Round 2 Week 7 P90X Plus
Wednesday: P90X+ Total Body & ATT Ride
Hit the hay a little early last night so I could hit Total Body HARD early this morning. And sure enough, combine better sleep (a full 8 hours) with some recovery drink and a handful of trail mix a few minutes before getting underway and I was able to max the reps. Sweated buckets and am seeing some crazy stuff in the mirror. Tony Horton, I thank you.
Got an excellent comment on yesterday's posting from Bill Bussey with the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. He's one of the dedicated volunteers who take care of the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail I've been riding most weekdays. My hat is off to him and everyone who works to keep these trails in great shape week after week.
There's lots to glean from his response, so I'm reposting it here to be sure everyone gets the benefit of his insights and tips:
Hi Tim,
Glad that you are enjoying the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail.
Our organization, the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy manages and maintains this 4.6 mile section (actually you rode on about 1 3/4 miles of it) on a completely volunteer basis.
We've done all the ditch digging and cleaning, as well as clearing of downed trees and limbs - usually on our regularly scheduled workdays from 9 to noon on most Saturday mornings, but other times too - on this section. This has made the trail ridable by most folks, though there are some areas which still get muddy, particularly after heavy rains.
Its always a good idea NOT to go riding on the ATT, or any other unhardened surface (no asphalt or cement) immediately after a heavy rain.
As you may have noticed, the section of the trail that you rode had not been mowed in awhile. The reason for this was my trailer that I haul our organization mower (Thanks Carolina Tarwheels!) had lost its tag and had a flat tire among other things. I got those fixed and the mower ready to go by this past Monday.
However, after mowing the first quarter mile or so, the mower slipped its secondary drive belt. A inspection showed the belt ragged and torn. I thought I could fix it, but I found a pulley bent, and another off its guide, so it was done for the day.
I did use my trusty string trimmer and cut the long overgrown grass north to within a quarter mile of New Hope Church Road. However, I was very sore that night!
This kind of thing is par for the course in this kind of work. It is amazingly difficult to keep equipment operating on the difficult conditions of the a several mile long rural trail.
One bit of news. This section of the ATT should be under construction by the end of this year. The advertisements for bids should have been in the May 21 edition of the Cary News Legals. However, for the life of me, I can't find it in the electronic listings at their site.
[Tim: This is great news. My biggest dream is to hop on the trail at Olive Chapel Road and ride all the way to Durham without having to stop!]
And while I have you all here. Please let me emphasize that all trail users, especially those on bicycles should slow down, and be prepared to stop if necessary, and catch the eye of those working on the trail. The volunteers will happily stop and let you pass.
The presence of trail workers are a construction zone! Those working on the trail may not see trail users.
For a cyclist to come up unexpectedly, and to especially not even slow down, is a major safety concern for especially the cyclist.
We've had cyclists come barrelling through a work area when we've had volunteers with chain saws actively cutting trees! Its freaking amazing how some cyclists can be so brazen and inconsiderate! It won't hurt them, or slow them down much to slow down to pass maintenance and construction volunteers.
Keep in mind that volunteers mowing, string trimming or chain sawing are wearing ear and eye protection so they can't hear or see trail users.
That is why you often see so many transportation workers apparently not doing anything at work sites on the highway. They are the lookouts.
Please, Please, Please, SLOW DOWN when passing volunteers, or in Wake or Durham, staff, working on the trail.
Please catch the eye, attention or call out to the worker closest to you. They will stop what they are doing - usually cutting off motorized equipment - and motion you to pass.
And while I'm here, always call out "On your left" or similar, when passing slower trail users. We don't do this enough around here.
Shared use trails are comparatively new to the Triangle and users don't follow proper etiquette.
We all need to work to educate trail users on proper etiquette particularly as trails and greenways, like the ATT become more and more popular.
Thanks for letting me pontificate a bit! Thanks also for using the ATT!
Happy Trails,
Bill Bussey
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
http://www.triangletrails.org/
5/28/2008 8:06 AM
Wednesday: P90X+ Total Body & ATT Ride
Hit the hay a little early last night so I could hit Total Body HARD early this morning. And sure enough, combine better sleep (a full 8 hours) with some recovery drink and a handful of trail mix a few minutes before getting underway and I was able to max the reps. Sweated buckets and am seeing some crazy stuff in the mirror. Tony Horton, I thank you.
