Elkin Valley Trails Association


Duck & Turtle Regatta
at the Pumpkin Festival!

5pm Race Start on 
the Elkin Creek

Get Your Ducks and Turtles this
week and get ready for the Race!



Hello Trail Blazers...

We have a lot going on this time of year! Take a minute to scroll and find out about EVTA accomplishments, trail work days, Boy Scout trail projects, MST Master Plan, upcoming fundraisers, Yadkin River Clean-Up and more. We hope you all have a beautiful Fall season and are able to get out on our local and regional trails. Please forward this newsletter with the link at the bottom of the page to anyone who might want to join us as we work towards completing a segment of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail through our area. Hope to see you at an event soon!
Ducky & Turtle
Fundraiser for EVTA & Rotary
Saturday, September 27 at the Pumpkin Festival, Downtown Elkin
 
Be sure to be at the third
 annual 
Duck & Turtle Regatta...the finale of the Pumpkin Festival. It's not too late to sponsor a duck or turtle for $5 and help EVTA with trail development and a second footbridge across the Elkin Creek. You can sign up in businesses all over town and til 4:30 at the EVTA booth at the Pumpkin Festival. Bring the kids for a lot of fun and win one of several great prizes including a chance at the new kayak on display at 222 Public House.

The race on the Elkin Creek will begin at the Elk Spur Street bridge above the Elkin Library and will finish just below the Library dam near the West Main Street bridge. As the Pumpkin Festival finale, the Ducks & Turtles will be launched at approximately 5pm and announced with two hoots of a horn to get ready. They will float down Elkin Creek, over the Library dam, where they will be caught by Boy Scout volunteers and fished out of the creek. The top 25 finishers will be matched to names on our list of participants (be sure to purchase your duck or turtle to participate) and winners will be identified and notified by phone within the next week.

Some of the prizes for the regatta so far are: 1. Perception Sound 12.5' kayak from Yadkin River Adventures $555 value 2. Bicycle Wal-Mart Children's 16" size $100 value (fitted to size and age. 3. Bicycle Wal-Mart Children's 20" girls size $100 value  4. Bicycle Wal-mart Children's 18" Boys size $100 value  5. 4 North Carolina Zoo tickets $56 value 
6. Cracker Barrel Gold Gift card dinner for two 7. Generations Restaurant gift card dinner for two $30 8. 222 Public House Restaurant gift card  9. Dodge City Steak House Restaurant gift card dinner for two up to $30 10. Elkin Recreation & Parks Gift membership for Gymnasium $40 value 11. Amalfi's Pizza gift card dinner for two $25 value 12. Yadkin General Store Gift Card $25 13. Combs Produce Gift Card $25 14. Mazzini's Restaurant One Pizza Dinner and one Spaghetti Dinner 15. Heavens Scent 2 $10 Meal Coupons lunch discounts 16. Diana's Book Store $25 Gift Card 17. Erik Dalgher Tee Shirt $25 retail value 18. Larson Pottery $40 value 19. Elkin Creek Winery & Vineyard Experience: wine tasting for two, wood-fired pizza, one bottle of wine. 20. Round Peak Winery & Vineyards wine tasting for two 21. Price Power Equipment $25 Gift Certificate 22. Ivy Ridge Creations Gift Card 23. Tweetsie Railroad tickets 24. Lowe's Gift Card 25. EVTA hat & T-shirt.

A HUGE Thank You to all the Businesses Who Donated to the Duck & Turtle Regatta!


E&A 3/12 After Workday!
Next Trail Workday October 4 at Grassy Creek Winery 
FREE Hotdogs!

Join us for a trail workday and 
hot dog lunch from Speedy Chef!

Where?
Grassy Creek Winery & Vineyard 
Meet at the Tasting Room
Tasting Room Road (off Klondike) 
State Road, NC 28676 
Phone: (336) 835-4230

When?
Saturday, October 4th at 9:00am

What?
Final benching of the trail & rough cutting new trail

Bring?
Shovels, rakes, mattocks, clippers, bow saws, gloves, enthusiasm

Stay for a grilled hot dog lunch provided by Speedy Chef and lots of good conversation!

 
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EVTA Awarded $200,000 Grant to Build 
Next Bridge on the 
Stone Mountain Trail
 
Thanks to the hard work and planning of Terry Kryska, Will Gwyn, Locke Rowe, Joe Hicks, Robin Smith, Martha Smith and other members of the Elkin Valley Trails Association and Adam McComb, Director of Elkin Recreation and Parks, the Elkin Valley Trails Association was notified in September that they have been recommended to be awarded a $200,000 State RTP grant in February 2015. This grant has been specifically designated to partially fund a second bridge, 200-feet long, over the Elkin Creek at an old train trestle site near the Elkin Reservoir at the current terminus of the recently built E & A Rail Trail.

