Bartlett Cove/ Crew Appreciation

Bartlett Cove

After a weekend of 4^th of July festivities and relaxing, it was time to get to work in Bartlett Cove. This week we were graced to work in the presence of the trail masters mentioned in previous blogs, Johnathon and Casey. We also had the honor of working alongside the tornado of trail building excellence known as Mason. He has the beard of a “Young, buff Santa Clause” (quote by Vinny), and a humorous wittiness that will have everyone within earshot dying of laughter. Then there was Dustin. This man is so good with a chainsaw, it is rumored he can do perfect bore cuts one-handed! With the help of these four great traildogs, the crew was ready to get to work Monday morning.

We started off the week clearing corridor around a heavily used boardwalk. The crew made fast work of encroaching Alder branches and blueberry bushes with loppers, giving the path along the boardwalk a crisp, clean look that left tourists smiling and thanking us for our work.

The next task for the crew involved building a turnpike on top of a puncheon (basically the coolest looking bridge you will ever cross) that would elevate the trail out of a wetland area. Half the crew took on this task while the other half worked on fixing trail tread and revegetation near a beautiful pond. The revegetation project looked amazing by the end of the work week. The turnpike/puncheon was in the final stages on Thursday, on its way to being the strongest structure you will ever cross in Southeast Alaska.

After a solid week of work, the crew was invited to a small get together among the seasonal park crew. Here we were fed “Halibits." Halibits is the amazing creation you get when you put fresh halibut, Mason, and a kitchen together. The crew was grateful for this feast of Halibits, alongside many other dishes provided by various guests. After dinner, we danced and sang on full stomachs into the sunset.

Crew Appreciation

I would like to finish this blog by giving a shout out to each member of the AK Team 5 crew!

Samantha Sea:

Sam has taken over the crucial task as team photographer. She is dedicated to capturing the most majestic photographs of Alaska that you will ever see. Then after taking the most amazing photo you have seen in your life, she will easily destroy you in an arm wrestling match, or any competition of strength. In her off time you might catch her wrangling Gators down south.

Scotty Martell:

 Also known as Scotty Fresh, this dude is a zen master. If he is not meditating or creating rock cairns that add a certain feng shui to the area, then he is probably blazing the trail with Pulaski in hand. A talented skier during his winters, his skier style carries over to the trail during his summers.  He wears the trademark baggy clothes of a skier and has dreadlocks that could make a Jamaican jealous. This is his fourth season on a trail crew and it is hard to find someone as hardworking as he is.

Vincent Salvato:

Everyone has used a wheelbarrow at least once in their life, it’s not that hard. But you will find Vinny, also known as V-Money, carrying a wheelbarrow full of wet gravel up a narrow, slippery ramp with ease. Some might be able to accomplish such a task once in a lifetime, but Vinny gets it done all day long. I’d like to meet a better swamper than Vinny, but I do not believe such a person exists. He carries the team on his back with his incredible work ethic. He is also the team “garbage disposal:” the term leftovers is not part of his vocabulary.

Sarah Pickett:

Ever seen the movie “The Incredibles”? Sarah is like Elastigirl but 10 times more flexible. She rules the stretch circle every single morning, pushing the limits of what the human body can do. She also dominates the dance floor. Whether she wants to dance as graceful as a swan, or get down to some new age dance music, she does it all with style. Often found sporting cheetah print sunglasses, she is always smiling and laughing, making her a crucial part of the crew. She keeps spirits high each and every week!

Lesley Seale:

There is one reason why Lesley is getting another shout out after being praised as our fearless leader in a previous blog post, she DESERVES it! She is the backbone of this team, and the only reason we do the things we do. No matter what project she is handed, she will lead her crew to accomplish it with excellence. Lesley recently received her banjo in the mail. If you close your eyes as she plays, you might think you just entered a Mumford and Sons concert. She always has answers to guide the team and the crew does not know what we would do without her.  

Blog by Nate Dogg and edited by SarahPickettFences: