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Yellow Creek Bridge Dedication

On the Occasion of the Yellow Creek Bridge Dedication

 Ed Lawrence

  As an all volunteer organization the Mid State Trail Association embodies the dedication of its members and their passion for the hiking experience that is found along Pennsylvania's longest and wildest footpath.
 
  We know that the Mid State Trail provides an experience that connects people to communities, that connects hikers and other trail users, and, most mysteriously, that connects people to themselves.  That is where we leave the chatter of technology in the dust.
 
  This knowledge is what animates us in our mission to protect and improve this trail and its endless opportunities for adventure and communion.
 
  We are here today to celebrate the completion of this span across Yellow Creek which is the result of the most complex, extensive and intensive effort of coordination ever undertaken for 26 meters of Mid State treadway.
 
  We are here, as well, to recognize and express our profound appreciation to Deb Dunkle for her extraordinary follow through, her relentless attention to detail, her unwavering belief that this could happen and her perseverance in making it happen.  On behalf of the Mid State Trail Association I would like to present her with the MSTA Yellow Creek Bridge CAN DO award.
 
  We also want to recognize and acknowledge Pete Fleszar for being Deb's back-up, always ready with needed technical expertise, sound judgment and savvy advice.  We would like to present him with the MSTA Yellow Creek Bridge CAN TOO award.
 
  Together their determination and teamwork has gotten this project to the farther shore.



Deb Dunkle

YCB WELCOME:

AT LONG LAST, WELCOME TO THE YCB. MY NAME IS DEBRA HALL DUNKLE, MSTA EVT REGION MANAGER VOLUNTEER

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DEDICATE THIS BEAUTIFUL 85' FIBERGLASS HIKING BRIDGE NAMED YELLOW CREEK BRIDGE. THIS IS A CONNECTOR NOT ONLY THE MST HIKERS BUT ALL LOCAL FISHERMEN, HUNTERS AND OTHER WALKERS.

LEADING UP TO THIS DAY I WILL DESCRIBE BRIEFLY WHY I BELIEVE THAT THIS NEW YELLOW CREEK BRIDGE IS A MONUMENT TO MSTA:

IN 2004 SOMEONE NAMED STEINHIKE HAD A BIG DREAM, THEN LATER OTHER TRAIL VOLUNTEERS NAMED PETE AND DEBRA PICKED UP ON THE DREAMS PAPERTRAIL!

WE RESEARCHED AN HISTORIC ARMSTRONG VEHICLE BRIDGE FOR PADOT HISTORICAL BRIDGES - THAT WAS TO MUCH TO REHAB

THEN ALONG CAME THIS FIBERGLASS DESIGN--IT WAS A WINNER HANDS DOWN.

WE OBTAINED LETTERS OF SUPPORT,

WORKED ON EASEMENTS,

GOT THRU PADOT PERMITS,

GOT NO WHERE WITH DEP,

MET WITH LOCAL AND COUNTY OFFICIALS,

FINALLY MET WITH DEP OFFICIALS,

ASSISTED IN BUILDING 2 OTHER FIBERGLASS HIKING BRIDGES TO GET EXPERIENCE,

GOT DEP ON THE SCOPE,

KELLER ENGINEERS ASSISTED US PASSED THE DEP PERMITS, FINALIZE COST PROJECT AMOUNTS AND GOT THIS BRIDGE OUT TO BID

TO FINAL CONSTRUCTION BY VENTURA CONSTRUCTION.

FOLKS THAT HAS BEEN 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING!

THIS FIBERGLASS BRIDGE GIVES BEDFORD COUNTY AN INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINBILITY! THE OLD SWINGING BRIDGE PUT IN EARLY 1900 HAD SERVED ITS PURPOSE FOR MOST PART - BUT THE DEBRIS FROM FLOODS KEPT GETTING CAUGHT UP ON THE PLANKS THAT LOWERED INTO THE STREAM.

THIS FIBERGLASS BRIDGE IS BUILT TO OUTLAST MOST OF US. THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED FOR ANY REHABS IN THE NEXT 100 YEARS!

I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, RANDY AND GLORIA SMITH, PARENTS MILDRED AND DECEASED ROSS SMITH,

PRIVATE LANDOWNER,GEORGE SNYDER,

OLD BRIDGE OWNERS, JOHN AND KASSIE LEIDY.


LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS: EDWIN RISSLER MFG,

JON AND LOIS CLAYCOMB/CLAYCOMB EXCAVATING,

JOHN AND BARBARA THOMAS,

DIRK BARKMAN/BARKMAN OIL INC,

HERBERT AND JOAN HALLOF WLHALL LIME & COAL INC,

DR DANIEL STYER,

ELIZABETH HARCLERODE.

