Written by Nathan Frechen, Tillamook LST ([email protected])
On Saturday (12/4), 22 brave souls braved the logging roads and impending rain to break ground on the .35 mile Gales Creek re-route in the Tillamook State Forest. The re-route will avoid a 200-yard section of the existing fall line trail that is challenging to ride in both directions due to the grade and slippery conditions when wet. The re-route has been flagged for over a year and was just waiting for the right people to come along and make it happen. In just 4 short hours, over half of the re-route was transformed from a tangle of waist-high old-growth salal into the rideable tread. We even had a couple of four-legged friends on-site to flow-check our work and receive head scritches. It was a full-day success in the Tillamook Forest, involving a pre-work ride and post-work bonfire with drinks and hot food. Huge thanks to our sponsor Hopworks Brewing and a big thank you to Dan Sprouse and the Cyclepath PDX crew for bringing chili, beer, and a super-strong crew of diggers.
There will be more work parties in the TSF in January, February, and March, both for this project and ongoing maintenance (log out, brushing, tread repair). Please contact [email protected] if you’re interested in helping out.
Photos by Nathan Frechen.