Trail Blazing

In a classic example of getting into something and then regretting it, I promised the town XC ski trails committee that I would help them make trails. They do it every year and enlist the help of volunteers.

For the record, the two people who do the trails, A&G, do an amazingly fantastic job. The trails in town are incredible, and though many people are involved, it is really the work of those two that get it done. As a resident of this town, we owe it to them to help out.

I don't even XC ski that much, but R enjoys it, and the kids do it now and then. Either way, every year I tell them I want to help, and every year I flake. This year I vowed it would be different, but sure enough I'd forgotten about it until JH reminded me because he helps out.

I told him I'd be there, but things are so busy around here that once the day arrived, I had a million things to do. I couldn't flake again, however, so I put everything aside and went and helped.

I will say this, those guys do some serious clearing. They cut trees down like they were shrubs, and use a tractor to clear whatever is in their path. I also got to drive a tractor for the first time. The guy who owned it told me I could borrow it, and when I told him I'd never driven one before, he made me drive it up the hill and over to the work site. I didn't want to (I was scared), but he wouldn't take no for an answer, so I climbed in and hit the road.

I even cleared out a tree. How's that for real-man points?

It took a few hours, and at some point I told them I had to go. I'm glad I helped, and hope to help more. They do great work and so much of it, emblematic of this community.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Uros Kotnik for the pic.