Blue Swope Connection

WORKDAY SAT 9/25

2010-09-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

BLUE SWOPE CONNECTION WORKDAY Saturday 9/25

Zone 5 located just north of Red Bridge on Blue River Rd.

This will be the first big workday of the season for ERTA and a chance to get a lot of folks to contribute to the future of single-track in KC. We will be partnering with KC Wildlands. They are going to kill shrub honeysuckle along the corridor of the trail.

Time: 9am

Parking: There is a gravel parking lot on the west side of the Rd. at Alex George Lake. This will be easy to spot when you drive north from Red Bridge on Blue River Rd. We will be working on the east side of the rd. on the bluffs. (Note-Blue River Rd is closed at Bannister/95^th)

Clothing: long pants and sleeves are best. You will need gloves, safety glasses, bug spray(if desired) and sturdy footwear.

Tools: Pick-axes, McLeod’s, Pulaski’s, leaf rakes, and loppers. We will spend most of the time benching and doing rock work. If you don’t not have a tool, we should have plenty.

Finally: Bring your bike and sample all that BurP has to offer just down the Rd. We might also be able to ride part of zone 5 when we are done.

Please contact me with any questions. philroyshcerer@gmail.com or (913) 526 3019

Workdays change 6/12 Only (6/12 Canceled)

2010-06-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

OK I now have to cancel both workdays. Sorry. Will get a one going soon

I somehow missed the Swope event, so we will be working on the 12th only.

Workdays 6/12

2010-06-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hey All, I finally have a couple Saturday mornings available for workdays. Zone 5 of the Blue Swope connection is close, but needs a a push to get benching and rock work done. My position at work has recently changed leaving me fewer free weekends to get trail work done, so please take advantage of available workdays.

When: Sat June Sat June 12th @ 9AM

What to bring: Water, Eye protection, Pulaski's, Mattocks, rakes, and Pick axe. If you do not have tools I will have plenty.

Where: gravel parking area a little ways to the north of Red Bridge & Blue River Rd. I drive a tan Honda Element.

Please Reply if you think you might come.

Thanx,

Phillip Scherer

BSC Trail Manager

9135263019

philroyscherer@gmail.com

Sun 5/9 Workday

2010-05-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I am going to do a workday this Sunday 5/9 @ 1PM We will be benching and doing rock work. If you have not yet been out, you might be surprised to see how far we have come. The corridor is completely cleared. We will be primarily doing bench and rock work, so bring your pick axe/pulaskies/ mattocks. I really want to get a big push so that we can get this trail open in the near future. If you dont have tools I can bring some. Please respond if you plan to come.

Meet at the Alex George Parking area just north of Red Bridge on Blue River Rd.

Bring Water and long sleeves recommended.

I am in a tan Honda Element.

_Phillip 9135263019 or philroyscherer@gmail.com

Workdays getting exciting!!

2010-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

We have made some real headway with recent workdays! My goal is to complete corridor clearing on Zone 5 in the next 2 weeks. Big thanks to Chad G, Craig P, Ben M, Zach L, and Brad B.

Things are getting more and more exciting the more we clear. We made it well past the old roadbed today, and will hopefully make it to the waterfall the next time around. If you would like to join in the fun, email me at philroyscherer@gmail.com

Upcoming Workdays!!!!!

2010-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

The weather is perfect and the Foliage is just write to be earning some dirt!

It has been a long winter and we only have a small window to catch up. I want to get the corridor for Phase 5 completely cut in. The dirt work can continue after the leaves come.

When: Tuesday March 16th 4pm -? Sunday March 21st 1PM-5PM, Mon March 22nd 4Pm-?, Tue March 23rd 4PM-?, Thur March 25th 4PM-?, Sat March 27th 8AM-12PM

Where: Alex George Parking area just north of Red Bridge on Blue River Rd. We will be working on the East side Bluff.

What to Bring: Water, Eye protection, Gloves, long sleeves, Pulaskies, Pick Axe, Rake, Loppers, tools to de-staub.

