This edition of Trail Tracks is devoted to the National Trails Day (NTD) Celebration in the Richwood Area. There is a lot to celebrate, too!! The entire community is involved. Possibly two new rail-trails will be dedicated, a depot purchased, a trestle decking scheduled and possibly, just possibly Sarah will appear at her tunnel...it will be a near full moon that weekend, ya know...she always liked the Camp Splinter council fire too...it’s perfect....
The 14.5 mile CRANBERRY/TRI-RIVERS TRAIL features a depot, trestle and tunnel (haunted). Starting in Richwood, the trail goes down the Cherry, turns up the Gauley and crosses the Cranberry to end just beyond Sarah’s Tunnel. The proposed 6 mile Camp Splinter Trail runs alongside the undeveloped Cranberry River to Camp Splinter and ends at Woodbine Recreation Area.
Georgia Pacific provided the 20% match toward the 80/20 ISTEA funding to make this Tri-Rivers rail-trail a reality. WE THANK YOU GP!! They have also contributed culverts for trail development, plus, many of the prizes at the festivities. Folks, this is a perfect example of responsible corporate commitment toward trail acquisition and construction. Georgia-Pacific.
It takes a long time to build a rail-trail. This is a perfect time to see how it’s done. There will be equipment, piles of ballast and some bumpy riding. But NTD is not just about finished trails ...trails should always be improving.
As they have done for five years now, the American Hiking Society (AHS) sponsors NTD as a day to celebrate and draw public attention to trail progress through community involvement.
Richwood is a perfect example of a true grassroots movement that stood up and said, "WE WANT OUR RAIL-TRAILS!!" ...and that’s that. They fought hard and worked their fannies off to show WV and the nation what can happen on NTD-1997!! We’re gonna show the nation how to partner with government, corporate, community, trail clubs, scouts, and our natural rivers and trail enthusiasts to build an Adventure Trail System West Virginia Style!! ...it’s still a bit bumpy, but ‘perfect’ is beheld within the Visionary Eye to the Purpose and Resolve of the People...a perfect Trail for Tomorrow.
The proposed 6 mile CAMP SPLINTER TRAIL lies totally within the Monongahela National Forest’s Gauley Ranger District. We are hoping that District Ranger, Don Kinnerson will say, "Yes" and allow us to list this trail into the Richwood Trail System.
Overgrowth has allowed this trail to meander, becoming dangerous and erosive. The scouts say that proper cleaning, clipping and ditching will make this an attractive hiking trail. The area trail system has changed with the Tri-Rivers Trail. The Camp Splinter Trail is perfect to include in the Monongahela Forest Trails Master Plan as a connecting trail between two systems. "WE WANT THIS TRAIL!!"
There will be games for the children, refreshments, mule rides (mules are fun!!), souvenir shirts and hats available, C.P. Huntington from History Alive, loads of FUN!!, door prizes, information, hiking & biking the trail, and my favorite, a cookie walk sponsored by GSA Troop 2257.
Hey, no trip to Richwood would be complete without going to the ‘Ramp Feed’, as we called it as boys. Feast to a Ramp Dinner with all the trimmings. Sponsored by the Richwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the dinner is held at the Richwood High School Cafeteria. - $8.00 Adults, $4.00 Children. "Ramps are the perfect spring tonic," as my grandmother used to say.
James Casto will appear as Collis P. Huntington, Railroad Mogul of the 19th Century who helped bring the C&O Railroad to West Virginia. Casto’s appearance is sponsored by the West Virginia Humanities "History Alive" Program at the depot.
Saturday Night - Scout Camping along the Camp Splinter Trail. Camp Splinter was built in 1941 by the Cherry River Boom and Lumber Company as a scout camp. The girl and boy scouts are camping along the proposed trail to convince the Gauley District Ranger to open this narrow gauge rail grade as a hiking trail. The scouts of BSA Troop 108 & 109 have joined with WVRTC to pledge maintenance of this pristine trail parallel to the Cranberry River.
Scouts have a way of attracting ghosts. Why should this outing be any different?? Sarah, ghost of the tunnel, went to girl scout camp at Camp Splinter. Now if the clouds and the moon are just right, Sarah has been known to return to her childhood scout camp. (The Smith’s are holding their family reunion at the Camp that weekend. I think if they are asked properly, they will let us use the campfire circle. Sarah always loved to sing around that roaring campfire.) Saturday night, campfire, Camp Splinter, tell your friends...sshhh, it’s a perfect time to see a ghost...they say to see Sarah is to love her....
Mount up riders...Bruce and John have assured me this trail would be ready for a six mile bike ride from Holcomb Bridge to the trestle at Woodbine Station. Hear local history buff Allen Barker tell of the towns that once existed along this trail and of the legends of that bygone era. Lunch will be provided at the trestle free of charge. Mountain bikes are a must for this ride. Only fat tire bikes can tolerate this terrain. Building a trail during the middle of winter in the mountains of WV is tricky at best. It’ll be the perfect chance to see if the construction boys are ready.
You should be able to peddle back from the trestle in time to hear the original "Junk Food Junkie" who has earned fame throughout the nation as the host of "MountainStage." Larry might sing the "Ramp Song" if encouraged!!! (you know he will) Admission: $3.00 Adults, $1.00 Children. All proceeds will go to the Cranberry Tri-Rivers Trail!!! Listen, I’ve heard Larry several times now, he’s a classic. It’ll be the perfect chance to wind down listenin’ to good music...and all for a good cause, too.
NTD Special: For those $25 members who elect to do so, WVRTC will donate $15 toward the 50/50 Recreational Trails Grant. Where else would your $25 return $30 to trails development?? For those of you who would rather receive a personal membership premium, a supply of trail and nature books will be on hand for you to choose from.
A good NTD event shouldn’t last just one or two days. Four of our WV NTD events have turned into Trails for Tomorrow Winners. They keep on improving with time: North Bend has acquired 11 more miles which will become a portion of the American Discovery Trail...Wheeling has now plugged 12 miles of alternate transportation and recreation into downtown...we are still decking trestles in the New River Gorge (only one left) and still connecting the Greenbrier River Trail with the West Fork Trail, that ' s right, all four of these trail systems entered and won the distinguished Trails For Tomorrow Award sponsored by DuPont Cordura, Backpacker Magazine and other fine recreational sponsors.
Each of these winners has shown a long term commitment to trail development as Richwood now has. Therefore, the West Virginia Rails-to-Trails Council proudly sponsors the ongoing development of the Richwood Area Trails and their NTD Event highlighting the Cranberry/Tri-Rivers Trail and the Camp Splinter Trail in the 5th Annual Trails for Tomorrow competition.
Maxx has already declared Richwood West Virginia’s Winner #5 (see issue #6). With your support, Maxx is gonna be right. He told me last week, "Let the trails, the food and the fun speak for themselves and we have 1997 in the bag...." Come on out and support the movement, folks. Support the movement for better trails. It’ll be the perfect chance for you to see Trails for Tomorrow WV Style...enjoy some ramps, too!!
...watch for Sarah walking these trails
...in the pail moon light...
...have some fun...
...it’s perfect!!
