Recent Articles from BRMC Newsletters

Trail Talk

Here is a riddle. What is gray, sits on top of the mountain house, and doesn't leak water? Our roof! As the sole resident of the mountain house, I'd like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Steve Ritter and Cedar Shakes & Shingles, Inc. for donating a newly shingled roof to BRMC. We no longer live in fear of the next heavy rain storm or heavy snowfall. The roof looks beautiful, thank you very much for the generous gift that keeps on giving.

As for me, I'm back in school after a long winter break. For those of you who don't know, I'm working towards a B.A. in geography at George Mason University, focusing most of my study on cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). My mapping skills are slowly improving and I've been able to apply some of my new mapping techniques for the conservancy. I've created a new directions map to BRMC that can be seen on our website and brochures. I've also done a brief spatial analysis of the BRMC membership that will hopefully assist us in future fundraising/membership efforts.

As for the trails, a recent effort was conducted to deter the use of ATVs on the trail system. With the assistance of several dedicated volunteers, we installed a group of strategically placed steel beams in areas known to be frequented by trespassing ATVs. So far the effort seems to be keeping the four-wheel machines from damaging our trails. Maybe someone could clue them in to a huge area of George Washington National Forest that's an hour away they can legally use.

This year we've had a very mild winter, and a larger than normal amount of hikers have visited our trails. I know many folks are excited with the warmer and longer days of spring that are on the horizon, perfectly fit for long afternoon hikes. A friendly reminder, since we've had a mild winter, our local population of ticks will be out in full force. These ticks may be infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Please consider taking preventative measures before coming out to hike, and always check yourself for ticks afterward. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site provides information about the prevention, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. According to the CDC,

"Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, landscaping, and integrated pest management. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as well."

Additional information may be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/index.htm

Once again, I'd like to thank Steve Ritter and Cedar Shakes & Shingles, Inc. for their continued generous support of BRMC. I'd like to thank our new visitors who have made the commitment to support the conservancy by becoming members, your support is vital to our continued success. I'll see you on the trails.

Out with the old

In with the new

New roof donated by Cedar Shakes & Shingles, Inc.