The new bridge will be on the Stone Mountain Trail, a segment of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and will connect a section of trail leading to Grassy Creek Winery, onward towards Carter Mill Falls and then Stone Mountain State Park. The Elkin Valley Trails Association will be working between now and February to raise additional money needed to complete the bridge. If you would be interested in helping us fund part of this critical link in the Mountains-to-Sea Trail please contact Bill Blackley at wjblackley@gmail.com

 
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Race is on E & A Rail Trail this Year
Insane Terrain 5k is 
October 18

We hope to see you this year at the second annual Insane Terrain fundraiser for EVTA. Even if you don't run, you can join us for the race finish and awards ceremony at Municipal Park in Elkin. We'll also be celebrating the opening of the first footbridge on the new trail when we officially turn the bridge over to the Town of Elkin.

Insane Terrain Course Description: 5k only this year; the course begins on the track at the band shelter behind Elkin Municipal Park Recreation Center; runners will travel south on the track to the Eldon Parks Bridge crossing the Elkin Creek to Memorial Park Drive; mile two will continue along Memorial Park Drive crossing Hwy 268 to Pleasant Hill Drive where there will be a challenging hill (but not quite as steep as last year); once at the top of the hill, runners will enjoy a descending run to the newly opened E & A Rail Trail traveling north under the Highway 268 By-pass; the last mile of the 5K will be enjoyable as participants run north to the Elkin Reservoir circling back to the Elkin Municipal Park crossing the newly constructed footbridge, passing the shoe factory dam and waterfall while enjoying the beautiful terrain to the finish at the start line.

Start time is 8:30am. Stay for awards, snacks, beer from Skullcamp Brewery and E&A Rail Trail bridge dedication.

Volunteers are still needed for the Insane Terrain. Please contact Robert Ball, race coordinator, to volunteer and get your free t-shirt!


Grassy Creek Vineyard Stomp

All runners and walkers, don't forget another opportunity to get out on a trail and raise money for trail development at the same time...Grassy Creek Winery & Vineyard is hosting the next Vineyard Stomp race on October 25. Visit their website for more information.



Celebrate the E & A Rail Trail Bridge after 
Insane Terrain!

For those of you who haven't been on the new segment of trail in Elkin, the 
E & A Rail Trail, here is a picture of one of the highlights of the trail. A lot of volunteer time, partnerships with town and county governments, generous grants from foundations and local businesses and donations both large and small from individual donors made our first bridge become reality. Join us after the Insane Terrain 5k at Municipal Park when EVTA will officially turn the bridge over to the Town of Elkin and celebrate the hard work and community spirit that went into the project. Now...on to bridge number two and the trail to Stone Mountain!


Boy Scout Projects Add to the Trail Experience
Thank You Spencer and Jarrett!

For two great examples of community spirit, take a walk on the E & A Rail Trail and enjoy two Eagle Scout projects. Spencer Douglas organized putting in the three concrete benches that look like tree stumps with a slab seat. Jarrett Peterson rebuilt the pump house rain shelter at the shoe factory dam. The pump house now has benches, landscaping and a handicapped accessible viewing deck. Wow!




EVTA & Town of Elkin Are Presenters at 
MST "Trail Town" Inaugural Meeting

Bill Blackley, Chairman EVTA and Leslie Schlender, Elkin Economic Development Director attended the Inaugural Mountains-to-Sea Trail Town meeting in Hillsboro in September. About 100 people from all over the state attended to learn about how to develop their town's unique offerings into a unique trail town. Bill and Leslie made a PowerPoint presentation about the Elkin Valley Trails Association partnership with the Town of Elkin and about our new trails, trout fishing, three bridges, viewing deck, gong, fundraising events, signage, etc. and also about the town's effort to build a Heritage and Trails Center. They learned that Elkin is particularly suited to be a trail town and that the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and State Trails Division leaders are very interested in promoting Elkin as a model for small communities along the trail.   Bill and Leslie brought back many good ideas to help develop our community into a splendid trail town.
 
 
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A Drum Roll Please...Thank You Volunteers for Wells Knob Work!

On the Wells Knob section of the Stone Mountain Trail, the Yadkin Valley Horse Association has been heavily involved in volunteer bridge and trail building. Charles & Becky Triplett, Larry & Rita Wagoner and several other members have donated several hundred for footbridge materials and were instrumental in receiving a grant from a state horse organization for trail development. They also have donated the use of chain saws, carpentry tools, tractor and trucks transporting materials. They have accepted the overall maintenance of this section from here on. Several EVTA board members and volunteers have also played a big role in getting this section done and on the verge of being open to the public: Bob Hillyer, Joe Mickey, Bill Blackley, Amy Phillips, Bob Larson, Stuart Taylor, Bern & Mathew Schumak and the Jack Hammiller family plus others. Many hours were also volunteered by Henry Key on an excavator. He was key to completing the section, working with many years of experience cutting a trail on a 30 degree slope going up Wells Knob. The grants EVTA received for trail building tools and a chain saw helped with having good/strong tools to use on this section.

