The snow is gone and temperatures aren’t TOO bad, so it’s a great time to take a walk along the Hojack Trail. And when you do, you might just come across a wee bit of holiday cheer.
An ambitious trail elf has once again added some cheerful decorations along the Hojack Trail between Drumm and Vosburg roads. Margaret Supinski was kind enough to snap a few photos and share them. This is at least the second year the decorations have appeared; around this time last year, Margaret sent along photos from the Hojack as well, which I posted in this blog.
Whoever’s responsible, thank you for spreading happiness and brightening our days!
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The builders: Martine Broikou, Leah Hurlbut and Ellie Gramowski
Just in time for warmer weather and the promise of more hikers and bikers hitting the trails, several new Friends of Webster Trails brochure boxes have been installed for nature lovers to utilize.
At the request of the Friends, Webster Girl Scout Troop 60844 built six new boxes to replace some that have been vandalized and add a few in new locations. The girls spent several hours a few weekends ago constructing the boxes, then installed four of them last Saturday morning, with help from Friends Trails Committee Chair Craig Hurlbut and Trail Steward Bud Gearhart.
The new boxes contain Friends of Webster Trails brochures, which include a detailed trail map, plus information about the Friends and how to become a member. They’ve been installed at the Hojack Trail trailhead on Van Alstyne Rd., Gosnell Big Woods Preserve, Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail and on the Chiyoda Trail.
I love the idea of having these brochures so easily available to everyone who frequents our trails. The all-volunteer Friends of Webster Trails does an amazing job developing and maintaining our town’s impressive trail system, which now includes almost 30 distinct trails stretching through more than 20 miles of natural beauty. The new brochure boxes will, hopefully, let more people learn about and appreciate these very hard-working volunteers.
If you come across one of these new boxes in your travels, make sure to grab a brochure, tear off the membership card and send it in to show your thanks and support. It only costs $10/year for one person, and just $15 per family. Or better yet, click here to go to the Friends of Webster Trails website to learn more about them and sign up as a member.
Trail Steward Bud Gearhart and Martine Broikou at Gosnell Big Woods
Leah Hurlbut does some drilling with help from Trails Committee Chair Craig Hurlbut
Ellie Gramowski helps Hurlbut and Gearhart install the brochure box at Gosnell Big Woods
Leah Hurlbut, Martine Broikou and Ellie Gramowski pose with the first box they installed, on Van Alsytyne Rd. at the Hojack Trail
In honor of Earth Day, I decided to bring several Wegmans bags with me today on my regular Barry’s Runner’sSaturday fun run/walk, and pick up trash as I ran.
I don’t run the bike path much anymore since I’m afraid of turning an ankle, but I do enjoy running along the Hojack Trail and through North Ponds Park. I’m sorry to say I was able to fill five bags with trash along that almost 3-mile route. (And I had run out of bags before I made it back to North Ave. in the village, or I could have filled three more.)
Here are a few thoughts from my trashy run:
There was less trash along the Hojack than I expected, which either means 1) someone had already been by there and picked up a lot or 2) people who hike the Hojack are generally nature lovers who choose not to trash it. (I hope it is the latter.)
I didn’t find any cigarette butts, which was a real surprise. Usually when I do these trash collections, I find them all over the place.
I did, however, find enough returnables to buy a six pack of my own.
Thank you to the three dog owners who were kind enough to clean up after your dogs. Maybe next time DON’T throw the bag into the woods.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
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