Topic: mulch the trails

[RiskEverything]

How would mulch affect the trails? It seems to me it would be light and large enough to stay on top of the sand and therefore help prevent erosion. I have access to a lot of "waste" mulch. Not "quality" stuff you would see for landscape use, but we're not trying to make the trails pretty. I'm not sure how much would be needed to mulch a whole trail, or even just particular parts of a trail. I'm also not real sure how rain will affect it, as mulch floats and might end up at the bottom of hills, etc...

[Garry]

How would mulch affect the trails? It seems to me it would be light and large enough to stay on top of the sand and therefore help prevent erosion. I have access to a lot of "waste" mulch. Not "quality" stuff you would see for landscape use, but we're not trying to make the trails pretty. I'm not sure how much would be needed to mulch a whole trail, or even just particular parts of a trail. I'm also not real sure how rain will affect it, as mulch floats and might end up at the bottom of hills, etc...

We have used mulch before on the trails and here's the deal.  Mulch works pretty good for the short term - and somewhat for the long term.  First it has to get packed in with bicycle traffic.  Then it rains, and some of it washes away, while the stuff that got inbedded in the trail by traffic, not much, stayed.  This being done multiple times changes the constitution of the trail tread or texture.  It takes many applications over time for it do any good and has to continue to be repeated.  Other options such as the cheapest kitty litter you can find, (good clay content), or crusher fines, (pulverised concrete), works much better with just a few applications.  Or, better yet, planning trails that have years of natural mulch in the soil already or clay to make for a hard packed trail.  This isn't always convenient as where the trail needs to go.  Therefore we have a very dedicated group of volunteers who do an outstanding job of giving their time to make our trails as good as we have time for.  Florida sand - yep, it can be a tough one.  I just look at it as another obstacle on the trail.  Something to learn how to ride on.  Sometimes going in a fixing a section, but other than that, it's just another obstacle on the trail.

[slowfatguy]

We tried kitty litter over this way on a trail, and it did not work for crap! Probably made it worse. One thing that has worked very well is good old red clay like they put down on the baseball/softball diamonds. They did a long section at Carter that was just terrible, and now it flows super fast and is holding up very very well.

[RiskEverything]

If I only had piles and piles of red clay sitting around

When I get my truck fixed, I'll load it up with mulch and bring it out for a work-day. I can think of a few flat spots that could use it. Doesn't really matter how long it will hold up, if there is easy enough access I could mulch it every couple weeks.

[Kevan]

I do not like to ride on mulch as my tires dig in in one place, ride smooth in another and there is no way to tell when it's going to happen ahead of time.  I don't mind riding a section that has been seasoned (packed with mulch for a long time)  but it takes a very long time to get to that point.

Entrance to hole in the fence for example, you can't confidently ride quickly through there.

[Garry]

If I only had piles and piles of red clay sitting around

When I get my truck fixed, I'll load it up with mulch and bring it out for a work-day. I can think of a few flat spots that could use it. Doesn't really matter how long it will hold up, if there is easy enough access I could mulch it every couple weeks.

Before bringing mulch to a workday I would check with the trail boss to see if it fits in the plans for the trail, or even the trails being worked on.  Some trails do not benefit from it.

[slowfatguy]

We get the county to drop it for us. I'm sure if someone looked into it it would be possible to get some for Alafia/Boyette. Just my 2 cents.

[SouthernAvalanche]

Mulch would be ok but maybe get some limestone and mix with the sand.  It will pack nicely.  Or when you cut branches of trees shred them up than let them turn to good soil to mix with the sand.   

[Garry]

Mulch would be ok but maybe get some limestone and mix with the sand.  It will pack nicely.  Or when you cut branches of trees shred them up than let them turn to good soil to mix with the sand.

Actually we have found that vegetation matter (mulch, cut up branches, etc.) does not make the trail any better.  Limestone, crushed shell with clay content, something that actually changes the make up of the soil does best.  Welcome Florida's sandy soil in the dry season.

[ProEdgeBiker.com]

sandy dusty dry season it is, my black bike with a nice brown after boyette this saturday