Thank You! This would not be possible without the enthusiasm and hard work of our
VOLUNTEERS!

 

Please Volunteer Your 
Time Energy & Ideas!

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Bill Blackburn to see how you can contribute to creating an awesome trails network for our region. We need volunteers for trail workdays, putting on events, trail maintenance, leading educational walks, staffing our info booth at festivals/farmers market, etc. And we encourage your ideas for projects we haven't thought of yet! Contact Bill at billblackburn@rivercto.net



Are You Interested in Creating 
"NC Trail Days"?

EVTA is exploring putting on a premiere multi-day hiking, biking and paddling celebration event right here in Elkin. It will take a lot of dedicated volunteer effort, creativity and organization. If you would like to be a part of this event and want to talk about ways you might contribute contact:

Stay tuned for the unveiling of a really cool art project

on the E&A Rail Trail. More to come in our next EVTA
newsletter...or just go discover it yourself on the trail!


Clean Water Weekend! A Benefit for the Yadkin Riverkeeper Organization,
September 26-28
 
Tickets are selling fast for Yadkin Riverkeeper's First Annual Clean Water Weekend, September 26-28, presented by Indera Mills, a celebration of clean water that benefits Yadkin Riverkeeper's work to preserve North Carolina's 2nd longest river. On Friday and Saturday, The Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour comes to Winston-Salem at two of the weekend's sponsors: SECCA and a/perture cinema. This is the largest environmental film festival of its kind in the nation. You will witness some of the most powerful environmental and adventure films that illustrate the Earth's beauty and the challenges facing our planet, especially related to fishing and water preservation. On Sunday, participate in a river clean-up in celebration of World Rivers Day at Carolina Heritage Vineyards and Winery in Elkin.

Yadkin River Clean-up and Celebration Party for World Rivers Day!
10 AM paddle from Crater Park in Elkin to Mitchell River (5.7 miles)

Join Yadkin Riverkeeper on Sunday for Yadkin River Clean-up and Celebration Party for World Rivers Day. It's free and fun! We will paddle and clean up the river, then have a party at Carolina Heritage Vineyards and Winery with food, bluegrass music and fellowship in celebration of clean water!

Paddlers must drop their boats at the Crater Park put-in at 10AM, then drive your vehicle to the take-out. You will be shuttled to the start of the paddle. The paddle itself takes approximately 3 hours. The paddle and party are FREE. All paddlers must register. All paddlers must provide their own boats. Bring water, sunscreen and hats. Personal Floatation Devices are required for every person on the water.

For detailed film showings, more information and to
register for the paddle, visit
 


hiking-equipment-trail.jpg

Master Plan for Stone Mountain to Pilot Mountain Open for Public Review til Oct 1
 
Destination by Design (DbD) is pleased to announce that the draft of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail Sub-Section Plan: Stone Mountain to Pilot Mountain State Park Master Plan is available for public review. This planning study was commissioned by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and the Northwest Partnership for Public Health. They welcome your comments concerning this draft plan, which will remain open for public comment until October 1, 2014.

Noted below are some major facts and objectives found within the plan:

1. This plan changes the previously planned Mountains-to-Sea (MST) route from the Roaring River corridor to the Wells Knob/Elkin Creek corridor.

2. Upon completion, this study area will provide for approximately 70 miles of designated Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

3. This plan calls for 17 new miles of equestrian trail (Stone Mountain State Park to Carter Falls).

4. East of Elkin/Jonesville, equestrian use is not recommended because of railroad right-of-way crossings.

5. 33 miles (38%) of the proposed trail will serve as multi-use cycling and hiking designated MST. This will begin just north of Elkin and then traverse through Elkin and Jonesville and along the Yadkin River to Pilot Mountain State Park. A multi-use trail design will provide the greatest economic impact to the region.

6. This plan proposes a loop trail on both the north and south side of the Yadkin River within the jurisdictions of Elkin and Jonesville.

7. East of Elkin and Jonesville, the trail is recommended on the Surry County side until it approaches Wayne Farms on Hwy. 268; at this point, the trail will need to cross the Yadkin River south to Yadkin County if the trail is to remain multi-use. The plan notes other areas where potential bridge crossings will need to be developed, further linking Surry and Yadkin Counties.

8. The plan identifies priority implementation areas for governing bodies and non-profit organizations as they focus their efforts on trail implementation (Chapter 6).


DbD and the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation welcome all public comments regarding this plan. 

Printed and bound copies have been sent to local government jurisdictions and regional trail organizations working within this study area. 

For more information or to comment, please contact:
Eric Woolridge, AICP
Destination by Design
815 West King Street, Suite 2
Boone, NC 28607
office: 828.386.1866


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