I forgot to take any pictures. I exercise at a local nature/ hiking area, the TVA trail, like most things government, the people who are supposed to keep the trails clear have let it go to pot. The main paved road and paved trail that snake through the area are clear, the hiking trails through the woods are all blocked with downed trees, head high weeds and a sea of kudzu. I called the TVA land office in Knoxville to volunteer my services to help keep the trails clear but was told by a gov talking head to never take a tool of any kind on any of the trails or I would be in deep do-do.
To the right of the old railroad bridge at the exercise area there is a set of stone stairs leading down to the river and a hiking trail that follows the river bank upstream. Kudzu had taken over the stairs leaving only about a foot for people to squeeze through going down to the river. I walk the area several times a week and found that most people are so afraid of snakes that they wouldn't use the stairs.
This is a fringe area owned by the city of Sheffield with TVA government land mixed in, I decided I would chance it and clean the stairs of kudzu. I talked to one of the board members of the Old Railroad Bridge Company and he said have at it.
The kudzu was 3 ft thick and high at points; I ordered a cordless hedge trimmer but UPS lost it in mail so I took my punny little cordless weed eater to the stairs yesterday. Vastly underpowered with my cordless, (my big Stihl needs a new carburetor and won't start), I wacked away at the mess until I finally got the stairs cleared.
I was surprised how many people walked the bridge at sunset on a Sunday evening, soon people were filing down the stairs as I raked up the mess, every one of them stopped to thank me, that is why I do this stuff.
I forgot my cordless leaf blower to sweep the stairs, I am going back today to finish up and will take a picture or two while I am there.
I took this picture years ago; the stairs I cleared go down to the river on the right side of the bridge.
