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Gulf State Park trail maintenance update

I met with Eric campground manager and Grant assistant manager last Wednesday to review the list of trail issues.

I was pleased to learn they are still working on our list.

They purchased equipment to maintain the trails. However, the equipment is new and is being treated to deal with the heavy salt in the area.

They have a plan to deal with the roots creating major bumps, the holes on the cement bridge on the road out of the park and the missing section of trail going to the sidewalk across the cement bridge.

They are monitoring the water over the trail on oak ridge near the alligator pond to determine how to correct it.

They did thank FOS for bringing the trouble spots to their attention.

Dan

Gulf State Park meeting notes

From: "Peterson, Eric"
Date: January 26, 2019 at 10:31:17 AM CST
To: "James and Karen Diehm. " , Dan / Sue Back , FOS- Folks on Spokes-chat
Subject: RE: Trails repairing

Mr. Diehm,
We are glad that you and Folks and Spokes are enjoying the trails and the repairs to the transitions. We appreciate you volunteering to mark areas that still need repaired but I would appreciate if you did not. There is an executive and a facility meeting coming up and we will be discussing the next phase of repairs to the trails.

I will be happy to keep you and Mr. Back up to date on the trails but please no paint for now.

Thank you,

Eric Peterson
Campground Manager
Gulf State Park
22050 Campground Road
Gulf Shores, AL. 36542
(251) 948-7275 ext. 2111


-----Original Message-----
From: James and Karen Diehm. [mailto:jkdiehm@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2019 8:36 AM
To: Peterson, Eric; Dan / Sue Back; FOS- Folks on Spokes-chat
Subject: Trails repairing

Eric, thanks so much for starting the trail repairs and what?s done is VERY WELL done. It is hoped by all in our Folks on Spokes (FOS) riders that repairs continue to completion. We?d be happy to mark all the ?root bumps and holes? with red paint so no one falls and is injured because of them, until the repairs to them can be made. Let Dan know and we?ll get it done pronto.
Again, THANK YOU, for work done so professionally, to date. FOS is pleased.
Jim Diehm, 231-598-0383, jkdihm1@cmsinter.net.

Gulf State Park meeting notes

Below is a summary of the meeting with gulf shores park officials. I would have sent it out sooner but was waiting on comments from the park.

On Monday December 17 2018 a meeting was held to discusses issues in Gulf State Park.

Representing the Park were:

Lamar Pendergrass Southern Operation Supervisor
Charles Smith Facilities/Operation
Kelly Reetz Gulf Shores Naturalist
Laurie Brown Reservation Manager
Eric Peterson Campground Manager
Grant Morgan Asst. Campground Manager

Speaking for the campers was Karen Robbins.

1. Reservations

Problems with the 18-19 reservations was partially the result of a phone system outage caused by the large number of calls. This delayed the taking of reservations for at least an hour. They will be looking into more reservation agents and additional phone lines.

The reservation system was designed for a hotel and not a campground thus many of the problems. The contract for this system is up for renewal next year and other systems will be evaluated.

Waiting List

The park may eliminate waiting list because of the large amount of time it takes to call people. This would be replaced with a system that if you call and a site is available they would assign it to you.
It was suggested that a waiting list be established that has all the information for a reservation except site number including a credit card for deposit. When a site becomes available they will process the reservation and notify you via phone or e-mail that you have a site.

Online reservations were discussed. It was stated this option was evaluated and it was determined it would result in double booking.

Everyone calling on November 1 was identified as an issue. One option discussed was for an additional fee you could request a site before November 1.


2. Bike trails

The major issue with the trails is the transition from blacktop to boardwalk. We were informed that the hotel management group is now responsible for trail maintenance. However, they do not have a crew in place to maintain it. The park said they would see what they could do to get the trail transitions fixed. FOS members offered to fix it if they would furnish tools and material. This was taken into consideration.

2. General Park maintenance

Issues discussed were the mold in some rest rooms. Maintenance and repair request along with Mowing and trimming. The park reported with the closure of the golf course and the transfer of the cottages and cabins to the hotel management group additional resources would available to meet the park needs. Potholes were discussed and it was determined that most are over culverts. A culvert replacement project is in the works.

