calvin crest reroute and signage

This was the reason for the reroute.

Besides saving all that sawing, the reroute stays on higher ground at the bottom of the bluff, skipping the muddy areas and the higher plant growth. Had a mtb camp out there for middle schoolers last week and one of the sessions was putting in the reroute.

Also added some more orange tape at beginning kiosk and in the cedar trail where 3D archery has atv trails (wider, and fall line). Stay with the orange flags and the occassional arrows before and after intersections.

The knot of the orange tape is the side of the tree where the trail is.

things learned on the CC inaugural ride

Great to see about 20 people come out to the inaugural ride! Riders hailed from Fremont, Valley, Wahoo, Lincoln, and Omaha. Seems everybody liked the new trail.

Two kiosks were installed Saturday by an Eagle Scout. These will have maps and other info shortly.

It's easy to miss the entrance to the singletrack.
To get to the singletrack from the parking lot, ride past the buildings and over the lawn along the bluff (currently flagged). The trail circles behind a cross and then turns right onto a trail and then takes a quick left onto the singletrack. If you are riding on a wide trail along the ridge, you missed the singletrack entrance.

The tread is compacting and it's getting easier to see. Orange tape is the primary markings, though there are silver arrows inside of different colored circles nailed to trees also. You should be riding on the knotted side of the orange tape.

The armored descent to the creek is very slippery.
Currently, the entrance to the armored (cement pieces put together jigsaw style) descent requires a right turn shortly after entering. Any speed will push you off towards the left into a rut, or worse, a tree. Until this entry is improved, please brake before the cement and roll onto it at slow speed.

Check the trail availability before driving out there.
Though written elsewhere, just a reminder to check the Calvin Crest MTB Trail page to see if the trail is available. Some customers have activities that will close the trail.

calvin crest trail availability - check before ride

Please check Calvin Crest trail availability before driving out there to ride.

Calvin Crest MTB Trail Inaugural Ride this Sunday

This latest map includes the Tower Loop. Color shows the elevation from a deep blue low of 1213' to dark orange high of 1387'. There are also 10' dark isoclinic lines.

Chris, Craig, and I did a recon lap Wednesday evening and the trail is in great shape! Craig and staff put in 60+ hrs of trimming and mcleod work to get the trail ready for the inaugural ride this Sunday at 2pm.

Please be a part of the opening ride and celebration this Sunday and stay for hot dogs and chips afterwards. What the trail needs most is to be ridden. The tread is soft in areas because it hasn't been compacted. The more bikers and laps we put in Sunday, the better the trail will pedal.

Please don't ride before Sunday at 2. Calvin Crest received 2.5" of rain Tuesday morning and there were several climbs we had to push and a wet area along the Platter River. A couple more days of drying will only enhance the riding!

Directions to Calvin Crest.

Calvin Crest MTB Trail Inaugural Ride

Sunday, Aug 29
Ride at 2pm
Eat around 5pm
$3 donation for hotdog, chips, fruit, juice, water
Park next to basketball court
Directions to Calvin Crest
Questions: tpmbt at cox dot net

calvin crest trailwork today

Though I told the L&C crew yesterday I would return there this afternoon, I had already committed to Calvin Crest this afternoon.

Sorry for the miscommunication. Those who worked yesterday at L&C, clearing the remainder of the new down trail of brush, including the roots would be a great task if you find yourself there.

Tool of choice: pulaski or pickaxe.

At CC, we have some signage to install and checkover the trail for trees to clear. I plan to be at CC around 13:00.

For the rest of you reading this several days later, never mind. 8-)

work, play - mostly play

Thanks, Mike, for working, riding, and taking some pics.

Brian, Mike, Todd, Tim, Marie, and myself worked and played, well mostly played. About 1.5 hrs (9 total hrs) work and 3 hrs play. Two laps clockwise and one counter-clockwise. Counter has much more difficult climbing.

Climbed up the Tower bluff, running out of energy and air at the last switchback. Even after catching my breath, legs wouldn't make the last switchback but Todd did. Feel good that the layout is rideable both directions.

With loose dirt and some benching needed, the trail is the most difficult it will be to ride. The loose dirt requires finesse that will disappear with age and compaction.

Most of the trail is less than 5% grade except for the short, steep ups or downs. Similar to Jewell with little undergrowth, just hardwoods. Therefore very little maintenance. Climbing along bluffs like Platte, L&C, and Jewell, but not as steep except for the Tower bluff, terminal velocity in the tight trees like Manawa. Some ttfs require finesse and power, but connected with contour trails for recover time.

