Rubicon Trail Roundup 2006 – What a
Year!
By Del Albright, 2006 Trail Boss, Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR)
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This article brings back and records some history of the famous Rubicon Trail and the Friends of the Rubicon).
With nearly 20,000 documented hours of volunteer work time
since 2001, the Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR) has set new records for keeping
a trail alive and well! 2006 was another
spectacular year, with our final work weekend being August 19-20, with 80
volunteers hard at work.
FOTR started in 2001 when a rumor hit the Internet that a gate was going up on the Tahoe side. We said NO GATE, and FOTR launched full-blown into history to save the trail and keep it
OUR trail.
Since then, FOTR has grown to be the strongest and most active volunteer force imaginable, with a substantial amount of political clout. With no dues and only one meeting a year, people are amazed at what FOTR can do. Every year, we achieve new heights in projects, management,, and
involvement.
2006 was one of our best years yet. In June we had two major work weekends. One weekend in July, we worked extensively on
the Tahoe side. And in August, we had
our big work weekend to develop erosion control measures on and near Walker
Hill of the Rubicon Trail. Projects
included the construction of a log bridge with rock abutments, closed-off bypasses, a log ramp built at the base of the hill, construction of erosion measure water bars, and general trail maintenance.
We ended the work day with a huge Mexican food buffet
sponsored by Hummer and put on for us by Robbs Resort (www.dorobbs.com). Hummer has been a generous donor to the trail
this year and holds the title as the first manufacturer to donate directly to
the Rubicon Trail Foundation and FOTR. They also hold first place for contributing
workers to Rubicon Trail projects. On
the July work weekend, Hummer sent eight folks with strong backs to help us on
the Tahoe side work day. For the August
work day Hummer of Sacramento (http://www.hummerofsacramento.com/en_US/) sent 5 strong backs. Thank you, Hummer!
FOTR prides itself in getting the job done while having fun
– and being productive. Every task is
clearly laid out and properly planned.
Every volunteer has a job and gets credit for the work they do. We use the Recreational Incident Command
System (RICS) as developed by the author to ensure our projects come off
as organized, safe, and productive. Most all
team leaders within FOTR have had some sort of leadership training, either one
of the author’s courses or some form of business leadership training. It makes a difference to the end result. After an FOTR project, people walk away
feeling satisfied and productive.
FOTR is truly a team effort.
By using specialized email networks and lists, we ensure communications
are ongoing and thorough. All opinions
count. There are no Robert’s Rules of
Order, no formal bureaucratic structure, and no delegates. With the help of www.pirate4x4.com, we share opinions and
ideas on the Rubicon Trail Talk forum.
Anyone can chime in and help.
We rely heavily on our Team Leaders and email network administrators to provide the leadership that is sorely needed in our sport. Each level of leadership provides clear expectations and objectives to those on their Team. For the most part, leadership is earned in FOTR—not given. FOTR folks earn their place in line by hard work and a demonstrated passion for helping.
In addition to FOTR, we have developed a separate 501.c3
non-profit educational foundation called the Rubicon Trail Foundation. This Foundation intends to raise money and
help support FOTR and the Rubicon Trail into the future. Eventually, we hope to buy land as funds
become available. FOTR and the
Foundation work hand in hand to keep the Rubicon Trail our icon of
four-wheeling.
There will be a few more projects in 2006, perhaps with
short notice. But stay tuned and check
in often at the links below or visit the Rubicon Trail Talk on Pirate4x4.com.
The prospects for a solid, lasting, well-maintained Rubicon
Trail have never been better.
Please visit our websites to learn more:
www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/rubicon.htm
www.rubicontrail.org
www.friendsoftherubicon.com
(NOTE: FOTR and the Rubicon Trail Foundation are alive and well as of this writing, still saving the trail for access for all into the future).
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MORE HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
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