Lovely weather out today -- shirtsleeves for the end of February. It was almost 60 outside. (degrees F, I’m a merkin and we do it wrong.) Bird for a short spin, Nick for a teaching spin with Tessa and Punch, then home for painting the jump poles (soon!!) and some building of the xc course.
XC progress today was to remove the two big stumps in the way of the creek-jump track (done), lift up the downed pine and put it on logs for better sawing (done), and uproot shrubberies in the track (partly done). No chainsawing happened today but I’m ready for quick chainsawing when next we play xc-fence-builder.
The creek-jump track will need some additional dirt/gravel added in to the existing surface to help cover tree roots and improve grass growing potential, but I need the ground to dry out a bit more before I do that. I’d also like to get the grass seeded and well under way before trying to ride on the course, but... eh.
I’ve decided to put in “take-off/landing” landscape timbers or something for the creek jump to (1) help define the jumpable area and (2) give me something to pile up modified against (for better footing than the current kinda-claylike mud). Modified is my rock of choice for “improved” footing. Stone dust would be better, but I’d have to pay for that and haul it separately whereas modified is free.
I also built the ditch jump and set the location of the step jump. I’m pretty okay with my plan for that, just need to gather materials and get started on it. Earthmoving awaits... I am wondering if I can fill in the lower level of the thing with rocks (I have A LOT of free rocks) and fill and save the actual dirt for the top foot or so. Will do research on this.
And there are two trees to fell (and clean up), the dead log bits to rake up, fertilizing and mowing, stuff to set on fire, rocks to haul, roping to be done (I need remedial rope help because damn I suck at knots...