Discussion of heating the swimming pool was taken under consideration. The park is looking into options but want to make sure they get a system that does the job.

4. Wi-Fi
The existing WIFI system suffered significant damage from lighting. The park system has hired their own IT person to evaluate system needs to get it working.

5. Golf course
The golf course has been loosing money for several years to the tune of $200,000 to $300,000 a year. In addition the course needed extensive repair and new maintenance equipment. The decision was made in Montgomery to close it. Other state parks have either closed their courses or are evaluating closing them. The future use of the property is undecided.

6. Evacuation route

Concern over the lack of more than one way out of the campground was discussed. The park said that it was for security reasons managing that comes and goes. It was asked what if we needed to evacuate. They said that if a hurricane were to come we would have several days to evacuate. If a tornado we should go to the restrooms.

This issue was unresolved, as we would be all trying to get to beach highway at the same time. There we would be joining the thousands of people from the condos. The closure of park rd. 2 eliminates an alternate evacuation route to 59. The decision to close 2 was to make the east and west sides of the park more contiguous. It also forces all traffic to go past the new hotel.

7. Dog park

There were concerns about the existing dog park on lake Shelby. The fence near the lake does not go to the waters edge resulting in dogs getting out on to route 135. Also there were concerns about the dangers of alligators if a dog got in the water. Kelly said that any type of fence put in the salt water soon deteriorates. She said to check out the water before allowing your dog to swim. It was suggested that a dog park be built within the park. This was taken under consideration.

8. Route 135
Route 135 now belongs to the park. Concern on the bike trail along the road was expressed. Even with the reduced speed limit the wood fence is often damaged. This raises a concern for trail users safety. It was noted that the reflectors on the fence post only face south. There are no reflectors driving south. The park said they would evaluate re striping the road. They would eliminate the bike lane on the west side of the road. They would then restripe the road moving traffic over and putting the extra space next to the fence.

9. General operating information
This discussion was extremely helpful. A follow-up meeting is planed for February.

Who manages what
The new hotel is responsible for the restaurants, cottages and cabins, and park trails. Orange Beach is responsible for the eastern portion of the trails.

Park budget and rates
Gulf State Park generates most of the revenue for the state park system. However, all parks send their receipts to Montgomery. From there each park submits a budget and requests funding. Apparently previous park administrators did not request all they were entitled to. All purchases must be approved in Montgomery.

Rates are established in Montgomery.

10. FOS air pump

It was noted on one of our rides that the pump at the Ron Griffin memorial bike station was missing. Kelly from the nature center looked into it. It was broken and Orange Beach took if off to repair it.


Dan Back



Danny Back 9:37am Jan 25

Wanted to let you know that I got a call from Eric Peterson campground manager. He wanted to know about our experience on the trails yesterday. I thanked him for the work so far. He acknowledged that he is aware of the transition over the canal by rosemary dunes was not complete. He said they are still working on our list. He is going to inspect all repairs.

They are listening to us.

He and I have a very good relationship. Do you want me to continue to be our contact for FOS?

FOS T-Shirts

This is the Shirt Supplier that we’ve chosen for making up our FOS Gulf Shores Shirts. They are very flexible and can work remotely but it’s better to ‘try-on’ when possible.

Update - 2017 Fall Rally Planning

About 50 FOS gathered for Mexican Theme pot luck/campfire outing Saturday nite. Wonderful food, weather, and friends.

A vote was taken twice, since a tie on the first vote required a recount, on the rally location for 2017. The results concluded an interest in both venues. However, by a slim margin, it was decided that the 2017 Rally will be in the Madison County Illinois area, specifically, the 7LOOPS trails centered around Edwardsville in a 20-30 mile radius. For a detailed map of the 7LOOPS trail system, go to Request a MCT Trails Map" and they will send info on an individual request basis. It's likely we'll have to transport bikes for each ride, allowing for good viewing of the country, similar to our Xenia OHIO Rally last year. Rally date will be mid September.

Rally dates and campground specifics will be forwarded as we have them. Mark and Sharon Holzhauer will be researching the area for us. Anyone having information to share regarding the area or the Rally details, i.e. Things to do, see, attend, participate in, or good places to eat, please contact Mark and Sharon or Jim and Karen with specifics OR volunteer to coordinate that item into the Rally. Many hands makes light work for all.

