Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - Forums

I just got back from a trail reconnaissance walk with Jill from IMBA and we looked at 3 potential candidates for this summers project. This was very educational and I am so glad I got to spend time with her and learn some insight. I will post more details as soon as I clear it with them. But I am already psyched up about helping with this job!!!! I know we will have lots of members out there helping out and I can't wait!

you didn't by any chance scout up along bells mill road did you?

i think that would be a sweet spot for another pretty long piece of singletrack. but then of course i am biased as that is my backyard.

anyway if your ever up for a hike around that part of the park i know it well and could show you what i envision could be a sick twisty trail that bypasses the "m*therf@cker" (not my name but what i've heard it called) climb and ends up out in the houston meadow.

just an idea (and i am sure everyone has one ;) )

max

Max, check out the maps of the new trail system. They have that area slated for an awesome trail!!! I asked Jill about it today and she said that they hiked through there and put flags on the trail alignment, however most of them are probably gone. That trail will be adding some sweet stuff! Can't wait...

yeah i have that map on my wall at work...

i probably stare at that thing at least an hour everyday i am at work :o

Hey Max, got it something digital that my computer will read?

here you go:

http://www.fow.org/documents/ProposedTrailEnhancementsMap.pdf

it is 24"x36" at 100% but also prints really nicely on an 11"x17".

Nice

...AKA Widowmaker?

-pete

aka ...

mother.

The Demo trail is amazing. It really shows the potential of trail restoration. Are other trails going to be rebuilt like the demo trail? If so what's next?

Thanks

Hopefully you guys don't mind if my newbie ass lends a hand with this. I just started riding not too long ago and would definitely lend a hand in order to gain some knowledge of trail building from some of you more experienced riders.

We highly encourage anyone to come out to a work day or two (or all of them). The more knowledge we have about sustainable trails, the stronger we are as riders representing the mountainbike community. Trail work is a lot of fun, and gives you a good vibe. Especially when you get to ride on your efforts.

The dates for the next demo trail are set. July 30th thru August 10th on the trail just below the Indian statue. More details can be found here:

http://fow.org/upcoming.php



The site chosen for the demonstration trail project is near the Tedyuscung (Indian) Statue on the White Trail near Rex Avenue. To get there, drive down Rex Avenue toward the park until it dead ends. Park along the side of the road. Hike down the rest of the road until you see a trail head to your right, then hike up this trail until you reach the statue. As there is limited parking at the bottom of Rex Avenue, volunteers are encouraged to park elsewhere and walk or cycle to the work site.

Volunteers must register with FOW's Volunteer Coordinator Kevin Groves at 215-247-0417, groves@fow.org, or by mailing in a registration form, except for work on the weekend of August 4 and 5, when volunteers who may not be able to make a long-term commitment are welcome to work anytime between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Coffee, drinks, and snacks will be provided at the site. Volunteers are encouraged to wear boots, work gloves, and long pants.   

The project is started! I plan to go over on Wed for the late shift. I'm also going to try to put in as much time on the weekend hours as I can. Anyone else?

I will be taking Friday and Monday off to work full days. Unfortunately, I cannot be there during the weekend.

dz

Everyone make sure to check the schedule. I am looking at it and there are no days this weekend? Does this make sense? Check it out I downloaded it from FOW website. Attached it here.

The best bet for the most accurate info would be to contact Kevin Groves.
But my guess would be that the weekend is open to the volunteers to come out and work, thus it does not need explicit signing up. On the other hand during the week, IMBA crew will be working very hard with heavy machinery and they are trying to control who and when and how many people are on site for organizational and safety purposes. Thus sign up sheet to know who and how many to expect.

Just my take on it. YMMV

dz

Where do we sign up? With Keven there? I'm hoping to be there a couple hours this week; though I'm not much good for being more than water boy.

Rode by the Indian yesterday (Monday Afternoon) and they were using the heavy machinery and getting started.  Can't wait to see the finished product!   

Rode there today (Tuesday) and spoke to Rich. He said they are just moving dirt around today and they had about 10 volunteers and he said they didn't really need any more help today. He said that starting this weekend is when they will get into moving rocks and placing rocks and building walls and steps, etc... I plan to go out and help this Sat and Sun. He also said next week they will need more help... But I did notice those guys had their bikes and I am sure they are going to ride after they work this week so stop by and maybe ride with them and show them around. I would but I am away on business from Wed-Sat am. They have the trail marked out with flags and can't wait to ride this when it's done!!!!!

Hey people, I'm leaving my place around 9:45 tomorrow, (Saturday Aug 4) and going by VG at 10am, then we're riding the Indian in reverse and stopping at the demo project to help out for a bit. I emailed Kevin and he said there should be a lot of people out and they are working from 9am on, so those who just want to work can do so.

I'm posting this separately as a ride too...

August 3, Friday Update:

I was there from pretty early in the morning when there was only Rich and Dan setting up, till the packup and walk out at after 5 PM.