The uniqueness from other THOR trails are: the amount of cedar trees; the short, steep Tower bluff; the long, gradual chapel bluff; a swinging bridge; riding along the Platter River; and private property.

Topography, flora, fauna, and land manager rules give each trail a unique personality. We are blessed by our natural resources, and given the limited trailwork volunteers, we should not take for granted the trails we have.

Want to ride Calvin Crest? Sun, Nov 22

Discussed with Craig and Calvin Crest mtb trail will not be open to the public till next year. We want the first time, self guided ride to be a great experience. Hence, the mtb webpage, signage, and kiosk must be in place before the public opening.

But we will have a ride or two by appointment before then. This Sunday, Nov 22, is one such appointment. This also happens to be coupled with trailwork. Bring your McLeod or we'll have one for you to use. Ride after we work.

Seems most (99.5% according to IMBA) prefer to ride on these beautiful Fall days rather than do trailwork. I would rather just ride too, but then there would be less trail coming online. We can only ride when the ground is frozen. Let's do trailwork in these cooler temps AND ride.

We start work at noon and ride after that.

Questions? ask here or send me an email: tpmbt at cox dot net.

Will have a carpool leaving Bike Masters at 11.

To wet your appetite, I took some pics while touching up a couple spots last Sunday. This sequence is of the Tower Bluff descent we built a couple weeks ago. About 70' of drop with 5 switchbacks. Very fortunate to find these plateaus because much of the bluff is 35%+ grade straight down to the river bottom.

This is at the edge of the bluff. Need some benching but it is rideable. Maybe lack of benching is a ttf? 8-)

Benched a deer trail to drop down on a plateau. A boy scout fall line trail is to the right of the orange coffee can bottom.

First switchback. Able to incorporate natural grade for a wall ride. Chris saw this line.

Skipped to third switchback. After first ride, reworked to direct riders wide left to more easily make the sharp descending right turn.

Fourth switchback is a nice lefthand sweeper.

Here is another view of the fourth and fifth switchbacks from up the hill.

Same view from still higher up the hill.

Fifth switchback. Built in stall before right turn for grade reversal to shed water off the trail.

This follows part of a deer trail and finally exits on the river bottom.

On the river bottom is the Meadow Trail. Reminds me of an abandoned roadway that is slowly returning to nature.

If you want to experience this before the public opening next year, come work and ride with us this Sunday.

Calvin Crest update

First let me state that Calvin Crest is currently CLOSED to the public. It was reported some bikers were out poaching the trails. Please respect their property and don't ride there when it's closed.

When Calvin Crest is opened to the public, it will be announced on the THOR blog.

Friday, Paul and I went out and cleared two fallen trees, added more orange marking tape and raked sections of trail in order to see it better.


Saturday, I spent several hours tweeking the phase 2 layout and raking more trail.

Sunday, Brian, Chris, Dave, and myself spent a couple hours building six switchbacks to get down a 70' bluff. Then Todd, his wife and daughter, found us as we blazed the trail back to the entrance of phase 2 loop. At the bottom of the bluff, we hooked into the Meadow Trail that finishes the loop. Phase 2 added another mile, so about 4.25 total. Approximately 30 hrs over the three days.

Because of the small number of volunteers, we were exhausted and blistered from the pace and actually surprised to finish phase 2. (After riding it, it still needs a couple tweeks.) We then went out for a well deserved buffet.

We came back to ride a lap before hunters go out - to taste the fruit of our labors. As Chris attempted the rooted climb, he fell and twisted his ankle badly. He would find out later that night he actually broke his ankle in two places. The first casualty and the trail isn't even open to the public yet.

excellent day at calvin crest

GPS photo from Tim: 3 miles (3.25 via computer) and 500' climbing. That number feels high.

Chris, Paul, Bryan, Dave, Tim, Craig, myself, and Ginger went to work finishing up the last few ttfs so that the entire lap would be rideable. Amazingly, we finished as planned at 3. Craig fed us excellent lasagna, green beans, garlic toast, and iced chocolate cake for dessert. We then strapped on the helmets and rode! Sweet! Non compacted dirt and difficulty made a couple ttfs so difficult no one cleared everything the first time, but Tim cleared his second lap. Several then did a counterclockwise lap which is more aerobically and technically challenging because of short, steep climbs. No one cleared the entire lap. A fun-paced-lap takes about 30 minutes.

With no tread worn in and intermitent markings, every one took their turn leading and getting off trail. 8-) Need some more marking, a little raking, and she will be ready for prime time! Details for the public grand opening to be announced.

