June 30, 2010

Hitch 2
Pony Express Trail; Fred’s Place Bridge, Clubhouse Bridge. Rt. 50, near Kyburz, CA
June 21, 2010 - June 29, 2010
Work Completed:
Total trail maintained (ft): 15
Trail Rehabilitation/Reconstruction (ft): 40
Sites Rehabilitated: 2
Bridges (how many): 2
Bridges (ft): 45
Drainage Structures (how many): 2
Hitch Chief: Hannah Walker

During our second hitch, our crew completed much of the two bridges we had started, as well as finishing the second and third of our five culverts. The first day of our hitch started out on the Pony Express Trail with the Clubhouse Bridge. There, we started building the rebar frames for the footings where we would pour cement. We also dug out both holes for the frames and hiked in the tools we needed for the project, including hammers and nails. The 48 bags of cement needed were toted in by one of the team members.
On Tuesday, we finished both frames for the footings and the cages of rebar for the cement. We mixed and poured the 48 bags of cement, which took a majority of the day. After we let the concrete settle, we hiked in the tools we would need to complete the second of five culverts.
The most physically demanding day of our hitch was Wednesday, when we moved in the 20 foot girders for the Clubhouse Bridge. Each girder weighed about 350 pounds, and we hiked them in the mile to our site. We managed to do this by securing one end of the girder in the power toter, while the other end had a wheel attached to the front and handlebar screwed on the top so allow for manual direction along the trail. With this setup we were able to move and direct the massive beams.
The next day, we used a TU-28 grip hoist to move the 25 foot girders for Fred’s Place Bridge into place. We used a straight pull system with support from behind with rockbars. After the girders were set, we blocked the end caps with pre-cut redwood. We then moved to the bridge at Clubhouse and did the same.
Friday we spent the majority of the day at the Camino Work Center, where we cut, drilled, and treated the planks and rails for both bridges. After all the wood was cut, we brought the planks to Clubhouse and moved on to the culverts. There, we had to dig out the culvert and reposition it for optimal water drainage.
On Saturday, we spent the entire day working on our second culvert. Some members of our crew placed the rip rap uphill in the stream to slow the water flow, some set stones both uphill and down of the culvert to hold it and the trail around it in place, while others collected and made crush to heighten the trail around the culvert. After the crush was in place, we capped the culvert with a minimum of 8 inches of soil and rehabbed the surrounding area.
On Sunday, we started on the most difficult of our culverts. We spent a while deciding how to orient the culvert, after which we dug the hole and started on crush.
Monday we went back to Fred’s Place and put the decking on the bridge. After the decking was placed, we started to collect rock for the two rock walls that had to be built on either side of the bridge.
Tuesday, our last day, we built the first, smaller rock wall and ramp on the east side of the bridge. Some members of the crew started on the second rock wall while others drilled in the curbs and posts. After the curbs and posts were in place, the crew started work on the railing.
At the end of the hitch, we had made great progress on both bridges, and also started and finished two culverts.