Sorry I’m a bit late in posting this, but there’s still time to help with the important work of building the Flint Hills Nature Trail. From trail stewart Doug Walker:
July 20 thru Aug 1: Keep these dates in mind. During these two weeks we will be making a major push to complete the Flint Hills Nature trail between Osawatomie and Ottawa. Yes, COMPLETE the trail, all 17 miles of it.
To do so however, we need your help. Funding is in place, We need volunteers. Here the tasks we need to complete:
- Deck two bridges and add railing to four – not dangerous, just need help bolting everything to bridges. We will also need help painting rail posts and cutting parts. All cutting and painting will be done in Osawatomie.
- Spread screenings on 5 miles of trail – Screenings are dumped from dump trucks and needs spread and smoothed out. We will have at least 1 tractor with a box blade but could use more.
- Trim brush and spray weeds – We have spraying equipment and the spray. We need to spray noxious weeds and poison ivy along the trail. We’ve done this once this year but need to do it again. Several areas need trimmed back with chain saws.
- Set bollards and signage at road crossings – We could use a tractor with an auger. Help is needed setting posts and bolting on cross pieces. We will also need to collect poles along the trail to be used for bollards.
- Work on parking areas – We have 3 areas we would like to develop for parking. We will spread screenings and install bollards and signage. This could require hand work smoothing out screenings around bollards and around edges.
- Assemble and install benches along trail – There are 6 benches that have been donated to us for trail use. They have been sand blasted and painted. They need 2 x 10’s installed on them and placed on the trail (we have necessary materials).
- Install mile post markers – Mile post markers will be installed every mile corresponding to the Railroad mile markers. Several are already made. Bill Sample has offered to mark locations for placement. We need a tractor with an auger and a crew to install them.
- Mow the sides of the trail and parking areas – The trail has been mowed once this year between pressonville Rd. and Rantoul. It needs it from Osawatomie to Ottawa. We need a tractor with a bush hog. If you have equipment and can only do part of it it would be greatly appreciated.
- Anything else we can think of to complete the trail.
At this time, we do not have a firm schedule of activities for the two weeks. If you can help with any of these tasks please reply to this email or leave a message at my home phone (913-755-4192)
A morning, an evening, a couple of days, — any time you can give us will help us finish this section of trail. I will be unavailable until sometime around July 18th.
Just let us know when you can work and what you want to do.
Even if you can’t help out, I hope each of you will go out and enjoy the trail. It is beautiful this time of year and it is being used more and more as word gets out.
Doug Walker
212 First Street
Osawatomie, KS 66064
913-755-4192
Again, my apologies for not getting this info out in a more timely manner.
I did ride a piece of the FHNT recently, riding from Rantoul to Ottawa. There was one section that was underwater from flooding, and there were some very rough sections that were pretty jungle-like, but the scenery is really sweet, and when the route from Osawatomie to Ottawa is complete, this will be a really nice route, since Ottawa also connects to the Prairie Spirit Trail and (eventually) the Landon Nature Trail. This is getting long enough to make a substantial weekend tour…
