Forget spring cleaning; members of Buffalo River Chapter BCHA are all about getting things clipped, cleaned and sorted out on the trails in time for fall riding. Our efforts started in September and will continue right on through October, so that by the time November rolls around nearly every river trail between Ponca and the White River will have been scouted and spruced up in some way. Our informal mission statement is “Working to keep your trails open because trails worth having are worth working for” and it feels good to be living that mission.

All of this hard work (and fun) culminates in something really special a little later in October when 25 of our members spend 11 days riding the length of the river – from the White River to Ponca. The Centennial River Ride and Clean-Up, which has been in the planning stages for nearly a year, is a celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service and a tribute to our beloved Buffalo National River. Thanks to a very determined group of riders who have dedicated themselves to scouting the best route and planning the logistics of setting up nine different camp sites in an environmentally sensitive way, we have been granted a special permit by our local Park Service and are almost ready to ride out. While all of the camping spots are full, many of our members will participate in the clean-up as day riders. It’s the Back Country way of saying Happy Birthday National Park Service!

In November, we turn our sights to the Cecil Cove Loop on the upper Buffalo. More to come on this project, but it is part of a major grant awarded to the Buffalo River Chapter BCHA by the Arkansas Highway Department. If you share our interest in maintaining the trails of the Buffalo River and its watershed and would like membership information, please contact our membership chairperson Kathy Petree at 870-302-9007, or Pam Floyd at  870-480-6655.