Our third and final crew outing at Kloiber Field. This weekend’s outing was not during a heat wave, but it was still very hot and more humid. On our last Saturday and Sunday, in addition to the jug of ice water, David provided a cooler chest full of Italian ices and a log book for the thru-hikers to sign. Of course the cold water and ices were a big hit but so was the log book. The log book because they (thru-hikers) could see which hikers were just ahead of them. While hiking the Appalachian Trail as a thru-hiker, one of the things you look forward to is meeting other thru-hikers. Seeing how they are doing, the fact that they are still on the trail and any trail worthy news. Because most hikers hike their own hike, thru-hikers do a leap frog dance along the trail and meet each other at different times and places along the trail. Sometimes it's days since you last saw someone sometimes it’s months but it’s always exciting when you meet. This happens because not every hiker stops in the same towns, nor do they stay in town as long. In-town stays are referred to as “zero days” and everyone takes different zero days. That mens a hiker you haven’t seen in a while, might be just ahead of you on the trail but you don’t know it. A log book is a great meeting place, seeing who and when others went through here and leaving messages to the ones that follow, brings joy to any thru-hiker, David’s log book was no exception. Often hikers were surprised and excited to learn that someone they were looking for, was just ahead of them by a few hours.
By now the crew was completing about 12 bog bridge sections per day. Our crew quickly understood what was needed to be done, did it and the work progressed quickly. There were a total of 82 level bog bridge sections and considering each section needed 3 supports and each support needed a new hole and foundation, well that was a lot of digging. Sometimes we got ahead of ourselves and had to redo several holes dug in the wrong place. Oh well but that happened only a few times, most were in the right place. The crew continued to work as an the assembly line, only on this assembly line time the workers moved along not the item. In 3 weekends (9 days) the crew installed 82 sections of bog bridging, 10 ft of crib-walled tread and a 6 foot bridge over a drainage ditch. Preparing the support holes amounted to removing over 461 cu.ft. of soil and moving over 4 tons of gravel. That’s in addition to moving all the logs and planks. Whew! Well done everyone,
Thank You Volunteers!
We were on the Appalachian Trail in Kloiber Field refurbishing some old and installing some new bog bridging. All the materials were funded by an ATC / LL Bean grant and the gravel was donated by NYS OPRHP. Kloiber Field is west of W. Mombasha Rd. in Monroe NY. There was no high-line nor rope-puller moving big rocks on this project. Here we replaced old and decayed bog bridge supports, planking and added an additional 130 feet of new bog bridging. A bog bridge is a form of puncheon having a single or double-plank tread surface resting directly on supports or sleepers. We define bog bridges as a series of connected, short-span bridges close to the ground where the plank of the bog bridge rests on supports or sleepers. A sleeper is placed in a shallow trench at right angles to the trail centerline. A second and third sleeper is prepared and placed in another trench 3 to 4 feet away. Our planks were nailed to the sleepers with two 6” 60-penny galvanized nails driven through previously drilled pilot holes.
We were in Kloiber Field now because we could only work here when the ground was as dry as it was going to get. Buy definition bog bridging is a foot bridge over areas that are normally wet, but at times can be dryish. We were waiting for this dryish time to work on the bog bridging. The existing bridging was constructed using 6” x 6” PT lumber for the supports or sleepers and 2” x 8” oak boards for the planking. We will be using 12” round Black Locust logs for the supports and two 6” x 2” rough hewn Black Locust planks. Black Locust is a plentiful renewable resource that is well suited for all outdoor wood uses. Naturally occurring flavonoids preserve the wood and keep it durable. Black Locust is a safe, environmentally friendly alternative to Pressure Treated and Tropical Hardwoods, is chemical free and regrows rapidly. Above all Black Locust is one of the hardest and most structurally sound species of wood available.
This bog bridging project is complete but we are not finished with the A.T., we will be returning to Black Mt. for our next crew outing so come on out and join in.
Like most of the Appalachian Trail, it is always evolving and changing. Work crews, like LDTC, all along the A.T. constantly relocate and rehabilitate portions of the trail to protect nature and to enhance the Appalachian Trail hiking experience. This particular bog-bridge replacement project was requested because the bridging in this area has become dangerous and in serious need of repair. New sections are needed to extend the walkway through more muddy areas.
This project took a lot of effort and as always, it was all done by volunteers.
Speaking of volunteers, not everyone could make it everyday and that’s OK with us. Some volunteers came for 9 days some for 4 and others could only make it to 1. Don’t feel that you have to commit to the entire weekend, any help is appreciated and being a volunteer you can come and go as you see fit.
During this project the weather was Hot . Lots of hot sun, high humidity, a very light breeze. Oh joy.
If this looks like the kind of activity you want to be part of, please come on out and join in, we're a community of volunteers who build, protect and maintain hiking trails. We invite you to join us. You’ll be glad you did.
