BUCKEYE TRAIL ASSOCIATION
A is for ADRIAN VANKO. Adrian is currently serving as Vice-President of the BTA. He's been involved in one way or another since 1986 and he says he's in for the long haul, he wants to do trail work forever. Adrian is a long-time hiker. He says, "At 16 I hiked all over and never gave any thought to what a trail meant or how it got there." But when his friends began to get married and have children he found it difficult to find anyone who had time to go hiking and camping with him. Enter Jim Sprague who began planning Ohio Trail Crew outings at about that time. Adrian learned of this opportunity and thought it sounded like fun. He quickly began to find out how trails are built! But he still considers the work lots of fun. In fact, he used the word "fun" more than any other in describing trail related tasks. Next he was approached by Emily Gregor to serve on the BTA board. So Adrian began learning the rest of the answer as to how trails are created. He began as a Trustee, was next elected Secretary, and is now the V-P. Adrian says that Trail Crew work is fun, it relieves stress and allows him to give something back to others who built trail for him to walk. It involves lots of hours. In fact, Adrian has received an award for 500 hours spent on building trail. That's just for building, not any of those other tasks. And Adrian treasures the memories of all the miles he has helped to build. He has also received the BTA's Star Award for outstanding service. Additionally he has adopted a section of trail to maintain. There are so many reasons to go to the trail, he offered, "You never know what's around the bend. It might be just a squirrel or it might be a mink." He would like to see more of the Buckeye Trail off road. He almost always looks forward to the opportunities to go out with the Trail Crew. Adrian challenges us, "Everybody should get out and do it!"
GRAND TRAVERSE HIKING CLUB
B is for BOB RUDD. Bob describes himself as a "worker bee. I don't like titles," he protested. Nevertheless, he admits to being the chapter's Assistant Trail Coordinator for the past 2 years. Another member captures the feeling of the industrious "bee" that Bob is by listing "many hours of trail scouting, flagging, brushing, bridge building, cutting tread, and bench building." Bob taught Chemistry at Northwestern Michigan College and sort of knew the NCT was nearby but it took retirement and a grandson to get Bob involved. His 10-year-old grandson was interested in hiking so Bob and wife Grace began to make it possible for the youngster to get to meetings and activities. Before long, Arlen Matsen was taking Bob to the trail too, and tapping into his many skills. "He has strong problem solving skills, and a total commitment to trail preservation," declares Arlen. Many of our trail volunteers come from backgrounds which include lots of hiking and camping. Bob does not. He says he only had done moderate amounts of hiking, and trail construction was all new to him. But he agrees with so many of us when he acknowledges, "I see trails a lot differently now since I know how to build them." Bob says he can't think of a better place to work than on a beautiful trail. Many of the chapter's miles are on bluffs above the Manistee River and "B is for Bob" Bob mentioned "B is for" building bridges, benching trail into the slopes, and for building benches as well! "The work is hard, I go home really tired, but that's a good thing," Bob added.
TITTABAWASSEE CHAPTER
C is for CORA KILLINGER. There's just "something inside me," says Cora wistfully. I've always wanted to be in the woods exploring and finding adventures. After her kids were grown she said to her husband, "If I don't go now I'll never be able to." An understanding kind of guy, Vern said, "Go, but take someone with you.!" So Cora, and sister Connie, headed for the trails. On one trek across Michigan in 1993 on the Shore to Shore Trail they came to a sign post with an NCT emblem on it (where the trails are concurrent).
Connie soon came across an issue of North Star, and passed it along to Cora. Next, Jerry Allen started calling folks in NE Michigan who confessed an interest in the NCT, and their chapter was born. At the first meeting they looked at the list of responsibilities, and divided them up. Thus Cora became Trail Coordinator for her chapter! "I just grew into the position," she laughed. She sees real value in her ability to discover the tasks that need to be done, to assign those to people who have time, and to keep the records of what has been done. The section of trail they adopted, just north of the Traverse City Chapter, had been receiving minimum maintenance for many years. That group was spread too thin and gladly ceded some miles to the new kids on the block. Now we had some trail, but "we had to go find it," Cora explained. She has five miles of trail which she has personally adopted in addition to coordination tasks. She has also attended timber sale meetings with State Forest authorities and has contacted property owners about trail passage. With the heart of a backpacker, she longs for the day when the NCT is continuous so people can really hike it. Cora's final remark was "We don't dream big enough." What are your dreams for the North Country Trail?