Spring 2003

Cambria & Indiana Trail Council .......................... P.O. Box 1019 Indiana, PA 15701-1019
Laurie Lafontaine, Chair, 724-349-5171.......................Denise Weber, Secretary, 724-463-6361
Linda Gwinn, Vice-Chair, 724-459-5656........................ Louise Bem, Treasurer, 724-463-7217

Lines from Laurie --
The Annual Five Points Classic will be held on Saturday, and Sunday, May 31 and June 1, 2003. As president of the trail council, I am asking members to participate in the Five Points Classic as cyclists or as volunteers. Proceeds of this race go to the trail council and the American Red Cross. This is the trail council's largest and only fundraiser. We are very fortunate that the management and sponsors of this bicycle race do the bulk of the work. All they ask of us is to supply volunteers the day of the race to help make the race a success. A successful race means that people return and the race grows in numbers ... which means more in the treasury to help build trails and bike/pedestrian facilities.

Volunteers are needed to serve as road marshals by supervising the "corners" during the road race on Saturday and the criterion on Sunday. They are needed to work from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you can volunteer (and please try to), call the Schwinn Shop 724-349-6550 as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Ten road marshals are needed for each date. Schedule for Road Marshals: Saturday, May 31st 10:00 a.m., Indiana Area Senior High School; Sunday, June 1St 10:00 a.m., Coney Island Restaurant, downtown Indiana. If helping out on the roads isn't your thing, call the Schwinn Shop to see if there are other ways you can help out. I am sure they will need help at registration during race day.

Please help your trail council and have a good time at the same time while watching a premier event right here in our own back yard!

That's all for now....Happy Trails! Laurie

The Indiana Bicycle Club began their weekly rides on Monday, April 7, 2003. All cyclists are welcome to join club members for weekly rides ranging from leisure rides for beginners to rigorous rides for competitive racers. A rides - competitive cyclists; B rides - cyclists looking for a challenging ride; C rides - casual cyclists and D rides - leisure rides for beginners.

Mondays	Mom's Night Out	(C)	5:15 p.m.	Schwinn Shop
Tuesdays	Training Rides	(A, B)	5:15 p.m.	Schwinn Shop
Wednesdays	Road Rides Hoodlebug Ride	(A, B, C) (D)	5:15 p.m.   5:15 p.m.	Schwinn Shop IUP RSM Bus Stop
Thursdays	Mountain Bike Ride	(A, B, C)	5:15 p.m.	Schwinn Shop

Information Hotline - Indiana Schwinn Shop (724) 349-6550

Indiana County Parks has some exciting news regarding the Hoodlebug and Ghost Town Trails.

Construction of the Hoodlebug Trail between Elm Street and Sycamore Avenue in Homer City was started on April 28. Resolve, Inc., of New Alexandria, PA submitted the low bid for the project. This section of trail will fill much of the gap in the trail that currently exists in Homer City Borough. Trail construction in this area is being funded primarily through a grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with assistance from the Indiana Regional Medical Center and the Homer City Area Business Association.

Property has been acquired along old Route 119 and Mullen Avenue, near the American Legion in Homer City, to link the existing sections of the Hoodlebug Trail in this area. Construction is scheduled to begin in May.

Adelphoi Village, providers of alternative education programs for students throughout Indiana County, recently was awarded a grant through the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Blazing New Trails program. The program provides funding for trail-related projects that will be completed by high school students. The grant will fund the construction of two trailside minishelters: one will be located along the Hoodlebug Trail and the other along the Ghost Town Trail. Picnic tables, benches, and fencing will also be installed. The shelters will be identical to those already in place along the trails.

Extensive information about the Hoodlebug Trail and Ghost Town Trail is available on the Indiana County Parks website. Detailed color maps, directions, historical information, and photos can be found on the site. Visit the website at http://www.indianacountyparks.org. Click on Our Parks, then on Hoodlebug Trail or Ghost Town Trail.

Belsano Bridge Once Again Spans Route 422.
On a bright, sunny day in April, 2000, the trucks, cranes, and workers of Kovalchick Salvage descended on the existing railroad bridge across Route 422 in Belsano. Within a few hours, that bridge was but a memory (see before photo). But, that memory also bore a promise from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to replace this bridge with another that would accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic on the trail and the vehicular traffic on the road beneath. True to their word, PennDOT incorporated the bridge replacement project as part of a $1.1 million highway improvement at the Belsano "Y" at the intersection of Routes 271 and 422.

Completed in late 2002, the new crossing (see after photo) spans the roadway at a much higher elevation to accommodate large truck traffic. The abutments have been placed further apart to create wider traffic lanes and safer vehicle travel. The drainage in this area was also improved for easier maintenance of the roadway surface.

Once we obtain construction funding for the Candl Trail, we will be able to enjoy this beautiful bridge and Rails-to-trails adventures.

We'd like to give a very special thanks to Kovalchick Salvage and PennDOT for making this project possible.

Southern Cambria County's Path of the Flood Trail is finally moving forward. Civil & Environmental Design Group of Mechanicsburg, PA are the project engineers. Todd Stager, President of C & E and Project Engineer, is originally from Portage, Cambria County, and is very excited to be working on this project. He knows the area well, and we know the finished trail, under his direction, is going to be an exciting facility.

