Qld- Nerang trail status

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
We spent about 4 hours yesterday using stored gravel to help solidify some new trail from this week's work. No surprise to anyone on the Goldie - it was really wet. 150-200mm fell in the first part of this weather event and whatever is still to come will make itself known starting later today. Combined with all the little ponds of water on the ground, rain today and tomorrow will super saturate the soil. Since breaking down, Cyclone Marcia has become a much broader system with heavy rain falling to our north. We may get another 200mm by tomorrow combined with strong wind and possible lightning.

What happens after this sort of rain event is that water flows along roots running on bedrock under the surface clay layer. That layer of clay swells and become soft after the rain stops. While suspect areas in grade reversals and between rollers were OK yesterday, they will become softer and more vulnerable over the next few days. All the recent drainage works on Three Hills and Casuarina will be a bog over the next 4 days at least.

When we use gravel to stabilise new work, we spread and embed it by tamping the surface. This process takes days to settle and the surface remains like jelly until it starts to dry. Unfortunately we cannot make the trails rideable immediately, just better able to withstand traffic and future weather. Therefore, as all trails will remain very vulnerable and for your own safety with regard to falling trees and limbs, please stay away from the trails over the next 4 days.

Finally, a big thank you to the MTB community - we saw no-one riding yesterday afternoon. It seems the message is getting out that allowing time after bad weather means better riding for all (and less repair work for volunteers). Also, hats off to Giant Bicycles for cancelling their demo days this weekend. It is nice to have industry support for our trail system. In the past the land manager banned racing in Nerang National Park after a wet weather event caused damage. QPWS rangers don't even access the fire roads in these conditions and they do monitor the effects of trail use. It is great to see riders getting on side. For the third time this year, MTB movies are the go this week. Cheers.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Just wanted to ask a favour of riders using the new trails in Nerang. Everyone has noticed the trails getting wetter each day since the last big rain event 10 days ago. As has been stated many times, this is normal in Nerang when water flows along roots over clay and softens the tread from below. Riding obviously increases the problem by bringing water up to the surface (like standing near the water at the beach) and there are multiple areas of recent trail work on Casuarina Loop, Three Hills Singletrack and Exit Trail that are suffering.

We will rectify the problem (and have been doing so) with added stone and gravel or armouring as indicated. Time, better weather and a chance for damage to solidify enough to be re-compacted are needed. However, in the meantime, PLEASE RIDE ON THE TRAIL and and do not ride around wet and muddy areas. We can fix damaged trail, but we cannot fix the surrounding National Park and the rangers are very critical of this sort of riding damage. If the trail is too soft or muddy for your liking, then use the fire roads to get to older trails up high, or just go home and give it more time, but otherwise stay in the trail and do not add to the damage. Thanks.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Good to go go go

Nerang has finally reached that point when the soil is drying up after Cyclone Marcia. We have managed to stabilise a lot of sodden trail with embedded gravel, not our first choice, but really we had no choice and it works fast. Although some of the new trails will have isolated soft bits for a few more days, in general the next week is going to be premium MTB. Go get after it, but remember to stay in the trail if you find any of those soft places. Also, we cut the large, fallen tree on Barney's this evening, so that trail is also back in action. It is going to be a great week for Nerang MTB. Enjoy.:nod::nod::happy::happy:
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Sorry everyone, big rain is back. I know how popular Wednesday afternoon riding is at Nerang, because it's my weekday ride time too. 125mm+ has already fallen overnight. The trails and ground were pretty dry before this, so it likely to run off fairly quickly unless it keeps coming. Unfortunately the forecast is for more rain right through Easter. Therefore my advice is to stay home today with fingers crossed that BOM is not right about a wet Easter.

There's been a bit of discussion about boggy trail and rider damage at Daisy Hill this week. Others know the local status better than I do, but it looks like Daisy, Cornubia, Redlands, Bayview and Old Tambo are all going to be too wet to ride. Even the northern Brisbane areas and Sunny Coast are likely to get drowned out today. Sorry, it sucks, but it looks like trail respect and chocolate are on the menu for now.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Here we go again!