The 2018 RALLY will be the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's TOW PATH TRAIL / OHIO AND ERIE CANAL-WAY System starting near Cleveland Ohio running Southerly to Akron Ohio. Details have already been posted on our website Folks on Spokes - Gulf Shores under the RALLIES TAB as researched by Bob and June Strader and Claudia Kennedy. More information will follow as it becomes available.

As you have the ability, please 'get involved' in the planning and execution of the FOS 2017 RALLY. Just let us know how you can help so we don't duplicate efforts unknowingly.

2017 Fall Rally Planning

It's time to start thinking about the Mid September Fall FOS Rally. We'll be discussing location possibilities now each chance we get. This is a reminder for those wanting to propose a Rally in their respective geographical area to put something together for us to discuss this month, FEB., so we can decide early March which works best for most. Presently, Bob Strader has done research, visited and toured, and experienced a trail between Cleveland and Akron Ohio, called the CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK'S TOW PATH TRAIL/OHIO & EIRE CANALWAY TRAIL.

I will post that report for you to review on the FOS.bike site under the RALLIES Tab.

Don't forget to check out our Folks on Spokes - Gulf Shores site to view pictures, info on rallies, general info about our FOS group and our schedules.

2016 Fall Rally Update #1

Since we've been receiving calls concerning the Fall Rally, September 17-26, we'll use this opportunity to relay a few details for those that are ready to make their campground reservations. Reservations should be made as soon as possible to secure your spot.

We spoke to Mr. Walter Wingate at Frontier Campground in Waynesville, Ohio.

You will need to call to make reservations. Mention FOLKS on SPOKES Rally, reserved by Beth and Carl Pearce. Here are the particulars:

Rally Dates: September 17, arrival, September 26, departure.

Campground: Full hook up, approx. $32.00 per night includes use of The Lodge which has kitchen facilities, fireplace and gathering area. This would serve as a backup for evening campfires in case of inclement weather. The campground also has cabins for rent and tent sites should anyone want to "tent camp". Phone number for the campground: 937-488-1127.

We will be riding the Miami Valley Trail system which has about 360 miles of paved trails. You can access information at miamivalleytrails.org. You can also order a map of the trails on this web site, one per couple free.There are many other attractions in the area which we believe you will enjoy.

Peter and Betty Meyerink have volunteered to schedule a trip to the area this summer to "check it out". Thank you Peter and Betty! We do not have anyone in our FOS group who lives in the area so this will be a "no host" Rally. It will be fun for all, we promise! Information on t shirts will be coming at a later date.

If you have further questions call Beth at 231-714-2658 or Carl at 231-714-2382.

2016 Fall Rally

It is settled, MIAMI RIVER TRAILS, Xenia, Ohio, will be the destination for our 2016 RALLY by unanimous decision.

GO TO: 'Miami River Trails' on your browser for ordering a very detailed MAP of the trail system and the XENIA area. Asphalt trails of varying lengths radiate from Xenia allowing for several days of riding enjoyment for all abilities. Suggested Dates- Sept. 15-26- but this is little flexible yet since we need to squeeze in between other fall events in the area. We've located a full service campground on the trail a few miles South of Xenia that can handle us including cabins for those not with RV's.

We have NO local host for this event so please 'volunteer' to help with handling a segment of the planning and coordination. Let's share the work. Details will be developing going forward.

Ron Griffin Memorial Dedication

Bike the Bend

Bike the end is coming! On one day, Sunday June 14, the city of South Bend closes down some streets and invites bicycle riders to enjoy riding on streets and bike paths along the St. Joseph River. Some members of Folks on Spokes have joined this ride the last few years.

Look at photos, read some more detailed information on the ride, and make reservations at their website - bikethebend.com
(Note there is a discount for registering before April 30.)

I called Spaulding Lake Campground (where we stayed the first year we did this) and once again they are not willing to reserve spaces for us. So we will be staying at the KOA that we used last year. It does not open until April 15, but reservations can be made at the KOA website.

