| Kings Toyota Bench Honors Carmichaels |
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The Carmichaels (seated) with family and friends at the August 20 dedication ceremony
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by Liz Lamar
A big thank you to Kings Toyota for their donation of a trail bench located about a mile north of the Fosters access. The new bench overlooks a particularly scenic part of a bend in the river, offering a quiet spot to rest and enjoy a lovely vista.
Kings Toyota employees donated the bench to honor their longtime General Manager and avid trail user, Gerry Carmichael, and his wife Jane, upon his retirement. Mr. Carmichael was instrumental in creating the successful dealership Kings Toyota has become and is missed by the Kings Toyota family he helped create. We would like to thank Greg Walker who spearheaded the project at Kings and worked with FLMSP to provide this special way to honor the Carmichaels' contribution to the business and our community.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Shelter Rehab
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Dave Diersing and Mike Egan aren't just good with chainsaws and weed whackers. Recently they put their skills to work to rehab a picnic shelter near mile marker 50 at Milford. The table and shelter were not only weather-damaged, but also defaced with graffiti (left). The finished product is shown below.
Thanks, Dave and Mike, for all you do for our trail!
See something needing attention on the trail? FLMSP will help you get to work! Contact
volunteer@flmsp.org.
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| Volunteer Opportunities |
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Bump Marking and Grinding:
 Beat the bumps! We're looking for volunteers to mark bumps on the trail and volunteers to help grind them down with the provided equipment. Several trail sections need attention. Marking can be done any day of the week; grinding is planned for weekdays only. Please contact Don Hahn at
dhahnj@zoomtown.com with questions or to volunteer.
Wednesday , Sep. 13
, 9 to 11 am at mile marker 10.3 (between Roxanna-New Burlington and New Burlington Rd.) We'll be clearing out a tangle of branches that's building up in the creek before it becomes a blockage and the water flows over the trail instead of under it. We'll attack it with loppers, pole saws, and bow saws, and stack the branches up on the bank a few feet away.
Hotline Monitors:
We need volunteers to monitor the FLMSP Trail Hotline. Just carry your phone and answer the occasional calls or messages regarding trees down on the trail or other non-emergency issues, and then contact the appropriate party to handle the problem. We'll furnish the information you need. Please contact our
Volunteer Coordinator
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| PPE For Your Head |
by Erick Wikum
I remember my first bicycle road race for two reasons. First, as a new rider who was not in particularly great physical condition, I wondered why my club teammates did a multi-mile warm up. To my way of thinking, the energy to ride that warmup should have been saved for the race. Second, I was dropped by the pack immediately after the race began and as I struggled to catch up, I rode up on a teammate who had crashed. Fortunately for him, while his face was bloodied and his helmet cracked in two, he and his head in particular was okay.
Ever since that day, I have been on a crusade to encourage others to wear helmets when engaged in bicycling and other wheeled activities. When people ask me for advice on which type of bike to buy or where to ride, I always mention the importance of wearing a helmet and note that I would never ride anywhere without one.
For whatever reasons (ignorance, lack of respect for potential hazards, cost, etc.), many Little Miami Scenic Trail users do not wear helmets. Count yourself among wise trail users who understand the critical importance of helmets and stay safe by adhering to the following helmet guidance:
- Purchase an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certified helmet comfortable and attractive enough that you will wear it. While more expensive helmets may be lighter, better looking, more aerodynamic and better ventilated, any certified helmet will provide protection.
- Visit your local bike shop for assistance in selecting a helmet that fits your budget and your head, for help adjusting straps and for advice for proper positioning of the helmet on your head.
- Replace old or damaged helmets. Styrofoam used in helmets degrades over time, and damage impacts the structural integrity of the helmet.
- Always wear your helmet, not only to protect yourself, but also to set a positive example for others (especially children).
Bicycling and engaging in other wheeled activities on the Little Miami Scenic Trail can be very enjoyable, but these activities are inherently risky due to gravity, trail and weather conditions, road crossings, other users and animals. You can mitigate these risks by paying attention, exercising caution, and equipping yourself with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for your head. My former neighbor used to say that helmets can be pricy, but if your helmet does what it is designed to do, it will be the best money you ever spent.
Touché!
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Friends of the Little Miami State Park is a nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation and enhancement of the Little Miami State Park. We assist the Ohio Department of Natural Resources with development planning, capital improvements, and safety concerns, as well as providing most of the maintenance of the park.
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| Trail Taste Adventure: The Schoolhouse |
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