Year-End Re-Cap

2009-12-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

Well, It was a great year for single-track in Kansas City and The Blue River Corridor. This year we signed a MOU with Jackson County and got the go-ahead to construct the first working phase (Phase 5) of the Blue-Swope-Connection. We had a great deal of volunteer participation form ERTA, Trail Masons, KC Wildlands and Skills USA. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who helped out this year. Phase 5 is completely flagged in and has been examined by many trail veterans. We completed a very hard fought .5 mile of trail with another 1.5 -2 miles to go. The first .5 mile took a lot of work and I expect the rest of the way to be a little better, but not by much. The terrain is extremely rocky with large side-slopes. We worked 191 man hours in the 4th quarter with a total of 479 man hours on the year which includes Skills USA and KC Wildlands.

THNAKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO EARNED THEIR DIRT!

workday

2009-11-22T10:11:00.001-08:00

Hello, I will be hosting a workday for Phase 5 of the Blue Swope Connection on Saturday Nov 28th @ 9am. This is the perfect way to work off that thanksgiving meal. I would be ecstatic if we could complete the first 1/2 mile and start moving north. What is left to do? We need to hone the flow, and complete some bench work. We will meet at the usual location: Alex George parking lot on Blue River Rd just north of Red Bridge Rd. I highly recommend gloves, eye protection and water. Bring your benching tool of choice or just show up and I will have a tool for you. I will also be making Breakfast Burritos for all who attend. Please let me know if you do not eat meat of animal products. PLEASE REPLY if you think you might come so that I can be properly prepared with tools and food

11/08/09 Update

2009-11-08T11:01:00.001-08:00

We have been hard at work over the last two weekends. We are getting close to completing the lower portion of the trail. A lot of bench and rock work has been completed. Big thanks to Chris Stach, Jason Nulf, Zac Loehr, & Brett Shoffner.

Also, Thank you to Aaron Browning, Todd Posson, Doug Ronk, Scott Capstack and Craig Stoeltzing for recently lending their expertise.

Big Props to KC WILDLANDS and Larry Rizzo for providing 30 volunteers to Destroy Honey Suckle Saturday.

Other News: The paved trail that will connect phase 5 to the Indian Creek trail will be underway this spring.

Announcement: The Blue-Swope Connection will be a hiking and biking only trail

ERTA workdya

2009-10-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL WHO CAME OUT AND WORKED ON THE INAUGURAL ERTA BSC WORKDAY!!!!

Check out the new pics in the slide show. Give yourself a hand. We cleared a lot of corridor, built a crib wall, and did some benching. Thanks to:Cliff Jones,Brad bishop,Micah Luffman,Steve Dowell,Josh Burns,Jason Nulf,James T. Barler,Chris Stach,Frank Ferguson,Brett Shoffner,Elizabeth Cites,Rob Stitt,Rodney Manfredi,Tom McKiniy,Joe Folse, Aaron Browning

veteran help

2009-09-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

I was honored to have a couple of our veteran trail builders down for tour of the flagged corridor and give some valuable advice. One or two pairs of eyes is never enough. Thanks to Aaron Browning and Neale Shour.

thanks again

2009-09-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ben and Chris for their help lopping the corridor!

Route Flagged

2009-09-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

GREAT NEWS. The route for Phase 5 is fully flagged in and ready for the upcomming workday. I am guessing that we will have about 2.5 - 3 miles of trail when done with room to expand later.

First ERTA Workday

2009-09-09T09:30:00.001-07:00

Hey ALL, the first major workday of the year will be at the first working phase for the BSC on Saturday October 3rd @ 8am. We will meet at the Alex George Lake Parking lot just north of Red Bridge on Blue River Rd. I am so excited that this day has finally come. We are now on the way to connecting the Blue River Parkway Trails to the Swope Trails via the bluffs on the east side of Blue River Rd. Luckily, a lot of work has already been done via the Skills USA & ERTA Volunteers back in June. I recently discovered that much of that work is in great condition and has not grown back in with vegetation. I will have more details to follow. I hope to spark some excitement and get a strong core of volunteers to execute this project