Here's the situation:
Four large trees had fallen across the Goodwater Trail at Lake Georgetown just north of Austin about three or four weeks ago, each one blocking the trail. I spent about two to three hours as a volunteer on the tree at the downside leg of the switchback cutting branches off and building a rock ramp (boulder causeway) so it could be traversed until a contractor could come in with a chainsaw to clear it. FYI, the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Georgetown does NOT allow volunteers to use chainsaws on their property. Chuck and I spent an additional four to six volunteer man hours clearing one tree enough to ride over one medium-sized limb and under another of one downed tree and creating re-routes around the remaining two.
Here are the reasons no one should do work of any kind on this trail without being accompanied by an acknowledged trail steward of the Goodwater Trail:
1. Unauthorized work like the trail clearing that happened since Chuck and I worked on the trees is considered destruction of government property, a federal crime, and can be punishable by fine. This also goes for people blocking legitimate side trails with tree limbs and rocks, cutting paths around logs that lay over the trail, and cutting trees from the side of the trail because that person thinks the trail is too narrow there. The trail from Overlook Park to Russell Park was authorized by the ACoE in its entirity; that includes all ledges, creek crossings, and trail widths.
2. The trees that you cut were NOT any more technical than any other section of the trail, so one could reasonably expect to find logs of this height to be on the trail. Furthermore, the downed tress were about 2 miles from Russell Park. This distance placed the trees far enough in for someone riding the trail to already have encoutered a few logs across the trail and to have reasonable expectations that more and larger logs may be ahead.
3. Lastly and most importantly to me, the Army Corps of Engineers hired a contractor to clear the trees off the trail. That contractor was ME. I was to be paid to do this job. I submitted a bid, which included clearing a main line and creating optional, more technical lines on the two trees by the switchback, which even included a ladder bridge or two. Since you felt that the trail needed to be cleared, that no one could reasonably be expected to have to lift his wheel over a log or ride over a boulder causeway to clear the technical trail feature, one of the ladder bridges will not be built. Furthermore, I will not be paid in full because I will not be doing the work. You, in essence, stole my paycheck from me. That money was to be used to help pay rent, pay for my truck (which I use for my job,) to pay my business insurance, and to pay the thousands of dollars left from last year's hospital stay. No, this trail job would not cover ALL the payments I listed, but you get my point.
While you might have thought you were doing the community a favor, contrarily, you were not. If you want easy trail, there are other trails in the Austin area that offer what you may be seeking. By virtue of the terrain, the land manager, and the offical trail stewards, the Goodwater Trail is an intermediate to advanced trail. Please either do not take initiative to work on the trail at your leisure or join an official workday. You can always contact me or Lee Compton if you want to do some trail work on the Goodwater Trail. See the Austin Ridge Riders' web site for contact information.
Dewayne
Four large trees had fallen across the Goodwater Trail at Lake Georgetown just north of Austin about three or four weeks ago, each one blocking the trail. I spent about two to three hours as a volunteer on the tree at the downside leg of the switchback cutting branches off and building a rock ramp (boulder causeway) so it could be traversed until a contractor could come in with a chainsaw to clear it. FYI, the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Georgetown does NOT allow volunteers to use chainsaws on their property. Chuck and I spent an additional four to six volunteer man hours clearing one tree enough to ride over one medium-sized limb and under another of one downed tree and creating re-routes around the remaining two.
Here are the reasons no one should do work of any kind on this trail without being accompanied by an acknowledged trail steward of the Goodwater Trail:
1. Unauthorized work like the trail clearing that happened since Chuck and I worked on the trees is considered destruction of government property, a federal crime, and can be punishable by fine. This also goes for people blocking legitimate side trails with tree limbs and rocks, cutting paths around logs that lay over the trail, and cutting trees from the side of the trail because that person thinks the trail is too narrow there. The trail from Overlook Park to Russell Park was authorized by the ACoE in its entirity; that includes all ledges, creek crossings, and trail widths.
2. The trees that you cut were NOT any more technical than any other section of the trail, so one could reasonably expect to find logs of this height to be on the trail. Furthermore, the downed tress were about 2 miles from Russell Park. This distance placed the trees far enough in for someone riding the trail to already have encoutered a few logs across the trail and to have reasonable expectations that more and larger logs may be ahead.
3. Lastly and most importantly to me, the Army Corps of Engineers hired a contractor to clear the trees off the trail. That contractor was ME. I was to be paid to do this job. I submitted a bid, which included clearing a main line and creating optional, more technical lines on the two trees by the switchback, which even included a ladder bridge or two. Since you felt that the trail needed to be cleared, that no one could reasonably be expected to have to lift his wheel over a log or ride over a boulder causeway to clear the technical trail feature, one of the ladder bridges will not be built. Furthermore, I will not be paid in full because I will not be doing the work. You, in essence, stole my paycheck from me. That money was to be used to help pay rent, pay for my truck (which I use for my job,) to pay my business insurance, and to pay the thousands of dollars left from last year's hospital stay. No, this trail job would not cover ALL the payments I listed, but you get my point.
While you might have thought you were doing the community a favor, contrarily, you were not. If you want easy trail, there are other trails in the Austin area that offer what you may be seeking. By virtue of the terrain, the land manager, and the offical trail stewards, the Goodwater Trail is an intermediate to advanced trail. Please either do not take initiative to work on the trail at your leisure or join an official workday. You can always contact me or Lee Compton if you want to do some trail work on the Goodwater Trail. See the Austin Ridge Riders' web site for contact information.
Dewayne
