By Joe Donahue
The 2014 year is fast approaching! While many lodges will use this year to prepare for the 100th anniversary of the Order of the Arrow, some lodges are planning on using the year to work with their local communities. Mowogo Lodge of the Northeast Georgia Council is planning a day of service where it will work with the surrounding community on a local bike trail.
While many of the details of the plan are still being finalized, Mowogo Lodge Chief Steven Pierce stated that the local mountain bike club came to the lodge asking for help to expand a local mountain bike trail. Pierce saw it as an opportunity too good to miss. He stated that the area is not well known, but it is certainly utilized.
"I know that local Scouts use the current 3.5 mile loop to access a camping area on an island in [a nearby] lake," Pierce said. "It is used for first time backpackers and shake-down hikes." The mountain bike trail, which is on the western edge of the council's borders, is relatively off the grid, though it has good cell phone service. Pierce stated that it was a good location for first- time mountain bikers, too.
Arrowmen who volunteer would be doing finishing work for the most part, which would need to be done by hand. However, since the property is privately owned, it allows for machinists to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
"The majority of trail-cutting will be done by machinery," Pierce said. "We can haul gravel and large items using trucks and machinery, unlike in the national forest areas."
The lodge is currently deciding on certain aspects, such as whether or not to open the event up to all Scouts or restrict it to lodge members. The area is conducive to having Scouts stay overnight, with campsites and pavilions set up for use. Overall, Pierce thinks it will pan out to be a great project.
"We are still in the beginning phases, but the entire lodge is looking forward to seeing how it plays out," Pierce said.