On my ride today I came accross something I haven't seen before. Going from Weaver toward Jacksonville at Warren Drive there was a sign blocking the trail from that point north. The sign said "Mowers". Now I have come accross the people mowing the grass along the trail many times before. This is the first time I have seen them actually block the trail. Of course I just rode around the sign and kept going.

I could really get going here about reasons not to do such a stupid thing as completely block the trail, but I'll save my comments for the proper authorities. If you run into a sign that blocks the trail that says "Mowers", just keep on riding and go around them as usual.

I'm glad I didn't come from out of town to ride the trail and find it blocked for an hour or more just because they were cutting the grass. Some people might not be as willing to just just go around the sign as I was.

I rode the entire (paved) trail today. While I was at the bridge at Terrapin Creek, I talked to a couple on mountain bikes just coming off the unpaved portion. They said there is only about 3 miles of unpaved section left. Hopefully, those three miles will get finished pretty quickly!

There were more people riding the trail today than I have ever seen. Memorial Day seemed to be the day everybody wanted to ride. I wish it was like this every day.

I see on The Chief Ladiga Trail website (http://epic.jsu.edu/clt/history.htm) that there may be plans to extend "The Chief" onto Fort McClellan. I believe this is the most logical way to go. I guess there are also plans to extend it to 4th Street at the train station, but I don't believe most people will want to venture into that part of town (crack houses, drug dealers & prostitutes) unless they're "packing heat". Fort McClellan is the ideal choice.

While I was riding today I noticed a problem I haven't ever noticed before. Going north from Jacksonville toward Piedmont, after you pass Federal Mogul and the electrical substation on the left there is a bridge. I noticed that some of the wooden planks are rotten. As I rode over them I could feel them "compress" (the only way I know to describe it) under the weight of my bike. I don't think this is an immediate problem, but one that will soon have to be addressed. If you ride over this bridge be extra careful and slow down.

I rode 20+ miles today, starting from Weaver Park and traveling north as usual. The trail seemed to be in good condition today. The grass had been cut all along the part of the trail I was on. There were several people out riding. I didn't see any walkers or joggers.

An announcement made at the beginning of The Cheaha Challenge said that paving the final four miles of The Chief Ladiga Trail would begin today. The plans are still for the ribbon cutting to be in September. I don't know if the trail will be complete before then, but maybe with good weather, it will be finished by September.