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Necessary Tool

PapaSkisNTrikesPapaSkisNTrikes
in General Discussions
My wife and I have two Terra Trike seat bags, each, that we use for the variety of needs one encounters when riding. In my one seat bag that I mount under the front of my seat I carry all of the different tools that I thought I should, to be prepared for whatever emergency may befall. Today I realized the need for a tool that hadn't crossed my mind previously. We were traveling south from Indian River, Michigan on the North Central State Trail when, 5 1/2 miles south of town, we happened on two trees that had toppled totally across the trail, one on top of the other, completely blocking any passage. The bottom tree trunk was about eight inches in diameter with the second tree trunk at about six inches. I thought it strange that two trees had fallen at the same time in the same spot. The trees were fully leafed and very healthy in appearance. My second thought was that I could grab on and drag them one at a time in an arch until they were sufficiently moved to gain passage on the opposite side of the trail. My efforts to budge either tree were totally futile, not because of their size, but because, as I quickly realized, they both had fallen between two trees that were about ten feet off the trail and about two feet apart and were preventing any lateral movement of both trees. I then walked toward the two trees between which these two trees had fallen and realized the the base of the two fallen trees were not close to each but had been standing about ten feet apart. Now, I'm really amazed at the odds of such an occurrence. Then upon closer examination I discover that these two trees had been felled by Beavers. What are those odds? Then, I remembered that back in my truck at the trailhead is a folding limb saw that with better foresight I could have packed on my seat bag with the other tools and with which I could have cut through the two trunks to creat a passage space. I believe we have found another "necessary tool" for the future possibility of a fallen tree. Yep, a folding limb saw. :-)

Comments

  • CaptainbobCaptainbob
    You need a chain saw........ :D
  • FINN58FINN58
    There are at least three good size trees leaning heavily toward the path north of Muskegon. Big diameter. Wouldn't want
    to try to lift Trike over one of those. Good storm might fell them.
  • Florida_boundFlorida_bound
    Beavers were trying to dam up the trail. How dare them!

    Be very careful of leaning trees. While I was living in DC, a driver was heading home when a tree in wooded area fell on his car and killed him. On a trike, you'll probably hear it coming down but you never know. If this is a park, call them to have the tree removed. They don't want a lawsuit from someone injured from a falling tree.
  • FINN58FINN58
    Rails to Trails in Michigan. State land
    I believe. Forgot to mention it to a lbs
    owner who is on a board. These live trees are over while a few dead ones are straight.
  • TCEdTCEd
    Most trails in N. Michigan are maintained by volunteers from a nonprofit.
  • FINN58FINN58
    So Papa, you just peddled back to Indian River?
  • PapaSkisNTrikesPapaSkisNTrikes
    edited September 2017
    Yep. Between the two fallen trees, their branches, thick brush and trees paralleling the trail, there really was no way past. Plus, even if we could have forged past, we would have had to deal with it again on the return, so we returned to Indian River. :-(
  • Elrique64Elrique64
    Even cutting and removing the trees themselves would have had issues, with all the litter left behind. You need another tool for that. A broom, to sweep it all of the trail... :)
  • TCEdTCEd
    Elrique64 wrote: »
    Even cutting and removing the trees themselves would have had issues, with all the litter left behind. You need another tool for that. A broom, to sweep it all of the trail... :)

    Backpack Husquvarna leaf blower and chainsaw in a trailer.
  • IdahoTrailLizardIdahoTrailLizard
    edited September 2017
    Pulaski, solves everything. Some things take more effort. Sure miss my ol' buddy from those FF days.
  • mjrodneymjrodney
    There has to be a solution in here somewhere.

    jr18cuu26bnm.png
  • JamesRJamesR
    could end up with irate beavers tidying up the neighborhood.
  • PapaSkisNTrikesPapaSkisNTrikes
    As to sweeping of the trail, could use one of the smaller branches that would have been cut. :-)

    All at the same time keep a watchful eye over ones shoulder for those irate Beavers. Have you ever seen those teeth up close?
  • TrikeBirderTrikeBirder
    @PapaSkisNTrikes LOL, I want an 8-hour video of you cutting through an 8" and a 6" diameter fresh tree over a trail with an 8" folding saw and then moving them out of the way... I need a few good laughs. I don't imagine there would be much, if any, energy left in your tank at the end of such an ordeal to pedal home. But it is an honorable and kind thought.
  • ejb190ejb190
    TrikeBirder wrote: »
    @PapaSkisNTrikes LOL, I want an 8-hour video of you cutting through an 8" and a 6" diameter fresh tree over a trail with an 8" folding saw and then moving them out of the way... I need a few good laughs. I don't imagine there would be much, if any, energy left in your tank at the end of such an ordeal to pedal home. But it is an honorable and kind thought.

    Give me my hatchet and folding saw and I could clear that in about an hour. Folding saw is not ideal, but it would work - I know because I've done it.

    As an Indiana DNR employee let me give you some advice - DO NOT aggravate a beaver...
  • Florida_boundFlorida_bound
    I might have to buy a folding saw. I have a tree outside my back fence in a vacant lot that is dead. I want to take it down before it takes down the fence. A small saw like that would work.
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