Second Day

Today was my second day up on the mountain. Like yesterday I brought my dog with me. This is great for him as he gets lots of exercise and is free to run while I work. It is sort of nice to have him up there as there is no one to talk to. The quiet gives me time to think about Proctor and my upcoming gap year. The last few terms I have just constantly been going and have not had really any time to think. It is nice to be able to reflect.

I did not just think today but I also got quite a lot of work done. I set off going over what I had built yesterday. The trail seemed to need additional pruning and cutting so I polished up the section I had been working on yesterday. Coming to the end of the previous day’s work, I followed the old trail markings and made some adjustments to the direction of the trail that helped blend it into the contour of the land. I went up ahead and took some visual sightings to optimize the use of the natural topography and set my goals for the day. Then it was back to work with the machete, loppers and rakes; gradually working my way down the ravine to the small stream. I cleared, backtracked and cleared some more; keeping the concepts of environmentally correct trail design and construction in my thinking. I made good progress over the next several hours and located a good area for a stream crossing.

On the opposite side of the ravine the old trail markings headed uphill into an area that was filled with wind fall; some pretty heavy timber that could not be handled with the tools I had. I decided to bring a hand saw tomorrow to get through some of the fallen trees. Gradually I worked my way to the top of the ridgeline. I headed back to the bulkhead for a quick lunch and a chance to admire the view again. A few black flies had begun to appear but the cool temperatures and slight breeze were keeping them at bay. Fifteen minutes later I was again scouting out the direction of the trail and located a new section that would eliminate some of the severe trail pitch and reduce the impact to the area. The work, the focus and the opportunity to reflect on my life at Proctor all felt good. Five hours later I began to pack up and headed back to campus feeling as though I had accomplished quite a bit. It was a good day in the forest.