MSTA SENDS SPECIAL THANKS TO GARRY GOSS, PRESIDENT OF STRUCTURAL FIBERGLASS INC. GARRY AND HIS CREW WAS THE FABRICTOR OF THE YCB. PLUS WITH GARRY'S GENEROUS DONATION, THE MSTA WAS ABLE TO MEET THE MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENTS SET BY DCNR.

ONE MORE NOTE - THIS IS ADA/HP ACCESSIBLE BUT THE PRIVATE LANDOWNERS REQUEST NO ATV OR NO HORSE CROSSING.

AT THIS TIME I WOULD ASK FOR ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FROM:

1. ASK RANDY/GLORIA SMITH, GEORGE SNYDER

2. GARRY GOSS

3. SO WOODBURY TOWNSHIP - SHAFFER, MUSSELMAN, IMLER

4. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, KIRK MORRIS, STEVE HOWSARE, PAUL CROOKS

5 .DCNR - JAY SCHREIBMAN, DCNR REGIONAL ADVISOR

6. ED LAWRENCE, PRESIDENT OF THE MSTA -

ASK ED TO INTRODUCE THE MSTA OFFICERS AND REGION MANAGERS:

FLESZAR, HUMMELSTOWN, SCOTT ADAMS, PLEASANT GAP, KIRK BUCYNSKI, HUNTINGDON,

JOE HEALEY/LORRAINE, DR TOM THWAITES, FOUNDER OF MST, KEVIN BUSKO, HUNTINGDON;


ED - CUT THE RIBBON THEN WALK ACROSS THE YCB.

COME BACK OVER AND ENJOY A YCB COOKIE ON US!

( Photo Album ) 

First Trail Care of 2013

     The first KTA trail care of 2013 was held on the Mid State Trail in the State College Region the weekend of April 5 - 7 at Seven Mtns. Scout Camp. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather this year (I guess that was the reward for having run brushcutters through ice and snow in the past) and best of all........no skunk was in attendance this time around. We did, however, also have to make due without our fearless trail care leader and MSTA President, Ed Lawrence this time also.

     Tom Bastian arrived early Saturday morning with a truck load of brushcutters and loppers and a chainsaw or two. We were on the road to the worksites at a respectable    8 AM. Jenn Ulmer, Donna Thompson, and Tony Robbins headed up to Hairy John Picnic Area to chainsaw blow downs and paint blazes between Rt 45 and Woodward Gap Rd.

     Wanda Shirk, Steve Nickerson, Ben Auer, and myself spent the day lopping and brushcutting south from US 322 towards Penn Roosevelt. Opening up the vistas and taking in the views on such a clear spring day was just the icing on the cake for us. John Stevens, Tony Metzger, David Taylor, and Kirk Saylor lopped Rhododendron up through Detweiler Natural Area which is one of most interesting sections of the Mid State through Rothrock State Forest. Joe Clark, Pete Fleszar, Tom Bastian, John Yingling, and Dave Snare with additional assistance on chainsaw by Rothrock Recreational Forester, Jacob Mazzei took on the task of brushcutting, lopping , and clearing blow downs from the section of the Mid State from the junction with Jackson Trail all the way to Deer Path with Jacob chainsawing all the way to Laurel Run Road.

     Sunday morning we were left with seven volunteers so one group headed to Penn Roosevelt to finish up some brushcutting left unfinished last year and the other group drove down to Poe Paddy to scout relocation possibilities around the temporarily closed Poe Paddy Tunnel.

     As usual, I want to thank all those who turned out as well as all those who could not make it but still manage to put in their share of trail care hours on their own time keeping the trail open for hikers

KTA 100 Mile Challenge

Trail Care Mid State Trail, Tioga Region


img 20120714_131623     We had 14 volunteers for the July 13-15, 2012 Trail Care weekend based at Hills Creek State Park, working on private, State Game Land, State Forest, and Corps of Engineers property clearing existing trail.
     One volunteer came for her first KTA Trail Care and one volunteer began her 29th year of Trail Care at this event. Folks came from as near as Mansfield and as far as Lititz. The locals recommended the vanilla porter at Mansfield’s Yorkholo Brewing Company with Saturday’s dinner. No rain and no equipment breakdowns! We still have one section that needs an overseer on private land near Hammond Lake, now would be a good time to adopt it since Trail Care has cleared it out better than ever, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for info.
-- Peter Fleszar

  • DR loaded on truck ready to go to first work area.
  • Ready to unload DR
  • Ed unloading DR trimmer
  • Joe sawyer, and gals un-obscuring the blazing.
  • Awesome view
  • Woody lopping.
  • View from group camping area at Hills Creek State Park.
  • DR loaded and ready to go
  • IMG 20120714 101646
  • IMG 20120714 131607
  • IMG 20120714 131623
  • IMG 20120715 094817
  • IMG 20120715 094826
  • IMG 20120715 094912
  • IMG 20120715 094934
  • View from group camping area