Trails in the Time of COVID
It has been a delight to see so many out on the trails since the COVID lockdown began. Walking, running, biking, birding, catching frogs, and posting messages in the tunnel, Crozetians are doing it all whether alone or with family, friends, or a treasured pet. Our community is a special place. It feels even more so as we safely enjoy the outdoors and time together, even if it is 6’ apart!
As the saying goes when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! The Trails Crew agreed it was prudent to cancel the annual 5K race. But that doesn’t mean we cannot stay connected. So we decided to create a storyboard to capture Crozetians’ experiences on the trails and parks to memorialize this unique time in our lives. We are asking you to share photos (selfies, families, pets, nature) taken on the Crozet trails and parks and to briefly answer the question “How have the trails eased your COVID experience?”
The plan is to post the storyboard and comments on the Crozet Trails Crew website and to share it with local publications. If we receive a solid response, the Crozet Library has agreed to display the story board. We do need permission to print your pictures and comments. Please join in creating a Crozet trails storyboard.
When you’re ready to share your story, click here to send it to us.
And look at some of the ways your neighbors are loving our trails.
Saturday Work Day: Build a New Trail Behind Sparrow Hill
On Saturday, November 7 at 9:00 a.m. we will work on the second step of building a trail out toward Chesterfield Landing. In October we cleared a section from the existing trail to Lickinghole Creek. Saturday we’ll walk to the county property below Sparrow Hill and work on extending it on the other side of the creek. We’ll be doing pruning, string trimming, and some leveling and building up the trail with shovels and rakes. In other words, whether you’re up for heavy work or more comfortable with a lopper, we can use the help! As always, we ask you to bring your own water; hat, bug spray, long pants, and sturdy shoes are always wise.
Please be sure to sign up here — if we have to cancel because of weather or if anything changes I’ll be able to reach you.
Please remember to bring a mask for our initial gathering to discuss the job, then keep appropriate social distancing while working. I recommend work gloves, plus we will have hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes available.
Meeting Location;
We will meet at Chesterfield Landing then walk to the work site. Please note that parking is limited. DO NOT BLOCK THE MAILBOXES OR DRIVEWAYS!
Directions: From Downtown Crozet, take Crozet Avenue south (toward Rt 250) to Chesterfield Landing on the left. Turn left into the first street in the development, Watervale Drive. At the end turn left onto Oxbow Drive. The trail entrance is at the far end of the cul de sac.
September with the Trails Crew
| Mid-Week Work day: Connector Trail Spruce Up from the Park Abundant rain in August has encouraged weeds, grass, and brambles on areas we thought we had handled already! On Wednesday, September 9, 9:00 a.m. we will mow, trim, and prune the Connector Trail from Crozet Park to Eastern Avenue. We’ll need people to handle mowers and string trimmers, as well as pruning and lopping. Meet at the bottom of the dog park, where the trail crosses the bridge. Bring water, bug spray, hat, and gloves. Use your own tools or ours. Click here to sign up. |
| Saturday Work Day: Trimming Around Lickinghole Basin Did you read the great article about Lickinghole Basin in this month’s Crozet Gazette, and haven’t had a chance to visit yet? Here you go! We will be doing a final end-of-summer trimming from Western Ridge out the the end of the trail at the Basin. Meet on Saturday, September 12, at 9:00 a.m. at the trail entrance on Lake Tree Lane in Western Ridge (directions below) with water, bug spray, gloves, and hat. Sturdy shoes and long pants recommended. Click here to sign up. Directions: From Park Ridge Dr., which is accessible either from Three Notch’d Road at Sentara Crozet Family Medicine, or from Eastern Avenue, turn into Western Ridge on Lake Tree Ln. Trail entrance is on the right, after Vista View Ln. Please consider sharing a ride, or walking/biking to the location, as parking is limited. |
| Saturday Work Day: End of Summer Clean Up for Creekside Trail On Saturday, September 26 at 9:00 a.m. we will be in Old Trail for a good turning-out of the length of the Creekside Trail. This lovely trail follows Lickinghole Creek through the woods, so generally gets by with minimal attention, but at least once a year we like to get out and give it a good going-over. Meet at the large stairway (directions below) to spend a couple hours listening to the creek as you work. As always, we ask you to bring your own water; hat, bug spray, long pants, and sturdy shoes are always wise. Click here to sign up. Directions: Follow Jarmans Gap Rd. past Old Trail Dr., and past Grayrock, then turn left onto Birmingham Dr. Take the first left into Birchwood Hill Rd and park at the trailhead along the street. |
| Other Stuff You Might Want to Know Trail to Chesterfield Landing: We are making big plans for the fall to extend the Crozet Connector Trail out past Sparrow Hill to Chesterfield Landing! We’re going to need lots of help for those work days as we clear new trail and look for the best spots to cross Lickinghole Creek. So keep an eye out for announcements, as we expect to begin work in October as the underbrush dies back. Neighborhood Support: We are hoping to work with neighborhood groups and HOAs to pitch in with more of the work of maintaining local trails. We will work with your group to provide tools and direction as needed. Please contact Terri at terrim@crozettrailscrew.org to get started planning a work day. Chain Saws for Sale: The Trails Crew is selling two of our chain saws, and you get the first chance at them. We are asking $150 each. For more info, email Steve at terik@crozettrailscrew.org. Helping off the Trails: You can help the CTC without touching a weed! We are looking for: – a person familiar with tools to perform regular maintenance on our mowers, string trimmers, and hand tools. The tools are kept in a shed at Crozet Park. – someone who wants to dig into the history of the area our trails cover — can we develop a story of our greenway? – Whiteboard: Do you have a small whiteboard (maybe 1.5′ x 2′ or so) hiding in the basement? We would be able to use it to announce where we are meeting and working. |
