Topic: 10/2 Trail Report

[SandPine]

It was probably two months  since my last visit.  OMG, I've been missing out in all the goodness.  Trails were in the best shape I have seen them in a LOONG time.  Probably since Art had a whole week off and was camping out there fixing things.  THANK YOU ART and all volunteers.  It's my kid's birthday this Saturday but I will try to make it to the work day.

I only rode for two hours but here is what saw.  I hope this helps someone.

Ridden trails and condition:
- SandPine:  Rocking but will need minor trimming
- Rock Garden:  Loved all the new bypasses to avoid the eroded sections that get underwater.  Excellent work!
- Rock Garden 1st Hard Option (Longer one):  The northeast most drop is a bit eroded.  The roots to jump into the option (clockwise) are exposed and riders have to lift their front tires to get on it.  Everything else in there seemed in great shape.
- Rock Garden 2nd Hard Option (shorter with log) - Great shape
- Franks Loops:  Only rode to the root climb and took shorter way out.  Excellent shape.  The hard packed dirt on the root by the tree is holding.  I had a friend who attempted the rocky step drops in the back and he stated the roots were eroded a bit.  I didn't ride that section.
- River loop:  D/R
- Bridges south side (from Franks Loop to North Creek): Great shape.
- Shelly's Loop:  at the start of it, the root are very badly eroded making the right turn by the tree a very difficult one.  The actual drop on Shelly's with the stair drop is in the BEST shape I have seen it.  The climb out in the back by the root is in great shape but the sand on the turn is hard to get momentum.  Can we drop crushed shell on it?  The second climb and third long climb out are in great shape.
- North Creek:  Will need tons of trimming.  Trail is in great shape except for the Poop Loop.  The roots before the water pipe are a bit eroded.  The roots after the Log are VERY expose and will need packing in.
- Bridges North:  The little climbs after the two bridges are in great shape.  They were packed down with hard pack dirt and great to ride.  The new addition drop into the horse shoe climb before the whoops was a very nice new addition to me.  It avoided the badly eroded roots and gives a more straight line to the climb.  Still a good challenge on a SS.  No prob for gearies.
- Bridges Whoops:  WOOOWWW... What GREAT fun... Best shape I have ever seen them.  All because of the way that second drop was fixed at the root with the permanent hard pack dirt.  I hope that holds.  THANK YOU!!!!
- Rabbit Ear #3 (newer one):  Top shape... nothing but butter smooooooth.
- Rabbit Ear 2&1 :  D/R
- Rollercoaster:  The open area in the back will need trimming and weed whacking.  The obstacles on the old first hard option where removed and people were riding through there.  The new way with the steep drop is in great shape.  The long climb out is decently holding even with loose rocks.  2nd hard option had some fixing done.  It is looking great.  The wall climb is no big deal even though roots are getting exposed.  There is a water hole by the newer sections added a few months back.  They are deep and will swallow front's tires and possibly send someone over handle bars.

[slowfatguy]

JMO, but I feel that Franks Corner and Shelley's is in perfect shape. A buddy of mine cleaned both sections for the first time on Sunday.

The middle Rabbit Ear is still really wet and muddy at the bottom. Should be dry before too much longer though.

Other than that, pretty good write-up.

[BillT]

I was out there this morning and rode Roller Coaster, Moonscape, Gatorback, Shelly's, Bridges, and the new Rabbit Ear.

Roller Coaster - pretty much perfect with the exception of 1 little mud pit in the new part of the loop.

Moonscape - Great shape as well.  Didn't make the first climb but made everything else up to the entrance to Doom.  On that, I got my front tire on top of the rock/cement pile and then I was done.  I then rode the high line after Doom (first time in ages) - didn't make the climb up but made it to the tree and rode the rest up to the tech descent at the end where discretion caught up to me and decided to walk it.

Gatorback - In good shape mostly, but some areas are a little overgrown.  Did all the drops and made most of the climbs - made the one with the bridge (going to the left of the tree), but didn't make the paver climb, the (former) root wall climb, or the long climb with the left turn and lots of roots.

Shelly's Loop - good shape, but like mentioned above the first little drop is kinda rooty - made it but was a little sketchy.  The downhill was in awesome shape and cleared the entire section.

Bridges - Great shape.  Did the higher line to the left of the tree on the descent  that leads to the paver climb.  The downhills on the whoops section are in good shape.

Third Rabbit Ear - Pretty much perfect - no mud and everything was pretty hard packed.

[eclark]

I didn't help on it, but wasn't shellys opening just completely redone?  The entrance seemed fine to me and I love the little rock ledge before the biggest drop on the trail.  I made that back climb the other day, it seems like it is finally in pre-washout shape.

[BillT]

The first big downhill on Shelly's was definitely redone - no real drop-offs and everything was pretty smooth so you get great speed into the following uphill and left hand turn.  The little rooty downhill turn at the beginning is a little tricky but certainly rideable.  It would be a bit of handful if the roots were wet though.

[bikehard]

Where exactly is shelly's loop?

[jdk]

It's the first "harder" option off bridges. Basically from the 2-track, after you pass Gatorback on your left and come to the fence on bridges, you take a left, and then Shelly's loop comes up on your left eventually.