Extensive trail work

Hardwood Hermitage has echoed with the sounds of Stihl power tools for more than 4 years.  A big period of work has occurred with trail maintenance started on Monday.  Several areas with existing trail, like the loop mentioned previously, have been widened with the trimmer (again, the brush cutter with spool and line, not the saw blade).  Some older trails received special attention for the first time in a while.  Here are some pics taken today of the work, which will continue tomorrow.  That should be the last day of trail work for a while!  Ten tanks of gas (nearly two gallons) burned in five days!

This is a pic of the trail just west of the house, heading toward the start of the loop.  Down you go on the north slope!

The loop begins here, a bit north of the first pic.

Baby birches, everywhere as our fans know, mark the trail in many places.  But to call the grove on the right babies may be an insult.  Growing so fast, several of the trees are 30 feet tall, adding about 4 feet a year!  And today's sun had to help!

After a big dip to the north, the east side of the loop turns mainly west.  This is a primary way to get to blackberry bushes and some lovely parts of the property.

This connector trail is near the house.  It's a way to get from the loop to the main eastern trail that also goes primarily north.

The eastern trail isn't quite as pristine as the loop.  There are more old stumps and rocks.