MTB Trailcare

Yesterday we were really disappointed to see that the temporary trail closures placed at both ends of the unfinished section of Pete's were discarded for someones' pleasure.  The trail is no secret and this is not the only website to discuss it.  It is not hard to see even for those not in the know.  For those reasons we decided to place basic obstacles to demonstrate the fact it is incomplete.  

Seeing damage where tyres had gone over the edge of trail, pushed out the edge of a mound and skids tearing out dry and vulnerable areas of trail is upsetting.  We need rain to allow compaction in a number of areas, but we cannot stop building until the rain comes.  

There are people who have helped build this trail, or have been invitied to check it, or ride with the GC MTB club who we would like to ride the line in with respect.  That will not happen now.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but it is nothing compared to our inconvenience, delay and frustration

What can you do - work on!  We wanted to complete the first turn below the log ride near North Street Fire Road and the log ride.  The alternate (C Line) entrance has yet to be made.  It will be rider's left of the log ride, going downhill.

So we added more stones and fill to the log ride and finished that first turn.  Then we covered it with debris saved for the closure of old Pete's trail, to make it really clear it is not ready or open.

Test rides were required before we closed the trail

If you ride this line you wil face a 1+m drop off the end (to flat).

Next we started the process of linking old Pete's to the new.  Time to cross the fire road.

Our original flagged line was downhill from here.

There will be a gentle left-right-left going down from the fire road to join old Pete's and a right-left-right coming from old Pete's to the fire road.

Near the fire road we have to cross an old, graded, drainage line.  Less water gets on these days, but it still could and we have to prepare for it.  The soil in the drainage line is a mix of fine, powdered silt from the fire road and small embedded stones.

There was a section of old log not far above the trail line.  We wanted to use it for 2 reasons:  it would divert water if placed above the trail and could also be made into another technical trail feature near a logical rest/meeting point.  

We turned and rolled it from well above to below the trail, leaving it in a convenient resting spot.  

A small trench was dug and lined with stones to reduce log-to-soil contact over time.  Then the log was lifted and slid/rolled off the pry bar into the trench.  A number of fiddles were needed to make sure it was stable and a good riding line was facing up.  We musket-rammed the central hole with rocks to help prevent collapse over time.

We made a sharp entrace of rock to the log on the fire road side and decided to leave the exit without a ramp.  It's a mini version of what is on the other side of the road.  The rock is bigger than it looks, sits on a dug base and is supported by other stones.  We saw it ridden and it looked challenging and stable.

There's work to be done here, but this is how it looked at end of weekend

We are getting close to opening this trail, but there is lots more to do than looks suggest.  We will need as much help as possible over the next 4 years - sorry, weeks.