There are 2 campgrounds near Elkhart, IN. Be sure to make your reservations for the one in Granger on Princess Way, or you may be camping by yourself! Most FOS will arrive on Thursday, June 11 and stay until Tuesday, June 16. We will be transporting our bikes to do other rides in the area and some sightseeing. When you make your reservations, add a note in the notebox saying that you are part of Folks on Spokes. I will be talking to the campground so they will know that we are a group.

The campground does have cabins, and there are motels in the area as well.

If you let me know that you have made reservations, or that you are interested in getting further information on this year's Bike the Bend, I will keep you informed. I can then make up a smaller mail list so everyone will not be getting mail they are not interested in receiving.

Any questions? Hope to see you there.

Bike the Bend

Bike the Bend site has been updated. Check out the videos of last years ride. Also, the schedule, maps, registration info are available on that site.
Peter and Betty are working on campground availabilities and will advise when complete.

Ron's Memorial

Great News----Just got news the 'Bike Fix-It Station' that we had proposed to the Park Administration has been approved and ordered. Two weeks is the delivery time and installation should be shortly thereafter, hopefully before we leave. The Park is thrilled with our contribution as is Ardith. This will be a very nice compliment to the trails that we so much enjoy. Thanks to all for helping.

Bike the Bend

Plan now for attending this great FOS-GS weekend of riding and fun.
All info can be found on:

www.bikethebend.com

Other activities for the weekend, before and after the Sunday BTB event, will be posted as they develop, on our 'news' tab at fos-gs.org. Typically we all gather at a campground near South Bend and truck or ride to other areas for riding, i.e. Pumpkinvine Trail, etc. This is usually a 3-4 day get together.

Ron Griffin Memorial

I called Carolyn at bctrail. She said she was writing a proposal for the fixit station to I think the city. She is checking to see how soon the Dero Company can send it. She will email us with the time frame.

Fall Rally

ATTENTION Pennsylvania Rally attendees, please make both campground reservations by April 1, then advise Joanne Dowling at:

dulcimergrandma2@live.com

This will allow her to assemble an accurate list for advising all about future Rally details.

Upcoming Rides

Several FOS-GS have expressed interest in a trip to Pensacola Beach to ride East to the Santa Rosa Sound mid point and back, then for dinner out. This activity will be called on 'short notice' as weather forecast looks favorable for the all day event. We will leave laundry parking at 8:30am and return 6:00pm, give or take. This is a beautiful ride along the sea shore for several miles and also residential beach homes for miles.

Other rides coming up soon will be to:
        Peninsula Golf Course out Fort Morgan Road.
        Over Perdido Bridge to FloraBama and beyond for lunch.

Mary Frisbie can order FOS-GS name tags for you. Check with her on the cost.

Kris Hamilton has FOS-GS flags in yellow/green or white/black and the cost is $15ea.

Slow Bicycle Riders of the Eastern Shore

FOS has been invited to join "Slow Bicycle Riders of the Eastern Shore" on Sunday, 25 Jan, 1:30 at Orange Beach Sports Complex, south trail entrance parking end for a joint tide to the end of Bear Point. At the completion of the ride will be a stop at a local resturant TBD. Sidewalks and trails will be used. If interested, just show up at 1:30, ready to ride.

Riding Groups, Fall Rally

On all rides we will try to divide into two groups, one longer distance slightly faster, the other shorter distance at a slightly slower pace. The objective is to meet up at approximately the same time and place so as to eat together.

If you are planning attending the September Fall Rally in Pennslyvania, please email Joanne Dowling at:

Dulcimergrandma@live.com

This will allow her to compile a list so as to keep you informed of pertinent Rally info.

Ron Griffin Memorial

Several ideas for a fitting memorial for Ron have been discussed:

1. Bike Fix-it Station located at the Butterfly Park
2. Bench or Bench Roof Covering
3. Name board on our bench
4. Donation to Trails Fund in Ron's name

If you are inclined to help fund a memorial and /or funeral flowers, please get your donation to: Sharon Anderson/PO Box 498/Orange Beach, AL 36561

Please respond by February 15th, 2015

As the fund is complete, the FOS-GS members present in Gulf Shores will decide how to best use the funds.

