Winter Clean-Up this Saturday (and why this is necessary)

Since the Rocky Run's founding, by Bailea and Karen, our work to maintain the run has been strictly seasonal.  We had a spring clean-up and a fall clean-up.  Twice a year, we'd get rid of old wood chips, spread new ones, do some other bits of gardening and tidying up, and then go back to having fun with our dogs.

This fall, there was a glitch in the program.  The Parks Department did not provide us adequate wood chips in time, nor did they put them inside the run, nor did they provide tools.  There were communication problems, due to the promotion of our contact there, Danny Mercado, good luck to him, but he is sorely missed.  And resources were getting stretched pretty thin.  Possible they just didn't have enough chips to go around.

Over the past two weeks, some of us have done a bit of preliminary work, with regards to raking up the piles of leaves that were accumulating at the edge of the fence (making it very hard to pick up after dogs who defecated there).  Many bags of leaves were filled and left at curbside.  For this, we could  make do with the few tools we  have stored there for our own use.

There are now sufficient wood chips (barely) to get the job done.  They are inside the run.  The dogs are using them to play King & Queen of the Mountain.  This Saturday, starting at 10:AM, we're going to level the mountains.  Tools will be provided.  So will refreshments.  And yes, it's going to be cold. 

There's a reason we don't normally do winter clean-ups, and summer might be even worse.  Spring and Fall are the ideal times to get this done, and hopefully we can return to that routine next year.  But in the meantime, in-between time, ain't we got fun? 

As always, it's fine to bring the dogs.  They won't mind the cold at all.  And with so much preliminary work done already, it shouldn't take as long as usual.  But please, no summer clean-up next year, Parks Dept.