February 19th, 2008

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January 29th, 2008

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL ???

Recent correspondence with the District Ranger for the Desoto District of the Desoto National Forest (talk about imagination & creativity in naming the District...) related to the chances of having a '2008 Bear Whiz Enduro' at Rattlesnake Bay brought up the following preliminary proposal: Combine the 'Grand Re-Opening' of the Rattlesnake Bay OHV Trail with the enduro (scheduled for September 14). 

Contracted Rehab & Hurricane Katrina Damaged-Timber Removal has been completed, except for one Wet-Land Crossing which was inadvertently left out of the Bid Specifications (this sort of thing happens occasionally with big Construction Contracts...) & a Creek-Crossing that we have been discussing in the hope of coming up with an acceptable Crossing Design which does not involve a typical 'bridge' structure (which would require a considerable amount of additional 'Bureaucratic Red Tape' before proceeding with construction).

Anyone who recalls the general condition of the Rattlesnake Bay Trail over the last few years prior to the Closure in 2003 will likely be inclined to agree that steps need to be taken to assure (as much as possible) that the Trail does not get into the same deteriorated condition again. What most people are not aware of is that the Trail was originally 'cleared' by use of a bulldozer. An apparent miscommunication with the crew doing the original clearing led to the ground along the Trail (nearly 100% of it) being almost totally stripped of all grass, top-soil & root-systems (down to bare clay) prior to opening the Trail.  This gave us a situation where there was basically nothing left to resist the typical forces of erosion after the Trail began being heavily used. The good news is that the latest bulldozer operation did not have the same negative effect on the Trail & grass should be able to sprout this spring & help to resist erosion along the Trail after it is reopened. Time is required for Mother Nature to get the soil settled along the Trail & get the grass growing again to help the Trail sustain itself.

While September seems like a long time to have to wait to get to ride at Rattlesnake Bay, the improvements to the Trail should prove to make the wait worthwhile.