Another weather bomb is going to hammer SE Qld and northern NSW. It has already started with heavy "showers" and strong winds. Things are going to get a lot worse in the next 2 days. As monotonous as it seems, again it is time to remind riders of the danger of falling limbs and trees - something that will continue for a week or more after the system passes. Obviously our trails need rider respect as well. Unlike areas like Daisy, Cornubia, Mt Joyce etc, there are no official trail closures in Nerang National Park. Trails will be badly affected by lots of surface water at first, followed by subsurface water that swells trails and increases rider damage for many days after the rain stops. The most vulnerable areas are those with recent works (lower Pete's Extension) and the bottom of Three Hills and Casuarina where there is no rock to stabilise the ground. You can see what I mean in the following vid of Three Hill. Therefore, because we all want to ride good trail like in the Youtube video, please postpone all your rides for a week. Thanks and enjoy the vid (don't know the rider, but glad he posted it).

[video=youtube;0r-prQpl3i8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r-prQpl3i8[/video]
 

Hellyeah

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yeah Queensland is coping it

I hope the idiots use they're brains and stay of the trails

Daisy hill recently got it's trails wrecked by people riding
In the wet
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
They will be very wet for about 5 more days sprocket. We had a month's rain in 2 days. The closest golf course is still partially under water and closed. Even when water stops flowing on the surface, it flows under the surface along roots over clay and that softens the trail more than actual rain and surface water. Fire roads and the trails out back are the go until next weekend. The only reason even those trails can be considered rideable is because not many people ride that far (in the overall scheme of things). Unfortunately after big rain events it is rider usage that creates the longest lasting damage. I will give an update Wednesday evening after a quick look around.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks for that. Cornubia handles water pretty well in most areas and can be compared to Nerang in how it recovers. Will post how Nerang looks tonight after a look late this arvo.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Bit of a Surprise

I had a big spiel for you, but somehow deleted it. Let's shorten it a bit. Surprisingly Three Hills, Casuarina and Pete's Extension are all riding well and looking good. There certainly is significant damage to recent works on the lower turns on Pete's Extension. Surprise again, the damage is not where we added dirt. It is sodden where we excavated dirt, showing how much water moves under the surface in Nerang.

Guess what? WE WANT YOU TO RIDE IT!

If it is kept sodden we have a stash of gravel close-by and can ram it into the soft stuff this weekend. It will solidify fast and what gravel re-exposes will scrub off the riding line. As usual the damage is actually not on (THE) high riding lines, so if you actually can ride, please consider being a gorby and wallowing a bit until we get it solid. New trail lines either need to rest and set for months before use, or they need to be given love to prevent crucial lines disappearing and leaving a corner that just does not work due to weather ands rider damage. In this case we need more rider damage to make our planned repair better! If it solidifies weirdly, it will be too late. We need sludge.

So go ride Nerang and enjoy it. It was actually a big buzz this afternoon and not at all the buzzkill we expected.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Urgent update

I just want to post a possible heads-up regarding Nerang singletrack. On enquiring from QPWS about the new trailhead sign at the velodrome, I have been advised by the ranger that all Nerang singletrack has been designated as shared trail. We are seeking clarification because this has a huge impact on us as a user group. Since the trail audit of 2012, all singletrack has been designated MTB trail even if not yet brought up to acceptable standard and signposted.

QPWS policy for shared trail is that cyclists give way to all other users. While the sign says horses are not allowed on MTB trail, by definition shared trail is not MTB trail, meaning we may only have user priority on Casuarina, Three Hills, Pete's and Brett's and that horse riders have the right to destroy our trail system. I am not even sure if we would have any standing on the signed trails should there be a trail accident involving mixed user groups.

Until we have clarification, I am not prepared to continue trailcare as I see myself and my volunteer colleagues now legally prejudiced in the event of a claim for damages on trail built only for MTB use without catering to "shared use" via more speed control or altered construction and sightlines. I hope this is not a deal breaker for MTB in Nerang National Park. It has come out of left field without any consultation with MTBtrailcare or GC MTB Club. As it stands this morning, I see it that MTB has lost all status gained via blood, sweat and hard work at personal expense for years. Hopefully I am wrong, but be warned that you may not be supported should you be involved in trail conflict with any other user on our MTB trails. Until further notice......
 

Bucket Master

Canberra Off-Road Cyclists
Was great to meet many folks at Nerang on Friday re the Commonwealth Games. Hopefully we can deliver something particularly special
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Not to my satisfaction. I know there is a meeting coming between the club and QPWS. We have had no invitation and in fact not even a reply from QPWS since I told them we were no longer digging. Pretty poor after all the work we have done on behalf of QPWS IMO. I am hoping the club will be able to arrange a new collaborative partnership agreement that lists signage and mapping among other things as what the club requires of the land manager, just as they will list what they expect of the club.