Thanks to Don & Sherry Andersen for helping with this matter.

Ron Griffin Passes Away

FOS-GS shares in the sadness of losing our best friend and one of the originators of our biking group, Folks on Spokes - Gulf Shores.

Ron Griffin, in passing today, leaves behind a legacy of being an avid bicyclist, a great father, loving husband, and a best friend to so many people.

As we ride the trails of Gulf Shores, Alabama, from this time forward we have the vision of Ron riding along with us in 'spirit'.

Ron's Obituary

Welcome Back

"Welcome back" to Gulf Shores and Gulf State Park Campground biking adventures. Our regular biking routine continues as we finished last year as follows: Tuesdays – a restaurant ride, Thursdays - an ice cream or snack ride, Saturday – a picnic ride.

All riders please meet at 9:50 a.m. at the camp ground laundry prepared to ride at 10:00 a.m. sharp. Each ride's destination is agreed on at each meeting.

On some occasions special rides are organized and will be promulgated FOS – GS.org and Folks Chat.

If a ride is canceled due to high winds, lightning, or rain you will be notified by 8:30 a.m. the day of the ride. Cool temps is usually not a reason to cancel.

Helmets are highly recommended.

Join us for great fun, good exercise and wonderful friends riding the beautiful trails of Gulf State Park, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores areas.

Call 231-598-0383, Jim, for more information.

Fall Rally 2014-September 12-22, 2014

Wow what great response we have gotten to attendance of Fall Ralley. Bobbie and I are excited about all of you coming to Shipshewana and Cedar Springs MI.

The official dates are September 12th arrival at Shipshewana Campground South Park - 1105 S. Van Buren - Shipshewana, Indiana. Phone: 260-768-4669. Cost is $38.00 per night. Full hookups and a meeting hall available that we can use while staying there. Check in time is 1:00 PM. We will leave Shipshewana on the 17th. (You may make reservations anytime from now on. Cindy or Casey can help you. Just mention FOS.

Bob Strader will be organizing our rides in Shipshewana. The flea market will be on Tuesday for those interested and we will leave the next day.

Sue Odeja is working on a great design for our T Shirts with her daughter who is a designer. Orders will begin in June.

Check in on September 17th at Lakeside Campground in Cedar Springs MI and leaving on the 22nd. More information will be available shortly. Rockford and Grand Rapids have great trails and we promise you a fun time.

Bike the Bend

It was still too cold to bike, so Peter and I decided to check out the area of the KOA campground in Granger. It's about 1 block off busy Adams Road (US 23). However the road has a sidewalk that could be used for riding. A large grocery store is at the corner, and many various restaurants are nearby. There is a brew pub within a block of the entrance, and a fancy Italian restaurant next door. A Dairy Queen is down the road a short ways.

However, we will not be able to ride to get our packets like we did last year. We drove the roads, and once the sidewalk ends, the roads have no shoulders, are too busy, or both. We could join a car ride to get the packets with a side trip to look over the Notre Dame campus if there is interest.

If you haven't checked out the Bike the Bend website (bikethebend.com) be sure to look it over. Apparently the breakfast will be held at the place we picked up the packets last year, and the packet pickup will be on the campus of Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) near where we parked for breakfast last year. You'll want to register by April 15, because the price goes up after that.

FYI - They are about to break ground on a 3.3 mile trail from Niles to South Bend, to join with the trail we rode to get out packets last year. Next year we won't have to ride as far on roads!

As soon as it is warm enough, we plan to take the bikes and research some of the trails near Shipshewana to get some info to use in planning the fall rally.

Here's the current list of people planning on riding Bike the Bend and their current plans:

Peter and Betty Meyerink- Fri. to Tues.
Sherry and Don Anderson -
Bobbie and Bruce Miller - Thurs. to Tues.
Beth and Carl Pearce - Thurs. to Tues.
Karen and Jim Diehm - arrive Thurs. or Fri.
Ardith and Ron Griffin - Thurs. to Tues.
Sue and Rich Odeja - arrive Thurs.
Larry and Shary Schmies - Thurs. to Mon.
Robert Strader -
Ken and Bonnie Turney - Fri. to Mon.(unless it is grandson's graduation weekend)

Dwindling

Our group of FOS friends is dwindling for this season so our "calendar tab" will be not so active for a while but keep checking from time to time as schedules for future get togethers will be posted when they are firm. A big thanks to Mike DeLoach for making this FOS-GS site so effective and fun to use.

