Laverack walking trail at MVSB - snow removal
 

Here's hoping all the snow gets removed from the new Laverack walking trail, something like 3/4-mile each way that goes from the MVSB-atm across the swamp, and through the woods, to the town tennis courts.

Meredith has the most effective sidewalk snowblower I've ever seen. It is basically a very strong, front-end loader that is less than 48" wide, or something, with a hugely powerful snowblower. Probably, it weighs way too much to go across the walking path, elevated walkway as it winds through the swamp.

One determined person with a good quality snowblower, like an Ariens, Honda, or Husqvarna could do that flat, level 3/4-mile path with maybe two or four passes, back and forth, over the trail, there, and blow the snow out onto the swamp and woods.

Is there a VOLUNTEER out here, someone to clear the snow off this new Laverack Trail at Hawkins Brook, as it is officially titled. I call it the atm trail because it starts out back behind that atm.

Laverack Trail at Hawkins Brook ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2EqbiTpUXE ..... Nov 9, 2020 .... 2:47

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Why don't YOU do it?

Leave it?
 

Sounds like a great place to snowshoe or practice mushing, x-country skiing, etc for somebody who isn't ready for multi-mile treks.

..... a 42" snow roller pulled by a donkey!
 

You know, I was just think'n that maybe the reason why the snow does not get removed from this ATM-Trail, there, as it winds through that Meredith swamp land, has something to do with the conservation commission not wanting to upset the swamp's balance of nature by blowing it with the fresh new snow from the elevated walk way, or something?

If a nice, powerful, bright orange 30", $1500-Ariens is not happening then maybe the snow there could get rolled and compacted down by a heavy 42"-wide snow roller that's pulled along, over the snow by a strong, sturdy, small donkey, named Blackie the donkey. Even a small donkey is a very strong draft animal that could pull a snow roller along, down that trail, there!

As everyone knows, it is just so much easier to walk on compacted, flattened snow than on fresh, soft snow. Once it gets flattened out, it's basically almost like a walk through the park, or something.

Just looky there, there goes Blackie the donkey, roll'n that Meredith snow, all down that ATM-Trail out behind the MVSB! (happy donkey emoticon here!)

An opportunity would be created...
 

Once the water freezes, for someone to go out on the ice and retrieve that shopping cart sticking out of the water in the center of the stream and return it to Hannaford's? Maybe get a reward?

Sounds like the perfect place for a cross country ski.

Good idea, but how do you get the cart loose from the ice? If you break the ice, won't you fall in? Is it shallow? Maybe waders?

Perhaps...
 

A committee could be set up to study and analyze the situation. Perhaps look into the half-life of a shopping cart in that environment. Bring class trips from Inter-Lakes High School.

The danger equation needs to be established between an ice-in approach and perhaps an open water kayak approach. I fear a kayaker tipping over while trying to drag that cart to shore. And what if they are not wearing a preserver? Minors should be prohibited from participation, or perhaps put in charge?...Not sure...Open to debate.

Although, we could put it on the Meredith Art Walk. Erect a plaque signed by all committee members?

The big rain fall that fell on Thursday and Friday, Christmas day, raised the water level in Hawkins Brook enough so just one small corner of the submerged shopping cart is now visible. Other nearby debris items include a large black tire and three or four wooden pallets which are no longer visible and are now under the water and ice.

It seems like a small jon boat with oars and a two person team is a good vessel for removing all this junk once the ice all melts away. That shopping cart must be half buried down deep into the mud.

You know .... the warm temps and big rain that fell on Christmas day did a way better job than any snowblower ever could for removing all the snow from the elevated walkway that's built with very durable www.blacklocustlumber.com which grows in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Just look at the photo titled Wingfield Pines to see a similar looking walkway.

A jon boat is a great idea. Could a couple of people just launch one there and do it? Or is there a town beauracratic process that would need an adhering to? Like, would they require you to have a degree in waste management? Insurance? Wave liability? EPA study(ies)? Special boat launch permit? Maybe you gotta get a badge?

Maybe bringing kids from Inter-Lakes HS to view the exhibit on environmental contamination could be the best investment.

I'll be back in the spring...Anyone got a jon boat? I don't need no stinkin' badges!

OK Gary
 

OK Gary. I got it. You're at Buena Vista on your #th Irish Coffee. Would love to join you, but I don't fly right now. PM contact info and I may be able to send a surrogate. Alternatively, we could share some fine Scotch in NH.
s/Denny Crane

Got Junk?
 

I understand all they have to do is point! :laugh:

A Modest Proposal...
 

I've got a 300', 3/4" rope, and a carabiner at one end...

I'll buy the scotch...

We'll take someone's jon boat and attach the rope to the gar-bahj. Two participants on shore can haul the junk in to shore...

Ok...Now we have a bunch of stuff on shore...What do we do with it?

I think it's now the town's problem? Or, we have someone, sober, to haul the stuff to the Meredith Transfer Station...Do they charge for tires? Shopping cart? Maybe we have to submit a request to the Town Bureaucracy for an exemption given the civic activity of the volunteers.

Have a shot on me! Job well done!

Denny Crane
 

Love it...Denny Crane! In the middle of watching all 5 seasons of Boston Legal on DVD. Classic.

Per their facebook page the trail is closed for the winter.

..... closed-open-closed-open-closed-open-people are walking!
 

Probably, a better question than is it closed, would be to ask: Is it being used by people walking along the trail, there, who park out back of the Meredith Village Saving Bank and go walk the 3/4-mile trail, or 1.5-miles, out and back, there, for a great place to take a stroll with nature, all around.

http://www.trailfinder.info/trails/t...-hawkins-brook ... (Got a good Laverack Trail photo? ... add your photo to Trail Finder.)

Walking the trail it's usual to see people with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, young children with parents, older folks, all types of people who are simply out for a walk.

Back in May, the trail was seriously closed with a large sheet of plywood blocking the entrance, and orange warning signs. That was when it was still under construction by www.timberandstonellc.com from Vermont.

Now, it's closed with a sign strung across the entry that is easily crawled or duck-walked under ..... so, it's no big deal ...... quack-quack-quack ..... and, yeah ..... closed or not closed ..... it's getting used by people out for a walk .... especially since the big Christmas day rain washed all the snow away.

.... not to scratch the black locust boardwalk!
 

Say-hey ..... here's a friendly suggestion shout-out to everyone using that beautiful Laverack Nature Trail that winds along its' boardwalk elevated walkway above the swamp land out back behind the Meredith Hannaford.

If some of the people using this walking trail bring along a soft snow shovel, no metal edged shovels please, and shovels some small area of the boardwalk, it can get snow-removed without scratching the black locust lumber of which it is built.

Now, how is that for a friendly suggestion ...... take a soft shovel along for your walk on that Laverack Trail ..... and go shovel some snow .... now, you-all get it done!

....... December 24, 2020

Hey, so just yesterday May 13 2022, noticed this shopping cart is still there deep into that Laverack Trail-Hawkins Brook muck with just two caster legs sticking barely up above the high flowing water.

Helloooooo to nearby Hannafords-Meredith ...... go get your shopping cart out of the brook, there! ..... :D