Trail Maintenance

For a good part of this year I’ve been giving back by helping the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Association maintain the trails in Castle Rock State Park. Every third Saturday. From 9 am to 3 pm.

 Pickaxe & McLeod

For the first number of months, I spent the three weeks leading up to the work day dreading it. Gradually, that lessened to just one week leading up.

Also, for the first number of outings, my weekend was wrecked, I was so worn out and sore. Things have gotten better in that area. I was even able to muster enough energy to cook dinner Sunday night.

What have I learned from my experience so far? Well, you really need a mosquito net in August and September. I’ve learned how to properly wield a pickaxe. How to leverage large stones out of the earth. To think carefully about where a tree trunk is going to roll once it’s cut. Most importantly, I’ve learned that I really enjoy learning, even when it comes to such predominantly physical tasks as wielding a McLeod.