Topic: Wet trail etiquette

[Garry]

The Abyss's at Boyette take a beating after the rains as do Sidewinder and SWAMP Thing.  A couple of the drops in Pandemonium are made of clay too.  But if you skip those trails and are looking for mileage then you can still get in about 19/20 if you ride everything else.  Once we get the two ways done on Spider Berm and West Meadow we are going to try and make the quadrants more fun and interesting so people are more inclined to ride those in the bad weather while keeping the clay trails rainy day no go's.  Croom is always a favorite in the rainy season.

[Skinman]

Thanks... I think I will go back to Santos. It really handled the rain well. I had to cut it short when it started to pour...but even then the blue trails were in decent shape. I may not have this kind of hall pass again for a while!...If I stick to blue and yellow with an occasional red I may get 30-35 in......

[Ben Drawbaugh]

Just found this thread by searching on a rainy day and can't believe it isn't a sticky. Bumping so others can find it during this monsoon.

[Garry]

We have had a major amount of rain and still more to come today.  When it stops raining just use common sense when riding the most vulnerable trails.  Florida trails do not hold up to wet weather as well as northern trails do with the amount of grit, rock, and stiffer soils that they have.

Our most fun trails, unfortunately are clay based.  Ever see how gooey wet clay can get?  Yep, it is slick, gooey, spreads out to a less favorable trail, and stays in the rutted shape that bike tires leave it so when it does dry out it is totally altered from it's fun shape and needs extensive repair.  i.e. it isn't the same fun trail it was designed to be!

However, the more sandy trails are fun and fast after heavy rains.  Worth speeding through and enjoying while waiting for the technical clay trails to recover.  It doesn't take forever guys - just be patient and know that when the clay based trails recover they will be just as fun through the rest of the year as they were before the heavy rains did their damage.

[mellowme17]

the quads are a blast after it rains...

[Vander$hred]

Perfect reason to get a taste of mother croom

[Jason Brazinski]

Believe it or not croom blue 10-14 is taking some damage in the clay areas,  already a couple decent washouts, super wet slimy clay/mud, and this was before the tropical system.

[psychlyst]

planning on some Croomage maybe Friday if it dries out some...should be sweet!

[bclagge]

Skinman, if it has just rained the trails to avoid at Alafia are Moonscape, Rabbit Ears, and parts of Gatorback, Rollercoaster, and the whoops on Bridges. They are all clay and tend to stay really greasy and slick. At Boyette Canyon and Ridgeline are the only ones I know of that get slick. There are a few other places, but not entire trails.
 
I'm sure someone else will add more.

The Abyss's at Boyette take a beating after the rains as do Sidewinder and SWAMP Thing.  A couple of the drops in Pandemonium are made of clay too.  But if you skip those trails and are looking for mileage then you can still get in about 19/20 if you ride everything else.  Once we get the two ways done on Spider Berm and West Meadow we are going to try and make the quadrants more fun and interesting so people are more inclined to ride those in the bad weather while keeping the clay trails rainy day no go's.  Croom is always a favorite in the rainy season.

Despite the obscene amount of rain lately, myself and some friends are taking some much deserved time off work and are staying in Brandon to ride these three trails.  We will do our best to observe etiquette, but just trying to get a plan in advance as to which trails to avoid and which parks might need an extra day or two to dry off.  Since Carter is a lot of tall ridges, does it dry up quickly?  I seem to recall... is it almost entirely clay?

[Yggum]

Hi Gary, I am new to all of this, and loving Balm Boyette. I was out today and the trails were a little wet from yesterday's rain.

I rode Northeast, and noticed a few sloughs on that trail. Is it o.k. to ride those during wet season? I'd imagine they gather water quickly in the summer.

[Garry]

Hi Gary, I am new to all of this, and loving Balm Boyette. I was out today and the trails were a little wet from yesterday's rain.

I rode Northeast, and noticed a few sloughs on that trail. Is it o.k. to ride those during wet season? I'd imagine they gather water quickly in the summer.

Thanks for asking!!  Unless those trails get days of heavy rain (except Sasquatch past Red Shirt - lower swampy trail) there should be no problems.  It is the clay based trails like N. Abyss/S. Abyss, Canyon, Ridgeline, Sidewinder, SWAMP Thing and Garry's Loop that just don't hold up to traffic in their wettest conditions.  Not all of them at once take a beating.  But recognizing poor conditions on the most sensitive of trails goes a long way in us not having to put weeks of repairs.