by Barbara Dixson
Pictured above: Ron Zimmerman, Jim Buchholz, and Peter Fee, demonstrating the latest technical innovations as they work on the Moses Creek Meadows boardwalk and overlook
“Great!” Bill Fisher said, when I asked what it was like to work on the Moses Creek Meadows Boardwalk and Viewing Deck project. “We have a lot of fun,” Gary Speckmann commented. “Fun,” Karl Wolf concurred. “Good bunch of guys to work with,” and “nice being out there in the woods.” Ron Zimmerman laughed, “The crew got so into doing the boardwalk that I could hardly keep them from working extra days!”
Everyone I spoke with said what a great team it was. There were “many opinions but it all worked out well,” Karl said. A theme I noticed in my several conversations was refusal to take credit. Every person I spoke with said it was somebody else who really deserved the credit. And every person enjoyed the role they took on, whether in designing, hauling, or just following direction.
Technical creativity was a must! Mike Orella brought his tractor over for moving the gravel to the start of the boardwalk. Erik Lacey enjoyed the chance to drive the Gator. From there, it went in wheelbarrows, while lumber and tools traveled on utility wagons we use for the Candlelight Hike. When a tool was needed to screw the pipe supports for the platform ten feet into the ground, the guys devised one with a long pipe fitted on top of the one going into the ground, and turned it, two on either side of the top pipe pushing it in a circle.
Simply being outside with friends was a great pleasure. In early work on the boardwalk when full days of effort were needed (versus the mornings usually scheduled for the Tuesday crew), Jerry Lineberger would bring sandwiches over for lunch, and everyone would spread out on the completed part of the boardwalk, eat, and enjoy the surroundings. Erik fondly recalled the “nice huckleberries growing there to eat when you take your break.”
Dry weather and no mosquitoes made working pleasant. Moments of happy distraction buoyed energy, as when phones came out to identify a flower–perhaps a bog goldenrod? And what a satisfying outcome! If you haven’t yet been there, you can look forward to the magical walk out the boardwalk and onto the platform above the wetland source of Moses Creek.