Other than that the Commonwealth Games meeting was encouraging, given the limits of terrain appropriate for UCI events. The Canberra team are certainly onto something with their recommended course. It would leave new black trail for the locals after the event.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Wow haven't things changed in 5 years? Comm Games come and run. Organised and funded trail work by professional builders using club race fees. New trails built and almost nothing closed. Designated MTB trails with signposts and QR code location markers. So many more riders enjoying the trail system. An almost universal adoption of the "1 or 2 or X riders coming behind" greeting. Lots more smiles. Lots more ladies riding which is so awesome. Lots more families, which is our future as a recognised outdoor activity. None of the uphill-rider-has-right-of-way-bullshit-conflict that still seems to impact places in the the USA - almost everyone is chilled and happy to yield (I still think you work too hard going up to be denied the downhill). And the signs that it can only get bigger and better for Nerang. Yeh.

It's so different to the days when Ash and I were sneaking around building Barney's trail in secret hoping to show there was a way to make things differently and with a lasting future. We still laugh about how we built the entire thing except for the last 50m before it was found by a dog walker.

What's missing now and what we always wanted was a serious trail from Baileys to Barneys and also "Boomerang" from the bottom of the third hill on Three Hills to Pete's around the rim of the valley. Trails with alternate feature lines, exposure and stoke.

Also desirable is a re-creation of the old trail from Casuarina Optional Loop to CCTV. We always wanted a black climbing line up there. Being on historic rifle range land, "Ricochet" was what we called it and we mapped out a sensational line crossing rock ledges in and above creeks and featuring an uphill see saw and some great ridge line views as it looped back and forth at the top.

More black and DB descending lines would also be great, but the vertical available out between 911 and Norco is not really adequate for the big time. Still.....

Nerang dreaming. My big best wishes to the team driving the Nerang trailwork now and in the recent past. Great job taking the baton and a particularly big back slap to Doug Milne for the hardest yards.
 
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Milpool

Have knuckles, will drag
Wow haven't things changed in 5 years? Comm Games come and run. Organised and funded trail work by professional builders using club race fees. New trails built and almost nothing closed. Designated MTB trails with signposts and QR code location markers. So many more riders enjoying the trail system. An almost universal adoption of the "1 or 2 or X riders coming behind" greeting. Lots more smiles. Lots more ladies riding which is so awesome. Lots more families, which is our future as a recognised outdoor activity. None of the uphill-rider-has-right-of-way-bullshit-conflict that still seems to impact places in the the USA - almost everyone is chilled and happy to yield (I still think you work too hard going up to be denied the downhill). And the signs that it can only get bigger and better for Nerang. Yeh.

It's so different to the days when Ash and I were sneaking around building Barney's trail in secret hoping to show there was a way to make things differently and with a lasting future. We still laugh about how we built the entire thing except for the last 50m before it was found by a dog walker.

What's missing now and what we always wanted was a serious trail from Baileys to Barneys and also "Boomerang" from the bottom of the third hill on Three Hills to Pete's around the rim of the valley. Trails with alternate feature lines, exposure and stoke.

Also desirable is a re-creation of the old trail from Casuarina Optional Loop to CCTV. We always wanted a black climbing line up there. Being on historic rifle range land, "Ricochet" was what we called it and we mapped out a sensational line crossing rock ledges in and above creeks and featuring an uphill see saw and some great ridge line views as it looped back and forth at the top.

More black and DB descending lines would also be great, but the vertical available out between 911 and Norco is not really adequate for the big time. Still.....

Nerang dreaming. My big best wishes to the team driving the Nerang trailwork now and in the recent past. Great job taking the baton and a particularly big back slap to Doug Milne for the hardest yards.
I've only started riding this year and only ride at Nerang so far, even had my first bark off stacks there today. I love the place. There's an insane amount of routes to choose from, I couldn't believe that many existed when I first got out there. Big thank you to all who started it and all who continue with it.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I felt humbled when I rode on Sunday and came across new work on Never Ending Story and lantana clearing on Explosions in a dangerous sightline zone. Nerang is awesome and so are the trail care volunteers.
 
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