VCTCNsltrSpring 2010 - Virginia Creeper Trail Club

Virginia Creeper Trail Club
Newsletter
Spring 2010
www.vacreepertrail.org
Vol. 13, No. 1
The Virginia Creeper Trail Club is a private, nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to maintain, promote and preserve the Virginia
Creeper Trail corridor and to help develop and conduct public education programs regarding the scenic and natural qualities of the
Virginia Creeper Trail.
In this issue:
President‟s Message
Arthur Ostdiek Memorial Bench Installation
Winterfest on the Virginia Creeper Trail
Annual Virginia Creeper Trail Cleanup
Bench Dedicated to Bob and Joan Horsch
“Hit the Trail for Hunger” Fundraiser
Virginia Creeper Trail Club Represented
The “Legend” Completes 150,000 Miles
2010 Calendar of Events
Trail Report – Resurfacing and Bluebird Boxes
Trail News – New Depot Planned for Alvarado
LA for Alvarado
The Naturalist Corner
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I encourage the users of the Virginia Creeper Trail to
slow down and appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna
that is unmatched anywhere in the world. So grab a field
guide and a checklist and enjoy nature's bounty!
Wayne Miller, President
(note: Wayne’s checklist for Mammals on the Virginia
Creeper Trail can be found in ‘The Naturalist Corner’, p.7)
Bench Installed
in Memory of
Arthur Ostdiek
On April 26, 2010, a
memorial bench for Arthur
Ostdiek was installed on
the Virginia Creeper Trail.
The team of Bob Horsch,
Roger Reynolds, Charlie
Dolpp, John Mears and
Wayne Miller built and
installed the bench near
milepost 12. The bench is
located in a scenic spot
along the river, which will
provide trail users a
peaceful place to rest with
beautiful views and plenty
of shade.
CURRENT VCTC OFFICERS, BOARD MEMBERS and COMMITTEES
President: Wayne Miller (2011), Vice President: Chris Sullivan (2011), Secretary: Kathi Boatright (2011)
Treasurer: Greg Meade (2011), Past President: Link Elmore.
Board: Chris Lindeman (2010), Garrett Jackson (2010), Lawrence Dye (2011), Tom Boyle (2011), Joe Lane (2011),
Tonya Triplett (2011).
Committees, Chairs: Maintenance: Bob Horsch, Newsletter: Debbie Stern, Archivist: Jane Caldwell, Webmaster:
Richard Smith, Events: Chris Lindeman, Publicity: Greg Meade, Nominations: Greg Meade, Merchandise: Chris
Sullivan, Membership: Amy Sullivan
NEWS AND EVENTS
Winterfest on the Virginia Creeper Trail (January 16 & 17, 2010)
Mushers and dogsled teams came from Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina to participate in the 4th
annual Winterfest on the Virginia Creeper Trail. The first event was held on Saturday with a re-enactment of
the historic 1925 Alaska Serum Run. The festivities began with Abingdon Mayor Ed Morgan handing off
the box of “serum” to one of the mushers in a ceremony at the Abingdon trailhead Locomotive (photo below
left). Dogsled teams then transported the “serum” on the trail relay-style (photo below center). On Sunday,
dogsled teams raced for prizes on the trail in the Blue Ridge Dryland Challenge. Five races were held over
distances up to 4.8 miles. This event was hosted as a fundraiser by and for the Siberian Husky Assist Rescue.
Annual Virginia Creeper Trail Cleanup (April 10, 2010)
The annual spring cleanup project on the Virginia Creeper Trail was a success, with a good turnout of
Creeper Keepers in attendance. Volunteers met at the Creeper Cottages in Damascus at 9AM to snack on
coffee and doughnuts before proceeding to their cleanup sections. Roger Reynolds went above and beyond
the call of duty (pictured above right) when Roger, his wife Ellen and their grandson found a large piece of
metal in a tree 15 feet off the ground near milepost 12. They borrowed a ladder and bow saw from Tom
Horsch and removed the debris. Thanks to the Creeper Keepers for their hard work keeping the trail litter
free!
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Bench Dedicated to Bob and Joan Horsch (April 10, 2010)
A ceremony was held to dedicate a bench “In honor of Bob and Joan Horsch, devoted Creeper Keepers”.
The bench is located near milepost 16 on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Bob and Joan have been longstanding
members of the Club, with Bob serving as Chairman of the Maintenance Committee. Club President Wayne
Miller presided over the unveiling with Bob Horsch and his two daughters Mary Beth and Amy in attendance
(photo below, left). Bob sits on the bench with a picture of himself and his wife Joan beside him (photo
below, right). Joan Horsch, affectionately known as the “Cookie Lady”, was killed in a tragic traffic
accident shortly before the dedication took place.
