Soggy August 20th!

Ten stalwart volunteers met at 8:00 AM on August 20th despite the unexpected light but continuing rain.  The rain meant no painting, no 4-wheelers, and too wet to work in many areas as there was no way to get the walk behind mowers to the trails.  But there were trail entrances needing cleared and mowing to do on the trails leading out of the campgrounds and an urgent need for clearing of the entrances on the Croton side of the trails.  So off we went to work on those items for the morning.  By 11 am, the lightening had gotten bad enough to drive most of us back to camp and the last three returned from Croton by 11:30.  Much of the multi-flora has escaped until another day due to the weather.  We'd like to have a special mowing date, but between the extra high heat and more rain anticipated, that's not been scheduled.

 Next scheduled group work day is September 20th---see the Activities page for full details.   

Taking refuge from the rain in Marsha's trailer--yep-- that was the only roof in the upper campground.  Pictured (L-R): Marsha, Craig, Carolyn, Linda, Sherri, Bill, Ann, Bob A. and Bob B.
 Photo by Lora
 

 

Craig and Bob loading up tools to head over to the Croton     

           entrance area for some serious weed/rose whacking. 

Carolyn and her Mom Sherri rented a Billy Goat
 walk behind mower for the day,

FOS Update Aug. 8, 2014 Grant from LCCF for Horse Shelter #3

 
Along the Trails.....

If you've been riding during the few dry days at Shimek, you may have noticed all the work that Shimek Forster John Byrd has done. He has added many additional water diversions along the WWT—which we are trying to be sure stays a Wet Weather Trail and does not become a ditch. In addition he has rerouted one short trail section between 12 and “Potter's Rest” and has added water diversions and done some mowing along several less traveled trails. We appreciate his work on behalf of trail riders in trying to reduce the number of boggy spots along the trails and help keep ditches from forming.

Thanks to Bonnie and Doug Moothart who painted “Please Clean Your Stall” on the back board of each stall in the two new shelters. Now all---PLEASE Clean your stalls!  Promptly cleaned stalls are quite a help with biosecurity, often giving the sun and air a chance to dry out and destroy organisms and helping reduce breeding of insects.

 

 

Grant from LCCF for Horse Shelter #3!!!

Many thanks to the Lee County Charitable Fund—they have awarded Friends of Shimek a grant for $4,200 and FOS has pledged $2000 toward the cost of constructing a replacement horse shelter for the old run down stalls in the upper campground. Forster John Byrd has committed DNR Campground resources to help expand that planned shelter to a ten stall shelter and to have the DNR crew to take down the old shelter. The construction bids must be taken but the anticipated timeline is to have the third and final shelter replaced by the end of October. FOS accepts donations from riders and users of the stalls to help build the structure—those donations are how FOS will meet it match requirement for the grant as FOS has no membership fees. Donations can be sent to Lee County Bank, c/o Debbie Miller, FOS Treasurer, 2501 Ave. L, Ft. Madison, IA 52627.

 
   

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