“Trail of Trees” Road-Trip: Things to Consider
The weather looks like it’s going to reward us with a great day for experiencing the Ozarks tomorrow. Still, there are a few things participants should consider while preparing to hit the backwoods along the backroads!
Toilet Facilities: Toilets will be available at the beginning of the road-trip during registration at the Melbourne History Museum. They’ll be available again at the Lunenburg Community Center where we will sit for a presentation by Bob Gaut. From 11:30am to 1:30 p.m, however, the biggest tree in sight will be your facilities. You might want to pack a roll of your favorite plush tissue.
Ticks, chiggers, and other tiny monsters: Yes, the insects are bad…especially the ticks. We’ll not stray too far off the road on this adventure, however…it’s not necessary to even get off the road to get a load of ticks this time of year. We suggest you make sure to have some kind of repellent. We will walk across about 75 yards of pasture and through the woods about that far as well when we visit two trees.
Donations: We will be accepting donations during tomorrow’s event which will be divided between the two museums we will visit. We ask you to carefully consider what amount you ill donate for these great organizations. We hope you will weigh your experience during the event and give accordingly. A lot of time and preparation go into these event and we hope that you recognize their value.
T-Shirts: Because we did not seek any sponsors for this event, the cost of T-Shirts have come directly out of a personal account. Our T-shirt design for this event is unique and quite frankly…AWESOME! We hope you will plan on helping us out by purchasing one of these beautiful shirts for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
Drinks/Snacks: This will be a 5 hour event. You should consider bringing drinks and snacks along as there will be no place to purchase anything once we leave the vast metropolis of Melbourne and disappear into the Izard County outback until we emerge in Calico Rock.
Road Conditions: Many have asked about what vehicle they should use for the event. I do not recommend bringing your classic Corvette. We will travel along well-maintained gravel roads for the majority of the event. A family car is perfectly sufficient, though an SUV or Pick-Up might be more practical. As long as your vehicle has a moderate amount of clearance, you should be fine. We will not be racing through the backwoods.
You might want to also bring a notebook and writing utensil. Bob Gaut’s presentation will include lots of info about Trail Trees and if you’re interested in helping document them in your area, you’ll want to take notes.
We hope these tips help make your experience in Izard an enjoyable and rewarding one!