What a day. The amount of work was like what we did at Gorgas last weekend on steroids!!!

The whole lower part of that climb is done up to the morelevel middle section. 5 or 6 stone pitched steps were put in, with nice raised and narrowed trail in between them. It looks like it should wear well and there is a lot of smooth trail, but that climb is far from easy now. Those steps are good foot tall, it'll be hard work riding up. Going down will be FUN!

If anyone wanted to learn about stone pitching or fixing the grade and making sustainable trail out of way too steep worn out eroded double track, today was the day!

If you can spare few hours or even an hour or two here and there, please, come out, lend a helping hand, and be impressed with the wok and improvement that can be done to our trails!

Unfortuantely, we cannot take on the project of that size on out TM days just yet, but I hope that in the future we might be able to grown enough trail building talent and available an willing volunteers that we could organize our own week long trail building projects once a year or so on top of monthly TM days.

The change and improvement in the trail is just amazing. I hope some of you have stopped by and took some pictures of before, during after. I know Rich and Dan were taking some pictures, we'll have to ask them for that portoflio!

dz

I've logged about 19 hours with Rich and Dan so far. What a pleasure these guys are to work with. First off, they are nothing short of trail genius'. When they speak to you, the knowledge is flowing and there for your taking. I highly encourage anyone to get out and work side by side with these guys. The work being performed is amazing.

I had a chance to ride up and down the finished section so far. It is sweet!!!!

I'll be out there again on Wed for the second shift. Good times.

Chris and I are planning on being at the 2nd shift on Wednesday! What we say on our walk through on Sunday afternoon was amazing! Don't forget to check the forum for the PMBA meeting on Wednesday after the work day!

Monday, August 6 Update.

The progress was slow today, but in all fairness the section we worked on was less than trivial. Doscovered a hige slick rock in the middle of the trail that could not be, and should not have been moved, which was the base of the main terrace. However, it was too big and would be too slick for the horses and many hickers to go over, so a set of stairs had to be constructed. On top of it, there was an old "advanced" high line over the rocks for more adventurous riders, which would've been a shame to close, so it had to be armored and made sustainable.
The result will be great! Three independent lines for all kinds of trail users and all levels!

Prolly least of feet of the trail constructed, but with the sidest section and three different lines, it was a great day.

The steps are big enough to support and be passable by horses. The technical line looks like it's completely natural rock formation, completely non-manmade. And the middle line incorporated nicely the natural slick rock step or terrace.

Take a look when you're there!

dz

Sounds sweet D. I gotta go over there after work tomorrow.  I just can't get enough.

Tom, look in the wissa riding forum, i'm going to ride over there after work as well and then continue with the loop.

dz

I dont know how many people say this but THANK YOU!

Ive not been at a meeting for a ewhile due to my work/travel schedule so I'll say it here!

The work PMBA is doing in the park is just stellar.  The trail maintainence efforts are pretty well thought out since PMBA got involoved and the efoorts truly take all users into account. 

The gorgas lane work was a suprisingly fast turn on that trail.  The creek crossing switchback is really nice.  The indian is pretty good but uphill us SS'rs have that one mongo step to get up!  AHHH!  down...well im sure its fun for some people but i dont like dropping off so much so fast...me be slow on that stuff. 

It's gonna be great all in all and the effort is just tremendous.

I actually have votes for the next 2 spots...considering the naming of the trails discussio i dont have names for these...sorry.

1) the hill after the indian side across from the valley green inn when you cross the creek and head up that rocky hill towards lincolnb drive.  thats really gotten bad this summer.  ridable but the soils really givng way now.

2) the second spot is another uphill inbetween bells mill and valley green inn on the indian side.  its about a mile in and its a big uphill before the bench where you can take a rest...that trails really hard even for us experts and getting really eroded. 

if one of the trail work team members wants me to specifically show you where these trail are id be happy to do so next weekend or after the 24 hr race.

cheers-

josh

agreed, both sections of trails are rocky unsustainable messes. the problem i see with both of those is they either need a complete reroute or they need heavy machinery to prep the trails because they're both fall line trails.

Another point to consider is proposed STI trail routing. There is no sense in investing time and effort into repairing a section which might be closed and rerouted relatively soon under STI...

dz

Thanks a lot Josh. A lot of people put blood (Krotee) sweat (Dmitri) and tears (Tom) into that trail! Seriously it is a huge improvement. Lance you are so correct about those 2 trails Josh mentioned. The key to all of this is sustainability. Some trails will become better and more challenging, and some may be smoothed out... A lot of riders I see out on the trails don't understand that. I try to educate them if the opportunity presents itself... More importantly, when and where is OUR next project?!?!?!?

Lou,

The PMBA TM leader crew with few volunteers will make that decision in few weeks. There are several good candidates, we'll talk, you won't be excluded.  :-*

Next PMBA TM day will be on the 4th Saturday of September.

dz