Beginning at the Community Park in Ehrenfeld, the Trail will follow the path of the Great Johnstown Flood of 1889 and end in the City of Johnstown at the Johnstown Flood Museum on Washington Street. Along the way, the traveler will be able to take advantage of beautiful vistas and views of the Conemaugh River, picnic at the Oxbow Overlook, or simply enjoy the sights of the train moving along the Mainline. Right in the middle of this trail is the Staple Bend Tunnel National Park Service Site. This is the first railroad tunnel to be built in the US and was part of the Old Portage Railroad. Path of the Flood Trail users will follow the remaining stone sleepers that help the rails for the railroad and continue right through the tunnel to one of the incline planes on the other side. Once at the bottom of the plane, the PFT picks up again and continues on to Johnstown.

Once in the City, you will want to take some time to go to the Moxham neighborhood and hop onto the James Mayer Riverwalk Trail. The Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority just received the deed for this two-mile trail and big plans are in store for it. Repair work is currently being completed on the 60" water line that runs along the corridor. CCC&RA is looking to do substantial rehabilitation to the access areas, parking lot, and the trail surface and drainage system. The Riverwalk is heavily used by locals and visitors alike, as it is a great place to see a variety of wildflowers and birds. Once you visit this one, you will return often!

The illusive wood frog. Every spring, Paul g. Wiegman (freelance writer, photographer and naturalist born and raised in Western PA) has been faced with a challenge, a challenge he readily admits he hasn't had much success with. Long ago he abandoned the "Sighting a Spring Peeper" club, but he has diligently tried to sneak upon the illusive wood frog. His score -wood frogs 27 -naturalist 0. Would 2003 be the year he narrowed the gap?

While slowly pedaling toward Nanty Glo on the Ghost Town Trail, he stopped in his tracks upon hearing the duck-like call from the little wetland beside the path. The wood frogs were out and singing! Paul stopped, leaned his bike against a tree and decided, since he had plenty of time on his hands, to again take up his annual challenge of sighting a wood frog. Camera in hand, he slowly headed toward the little puddle.

In the past, when he tried to sneak up on the frogs, they would see him coming and a quick glance was all he got as gray-brown bodies ducked beneath the water, into the sunken, mud-covered leaves at the bottom. This was the day though, that he would position himself in a spot and wait for them to come back up. As expected, when he neared the pool, the choir went silent. Soon, he was greeted with kerplunks and splashes as the frogs headed for their muddy cover. Paul thought he would take the opportunity to find the egg masses that were attached to submerged old twigs and leaves. He could see the tiny black specks in the center of the gelatinous eggs that were the beginnings of tadpoles. Approaching the place where a couple of frogs had ducked below the surface, he awkwardly positioned himself to begin his wait for them to reappear. He brought the camera up to shooting position so he wouldn't have to move to look into the viewfinder and possibly spook the frogs back down. He waited quietly to see them when they resurfaced. He knew that frogs take in oxygen through their skin, but also breathe air, and figured they had to come back to the surface eventually. It was uncomfortable but he thought he would not have to hold his position very long until they would reappear. Finally, two bulges of dark eyes broke the surface and, little by little, a frog head began to appear. He would get his picture this time! Alas, he was positioned too low to the water and all he would see were the eyes. What he thought would be a few short minutes had stretched into 43 minutes and 17 seconds. The level of pain in his arms and legs confirmed the length of time. He decided to act. Slowly he began to stand up to get into a higher position to look down at the frog. Inch by inch, he slowly stretched his sound-asleep legs until he was just about able to see the full body of the frog. But, just then, the frog decided to head for the muddy bottom. Hobbling away, trying to get his legs to work again, Paul vowed that he would not end the challenge again this time. He determined this was the year he would see the wood frog.

Hearing frogs in another part of the pond, Paul decided to use the stealth approach. Slowly, ever so slowly, he approached an open patch of water. Braving the freezing water, he crept along at a snails pace into the wet edge. As the cold water soaked into his shoes and socks, he wondered how those frogs could stand the frigid water. Finally, his perseverance was rewarded. He saw four wood frogs floating at the surface. He slowed his approach even more. Three of the frogs grew wary and headed for cover, but, one lone, brave wood frog stayed at the surface. Finally Paul had his chance to watch a wood frog lazily floating on the surface of a wetland pool. He also got a couple of pictures before the wood frog decided Paul had seen enough and headed for the bottom of the pond. Was it worth effort for Paul? You bet! The score is now wood frogs 28 - naturalist 1.

Think you've heard a wood frog, but are not quite sure? The Dillweed Inn has Birdsong and Frog Identiflyers for sale.

Looking for something extra to do when you complete your ride or walk on the Ghost Town Trail? Check out the FREE concerts at the Dillweed. For a schedule of their FREE events, check out their website at: www.dillweedinc.com

Enjoy the out of doors!

Cambria & Indiana Trail Council
The C & I Trail Council is a group of volunteers who work together on activities related to trails and greenways in Cambria and Indiana Counties of Pennsylvania. The Council is devoted to the preservation of the natural beauty of the area, including local farm lands, wildlife habitats, and waterways. Activities include the promotion, development, operation, and maintenance of local trails and greenways. Current projects include the Ghost Town Trail, the Indiana to Homer City Trail, and the Conemaugh River Greenway. If you are interested in participating in the development of this area, while maintaining its breathtaking beauty, you are invited to contact the council for more information on membership at:

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