“Hit the Trail for Hunger” Fundraiser (April 17, 2010)
The Abingdon United Methodist Church for Ecumenical Faith in Action sponsored a ride on the Virginia
Creeper Trail to raise funds to fight hunger. The ride was very successful and raised more than $7,000.
Virginia Creeper Trail Club Represented at Local Events
Volunteers staffed the Club booth at three events, including Earth Day at the Fields-Penn House (April 24,
2010), Trail Days in Damascus (May 15, 2010), and Plumb Alley Day in Abingdon (May 22, 2010). In
addition to registering many new members and selling Club merchandise, the volunteers had the opportunity
to talk to people who wanted more information about enjoying the trail and volunteer opportunities.
Upcoming Event – The Legend Completes 150,000 Miles on the Virginia Creeper Trail
Come „Ride with the Legend‟ to celebrate Lawrence Dye‟s completion of 150,000 miles by bicycle on the
Virginia Creeper Trail! The ride will start at 9AM on June 5, 2010 at the Abingdon trail head. You can also
join the group at 11AM in Damascus or 1PM at Whitetop Station. If you can‟t make the ride, come out and
show your support for Lawrence, the official “Trail Ambassador‟. Lawrence began riding the trail in 1990
at the age of 58 and has ridden over 10,000 miles per year nine times.
150,000
Lawrence Dye, "The Legend" - Total Mileage on the Creeper Trail
100,000
50,000
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
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2010 Calendar of Events
June 5
National Trail Days “Take a Hike with the Mt Rogers Club” or
Ride with the Legend: Lawrence Dye completes 150,000 miles (9AM at Abingdon trail head)
June 30
Membership meeting
July 24
Highlands Festival Event: “Ride with the Legend”
July 28
NO MEETING
July 31
“Creeper Trail Ride for a Cure “ (more info at www.creepertrailrideforacure.com)
August 7
Highlands Fest Event Campout on the Virginia Creeper Trail
August 25
Membership meeting
September 26 Club picnic potluck for all members Wye Park, Abingdon, VA
October 27
Membership meeting (if desired)
Please check the Virginia Creeper Trail website for more information on events.
All meetings are on the last Wednesday of the month at 7PM at the Washington County Public Library in
Abingdon, VA. Bring a new member to the meeting!!!
TRAIL REPORT
Virginia Creeper Trail Resurfacing Project
Volunteers continue to make significant progress on the trail resurfacing project between Drowning Ford and
Damascus. The section between the Iron Horse Campground and Food City is complete; efforts this year
will focus on the section between the Iron Horse and the sewage treatment plant at Drowning Ford.
Volunteers have generously donated their time and the use of their equipment, which is maximizing the grant
money obtained for this purpose. Thanks for your hard work and dedication, Creeper Keepers!
Trail Improvement Project – Bluebird Nest Boxes
Club President Wayne Miller reports that he rehabilitated nest boxes installed years ago by the Master
Gardeners and added several more that he built. Wayne is now monitoring 30 nest boxes between Abingdon
and milepost 12. He reports that last year, we had almost 50% success rate with bluebirds nesting in these
boxes. Most of the other boxes were occupied by wrens, swallows, and chickadees. Wayne also worked
with a Cub Scout Troop to build 30 bluebird nesting boxes for installation at the Abingdon Senior Center.
Left:
Jim Parks
installs a predator
guard on a nest box.
Right: A curious
young
swallow
peeks out at the
bovine world.
Photos by W. Miller
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Winter Takes a Toll on the Virginia Creeper Trail
What a long, cold winter it was!
Volunteers, along with staff from the
United States Forest Service and Towns
of Abingdon and Damascus were busy
cleaning up numerous blowdowns and
rock slides this past winter. The rock
slide pictured right occurred near Trestle
2. Much of the trail was impassible at
times with snow and ice from the
frequent winter storms, but that is a
distant memory now, with the arrival of
Spring.
TRAIL NEWS
New Depot Planned for Alvarado
Plans are underway by the Town of Abingdon to construct a new train depot adjacent to the Virginia Creeper
Trail in Alvarado. The project, which is still in the planning phase, includes a main building designed to
resemble the original depot and a separate bathroom facility. The Town expects to break ground soon, with
completion of the project this fall. The following elevation drawings show the depot exterior design.
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LA for Alvarado –
Trading smog, cement and horrific traffic for lush green pastures… bike trails and nature at its best….
Spring is such a magical time of the year for us and always floods us with memories.
Moving from Los Angeles in the spring of 2002 to the beautiful Village of Alvarado on the Holston River with the
Virginia Creeper Trail running alongside it was, and still is a most incredible blessing for both Tim and I.
