Come on out to Branched Oak Area 7 on Sunday May 31st at 9 AM and help groom the trails, install trail markers, and cut some new trails. The forecast is looking great for a trail day!
T.H.O.R. trail markers will placed at trailheads and other key areas throughout the trail. A new section of trail will also be cut.
Work is scheduled for a couple of hours, so bring a bike and ride the trails afterward!
Friendly reminders:
- Wear long sleeves and pants for protection from critters and poison ivy/oak/sumac
- Wear eye protection
- Bring some leather work gloves
- Bring sunblock and bug spray
- Bring plenty of water and snacks (hydration packs work great!)
- Bring loppers, weed wackers, mowers, etc.
7 comments:
First let me start off by saying I love the new markings and the work you guys have done on the older sections of the trails, great job! The new pedal in the pasture sections leave a lot to be desired, I think the one at the end is probably only two miles but it seems like 8 by the time you get done with it. I guess if adding mileage is what you wanted you did that but it is uninspiring, boring and just plain awful riding, a couple times I actually started to wonder why I liked biking while riding that section. I know that it must have taken hours of labor to make those trails but I have a good hunch unless something is done to make them more then a ride through the neighborhood yards everyone is going to skip that section and just turn off on the road a meet back up with the trail going the other way. If nothing else some log obstacles or some banked/berm turns so you can really fly through there would be good... ala pump track. Just my humble opinion.
if people ride those sections, they will get better, if not, they wont. hell, come out and help design, my hands have been hurting since feb. i would sure like the company. we have to remember that we are not the only ones using the trails out there. the park manager likes that section because the campers are using it. we are adding other sections because the longer prairie has been complained about A LOT, we know. we have been adding new sections, but they are not going as fast because not many are showing up to help. i will be going out on 6/8 and 6/22 if anyone wants to help, sure could use it.
Anonymous #1, we appreciate your feedback. As Anonymous #2 (Craig) stated, those are multipurpose use trails. The park crew has agreed to keep it mowed, so we cannot put log piles or other obstacles on the course. Once that section is worn in, it will be ripper fast. That section is also a great place to pass other competitors or feed/drink during a race. The prairie sections also provides a trail for novice cyclists to enjoy. And how about variety? The prairie sections add some variety to the current trail system.
Yes, it will be bumpy for awhile and maybe a bit "uninspiring, boring and just plain awful", but will someday be as smooth as the other singletrack and much faster and therefore more fun.
Yes, we wanted to add some miles, but most importantly we were excited at the opportunity presented to us by the Game and Parks to create more trails. It may be boring, but at least we are expanding trails and developing good relations with the Game and Parks staff.
Give it time and don't give up on it.
Please come out for a trail day. We'd love to have more folks out there helping out.
Anonymous One. Cornbread hit it right on the head. Trails take time to groove in and what may be difficult and seem boring today will be outstanding next year once it is ridden, walked and the equestrians start to form a beaten down path.
Craig and crew have but in exceptional work with very few volunteers.
To speed the process along I recommend you take a gas powered weed wacker out there and help burn the grass down where the groove is starting to form. Its remarkable how quickly the trail smooths out and starts to rip when the grass dies and rubber can hit dirt.
To Craig and his team...thanks for all the magnificent work you've done out there!
To anonymous (1), I love technical trails a ton as well. And I will even agree that the southwest prarie section is not the most exciting at this point. But when the head park ranger drives you around a huge prarie and says we can build trails all over. It's a pretty exciting thing. He said that he would love to see trails out there, throughout the whole prarie section. We only used a small section of this area. And he actually was a little bummed we did not use it all. But he also makes it known that all trails are now multiuse. Both area 1 and area 7 are now used by all users. So our goal was to make a trail system that was multipurpose in sections. But hopefully you have noticed that many of the add on sections in the old area are not that horse friendly. We want to keep a park happy and yet create some trails that more geared towards mountain bikes. It's a juggling act. And yes new trails are rough at first. Give them time, three events, maybe more, will happen in this area this year. This trail should get broke in soon.
And now with Wilderness getting a lot of use, and head ons happining way too often. The Lincoln area needs more trails and more off road riding areas. And Branched Oak is very willing to work with us, as long as we keep them in the loop.
And lastly, big props go to Craig. He has put in countless hours. With little help. I think negative feedback is alright. But the best solution is helping out and giving advice on the trail.
Craig spent some time out there again yesterday. He finished up two more add on sections. Yes they are in the trees. I believe he may be going out there again on the 22nd. So any help would be great. Our goal is to get area 7 going this summer. And this fall start working on area 1. So maybe next year BO will have two great areas. Let's take advantage of this partnership we have with a great park area.
TRAIL DAY PROPOSED FOR THE 22nd? ADVERTISE, POST BLOGS AND GET THE THOR EMAIL BLASTS GOING.
Keep the momentum going! Good work guys.
hey people, i will be out there onthe 22nd in the a.m. just call me 438-2170. by the way, check out this website www.horsetrailriders.com. maybe we now have a way to contact the others who use (and sometimes abuse) the trails. craig
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