is reserved for their outlet store

If you can join the team: Please respond by email to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com by Sept 9 — your response informs the breakfast preparation and tools that will await you, helps me plan the day, and puts you on the notification list for further updates or a workday cancellation message.

What to bring: You need to wear appropriate-for-the-weather work clothes (that can get dirty), solid shoes or boots, and bring lunch (if you plan to work into the afternoon), snacks, water, and work gloves. If you have a favorite tool, bring it.

What we bring: We will provide all tools, extra work gloves, and instructions. If you are new to this kind of activity, there will be experienced volunteers within asking distance: we are a supportive trail community that loves to grow.

Cancellation: If the workday is cancelled due to bad weather, an email will be sent out no later than 8:00 p.m. the preceding day, to the RSVP list.

Safety: Use tools carefully. If you do not know how to use a particular tool, or what to do in a particular circumstance please ask. Do not work too close together — avoid hitting the person next to you. When walking past another volunteer, please say something so they know you are approaching. Do not lift anything heavier than you can comfortably lift — know your own limits. Take plenty of breaks. Undertake different tasks with different tools throughout the day. Make sure to drink plenty of water, even when it’s cold outside. Be aware of holes in the ground, briars, ticks, chiggers, snakes, stinging insects, and poison ivy.

MST birthday hike: September is the MST’s birthday month. In September 1977, Howard Lee, then the Secretary of the NC Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, proposed “establishing a state trail between the mountains and the seashore in North Carolina.” We will celebrate this birthday with a two mile hike starting from the West Point on the Eno’s north parking lot (5244 North Roxboro Street, Durham 36.07430203161701, -78.90956429833814) at 9 AM on Sept 20. If you would like to join this hike, please RSVP to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com. As always, this adds your email to the list in case of a rain cancellation.

Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail One of the improvements to the MST in Durham involves finding an alternative to the dangerous crossing of the Eno on the Old Oxford road, next to Penny’s Bend. Many of you know that there is an unused railroad line with a 100+ year old bridge crossing the river not far downriver. A coalition of partners are actively researching the possibility of purchasing this 26 mile rail line and converting it into a multi-use path, which would include the MST usage of this bridge. This effort is at a critical stage and could benefit from public support. Read more about this: https://indyweek.com/news/durham/durham-to-roxboro-rail-trail-input/ Consider attending one of the events to express your support.

Next Orange County MST workdays (RSVP to Bill)
Oct 11
Nov 8
Dec 13

If you are not on our Eno/Orange County workday announcements email list (to get announcements like this one), but would like to be, let me know by email.

Next Eno MST workdays (RSVP to Fred )
Sept 27
Oct 4
Nov 1
Dec 6

Next Alamance County MST workdays (RSVP to Andrew ).
The AC team is working on trail along the Haw River. Andrew, the Task Force Leader, would welcome email about a workday or a request to be added to his Workday Announcement email list.
Sept 20
Oct 18
Nov 15
Dec 20

Bill
Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com
Friends of the MST Task Force Leader, Orange County
(919) 451-2900
Pronouns: he, him