Instruction Ramada at Blackwater Draw
Thanks to Jon, his family, and the crew from BSA Troop 411, of Clovis, New Mexico for building this excellent traditional ramada as part of Jon’s Eagle Scout Project. The goal was to provide shade for events and instruction at the site. This demonstration area was recently expanded by adding about 2 meters of fill dirt from old mine spoil. The first Blackwater Draw event that will utilize the new shelter will be the 2011 Fall Atlatl Competition on October 22nd. This is a well-deserved christening for the ramada and will serve the event and its participants well. Thanks Troop 411!
Along with the traditional shelter, the troop helped us stabilize an eroding slope near the South Bank Interpretive Center by adding check-ties. The area has been used as an unofficial trail and was beginning to show some wear from foot-traffic and rain. Now that the heat has subsided, we hope to begin re-vegetating this area before the winter.
A special thanks goes out to Ward Beers for engineering and masterminding much of the ramada project. Now he’ll have a nice place to sling his yucca hammock during the Atlatl competition.
Thanks to BSA Troop 411: Jonathan Strand, Tyler Saucier, Brannon Credle, Jeremiah Baker, Stetson Rains, Matthew Rains, Daniel Pfauth, and Travis Nelson.
Thanks to the adults and siblings who helped with the projects: Bryan Strand, Diane Strand, Melissa Perkins, Carrie Nelson, Shania Nelson, Clay Rains, Cesco Pfauth, and Tripp Johnson.
Thanks to George Crawford, site archaeologist, Bridgette Crawford, and Stacey Bennett, support from the Blackwater Draw site.
