LITTLE ROCK — The volunteer crew that’s building the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) west of Hot Springs began beavering away again last week.
The volunteers, who call themselves Traildogs, are more than halfway to their goal of a 40-mile trail to connect Denby Bay to Blakely Mountain Dam on Lake Ouachita, linking all the resorts and campgrounds in between. They plan their new-trail construction in the summer, start working their plan in the fall, finish in the winter and dedicate their new sections in spring.
In a mere five years of work, they’ve given cyclists and hikers a destination trail worth driving to, a scenic and generally smooth passage from Denby Bay to the Crystal Springs Recreation Area.
This fall the LOViT Traildogs are back at Denby Bay, off Shangri-La Road, to complete a really very long boardwalk over the swampy fringe of the bay. This thing is 825 feet long.
This elevated walkway extends a paved path that branches off a 1.2-mile Watchable Wildlife loop. The area already has a restroom, lights, an information kiosk and a parking area - and wildlife to watch. Soon it will also have a fishing pier designed for people in wheelchairs, as well as everyone else.
But wait, there’s more: The boardwalk will connect to a 60-foot, modular bridge across Gap Creek and yet another trail extension on the other shore of Denby Bay. That uphill spur will carry hikers up to the old U.S. 270 West bridge, which is right next to the new 270 West bridge but open only to pedestrians.
In other words, more LOViT.
Beyond the U.S. 270 bridge, the Traildogs plan to cut a one-mile path to the Denby Point campground.
Traildogs advance man Jerry Shields reports that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began installing the Gap Creek bridge last week while he and two or five of his buddies (the count varied from day to day) worked on the boardwalk, putting up its planks and railings.
Of course they could use some help.
If you have a hammer, you could be hammering it in the mornings with them pretty much any day this week beginning at 8 a.m. Contact Shields at traildog@windstream.net to confirm they’ll be working. The workers have been gathering at the Watchable Wildlife parking area. Maps and directions are at a slightly out-of-date website, www.lakeouachitavistatrail.com.
Streamers
Saturday is Lee Creek Cleanup day at Devil’s Den State Park. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., paddlers will range along the stream from the state park to the Arkansas 59 bridge, collecting people droppings (aka litter).
Check in at the day-use horse parking area (at the west end of the park off Arkansas 220) between 9 a.m. and noon. Lunch will be served between noon and 2 p.m., with music by the Mountain Boomers and prize drawings.
More information is at (479) 761-3325 and devilsden@arkansas.com.
Marathoners
The Little Rock Marathon Training Team will hold a free education session at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Crowne Plaza Little Rock, 201 S. Shackleford Road.
What will they learn about? Sports gels and energy bars, and yes, there will be samples to taste.
Who’s invited? Any runner or walker who is or will soon be training long enough to need food to keep on trucking (the usual experts say that means anyone exercising longer than 90 minutes, but individual needs vary).
More information is at littlerockmarathon.com and (501) 351-7730.
Miles for Missions
Seems like only a few months ago it was Miles for Missions time at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, but no, the world has spun all the way around the sun and here we are a year later.
The 2010 edition of the church’s charitable 5K will be 8 a.m. Saturday, and that’s also the morning Hillcrest merchants hold their annual Harvest Fest street party, with music.
The church is selling spaghetti dinners during race-packet pickup from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Great Hall; tickets are $5 per meal or $20 for a family at the door.
The race will begin and end at the church, 4823 Woodlawn in Little Rock; its certified 3.1-mile course runs Kavanaugh Boulevard and some hilly streets in Hillcrest without being hilly. A 1.5-mile fun run/walk’s also planned, and afterward everyone will pile into cars and drive to the Heights Kroger on Cantrell Road.
Ha-ha, kidding. Afterward, everyone will wander up to Harvest Fest on Kavanaugh.
Registration costs $20 ($15 for the fun run) using the form at www.phumc.com - look under “Mission + Service.” Race-day registration will cost $30 ($20 for the fun run).
Proceeds will benefit Arkansas Rice Depot and Little Rock Compassion Center.
More information is at (501) 664-3600.
Guardian Angel 5K
Christmas angels will begin flapping their wings Saturday in Paris with the 5K Angel Race. The footrace benefits the North Logan County Christmas Guardian Angel Program.
Sponsored by the Paris High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the race begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Paris High School parking lot, 2000 E. Wood St. Fastest finishers will receive trophies and medals.
Race-day registration, which costs $20, will be accepted beginning at 6:30 a.m.
More information is available from Leigh Vonderheide at lvonderheide@parisschools.org or (479) 963-2247. An entry form is at www.angel5krace.yolasite.com.
Bigs and littles
Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Central Arkansas will raise funds with its second annual 5K run/walk at 9 a.m. Saturday on the Bona Dea Trails in Russellville.
Registration costs $25 ($10 for age 8 and younger) through Wednesday using a form at bbbsn ca.com. Race-day registration, for $30, will be accepted in the park beginning at 8 a.m.
The first through third male and female finishers overall will win awards, as will the first three runners in men’s and women’s age divisions.
More information is at (501) 730-3263.
ActiveStyle, Pages 28 on 09/27/2010