| Monthly Meeting Thursday, September 24 We will hold our monthly meeting on Thursday, September 24, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Everyone is welcome to be part of it! If you want to attend, drop me an email by clicking on this link. I will email the meeting link and the agenda before the meeting.. |
| Guidelines for Safe Work Days During the Pandemic 1. Work groups will be limited in size All groups will be limited to 10 people or fewer, depending on the space we will be working in. When we go out to prune and trim a trail, we’re able to spread out, so as many as 10 people may be OK. If we are working in a smaller space, the numbers will be smaller. 2. Everyone must sign up in advance This allows us to control the size of groups, and to follow up with you in case contact tracing is needed. I will link to Sign Up Genius pages for each work day. PLEASE: If you sign up and then have to cancel, remove your Sign Up so we have enough workers for every project! 3. Masks are required; work gloves are encouraged We will need to wear masks when we are close together–I anticipate this will be when we gather to discuss the work to be done. Once we are spread out, and are not within a few feet of each other, masks can be removed. Please be aware of trail users, though, and make sure to step aside to allow space if people pass on the trail. 4. Tools will be cleaned with disinfectant wipes at the beginning and end of work, and when transferred between people. The Trails Crew doesn’t have an unlimited supply, so it would be great if you bring your own. 5. A hand washing station will be available with soap, water, and paper towels. If you can bring your own hand sanitizer, please do! 6. Social Distancing will be required. |
August with the Trails Crew
Mid-Summer Cleanup Work Day:
South Side of Crozet Connector Trail
On Saturday, August 1, we will complete our summer maintenance pass of the Connector Trail along the southern side, from Nicolet Court to Jonna Street. We need to mow, use the string trimmers, and prune and lop that section. Given the heat, we will get an early start, meeting at 8:30 a.m. at the trail entrance on Nicolet Court in Westhall (directions below). Bring water, hat, bug spray, and sturdy shoes. Long pants, socks, and work gloves are recommended.
Please click here to sign up with our form.
Directions: From Crozet Park, follow Park Rd. east into Westhall. After crossing Westhall Dr., turn right into Nicolet Ct. The trail entrance is on the left side of the street.
Rowcross Trail Mowing and Trimming
On Wednesday, August 12, we will meet at 8:30 a.m. in Old Trail for a summer spruce up of the trail that parallels Rowcross St. We need folks who can wrangle mowers and string trimmers, plus the usual work of trimming and pruning. Bring water, hat, bug spray, and sturdy shoes. Long pants, socks, and work gloves are recommended. Click here to sign up.
Directions: from Jarmans Gap Rd, turn south on Old Trail Drive. At the third traffic circle (Golf Drive, ACAC at the corner) use the third exit to head east on Golf Drive (away from the golf course). At the end, find a place to park on Rowcross St., near the bank of mailboxes.
Monthly Meeting Thursday, August 27
We will hold our monthly meeting on Thursday, August 27, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Everyone is welcome to be part of it! If you want to attend, drop me an email by clicking on this link. I will email the meeting link and the agenda before the meeting..
At this meeting we will discuss work to be scheduled and the status of several new trail projects in Crozet.
Mid-Summer Spruce-Up of the Connector Trail
Wednesday, July 1, 9:00 a.m.
Mid-Summer Clean-up, Spruce-up on the Connector Trail
It’s time to catch up on beating back the exuberant summer growth on the Crozet Connector Trail! We will need a good-size group to spread out and cover as much as the trail as possible. We especially need people who are willing to push a lawnmower and people to wield the string trimmers. We also need loppers and pruners for the overhanging branches and brambles.
In order to keep us all safe and healthy, we will be following the guidelines below, starting with the need to sign up in advance. Please click here to sign up with our form.
We will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the trail entrance on Fairwinds Lane in Western Ridge (Directions below) Bring water, hat, bug spray, and sturdy shoes. Long pants, socks, and work gloves are recommended.
If You Have Room to Carry a Lawnmower in Your Car or Truck
and can meet at 8:30 that morning at Crozet Park to help transport equipment, please add a note to your sign up. We’d like to bring all the mowers out if possible.
Directions: From Three Notch’d Road turn on to Park Ridge Drive, take first left on to Lake Tree Lane, then third right on to Fairwinds Lane and drive to the end. From Crozet Park, turn left on Park Rd into Westhall, then left on Westhall Drive then quick left onto Eastern Avenue; at the end turn right onto Park Ridge Drive then right onto Lake Tree Lane just before railroad crossing, then third right is Fairwinds Lane. Drive to the end.
Guidelines for Safe Work Days During the Pandemic
1. Work groups will be limited in sizeAll groups will be limited to 10 people or fewer, depending on the space we will be working in. When we go out to prune and trim a trail, we’re able to spread out, so as many as 10 people may be OK. If we are working in a smaller space, the numbers will be smaller.
2. Everyone must sign up in advance
This allows us to control the size of groups, and to follow up with you in case contact tracing is needed. I will link to Sign Up Genius pages for each work day. PLEASE: If you sign up and then have to cancel, remove your Sign Up so we have enough workers for every project!
3. Masks are required; work gloves are encouraged
We will need to wear masks when we are close together–I anticipate this will be when we gather to discuss the work to be done. Once we are spread out, and are not within a few feet of each other, masks can be removed. Please be aware of trail users, though, and make sure to step aside to allow space if people pass on the trail.
4. Tools will be cleaned with disinfectant wipes at the beginning and end of work, and when transferred between people. The Trails Crew doesn’t have an unlimited supply, so it would be great if you bring your own.
5. A hand washing station will be available with soap, water, and paper towels. If you can bring your own hand sanitizer, please do!
6. Social Distancing will be required.