Think on this as a possible FOS MOTO: It is GOOD to be outdoors, it is BETTER to be outdoors biking, it is the BEST to be outdoors biking with FOS friends.

Keep your wheels turning.

Fall Rally

Plans continue to develop for the FOS Fall Rally. To date the time is set for Sep 12 thru 22,2014. Phase I starts at Shipshewanee, In., then moving to Cedar Springs, Mi. for Phase II. Campgrounds have been approached and soon reservation information will be forwarded via this "news" link.

Bike The Bend rally in South Bend In. is coming up on the 9th of June and more info on that event and campground reservations will be on this link soon.

Bike The Bend

For those of you interested in riding Bike The Bend in South Bend, Indiana June 8 -

(Information on Bike the Bend can be found at bikethebend.com)

We stopped by Spaulding Lake Campground this morning. The good news is that the pipeline workers pulled out about 2 weeks ago. (If you are wondering what I am talking about, last year during Bike the Bend we stayed at Spaulding Lake Campground. It was central to the bike ride, and offered rides we could do from the campground itself. During the summer last year, an oil pipeline was being put into northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Many workers stayed at the park and filled it up.)

The larger bad news is that she doesn't want to reserve a group of spaces because they may becoming back. They need to complete the landscaping at the areas they dug. Also, x-rays showed some places where the welding needs to be corrected. She doesn't know when or how many are coming back. She said that she was surprised when they showed this summer, since they hadn't called for reservations. Because they filled all the spots, she said that she called and cancelled a couple of large groups that had planned to camp there. Of course, she would rather make money from monthly rents than a weekend, and she told us that. If we decided to stay there, and a large group of workers came in for monthly stays, she would cancel us.

She did say that she could probably put a half-dozen of us in empty spaces, but not near each other. But she wouldn't promise spaces for even 10 of us. She also suggested we could check with her just before we wanted the sites, to see if they were available.

Given all that, our best bet for this year might have to be the KOA in Granger, Indiana. Check it out on-line. (Be aware that there is one in Granger/South Bend and also one in Elkhart County/Middlebury.) Although the campground itself is not open until April 1, (I tried to call them to see if they could hold us,) reservations can be made before then on the KOA main website.

So what do you think? How many of you plan to join us in South Bend for a day's ride? How many days do you plan to stay?

Last year we did some other nearby rides as well. Peter and I will check out the area for bike rides from the campground if we decide to go with the KOA, although we may still need to put the bikes on cars for some rides.

Up Coming Events

Breakfast ride to Tacky Jacks, TBA.

Dolphin Cruise ride-- March 18.

Fairhope ride.

Potlucks, alternate Fridays in March.

Other News

We say "happy trails" to some of our riders leaving soon. We are looking forward to many opportunities to reunite through the Summer and Fall months.

Reserve for "Bike the Bend" coming up June 9th weekend. Watch for details from Peter and Betty Meyerink.

Watch for "September Rally" info, likely in Rockford/Grand Rapids, Mich. AND Shipshewanee, Ind. area... Share your ideas please.

We have set a date for our annual dolphin cruise at Flippers at Bear Point Marina. Lunch will be right after our cruise at same location. March 18th, 11:00 a.m.

Dolphin Cruises will have a price increase effective March 1st ($20). But because it's our FOS group, and we go every year, she has dropped the price back to before the increase of $15! I thanked her very much for that.

The lunch menu has not changed from last year. Entree, drink and dessert. The regular price is $12 + tax. But she thinks they may give us a discount for the group. I have not confirmed that, as yet.

If weather does not look favorable, we can call to either change the time to later that same day, or to another day that week.

Please let us know if you will be going on our annual dolphin cruise for FUN AT FLIPPERS! We need to turn in a number of how many people will be cruising right before the cruise date. Each boat holds 49 people.

Any questions, please let us know.
Sue and Bob Umthun