President’s Message Pat Monahan pring is in the air and with it comes a new hiking season Maintenance. Add Director of Crews and Construction and for many who do not hike in winter. Leaving behind the Director of Trail Inventory and Mapping. All of the duties S snow shoes and crampons, I look forward to the woodlands will be described in the Guide to Responsibilities which coming alive for another hike along our wilderness foot path and defines the responsibilities of positions in the FLTC. More to sharing in the sights and sounds of spring. How many of us information will follow under separate cover in preparation look forward to the trillium, mayapple, and, yes, even the skunk for the annual meeting. cabbage as welcome signs to get up off the couch and get back on As we begin 2010, I will again ask you to consider how you can the trail in the woods? Now is the time. While many of us have support the FLTC. During the month of March, the FLTC will been hibernating over the last few months, the FLTC has been hold its annual membership drive. This is a tough economy planning and preparing for 2010. Let me highlight just a few which requires tough decisions by each of us as we consider areas for you. where to spend or invest our money. I believe it is a great value. The FLTC and the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) We have not increased our dues for 2010. The FLTC has have reached a formal agreement to work together as shown a steady (5%) increase in membership over the last partners for a high quality hiking experience on the shared several years, unlike similar organizations. This has allowed us miles of the NCT/FLT. Please consider dual membership as to stay true to our mission “to build, protect and enhance a a way to show your support for two outstanding continuous footpath across New York State. Forever.” I urge organizations. (NCTA membership coupon below) each of you to renew your membership and invite one other person to join the FLTC. The FLTC developed and forwarded to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation our position statement Mud season is here. Wear your gaiters and “Go take a hike!!” regarding gas drilling in the Marcellus shale. The document is posted on our website at www.fingerlakestrail.org. Click on “About the Finger Lakes Trail” and follow the link on Join the North Country Trail Association that page. We worked diligently to meet our membership goal of 5% growth per year and met it by December 31. The Board of Managers met for their annual weekend retreat at Letchworth State Park to review, discuss and plan for 2010 and beyond. The retreat has resulted in two main issues for the membership to consider and vote on at the annual meeting at the Spring Weekend on May 23 at Alfred University (information on the Spring Weekend is on page 13). First, a lengthy discussion resulted in a proposed change in our mission statement to include “promote” the FLT. We currently apply many measurable strategies to do this. If approved, our mission statement will more closely align with our policies and practices. We also spent time reviewing the organizational structure established for trail management issues after former Vice President of Trails Howard Beye’s passing. For 2009, we implemented a structure for the transition to something more permanent. It has seemed effective. The Board of Managers will propose these changes in our bylaws: Eliminate Vice President of Trails. Add Vice President of Trail Quality and Vice President of Trail Join the FLTC Yahoo! groups e-mail list The Finger Lakes Trail Conference's e-mail list is a discussion group hosted by yahoogroups.com. Its purpose is to allow the subscribers (approximately 400 people) to communicate information to each other pertaining to FLT hikes and other FLTC activities, and to also allow subscribers to post general hiking-camping-backpacking and/or FLT- related questions that can be answered by any of the other participants. The co-moderators who will oversee the use of this electronic mailing list and offer help with questions are: Larry Blumberg ([email protected]) and Jack VanDerzee ([email protected]). To join the group, send a note to one of the co-moderators, or go to the FLTC website (fingerlakestrail.org) and follow the instructions for subscribing. FINGER LAKES TRAIL NEWS Published for Members and Friends of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, Inc. Spring 2010 Volume 49 Number 1 3 The New Robinson Loop Trails, by Irene Szabo Mission Statement 5 History of the FLT: Part 5, The mission of the Finger by Tom Reimers Lakes Trail Conference is to 6 Bring on the [Mackinac] Bridge build, protect, and enhance 7 Eagle Scout Projects a continuous footpath 7 SUNY Geneseo Freshman Help across Build Trail New York State. 