North Ridge Expansion

[gearhead313]

i have this to offer:

[jcaino]

If you are going to be deploying the bridges the morning of May 15th, post up the when & where. I don't work mornings and can come out to help carry.

[rodack]

That truck would be sweet if you're not jacking us

We wanted to drop the bridges off on Fri evening to limit the amount of time they'll be laying around. I was thinking about doing some layout work on Fri morning so we can get started right away on Sat. Let me know if you're interested in heling with that.

[gearhead313]

I'm 100% in if you need it. I dont know another way to nicely haul a 16' bridge around . I leave for DC on the pedal bike the 17th(sunday), so I should have time to lend a hand friday and saturday for a bit. Just put me in the loop!

[cracked]

gearhead isn't joking . . . . . I'll be around to lend a hand as well.

[rodack]

These bridges are bored sitting in my driveway. You should come on Saturday and help install them.

gearhead - if you're still good for Fri to drop off the bridges, email me at michael.rodack@gmail.com to set up the time.

Although it would be easiest if everyone was there at 8AM to set up the different crews and send them out, feel free to come late, or leave early. If you get to the Lodge and we've already started, I will tell you where we're working. I'm also going to put up some signs to show the way to the three sites.

We decided to assemble all the bridges with all their stringers instead of assembling 1/2 of the stringers onsite. Four of us were able to lift the 16ft bridge, but I'm not going to lie, it is heavy. Six or eight people shouldn't have a problem moving it around.

I have a plan for crews to accommodate any number of volunteers from 8, in which case we probably won't get all three bridges in, up to extremely optimistic numbers of people where we would get all the bridges in, the rest of the flagged route raked and ridable, and garbage and vines cleaned up. If you're planning on coming, could you PM or email me so I can get a better idea of how many people to expect?

I know the deck of he 16ft bridge doesn't look straight, but not all the decking is actually attached to allow spots for people to lift the bridge by the stringers more easily.

[gearhead313]

word. emailed...

[rodack]

Depending on what forecast you look at there is either a chance for rain in the morning or a very good chance of rain in the morning on Sat. We'll still be out there. It was supposed to rain all day today, but we just had small scattered stuff, so maybe we'll luck out on Sat too. I'm going to do some prep work laying out where we have to dig early tomorrow morning so we can get right to it on Sat. If you want to help between ~6:30 and 8:30AM give me a call or email.

[rodack]

The bridges have been delivered. We're good to go.
Here's photographic proof:


As you can see, huge props are due to gearhead for helping us with the transportation.

Also, we had international support while unloading the bridges.


Brian, using his surprising German skills, convinced two riders from Munich to help us unload one of the 16ft bridges.

If you're not already planning to help at Laurel Mountain, or wander around Point State Park, you should come.
Maybe one of us will remember an actual camera and we won't have to take pictures with a cell phone

[Deluxe]

...and props to "cracked" also (he is featured in the truck pic with gearhead). Auch vielen danke zu Werner und Georg von Munchen wenn sie lesen diese post.

Bridges in but I'll defer to Rodack on the post and thanks to the crew since he worked his ta-tas off putting this show together...long and short of it is they are MFing awesome...

[rodack]

They are absolutely awesome.
We put in three bridges, raked out the trail near the power line so you don't clothesline yourself on the guy wire, and raked in all the grade reversals for the climb up to the turn near the turn in N Ridge Rd. Not bad for a dozen people. It did rain for about 30min in the morning, but that actually got rid of most of the gnats that were swarming earlier in the day.

Here's the first bridge that was put in. This replaces the pallets and mud at the old Bypass entrance.


As you're going on the trail towards Olympia from Bypass, this is the next bridge you come to.


This is the third bridge as you're going towards Olympia.


And Sir Pizza donated lunch!


The rest of the pictures: http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee177/mjrodk/5-16-09%20Workday/

Thanks to everyone that came out today. We got a ridiculous amount of work done.

The next month or two we'll take a break from this trail and fix some other stuff in the park. Then benchcut some of the spots that need to be benchcut on this trail later in the year.

[cracked]

RAD!

[Spangaru]

Nice to see that PTAG-NP doesen't discriminate against its volunteers; even the mentally infirmed have the chance to contribute to the cause...



Seriously though, what a great job by a relatively small crew (even Mike C. until from what I'd surmise from the photo was some sort of breakdown). It certainly wouldn't have been possible without all of the planning and pre-work by Mr. Rodack. I took my son out on the bridges today and he couldn't believe it. I have to say that seeing them again from the saddle impressed me even more!

Thanks to all involved!

[rodack]

I realized we didn't have any finished pictures of the bridges. Here are some quick shots from today in the order you would ride across them from Olympia Shelter
First bridge


Second bridge


Third bridge

[conejobreath]

Just want to thank you guys for the work you've done.Looks great!Very much appreciated.
Dennis

[Gregg3333]

Nice job everyone! All prep work was done, everything was very organized, had three separate work groups going, and pizza!!!! Very productive day. Thanks to those of you that organized it. I rode the bridges yesterday, was nice.

[Deluxe]

Love fest: Mike - awesome planning and execution. The Army could not have executed that bridging any better.

Thanks to the Crüe:
Tim Spang
Brad Engbarth
Jason Urbanek
Chris Rodack
Ben Rodack
John Rodack
Scott Ross
Chris Venus
Gregg Somerhalder
Ed Sternby
Mike Connors
Robert Habegger
Reese Bessell
...and Team Munich (Werner und Georg)

More improvements to come...

Deluxe

[rodack]

We'll be refining the climb up from Olympia this Fri. I pin flagged where we will be working, which is most of the trail up to the second bridge, this morning. The work/changes as you are coming from Olympia:

-I kicked out a "draft" new first switchback because the one that is there is too tight when you are coming downhill. It's just turning into a mess, instead of a line. The draft line is a bit further out and has a larger radius to try to cut down on the braking required. I didn't pin flag it because I want to know if people like it the way it is now, or would prefer the line that I kicked out. Let me know what you think.

-We'll be benchcutting in sections up to the picnic table. Not a full bench like from the lodge to the third bridge, because the soil holds together really well, but the turns that have their outside on the downhill side will get a bit of a bench so the trail doesn't keep sliding down the hill. The turns with their outside on the upside of the hill will get less of a bench or no bench at all so they will have a bit of a natural berm. The goal is to work the trail such that you can really fly when going downhill.

-I pinned a new line below the utility pole instead of under the guy wire. If someone unfamiliar with the trail caught themselves on the guy wire, we could end up with all kinds of conflicts with the util company. The reroute should give you a nice fast dip before the last downhill section when heading towards Olympia.

-I pinned a slightly different line after the natural lip that is after the first bridge. As you are coming from Olympia, you cross the first bridge, go slightly uphill, then there is a small lip between two trees, followed by a slight right, then a left turn. The left turn will have a larger radius and be benched so that you can keep up your speed through that section.

-The run-in to the third bridge will get a near full bench. We'll try to keep the turns that are into the hill less bench cut to maintain a natural berm.

[Gregg3333]

I have a suggestion. As you go from Olympia and first enter into the woods, that first switchback that heads left will, in the future, be a mess. Maybe take it around a bit more so that is' sustainable?

[rodack]

That's the switchback I was talking about. The line I kicked out has a larger radius and is on a slightly less inclined part of the hill so it should cut down on skidding.