We’ve worked for some time on the Biby Wilderness Trail; so long, in fact, that we’ve come to call this, simply, The Biby. It’s due to the challenge of the terrain, in more ways than one. The grade, slope, and soils present one package of challenges. The remoteness of the project from the Washington, DC metro area and the increasing cost of fuel are further hurdles. Still, it’s our project, and we do great work there. So can you!

We will next work on this project on the weekend of June 14^th, and we’re looking forward to meeting you there!

What Is “The Biby?”

Richard Biby, a PATC member and business executive, provided the Club his former property atop the ridge in Shawneeland Resort, about twelve miles west of Winchester, VA and three miles north of The Pinnacle mountain in 2004. (Earlier, Mr. Biby, during his service to the community as leader of the Shawneeland homeowners’  association, had worked with PATC and fellow land owners to arrange the donation of easements that allowed the Club to bring the Tuscarora Trail (then known as The Big Blue Trail) north from The Pinnacle toward the town of Gore, VA. In 2004, shortly after it was transferred to PATC, our trail crew—the Acme Treadway Company—began work on a public access trail from the property down (!) to the Tuscarora Trail.

Looking For A Challenge?

The Biby provides it! Although the ridge slopes down on an average grade of 22% to the North-South route of the Tuscarora Trail, the slope of the area where PATC will establish a public parking area for the trail is less than 4% on average; the slope drops steeply immediately below. Further, the soil in this top-most area is mainly duff in successive groves of mountain laurel. Altogether, this does not lend itself to traditional full- or half-bench sidehill tread construction. Yet, if we just let it be, after clearing the brush and limbs so that the route may be hiked, the tramp of many boots would cause the duff to compact, resulting in a long trough down which rain water will spill as if in a sluice.

The result is that we have had to excavate mineral soil (clay) from the area that will become the parking area and backfill the tread with it, using wheelbarrows, muscles, and sinews. 

Looking for Fun?

Well, The Biby—and the Acme Treadway Company—provide ample opportunity for that, too. Don’t believe it? Well, it’s true. For instance:

• You meet people from different backgrounds, some retired, some not so.
• You share interests both common and diverse. You get in the outdoors in a big way.
• You hear new jokes. Sometimes…
• You get to make disparaging remarks about your “boss”—the crew Chief—without fear of being RIF-ed or having your pay docked.

There’s an intangible, yet real ,sense of accomplishment you get just from seeing the results of your efforts at the end of the day.

Accommodations

We stay overnight at a quaint 19^th century, renovated farm house by Gore, VA. We eat at the Hayfield Family Restaurant, except for lunch at the project site (you bring that with you). The food is good and the prices are better. You’ll enjoy the opportunity to get away from The Beltway (DC or Baltimore) and be in a quieter, rural setting. You will enjoy meeting new people and getting to know them. And, you will receive, free of charge, a Genuine Acme Treadway Company T-shirt. These are prized by their possessors and are made especially for this crew by skilled artisan in Weaverville, NC. These shirts last and last and last. You can’t beat this for value.

Registration

The Crew Chief needs to know how many plan to participate in order to line up the resources (chiefly, tools) needed for each project trip. So, we ask that you click the link and register for our next trip on The Biby, scheduled for Saturday, June 14^th.

Last update : 04-07-2008 10:26

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