5/26/22 Lick Creek Status Update

5/26/22 Critical Status Update from Forester John Byrd re Lick Creek Unit Trails: “The weather has not cooperated in SE Iowa this week at Shimek Forest. Areas have received up to 2.5" of rain and the landscape is very wet. The dirt trails will remain CLOSED through the holiday weekend, but the Wet Weather Trails will be OPEN. There are a lot of horse tracks filled with water on the dirt trails where people have ridden despite the trails being closed. This is creating problems because water can not drain out of them. Continued riding on dirt trails while they are closed will result in longer drying times and more maintenance to fix them. Thank you for your support and have a great weekend!” Addendum from FOS: It's soggy there!! STAY OFF THOSE DIRT TRAILS. Don't ruin our dirt trails because you are selfish and want to ride anyway! When those deep tracks finally dry out, they are hard and dangerous for our horses when we ride through there. The horse that pulls a tendon could be yours!

Successful workday on 5-19-22

 A successful workday was completed on May 19, 2022

New stalls are under construction in the Lick Creek Unit. 

New stalls are under construction in the Lick Creek Unit. As weather permitted during the first two weeks of May, the Shimek DNR Crew has been adding stalls to two of the existing horse stall buildings. They have added two sets of two stalls to the first shelter in the Lower Campground and one set of two stall to the shelter in the Upper Campground. The funds have been provided by a grant from the Lee County Charitable Fund (1/3 of cost of materials ) and you, our Friends of Shimek, (two-thirds of the material costs). The many hours of labor and the equipment to put up the frame and roof on these has been provided by our very skilled DNR Shimek Crew led by Forester John Byrd. Installation of stall boards was done by DNR staff and FOS volunteers on the 5/19/22 Work Day. The ones at the Upper campground are completed and the ones in the Lower await gates.

On May 19, FOS held a Volunteer Work Day. Volunteers Bob Achenbach and Becky Hassman and the DNR Crew members Ben Hassman, Eric Martin, Heath Fraise and Patrick Thomas worked together to construct stall walls for the three new sets of stalls that have been added to the existing stall buildings. Volunteer Marsha Achenbach cleaned firepits, Forester John Byrd and FOS President Ringo Covert cleared some recently fallen trees off the trails.

                     

 New hitching rails were also installed in the upper campground.

DNR Summer Staff Bill Mathias and Dave Forsythe replaced two hitching rails in the upper campground that day also.

It was a very productive day. A lot of work was accomplished on this beautiful day.

After a morning out on the trails clearing trees that were down, Forester John Byrd and FOS President Ringo Covert discuss the day. Both wish to thank the DNR Crew and the FOS Volunteers for their hard work .

Thank you to the many hands that helped plan, purchase materials, organize the project, and assist with the construction of the new stalls and hitching rails.  It takes group effort to accomplish these tasks to make Lick Creek Unit a better place to ride and shelter your animal.

We strive to keep the forest free of trash and litter.  Please if you pack it in, pack it out.

May you enjoy the trails you ride.  May your heart be warmed by friendly conversation, campfires, and joyful memories.

Photos courtesy of Patrick Thomas

Editor

Kathy

Work Day has been scheduled for May 19, 2022

 Do you have any spare time to help out? 

FOS WORK DAY Thursday May 19th at 9:00 AM.

Meet at the Lick Creek Lower Campground for a morning of volunteering. Work needed includes clean-up the campgrounds, remove any downed trees on the trails, pickup litter from the trails.

DRUM Roll here...install the walls for the stalls of the newly expanded horse shelters! The Lee County Charitable Fund and FOS funded the materials to construct three additional stalls. The DNR crew has provided all the labor to construct the building additions. However, now we need Volunteers that can swing a hammer, operate a saw or drill, hold or carry boards, to help construct the stall walls as shown in the photo here. (Bring tools you can use for this.)

To reduce the likelihood of COVID spread, this will be a "Bring your own lunch" work morning. Drinking water will be provided. In case of weather cancellation, that will be posted here and on the FOS Blog.

There is a lot to be done---hope you can come help us make the Lick Creek equestrian resources better or enjoy a morning observing the many wildflowers now in full bloom while you pick up trash or remove downed trees.

Any amount of time that you can spare will be greatly appreciated. If this day does not work for you, please contact Forest Headquarters at 319-878-3811 or DNR Technician Patrick Thomas on his cell phone (319-931-7805) to schedule some time to help out on a different day.

As always:

May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door. (BG)

Editor

Kathy

photo courtesy of Lora Conrad.