Update: At 1:00, it still isn’t raining, and light rain is still an hour away.  Come join us for a hike in the rain on the Wheaton Hill trails.  Put your tools in the car and wear water proof boots (almost an inch of rain yesterday is sure to be visible today) and a rain jacket.  We will clip and hike the trails and look at some waterfalls.  Linda and Melissa are bringing tacos and desert.

This Sunday, following the splendid job you did on the east portion of the trail at Sugarbush Hollow, earlier this month, we will go to the central portion of our trail on both sides of Wheaton Hill Rd.  Please come and take a hike around the four Wheaton Hill loops and help make the trails sparkle for visitors to Springwater.

 Following our hard work, stay for a picnic social at the trail head. The social is hosted by Springwater Trails, Inc.  We will provide hot dogs and burgers grilled on a charcoal grill and salads. You may want to bring something to drink.

There is probably a need to mow the trails.  Last time we were here, Rick brought a tractor mower and cleaned up the parking area and the Spruce Loop trail on the north east side of Wheaton Hill Rd. as well as the Redbud Trail (south west of the road).  The Pine Trail on the north west side is not passable for the tractor.  If anyone has a smaller mower with a high blade able to avoid small rocks on the trail, please contact Rick as soon as possible. The mower needs to be able to mow grass and small roses and other prickers.  And you need to be able to get it across a small gully across the trail (walls about 2 feet high).  Or, if you can, bring a string weedwacker to help mow. (If you plan to mow or weedwack, long pants and other protection from poison ivy is highly recommended).

There may be logs across the trails. A small bow saw might be helpful.  Clippers for the roses will be useful on all of the trails.  Although we did a great job on cutting them back last year, these invasive rascals keep growing back, requiring constant pruning to keep them from closing the trails.  Clip as close to the ground as you can.  You may find some that need trimming before the trail entrance. Clippers and gloves are very important for this work.  If you always keep the bush away from your arms and legs, you can avoid scratches, and more important, poison ivy which seems to like the roses.  Plan to wash your gloves and any other clothes that may have touched the poison ivy.  Full length pants offer more protection from poison ivy and ticks, than shorts, and it’s easier to spot dark ticks on light colored pants.

There are a few raspberry bushes by the Spruce Trail entrance and some of them may be ripe.  You’ll notice lots of blackberry bushes on this trail, which you can come back in a month and pick.  Regretfully, I won’t be able to join you on this venture.  We’ll be in Maine, checking on the lobsters.

Directions: Wheaton Hill is the first right turn north of the intersection of Rt 15 and Rt 15A in Springwater (0.9 mile north of the intersection).  The trail head is 0.5 miles up Wheaton Hill just before the road turns straight east and heads up the main hill.  More details are on the directions page.

What to bring:

• If you have a trail mower, contact our Trail Master before Sunday.
• Gloves and clippers – hand clippers or long handled loppers if you want to attack a large rose bush.
• Small bow saw.
• Plastic grocery bag in case you find any litter.
• Water to keep hydrated.