In owning the Alvarado Station store, which sits on the trail between Abingdon and Damascus, we have had the great
pleasure of getting to know many of our neighbors and also meet many visitors who ride the trail from destinations
from all over the world. It is such a joy to watch the many visitors as well as locals enjoy themselves and to know that
many of them have come to appreciate this very special place we so fortunately get to call home.
After restoring the big white farm house (the old Duff house) on the corner of Alvarado and Denton Valley Road we
sold it and moved across the street to a cabin we remodeled on the river. WOW, it is truly amazing, with fly fishing
on the Holston River on one side and riding our bikes on the creeper trail on the other---well we must be in Heaven.
We wake to the blue heron fishing with their latest hatched, which tend to be clumsy and fall off the rocks into the
river when first learning how to fish, which has made us laugh out loud on more than one occasion. We are privy to the
baby foxes scampering up the hill with their mother calling while the largest black bear I have ever seen----crosses the
river in front of our cabin and saunter up the driveway, pausing only once to glance at us, then crossing the street,
heading up the hill to see if our apple tree is bearing some fruit for him. This trail is nature at its finest.
It is truly a blessing to live in such a beautiful place and to feel God’s presence in all this beauty as I walk down the
trail of the early morning and say my thanks and prepare for the day. We both travel a great deal for work, but are
always happy and most grateful to come home.
If it does get any better than this… well…. we don’t want to know about it.
NEWS FLASH: We have a lovely young couple Mark Wilkerson and Dorata his wife who have now leased the
Alvarado Station store and are committed to staying for years and making it a MUST stop on the trail. They not only
offer great hospitality but homemade crafts, local art and really delicious food.
Belle and Tim Risch in Alvarado
Old Alvarado Station Store before and after renovation by Belle and Tim Risch (photos courtesy of Belle Risch).
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The Naturalist Corner
Mammals on the Virginia Creeper Trail
Mammal
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Club President Wayne Miller encourages us to take some
time on the Virginia Creeper Trail to appreciate the trail‟s
biodiversity. This ecosystem is unique due to the
elevation changes and includes rivers, mountain slopes,
forests, open meadows, and everything in between.
Here‟s a list of mammals that live by the Virginia
Creeper Trail. How many of these special creatures have
you seen while enjoying the trail?
The beavers have been busy along the Virginia Creeper Trail
past Whitetop Station near the VA/NC State Line and at
Trestle 43. (Photo taken by Wayne Miller)
Habitat
Star-nosed Mole
Woodland Vole
Pygmy Shrew
Brown Bat
Field Mouse
White-footed Mouse
Eastern Chipmunk
Flying Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Weasel
Gray Squirrel
Fox Squirrel
Cottontail Rabbit
Mink
Muskrat
Striped Skunk
Opossum
Groundhog
Raccoon
Gray Fox
Red Fox
Bobcat
Coyote
Beaver
White-tail Deer
Black Bear
Woods and fields
Deciduous forests
Forest floor
Evening skies
Fields
Woods and fields
Forests and edges
Deciduous forests
Forests
Varied
Forests
Forests
Fields and edges
Varied aquatic
Varied aquatic
Forests and fields
Forests and farmlands
Fields and woodlands
Forests and fields
Forests and fields
Forests and fields
Forests and farmlands
Brushy areas
Streams and marshes
Forests and edges
Forests
Word Find –Mammals on the Virginia Creeper Trail (from the list above):
W K L H
H N E E
I U R N
T M R H
E P I C
T I U W
A H Q G
I C S S
L N X E
D R O P
E E F E
E T I B
R S T R
S A R B
L E R R
S T A R
E
D
S
C
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P
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G R A
E R A
E E L
E W O
D N U
N N U
L E T
H A R
U O M
R L I
E D S
L E R
Q S G
S E D
D
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C R E
O X E
O O N
O W O
O O K
G B M
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N K I
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VCTC Members, please note: You can pay your annual dues online (Visit Club website:
vacreepertrail.org/join.html or creeperkeeper.com) or mail in with the form below.
VCTC MEMBERSHIP FORM
Mail Membership forms to:
The Virginia Creeper Trail Club
P.O. Box 2382
Abingdon, VA 24212
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip (5 + 4 digits) __________________________________________________________
Phone # __________________________________
Today‟s Date __________________________
Email address _____________________________________________________________________
Committee interests: ____ Membership
____ Publicity
Individual $10 _____
Family (household) $25 _____
Lifetime membership $100 ______
The Virginia Creeper Trail Club
P.O. Box 2382
Abingdon, VA 24212-2382
To:
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____ Merchandise
____ Events
____ Trail Maintenance
____ Other ___________________________________
Business $100 _____
Donation $_________
(any amount is appreciated)