Trail Maintenance Tuesday! If you’ve hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Ashe County (Segment 5) between Highway 421 and Highway 16, chances are you may have seen Bob and Laura Johnson out working on the trail. And if you haven’t seen them in person, you’ve definitely seen the results of their efforts! Bob, 77, has been a trail maintainer since 2009. As he tells it, “Laura (also 77) missed me, so she joined me a few years later around 2014.” They’ve been working together ever since to help keep the trail clear and clean. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down! During our Birthday Challenge last month, Bob and Laura each logged 19 hours of trail maintenance on the MST. That’s 38 hours between the two of them in September alone! When asked what they enjoy most about being trail maintainers, Bob and Laura say it’s working alongside each other and their fellow crew members. They love seeing the improvements they’ve made to the trail and talking with hikers they meet along the way. Some of their favorite memories are of working and socializing with Jim Hallsey and members of the original trail crew that built the Ashe County section of the MST. And after all these years, they still simply love getting outside, spending time together, and taking care of the trail. Bob and Laura are a wonderful example of the dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes all across North Carolina to make the Mountains-to-Sea Trail possible. So, the next time you’re hiking through Ashe County and notice a freshly cleared trail, a trimmed corridor, or the signs of a little extra care along the way, remember that there are people like Bob and Laura behind it. #mountainstoseatrail #trailmaintenance