MTB Trailcare

Doug, Ash and I worked on the new line for Three Hills singletrack above Casuarina today.  Although the old Three Hills line near the velodrome will still be there for some time, we started by clearing a corridor for the new trail to follow.  We did well, clearing perhaps 200m or a bit less.  Now we have a path to follow based on our GPS and manual inspections when it comes time to dig.

It is very hard to make pictures of bush look like anything other than bush, but here is an attempt from the bottom (where we diverge from Casualina Loop).  In the next pics a fallen tree has been removed, making the trail line look different to the last pics of this spot

We have thought about many alternative ways to intersect Three Hills Singletrack with Casuarina Loop, but in the end it will be a simple, short, bermed turn from Casuarina Loop to Three Hills uphill, including a more exciting way to continue Three Hills downhill into Cassie and home just past the first tree in this pic.  It should allow a simple and small intersection with less signage than some of the alternatives and we aim to build this section so people wishing to turn left onto Cassie after riding down Three Hills will not have to skid and ruin Three Hills to do it.  As you can see from above, it is a very close to the Casuarina line

Moving farther up the trail line, the corridor starts to reflect the character of the surrounding bush 

Then you reach a favourite feature, where one failing tree is being held up by its neighbour's root system.  Maybe in the end it won't work, but for some years we can stay this process by building a line of rock and earth through the trees.  It will be fun too

The lines into and away from this feature are going to be important

Hopefully, between the last and next pics we can add some nice jumps suited to a blue trail and generate a flow that feels right.  We are confident.  

When we reached the end of light today we had the chance to finally close an old trail line that crosses from Three Hills to Casuarina.  The best way to close it was by removing large lantana plants from the zone between the new trail line and Casuarina Loop and using them as a barrier for some time to come.  The bonus is being able to see through a section of bush previously hidden by lantana.  

While we got scratched, Doug got scratching 

Here's a shot from Casuarina looking through an area that was obscured by lantana.  Looks better, we think

From the last pic you can see how far up our corridor clearing has advanced.  We now have a template for the lower quarter of this trail project.  Soon it will start to take shape.

Happy trails