Central clean up project for March

[FlatlinesUp]

Folks lets get the ball rolling on our trail clean up project for the river bike trail by the big dam bridge

what weekend would be best for most folks?

I'm tied up the first two Saturdays (6, 13) but can schedule for the next ones (20, 27) for preference.
I'd rather do it in the morning around 9am or so and thru 11-noonish for pickup, and we can eat there after at one of the pavillions, or go out for pizza or something if the rest are up for it.


The above are just suggestions to get the ball rolling. If it ends up on a day I can't be there, that's cool to as they'll be other times/places etc.

Please speak up and reference a date and time that you'd like to attend the cleanup.

[velojym]

I think any of those would work for me. There's a Pizza Cafe on the city-side of the south river trail, if we're working that side. Depending on time and date, I'd probably bring my family as well.
On both sides, there are picnic tables, and I know there are some pavilions on the south side, in case we may want to bring food and have an outdoors meal. I guess we'd need to keep an eye on the weather to see how that would work.

[REB 27]

I'm good for either of the last two Saturdays of the month. The 27th, though, might be better. It'll give us more time to work on getting folks there. Probably be a bit warmer, too. And a cookout with hotdogs or burgers sounds pretty good.

[Squidi]

I"m all tied up on the 20th. So I vote for later in the month.

[FlatlinesUp]

Ok, it's been up long enough for folks to voice opinions, lets call it:

Saturday, March 27th, 2010 : 9:00 am ~ 11:00ish, Cooks Landing by Murray Lock and Dam (North side of river) at the top parking lot on the right side as soon as you pull thru the gate.
Lunch: grilling out (I will bring a grill), bring your dogs/burgers, paper plates etc (Insert comments if you'd rather eat out someplace, or someone want to step up and head the food end of it?)

Bring:
A happy working attitude
Appropriate clothing for the weather to include gloves, water proof boots etc
any trash picking equip you may want to use (sticks, grabbers etc)
(someone want to be the photog?)

I just got off the phone w/parks and recreation and we are approved and ok'd for this time/date/event. They will meet with us and provide bags.
We can even leave the bags on the side of the paved trail and they will pick them up for us.

Sounds like it will be a win/win for everyone involved and it'll be a good chance to give back to our community and let them know we appreciate what parks and recreation are doing for us here in central AR.

please feel free to post any comments, suggestions etc

[REB 27]

The 27th sounds good. I'll see what I can do about bringing a few grabbers for especially icky trash disposal.

Looking forward to seeing everybody there.

REB

[eatatjoz]

I'll bring a camera, but no one would ever consider me a photographer.

[velojym]

I have a nice Canon DSLR and a decent video camera, so if nobody else is gonna jump on it with both feet, I'll take pitchers.

[eatatjoz]

I'll volunteer to take all the pitchers!
If you want to take pictures with that Cannon, I'll step aside for that.

(I prefer Dos Equis in that pitcher btw)

[REB 27]

I'll go to Wal Martsss the 26th and get us the hot dogs, buns, etc...Oscar Mayer ok with everybody? Flatlines told me he'll bring the grill.

[velojym]

All right. We had a decent turnout, and I got a few pics.
Two toddlers made it, and really enjoyed helping out. Good job, Zoe and Alex.

We ran into a high density of garbage at the trailhead, and could have spent the
entire day cleaning up that area alone.




One of us made a friend


Then, it was off to the picnic area for boneless zombie-fingers on a bun.




I brought my Montague, and it came out for a test ride.



The wind really started picking up while we got lunch ready, and we had to eat with one hand
while using the other to hold items on the table. Still, we had a pretty good time, and Zoe
wants to do it again sometime. We did have some ideas on making the next trip more efficient and easier (including buying myself one of those grabbers... I cain't move like I used to).

[REB 27]

I just wanted to reiterate what velojym said about the River Trail clean up. It was really fun, actually, and flatlinesup did a dang fine job working that grill of his. Think the kids had the best time. Thanks, again, to everybody that was there, and looking forward to another one, maybe a less windy one...

Again, thanks Britt, for the grill, and Jim for his photography. See everybody at the next one.

Eddie

[FlatlinesUp]

gotta go w/whats ^there, I've just about recovered from my aches lol

It was a lot of fun and good hard work and good eats (big thanks to Reb27 (eddie) for buying the grub) the kook-ing was the easy part lol
Wanted to express big gratitude to mrs velojym for letting my rugrat tag along w/her little one. He had a lot of fun and wants to do it some more too.

Thanks again to all that came and helped and I look forward to seeing you all again at the next get together (as well as the ones unable to attend)

[velojym]

I've decided to go ride, finally, again. The last two days I merely did the 5 mile loop including our cleanup area, and the trash piles were still there. I don't know when they plan to pick them up, but hopefully I'll be able to keep up the gumption to ride more (hard to believe I've gotten so FAR outta shape).
Also, I think I'll ride different parts of the trail, until my fitness level gets back up to where I can do the whole thing. If I see an area in desperate need of a cleanup, I'll bring it up for the next project.
Murray Park, on the other side of the river, comes to mind.