Paul took some nice pics here.

calvin crest work and ride

Trailday Sunday, Oct 18
Work: Noon - 3
Pizza: 3
Ride: 3:30 - ?
Where: http://www.calvincrest.org/Maps__Directions.php
Drive to end of road and park past building.
The more people to work, the sooner we eat and ride bikes.
A crew carpooling, caravaning from Bike Masters, 129th and Fort. We leave at 11:00.
RSVP or Questions: tpmbtatcoxdotnet

Tools: chainsaw, mcleods, shovels, bikes


After almost two years of surveying, laying out, and building trail, Calvin Crest is one workday away from phase 1 being finished! I went out Friday and walked the trail to get some pics of what needs to be done. I enjoyed the walk immensely and can't wait for VIRGIN RIDE!

Need to bench trail through this ravine - 60'

Need chainsaw operator and crew to remove tree suspended over trail.


Hard climb over roots out of creek bottom. Needs 50' of benching.

Widen trough so rideable or pushable through back-to-back steep ravines.

The trail turns right almost 180. Need to clear branches and shape a berm.


Here are a few other pics to wet your appetite:

Ride along the Platte with the obligatory 100' bluff to ride up or down.

Suspension bridge with lots of verticle movement.

Lots of cedars to smell and limit the mowing.

calvin crest sunday 8.17

CC has a college age group working from 13:30 - 15:30 this Sunday. I'll be leaving around 12:00 from my place if anyone wants to go with.

I hope to cut a downed tree into bridge gurders to cross a creek. This will require chainsaws and ropes to pull into place. Another trail crew will continue clearing the trail through cedars.

Loppers, handsaws, chainsaws

edit: here are a couple pics




We cleared a couple hundred yards of trail in the short time. Only another couple hundred to clear, then a lot of tread work and a handful of bridges to put in. Looks like the next group of volunteers may be available in Oct. for several days.

more trailwork at calvin creset

Had a group of about 18 Sr High and college Freshmen to work with at Calvin Crest on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Fortunately, Martin was able to lead a crew on Tuesday that put in a really nice full bench and treadwork. I worked with a crew of women on another benching project, and Bob the maintenance man led another crew trimming the trail corridor through the cedars. Wednesday, I combined benching crews to finish the chapel trail from the outdoor chapel, down the bluff, connecting with the River Trail and putting in a bench to the suspension bridge. Friday, the cedar crew worked on roofing an A frame cabin, the trail crew benched to the Tuesday work, and then went and cleared about 300' + of trail corridor on the other end of the Cedar Trail. 140 hours of trailwork were put in.

I had a core group of 6 women all three days working McCleods and Pulaskis. We sang songs while grubbing the tread into existance. They learned about sustainable and flowing trail building, and caught a vision for surfing hills on mtb's. Several want to ride the trail when it is finished, and these are people who don't ride bikes.

Below is a pic of the group of volunteers I worked with earlier in June.

trail crew leaders for calvin crest

CC has about 20 volunteers available this week to work on the trail from 09:00-12:00 on Tu, W, F. I will be out there but could use 1 or 2 more trail crew leaders. If you are interested, email me at tpmbt@cox.net.

2nd trail crew @ calvin crest

A college age group of 14 or so spent several days working around CC getting it ready for 4th-6th graders this week. I work with them Saturday building new trail. The first task was armoring a descent to the eastern creek.

We spent the rest of the day working on the trail from the top of the bluff down to the Platte River.

We finished about 1100' like above, roughed out the tread another 100', and weed wacked the remaining 500' to the river. Around 60 work hours for the day. I will be working with a group of senior adults in a couple weeks to finish the treadwork to the river.

Here is a pic of the trail cut through cedar trees the previous Saturday.

chainsaw trail day at Calvin Crest

Packed up bob with tools and supplies and headed out to Calvin Crest Saturday. Great ride out and back.

We had five chainsaws in action with the Wolfe clan volunteers - a very nice family. I was included to feel like one of the family. This was the first work done on the trail beyond marking. Put in 40 work hrs and knocked out over half the heavy cutting in the cedars. Guessing a little less than half a mile.

For several reasons, this trail will progress more slowly than expected. I think there will be less than 3 miles completed by the end of 08. Hopefully, 09 will have enough mtb trail to make it worth the trip. The trail will be used by campers, hunters, 3D archery, etc. in the mean time.

The rivers are way up. Here is the Platte at hwy 77 around 09:00.

And high water on the Elkhorn at hwy 36 around 18:00.