MTB Trailcare

First some news:

Ashley is still out collecting dirt for closure of the old Three Hills line most days after work. He has a number of stockpiles going and plans to keep at it. When we close Three Hills old line, we want it to be a postcard job. That means digging up hardened tread, filling erosion ruts, collecting or removing water on the trail line, managing water coming off the fire road and ensuring there is organic matter available to encourage regrowth.  

MTB is not bad for the environment, but bad trail can be. We see closing bad old trail as even more important than building new trail. Sorry, no pics of those piles of dirt today, but keep reading to see other dirty features. 

I have been looking into rock supply. GCMTB is holding grant funding for trail construction. Rock is part of the grant and we have a fairly clear idea of what we need. Getting it to site is a really big issue we have yet to resolve. I have checked out some tasty stone today and look forward to being able to build what trails need without damaging the bush by scavenging local material.

This afternoon Ash and I worked on drainage below the bermed turn we started last weekend, enhanced the berm itself, formulated the line and contours leading into the tree jump feature and worked on that as well.

We started collecting dirt by digging a drain shaped to receive jumps off the berm. We enhanced the berm after watering it down as well

but most of the dirt went down to the tree feature. More will come from the drain and contours before the tree jump

This feature is slowly transforming into a double, double jump. In the dark it is hard to show it, but there will be a short landing for less experienced, but adventurous riders, plus a longer jump (approximately 5m) for better riders. Beginners will be able to roll the lot.

There is still more to be done to get this feature right

Let's hope that does not include more horses stomping over it and tearing the side out, plus crapping on the trail like today. To be honest, we also hope that this barely started trail will be left alone by riders as well. No kidding, as many rode down the unmade line as on the actual Three Hills Trail this afternoon.  

Come on riders, show some respect. Unless you are helping build it, you are not welcome. We want you to ride this trail ASAP, so do not delay our work by adding premature repairs to our workload. We doubt you would like us riding throught wet cement on your new driveway!  This is no different.