When the new two-mile Salamander Loop of the Ni River Trail opens in Spotsylvania County June 5, watching with pride will be many local volunteers who made the facility possible.
Among them are two young men who took on the trail as a project toward their Eagle Scout awards.
David Silk and Charlie Miller, both members of Troop 165,

hope to achieve the highest honor in the Boy Scouts of America.

David's project was to clear one mile of the trail and to put down stone dust to create about a half-mile of handicapped-accessible area.

Charlie's project was to clear the other mile and to build the necessary bridges to take hikers over wetlands around an old farm pond.

Both Scouts got the idea for the trail as a project from Bruce White, Scoutmaster of their troop that is sponsored by Fredericksburg Knights of Columbus Council 4034. The trail development was led by the Spotsylvania Greenways Initiative. And each Scout recruited many volunteers to assist with their work.

Both believe their experience has been beneficial--personally and to the community.

"I feel that I gained knowledge of how to lead and organize a group of volunteers," David said. "I learned to manage my own time and to use resources in the community. Also, I feel more confident with myself and my speaking skills have increased."

Charlie noted that when he took on the project, he thought it would gain recognition for SGI within the community, which "would facilitate the building of future trails."

Charlie added that while the primary goal of an Eagle Scout project is to provide a Scout with an unprecedented leadership experience, "Each person also gains some unique knowledge from the nature of his project. I now know, for example, how to built a bridge--something I wouldn't have learned otherwise."

The Scouts began their work on Jan. 23 and discovered an area full of trash, old tires, barbed wire and undergrowth that needed to be cleared.

The initial goal for a finish date was March, but the record snows this winter delayed that.

"After the very first workday, my part of the trail was completed and ready for stone dust," a by-product from crushing rocks, David noted.

But the harsh winter knocked more than 150 trees into the farm pond and across the newly cleared trail. He estimates another 300 hours of labor went into removing the trees form the pond.

"After that last day of pulling trees, we felt invincible," David continued. "It only took about five more days to finish the trail and have the stone dust laid."

Charlie said the biggest highlight of the project was getting the trees from the pond.

"It was an unforeseen complication, but never before had I felt so accomplished than when we, caked in mud and immersed in near total darkness, discarded the remnants of the last fallen tree," he noted.

David has created an adventure biking trip for this summer called Cycling the Loop--a trip of 33 days covering 2,000 miles. Participating riders must be Eagle Scouts.

"When this opportunity was suggested, I thought the timing was just perfect for me to succeed," David said.

Charlie said once the trail is opened, he plans to use it. "For me, it is not only the biggest stop toward being an Eagle Scout, it is the culmination of all the steps before it, the embodiment of years of hard work and dedication. It means a lot to me."

David also looks forward to getting on the trail.

"My father is currently serving overseas in Afghanistan and, unfortunately, was not home for any part of my project," he said. "When he arrives home for a visit in a couple of weeks, one of the first things we are going to do is hike the Salamander Loop of the Ni River Trail. He will be impressed by the hard work that has been done by all of the volunteers, my mother and me."

Bill Tolbert: 540/374-5408
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