Chippewa Moraine Chapter IAPTF

Trail Improvement Day, Saturday, Oct. 13

This Saturday is our last trail improvement day for this year. We’ll meet at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center at 9 AM and correct some drainage issues, and do some general brush and branch removal. Our exact plans are dependent on you. Can you join the fun? If so, please reply to this message.

If you plan to stay into the afternoon, bring a lunch. Either way, bring water, gloves, and your good spirits.

Remember, please RSVP to chapter@iatchippewa.org . Thanks!

In spring and fall we journey to Minneapolis to evangelize the Ice Age Trail to silent sports fans in the Twin Cities area, make new friends, and have a great time (we also get a chance to buy stuff). The dates for the fall expo are a little different than usual: November 16-18. (Our postcard calendar, back in January, had a different date, so be sure and change the date if you put in on your calendar!)

Our chapter traditionally is responsible for Sunday, which means arriving shortly before 11 AM, staffing the booth until closing at 5 PM, taking down the exhibit, and enjoying dinner together on the way home. It’s a long day, but both rewarding and enjoyable.

Everyone gets ample opportunity to browse the other displays and the great sale items available in the store. The fall show has lots of information on adventure travel and lots of cold-weather recreation gear and clothing on sale. Volunteers rarely come home empty-handed.

Most fun of all is telling folks about our trail. It’s amazing how many of them don’t know it exists until you tell them!

If you’d like to join us this year, please plan to do so and sign up by emailing chapter@iatchippewa.org. We still have spaces for volunteers, so sign up soon! If you’d like to work on a different day, your wishes can probably be honored as well.

It’s the opening weekend of deer season, so what else have you got to do?

About 90 hikers braved morning rain and sultry temperatures to experience the trail in this beautiful season. The turnout was extraordinary, given the early morning rain.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who helped put on the event, both on hike day and behind the scenes. At the risk of missing someone, our thanks and a tip of the hiking cap to: Rick Magyar (general hikemaster), Elmer Sharp, Cal Kraemer, Donna Pachaud, Carol Johnson, Chris Magyar, David Nashold, Christine Schaaf, Pat Andress, Pat McKearn, Rod Gont, and Richard Smith.

Thanks also to all who came to enjoy the hike, and to the many who kindly dropped a contribution in the boot or bought a T-shirt or cap. Contributions help us build, maintain, and protect our thousand-mile hiking trail. We couldn’t do it without the generous contributions we receive at this event each year!

We look forward to seeing everyone again next year on Saturday, October 4, 2008.

Every year the Chippewa Valley Sierra Club organizes a hike on the Ice Age Trail on the first Saturday in November (Nov. 3). Despite what you might think, the weather is almost always quite nice—just perfect for a day hiking through the newly disrobed woods. For details on this hike, call Steve White, 720-8890, or send a message to whitemartin@discover-net.net .