Chris is short for Christmas. Tom, his best friend, found him wandering around Christmas Eve day and took him in for the night. Thirteen years later he’s spent his lifetime hiking in the woods. Chris was our constant companion during our visit with TRACKS, the local trails organization in the Pinetop-Lakeside area.
During the rest of our time in Prescott we focused on Trails and Rides/Social. We rolled into town early to attend Pint Nite, PMBA’s 2nd annual fundraiser (remember, they formed last spring…). It was great to kick back and hang with a very energized and friendly mountain bike community. It was all about being together and celebrating trails. This fall they are hosting The WonderSchlutt, a festival full of riding Prescott’s outstanding trails.
One of our greatest assets as a Trail Care Crew is our ability to work with all groups. Although we do represent a mountain bike organization, we’re proud of the fact that we have interacted with a wide range of different trail users over the years. This weekend was no different; we had the pleasure of working with hikers and equestrians in addition to mountain bikers. It was a great opportunity to get away from the ‘us vs. them’ debate and get down to the subject that really matters: trails.
When you have 90% flat terrain, you look for every opportunity to use any sort of elevation possible. In the process you will be pushing sustainable trail design to its limits. Far East is the kind of trail that stretches the guidelines with success. As much as it challenges its riders, it also tests the stability of the local soils. We spent Saturday afternoon stabilizing a few steep sections of tread in addition to improving sightlines and trail flow. The work was pretty routine, but a great opportunity to educate attending land managers about the unique experience that mountain bikers seek out on this style of trail.
As an advocate don’t ever assume that every land manager understands everything about mountain biking. Take the time to help them learn. They may not know that ‘singletrack’ is what we seek and it’s possible that they don’t understand the concepts of ‘optional lines’ and ‘freeride’. Make every effort to define the sorts of experiences that mountain bikers seek. Heck, the best way to show them may be to take them on a ride. You’ll be surprised that a little communication and knowledge will go a very long way.
Vistas aren’t Coldwater’s greatest asset; it’s the proximity to Anniston’s diverse population is what will make the project phenomenal. Several neighborhoods adjacent to the mountain will have access to a multitude of trail experiences. Imagine a group of kids and adults alike who will have world-class trails out their backdoor…
Recently, NAMBA used their clout to successfully negotiate a boundary adjustment in the Allegheny National Forest (Hearts Content) to keep a network of trails open to mountain bikers. To show commitment to their cause they took on trail maintenance duties and then requested a visit from the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew.
After stops in Huntingdon, PA (Allegrippis Trails) and State College, PA, we headed to northwest Pennsylvania to our visit in Warren. There we spent many hours exploring and working in the beautiful Allegheny National Forest.
Working with CORBA (Chippewa Off-Road Bike Association), we spent the weekend building trails at Hickory Ridge, a large plot of public land with exciting potential. Located just a few hours south of Chequamegon, the folks in the Chippewa area aren’t content with putting their bikes on the car and driving north; they’re working hard to have their own notable trail system.
Had a chance to check out a really neat trail system that is being constructed somewhere in north central Minnesota. The project won’t officially open until next spring. We had the priviledge (and the pleasure) of scoping out some of the trails during the build process. Thanks to everyone who is making the project happen!
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Tag: trail design