Erin- Cumberland- Day Five

Friday 18 Jan 2013

Today was our final day of work, and we really did make the most of the time we
were given. With the stretch of trail that we had successfully cleared yesterday,
today we created a real hiking trail out of it and I have to say that I will never
look at any trail I hike the same. All of the hard work that goes into creating a trail
from start to finish (and maintaining it) is incredible and unrecognized by many.
Those who do work and volunteer to create the trails that so many hike must be
very dedicated and passionate because the work can become quite tedious and
strenuous. I am amazed with the prospects of building 300 miles of trail mainly
through volunteer labor and excited by the idea that these trails could be there and
be enjoyed for centuries to come. Even though I only spent a small amount of time

working on the trails, I come away with a new appreciation for trails and for those
who devote their lives to trail building.

To turn our cleared pathway into an actual trail, there were many more steps. First,
the leaves had to be raked off the path. Then, the top layer of soil (the ‘duff’) had to
be removed. This is the layer that has the organic material, which doesn’t make good
trail soil. Then once the duff was removed (and all of the rocks that came with it) we
had to shape the path so that it was level and not sloped with the rest of the hillside.
This involved removing quite a bit more dirt. Finally once the path was pressed
down and walked on a few times, it really did look like a hiking trail!

The work today was quite hard again but not as hard as yesterday. Today we
worked with another group of about five. They were a hiking group (comprised
mostly of retired men) that was based in Crossville. Many of them volunteer their
time frequently, helping to build the trails that they love to hike on. It was nice to
get to interact with another group of volunteers and see the variety of people that
have helped build the Cumberland Trail. Looking back on the week, I see all of the
challenges we faced as a group, but also how rewarding the week was and how
much closer we grew. I thank Alternative Breaks for giving me this opportunity and
hope to have more in the years to come before graduation.