8 Rummel to join NCTA Board Forever! 13 2010 FLTC Spring Weekend Irene Szabo Irene Schedule FINGER LAKES TRAIL NEWS Meals & Lodging Eagle Scout Projects, page 7 Volume 49 Number 1 Spring 2010 Hike Schedule 22 Update on the Great Eastern Trail Finger Lakes Trail Conference Registration Form Service Center 14 Jack Kubinski dies in New York 585/658-9320, fax: 585/658-2390 20 Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Training 30 That Old Boiler, by Bill Coffin [email protected] 21 2010 Alley Cat Trail Crews 39 Giant Hogweed Warning Editor Jo H. Taylor [email protected] Editing Assistance Departments Sharon L. Galbraith 8 Faces of the FLT: Alex Gonzalez End-to-End Update 23 End-to-End Album: J. Emory Morris (#281), Candy Dietrich (#282), Edward J. Sidote Gerry Benedict (#285), Will Roden (#286), Mary Ann Cascarino (#287), Trail Medicine Don Sutherland (#288) Bob Michiel 32 2009 Contributions Wildflowers RWW Taylor 38 Hiking Calendar Walking through Time 40 Name that Map! Irene Szabo, Tim Wilbur Answers to Winter quiz, page 4 Natural Connections Columns John A-X. Morris Inside front cover... FLT Archives Georgeanne Vyverberg President’s Message Invasive Species 2 From the Desk of the Executive Director Todd Bittner 4 Notes from the Archives: Carlton Wright, Third President of the FLTC Finger Lakes Trail News is the 9 Wildflowers along the Trail #29: All in the Family official publication of the Finger 10 Trail Medicine: Ticks on the Trail Lakes Trail Conference, Inc, and is published four times each year 12 Invasive Species: Oriental Bittersweet by the Finger Lakes Trail Con­ 17 Trail Topics, reports from the trail management directors ference, 6111 Visitor Center 29 Walking Through Time #25: Trail under rails in Tonawanda Road, Mt. Morris, NY 14510. Comments and original con­ 34 End-to-End Update tributions are welcome and may be submitted to Jo Taylor, 967 And on the back cover... Meigs Street, Rochester, NY 14620. Phone 585/473-6729. Signs, photos by Jacqui Wensich Send address changes to Gene Cover: The Upper Falls of the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park. This photo was Bavis, Executive Director, at the Mt. Morris address above or taken by FLTC member Don McClimans from the Letchworth Branch Trail (Map L2 [email protected]. between access K and L) in mid-May of last year. You will have the opportunity to Copyright 2010 by Finger Lakes hike this section of the trail at the same time of year during our Spring Weekend. See Trail Conference, Inc. pages 13-16. Spring 2010 - 1 - Finger Lakes Trail News just looked over previous spring tration form for the spring weekend at columns that I wrote and they all From the Alfred University on May 21-23. It is I seem to begin with the same Desk of the also available on our website if you sentence…a report on our successful Executive don’t wish to tear it out of your maga- year. I am HAPPY to report that 2009 zine. Our membership renewal notices was yet another successful year. We Director will go out about the same time you met our membership goal: 1372 receive this issue of the News. Gene Bavis members by 12/31/09, growth of 5% PLEASE renew YOUR membership over the previous year. We also met and encourage others to join the FLTC. ALL of our financial goals. That Our membership goal for this year is includes membership income, Sidote gentlemen have done a LOT of work 1441 members by 12/31/2010. On Fund income, Endowment Fund this year to keep our maps updated and October 1-3, our Fall Campout will be income, unrestricted income, Annual other tasks as well. held at Hickory Hill Family Camping Appeal income, and sales income. As In my last column, I made reference to Resort in Bath. I hope to see YOU at of the end of 2009, we had sold nearly some “exciting marketing opportuni- both events. There are other 100,000 maps since March 2006. ties.” As of this writing, I cannot make opportunities listed in this issue of the During 2009 we experienced a signifi- a detailed “official announcement,” News and on our website, so please join cant transition to Trail Management BUT I will tell you that we are devel- in the fun. tasks. We still miss Howard Beye, but oping plans to produce a booklet of As always, I want to thank the we are beginning to get our arms “sample hikes” on the FLT. We plan to hundreds of volunteers who make this around all of the things he did for us. distribute thousands of these across the trail and organization what it is.