May Trail Talk
Spirit Lake 4th graders line up for the start of BRAWL
SPIRIT LAKE 4TH GRADE BRAWL: On the last day of school the Spirit Lake 4th graders had fantastic weather to enjoy the annual BRAWL (Bike Ride Around West Lake). This 9-mile ride is put on every year by Spirit Lake Elementary physical education teacher Tim O’Hagan along with several volunteers that help make the day possible. Mr. O’Hagan stated, “BRAWL allows us a time to actively celebrate our abilities & reflect with our classmates from our elementary school years. I love empowering students with the skills & resources to be active in and out of classroom. The most rewarding part of the summer is seeing students out on the trails or hearing testimonies of trail rides where they have introduced others to this awesome 
resource we have right in our backyard. We are grateful for all the volunteers who have helped out and even more grateful for the memories being made with these students.” Thank you to everyone that makes this wonderful event a reality including Dave Kuker Trucking for hauling all of the bikes and Lakeside Lab and First Lutheran Church for hosting the student riders.
DCTB PROJECTS BEGINNING THIS WEEK: A new trail segment will begin construction on Tuesday, May 29. The project will involve trail reconstruction near the Pearson Lakes Art Center (PLAC) with a new segment continuing north from the trailhead along Highway 71 to 41st Street. The existing section of trail north of PLAC will be closed after June 9 for removal of pavement that will be replaced with concrete. The project will create a great new section of trail and provide more accessibility to the trail system.
Starting o
n Tuesday work will resume on the Spine Trail in Milford near the Nature Trails development and will close that section of trail from 210th Street north to 202nd Street. Approximately 200 feet of pavement will be replaced with concrete in this area and the trail will be inaccessible through this section for about two weeks.
Additional Spine Trail work south of the trestle bridge crossing East and West Lake Okoboji will begin later in the week. A 320-foot section of bituminous trail will be replaced with concrete for continuity and to improve the ride. Trail users will still be able to use the bridge to cross during construction but will have to go around the work area through the adjacent parking lot. After that section is complete the contractor will move to the trail along 175th Street in front of Ranch Okoboji RV Park where a 120-foot section of trail will be replaced with concrete. Closures for each trail section will be around one week.
We want to remind everyone that it is very important that trail users heed the barricades and do not go on the trail where the crews are working.
BOOTS & BOOGIE BIKE BASH II: This year’s Dickinson County Trails benefit will be Saturday, June 30 at the new Arnolds Park Pavilion. The event will feature live music by Georgia Clay and will benefit local trail projects. For sponsorship opportunities please contact us at dctrails@co.dickinson.ia.uscreate new email . Limited tickets will go on sale mid-June.
As always, Happy Trails to You and Yours.
Erin Reed, DCTB Executive Director
