So I’m racing against the season as the deer ticks and chiggers proliferate. The first section nearest my home has a new trail, and it crosses the first cut and reconnects with what’s left of the old trail.
Today was lots of ax work. There were several trees pushed down by the bulldozer across the old trail. The first one was a monster oak which simply could not be moved. So I had to slice and dice the limbs, until I could expose the heavier trunk limbs and chop at them until the path was clear. The last cut was through a section about ten inches (25cm) in diameter. I had to change positions and angles several times to get through it. Marvelous work out.
The next pile was a bunch of small stuff, but the far end was bigger stuff. It’s at a point where the path suddenly cuts back into the area plowed by the bulldozer, so I’ll have to cut a new path for a bit to reconnect with what’s left farther down the slope. After that, there is as much shovel work as ax work in two spots. Then there is only one tree on the far side of the loop and we’re done.
Should take me another two weeks, provided my insect repellent holds out and it doesn’t get too hot. Above 80°F (27C) the insect repellent is just about useless after a half hour.
