TM report: Waldo State Park

Date of Activity: August 6, 2010
Trail Ambassador Names: Paula Burton
Location: Waldo SP
I continued painting blazes. You can see the paint kit above. Left to right: A bucket to carry everything, a hammer to tap the lid on the paint can down when finished, a stick to stir the paint, a folding saw to clear brush that might obstruct the painted blaze, small can of paint ( easier to carry than a large one- I usually buy a large one, then pour into smaller cans), 1.5 inch brush, screwdriver to get the lid off the can ( or you can use a paint can lid opener- I seem to loose them), and a paint scraper to gently scrape the lichens and dirt off the bark. A wire brush works well too, incase there is no paint scraper available. I also removed pin flags and flagging tapes. That is usually the last thing I do, after the trail is blazed. Blaze colors ( get approval from the land manager) work best in primary colors - yellow, blue, red, and white. Most state forests and parks have 2 X 6 painted blazes. Land trusts and municipalities sometimes use
plastic markers or painted circles. I use acrylic outdoor paint, and leave it fairly thick. Spray painting may be quick, but it doesn't look good and doesn't last long. Some people use cut outs to paint. I think it is important to be consistent in the paint job. A big square blob on one tree and a little round one on the next looks bad and focuses the attention of the user on the paint job, and not on enjoyment of the trail. I don't like too many blazes either, maybe every 20-30 ft, unless the tread way is tough to follow. Turn signals should be two blazes, with the top one painted in the direction of the turn. This should be used very sparingly, maybe when two trails cross each other or only where there might be confusion. The treadway, particularly for mountain bikers, tells the user where to go too. Two blazes directly on top of one another indicates the end of the trail. I think it is important to walk in the direction that you are painting in. Find a good tree to paint by looking down the trail and noticing what tree your vision falls on.

Trail Ambassador Email: peburtonataoldotcom
Town: Southbury
Trails: Where's Waldo ,Extension, Hunter's Trail, and Access Road
How did you use the trail? TM
What was the time of day? morning
Duration (Hours): 2.5 hours
Distance (Miles): ?