Got an excellent comment on yesterday's posting from Bill Bussey with the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. He's one of the dedicated volunteers who take care of the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail I've been riding most weekdays. My hat is off to him and everyone who works to keep these trails in great shape week after week.
There's lots to glean from his response, so I'm reposting it here to be sure everyone gets the benefit of his insights and tips:
Hi Tim,
Glad that you are enjoying the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail.
Our organization, the Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy manages and maintains this 4.6 mile section (actually you rode on about 1 3/4 miles of it) on a completely volunteer basis.
We've done all the ditch digging and cleaning, as well as clearing of downed trees and limbs - usually on our regularly scheduled workdays from 9 to noon on most Saturday mornings, but other times too - on this section. This has made the trail ridable by most folks, though there are some areas which still get muddy, particularly after heavy rains.
Its always a good idea NOT to go riding on the ATT, or any other unhardened surface (no asphalt or cement) immediately after a heavy rain.
As you may have noticed, the section of the trail that you rode had not been mowed in awhile. The reason for this was my trailer that I haul our organization mower (Thanks Carolina Tarwheels!) had lost its tag and had a flat tire among other things. I got those fixed and the mower ready to go by this past Monday.
However, after mowing the first quarter mile or so, the mower slipped its secondary drive belt. A inspection showed the belt ragged and torn. I thought I could fix it, but I found a pulley bent, and another off its guide, so it was done for the day.
I did use my trusty string trimmer and cut the long overgrown grass north to within a quarter mile of New Hope Church Road. However, I was very sore that night!
This kind of thing is par for the course in this kind of work. It is amazingly difficult to keep equipment operating on the difficult conditions of the a several mile long rural trail.
One bit of news. This section of the ATT should be under construction by the end of this year. The advertisements for bids should have been in the May 21 edition of the Cary News Legals. However, for the life of me, I can't find it in the electronic listings at their site.
[Tim: This is great news. My biggest dream is to hop on the trail at Olive Chapel Road and ride all the way to Durham without having to stop!]
And while I have you all here. Please let me emphasize that all trail users, especially those on bicycles should slow down, and be prepared to stop if necessary, and catch the eye of those working on the trail. The volunteers will happily stop and let you pass.
The presence of trail workers are a construction zone! Those working on the trail may not see trail users.
For a cyclist to come up unexpectedly, and to especially not even slow down, is a major safety concern for especially the cyclist.
We've had cyclists come barrelling through a work area when we've had volunteers with chain saws actively cutting trees! Its freaking amazing how some cyclists can be so brazen and inconsiderate! It won't hurt them, or slow them down much to slow down to pass maintenance and construction volunteers.
Keep in mind that volunteers mowing, string trimming or chain sawing are wearing ear and eye protection so they can't hear or see trail users.
That is why you often see so many transportation workers apparently not doing anything at work sites on the highway. They are the lookouts.
Please, Please, Please, SLOW DOWN when passing volunteers, or in Wake or Durham, staff, working on the trail.
Please catch the eye, attention or call out to the worker closest to you. They will stop what they are doing - usually cutting off motorized equipment - and motion you to pass.
And while I'm here, always call out "On your left" or similar, when passing slower trail users. We don't do this enough around here.
Shared use trails are comparatively new to the Triangle and users don't follow proper etiquette.
We all need to work to educate trail users on proper etiquette particularly as trails and greenways, like the ATT become more and more popular.
Thanks for letting me pontificate a bit! Thanks also for using the ATT!
Happy Trails,
Bill Bussey
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
http://www.triangletrails.org/
5/28/2008 8:06 AM
2 comments:
Hi Tim,
Wow! That was quick! I just wrote and posted that this morning!
Come on out and join us for a workday sometime.
Thanks for your kind comments and for using the ATT.
Happy Trails,
Bill Bussey
My pleasure Bill -- had an awesome ride today in the light rain, from the Olive Chapel start all the way to the Chatham County line, then all the way back and home over in Kelly West in Apex. Only met a single other runner -- was that you? ;)
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