Lysterfield Park

[ando_assi]

I agree with most of what you are saying wisey, but I don't want to be the trail building crew, but no one else does it so i help because no one else does... I would love to have the ability to put in what ever i wanted, where ever i wanted it (did u know there are the ability to have DH tracks with over 150 vertical meters)... but everything has to approved by parks Vic, and is directed by trailmix so i just show up on trail days.
I have riden canberra, adelaide and most legal trail sites in Au and Nz, and i agree that the standard of lysterfield trails is not good, but at the moment it seems like the MTB community is happy with them because no one is turning up to trail days... so we are consantly just trying to repair them half arsed (as i dont want to spend all my riding time, on shovels) any time we hassle for new tracks they just say put a reroute here... or do the drainage there.
If there were more people at these trail days it may show to the park Vic guys that there is interest in better tracks.
I would also like to bet that if Youies had the same number of people ride 1 track like they do at lysty it would not fair too well either!!!

I would be stoked if somebody with good trail building experience gave trail mix a call and offered there services to help with the planing and repair of these trails

[LabRat]

Wow.. I completely agree Wisey. Well said, and here's hoping someone follows your lead! :)

[Puddleduck]

Agree with Wisey. As far as trail building goes there is enough literature out there for guidance and some good trails being put down, ie You Yangs. So from reading the thread my understanding is that the people running Trail Mix are in charge of the trail maintenance at Lysterfield.

[ando_assi]

Trail mix gets there directions from parks Vic, who are reluctant to do anything!

[Wisey]

I agree with most of what you are saying wisey, but I don't want to be the trail building crew, but no one else does it so i help because no one else does... I would love to have the ability to put in what ever i wanted, where ever i wanted it (did u know there are the ability to have DH tracks with over 150 vertical meters)... but everything has to approved by parks Vic, and is directed by trailmix so i just show up on trail days.

You miss the point, I'm not talking about making new trails and features, I'm talking purely about building it right the first time so it is sustainable, flowy and fun. The way I approach trail building is basically we build in winter and ride in summer, to often too wet in winter to ride and way to hot in summer to swing a matic.

I have riden canberra, adelaide and most legal trail sites in Au and Nz, and i agree that the standard of lysterfield trails is not good, but at the moment it seems like the MTB community is happy with them because no one is turning up to trail days... so we are consantly just trying to repair them half arsed (as i dont want to spend all my riding time, on shovels) any time we hassle for new tracks they just say put a reroute here... or do the drainage there.

Who's happy with them? We have no choice. Why do it half arsed? What purpose does it serve except to make more work in the long run. Build it right the first time.

If there were more people at these trail days it may show to the park Vic guys that there is interest in better tracks.

Build better trails and more people will visit that park to ride MTB, that will make Parks Vic sit up and take notice, not the other way around.

I would also like to bet that if Youies had the same number of people ride 1 track like they do at lysty it would not fair too well either!!!.

At a guess, Youies is just as busy as Lysty. Next time you're out there (Youies), take the time to look at how they build and the small details they include in their work. IE proper bench cuts, drainage, rock armoring etc...

I would be stoked if somebody with good trail building experience gave trail mix a call and offered there services to help with the planing and repair of these trails

Once agin, there is an amazing amount of literature around that will give you a good understanding of how to build sustainable, fun trails. Read up. It's not hard.

I'm not having a dig at you bro, you just seem to be defending what happens out there.

[ando_assi]

o.k I'm not defending the trails at Lysty, they are not good, but i am defending the small crew who goes out there monthly and tries to do the work!

We inherited the tracks, they were built years ago. I am constantly frustrated by reading about Lysterfield and all the crap that is given to it when we cannot even keep up with trying to keep it ride able.

Youies has the permision (dare i say budget) to have many different loops, where as Lysterfield only has the 2 legal ones, if you put the number (and quality) of riders that go down buckle trail on the one trail lets say cressy's it too would be wrecked quickly.

I think YOU have missed the point, I am doing my best at Lysterfield because i live close like many other riders... It irrates me that you say "go look at places like the youies..." No shit... If it was upto me i would get World trail to build it like stromlo did. I dont make the decisions. the Rangers say there isn't the demand, so the only way forward is to GO TO TRAIL REPAIR DAYS!!!

What annoys me more than that is people like yourself, that seem to know everything, work every else, yet Lyterfield which has a crazy amount of people that live in the area, has great hills, has an amazing amount of regular riders that turn up more than once a week, gets only 5 people to trail days!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm fairly new to actually trying to get stuff done (i've turned up to Lysty trail days for nearly 2 years) but have recently tried to pressure the right people to get stuff done at lyterfield, and i have read nothing on any of your post that is constructive....

[Wisey]

OK, I have no doubt the people in charge of maintaining the trail network have the best intentions, it's hard to constantly find the time to get out there with tools in hand. They just need to read up and change the way they build, piece by piece. Trails will need less maintenance in the long run if built properly in the first place.

[retroenduro]

just an idea but how about you guys share the knowledge?

You guys from Lysterfield spend a day with the Youies crew on their trails helping and learning new techniques from them etc

then maybe some of te Youies crew can come to you one trail building day to help and assess what can be done at the Lysterfield trails. :)

[trav]

Just want let ando_assi and everyone eles know that the You Yangs has no budget for trail works and all Labour is supplied free, the same crew that supply this labour also run the Shuttle Service to cover cost .I can also guarantee all the trails get just as much if not more traffic than Lysty and do not deteriorate.

I think you will find that Lysterfield has a budget ,the problem out there is Parks don't know when to step in and say"you blokes have no idea" go away.
I can see things out there changing sooner rather than later, it's starting to get out of hand.

I have offered before and still will for anyone involved at lysterfield to come to the You Yangs learn some thing about trail building,no one has yet.If some one gets me a purchase order i will even spend time there.

[monc]

I totally agree Wisey.

I have been put off attending trail days there as I really don't enjoy riding the bit of track that was created the day I helped (very selfish way of looking at it I know - but the main motivation for a lot of volunteers is creating something they enjoy riding )

In regard to the rocky raised narrow pile of dirt track, apparently the idea of a boardwalk had been raised (this area turns into a quagmire) but Parks wasn't interested.