Glenrock All Mountain / Downhill

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sammydog

NSWMTB, Hunter MTB Association
The Glenrock Trail Alliance is looking for someone to join the committee to assist in the advocating for enhanced access to All Mountain and DH style trails in the park.

We have a club meeting on December 10th at the Charlestown Bowling Club starting at 7pm, and would love to hear from people who would want to take on this role.

Obviously there are no DH/AM trails that are sanctioned in Glenrock at this point, although there is a lot of trails that have had a blind eye turned on them. We need someone with building experience who is connected with the DH/AM community to assist in liaising with the NPWS and riders to further the advocating for these trails. We have indications that NPWS want to provide these facilities in some form, we just need someone to assist in pushing.

Time wise, this is not a big job. It will more entail attending irregular meetings with the NPWS and canvassing the riders for input. At such time as any construction commences, this role would coordinate and assist in design.

If you are interested send me a message or get on our website (http://www.glenrocktrailalliance.com) or your Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GlenrockTrailAlliance).
 
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sammydog

NSWMTB, Hunter MTB Association
Spread the word around for us.

Other than pulling my DH bike out on the weekend to see if it works, I haven't riden DH for about 5 years. It makes it hard to represent the people who will ride the trails which is why I would love to see someone who currently rides DH in glenrock to come on board with us and help further the cause.
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Well you know, without there being any sanctioned downhill tracks there I am confident nobody is riding dh in glenrock....


That said, the days of having a DH or FR oriented trail network in Glenrock are long gone. The demolition and deliberate degradation of what was once there and the long running focus on having XC and family friendly trails has made sure that most guys interested in anything more exciting that cycling on a fire road have moved on to formal DH tracks and secret ride venues. What DH/FR rider is going to bury a whole bunch of hours into building a trail that takes 1 minute to ride, requires pushing back to the top, and is constantly being vandalised by retards that think it is too dangerous? The number of times I have watched some dick smuggling lycra clad rider kick down an obstacle they didn't like, deliberately ride up one of the old decrepit 'DH' trails that people are riding down, or use the rubble mounds called 'dirt jumps' as rollers are too many to count. I am not saying that XC. AM, Lycra or families don't belong on the trails, I am just saying that from what I have seen there they tend to not mix well with others.

Through deliberate efforts of the last (almost) 10 years of letting the 'DH' trails rot and leaving the place dotted with lame trails it has become a haven for people who appear to have no respect for other styles of riding. A sad reality given that way way way way back when I first started riding there (about the same time that Noah built the ark) it was those rascally environmental bandits that opened the place up to mountain bikers.

For the families in particular I feel it is better to let them have their safe environment. It is great to see all the little kids that get up there and have a go on what is provided. Having witnessed plenty of over zealous youngsters get smashed up on out of control bush jumps etc, I wouldn't be too keen to build up a trail worthy of the DH title only to have to knock it down because an 8 year old messed themselves up. I am sure that what is there is catering well to the riders that it is intended for. I myself still ride there regularly, just not with as big a smile as I used to.
 
CourseOut

CourseOut

Likes Bikes
Straight off the bat, I am not putting my hand up for this - too many fingers in too many pies currently.

As a rider I would really like to see some of the old DH trails linked together and, for want of a better word, sanitised. If you have the ability to truck in dirt, jumps can be table tops rather than doubles with gaps, removing one reason I think this type of trail is often vandalised (it always used to be a problem building jumps as a kid - stupid mountain bikers in their toeclips rolling over doubles and sprocket bashing the lips. Maybe I'm as old as you Pink Poodle? haha). With drop offs and other obstacles, as long as they are signposted and a viable (read: fun) B line is available I think a lot of the issues will sort themselves out. Surely the lycra brigade will stick to their normal routes, obsessed with getting that coveted KOM on strava?

A DH light, or AM trail is what I think the club is aiming for, people that want to scare themselves (err, I mean push their boundaries) have Awaba and to a lesser extent Ourimbah. I would also be keen to see the "dirt jumps" changed up a bit so they are a little more than a line of rollers. Again, B lines would help, and maybe some stabilising material into the lips so they don't get rolled out so quickly?

As for 8 year olds towelling themselves up, well, that's what 8 year olds do.
 
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sammydog

NSWMTB, Hunter MTB Association
CourseOut said:
Straight off the bat, I am not putting my hand up for this - too many fingers in too many pies currently.
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Thats cool. Input along the way will be just as good.

CourseOut said:
As a rider I would really like to see some of the old DH trails linked together and, for want of a better word, sanitised. If you have the ability to truck in dirt, jumps can be table tops rather than doubles with gaps, removing one reason I think this type of trail is often vandalised (it always used to be a problem building jumps as a kid - stupid mountain bikers in their toeclips rolling over doubles and sprocket bashing the lips. Maybe I'm as old as you Pink Poodle? haha). With drop offs and other obstacles, as long as they are signposted and a viable (read: fun) B line is available I think a lot of the issues will sort themselves out. Surely the lycra brigade will stick to their normal routes, obsessed with getting that coveted KOM on strava?
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I don't know that the existing trails will be retained. We have managed to hold off on their closure until a workable alternate to them is found. We have the NPWS committed to a riders forum (facilitated by a professional trail builder) to speak with the riders and gauge what needs to be done and how we can achieve it. Light DH/AM is on that agenda.

I agree on the B-Line, thats where some of even the XC network falls over with the lack of multiple lines. This is in the planning process of being rectified, but with any technical trail is a must.

CourseOut said:
A DH light, or AM trail is what I think the club is aiming for, people that want to scare themselves (err, I mean push their boundaries) have Awaba and to a lesser extent Ourimbah. I would also be keen to see the "dirt jumps" changed up a bit so they are a little more than a line of rollers. Again, B lines would help, and maybe some stabilising material into the lips so they don't get rolled out so quickly?
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You've nailed it with the type of trail that will likely be implemented.
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Professional trail builder = money wasted. Look at the crap the last lot delivered...less Imagination than a financial war thread title. Good luck with sale.
 
CourseOut

CourseOut

Likes Bikes
Updates?

Hey Sammy

I know this is a bit of a thread dig, but has there been any movement on this at all?

As an aside, I have been riding Jesmond a fair bit. Once the bypass goes through there is there any chance of formal trails being built in there as part of the remediation process? Most of what is in there erodes massively and a lot of the fun little singletrack that is there currently is going to be removed by the looks of it?
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
CourseOut said:
Hey Sammy

I know this is a bit of a thread dig, but has there been any movement on this at all?

As an aside, I have been riding Jesmond a fair bit. Once the bypass goes through there is there any chance of formal trails being built in there as part of the remediation process? Most of what is in there erodes massively and a lot of the fun little singletrack that is there currently is going to be removed by the looks of it?
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I haven't ridden at jesmond for a long time, what is happening there at the moment?
 
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spoozbucket

Likes Dirt
When do we get to dig on the Army base side?

I feel sorry for people that have to deal with the Government, they aim to make things progress so slowly that people give up.
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
spoozbucket said:
When do we get to dig on the Army base side?

I feel sorry for people that have to deal with the Government, they aim to make things progress so slowly that people give up.
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there has been a few efforts on that side of the road, nothing of note currently. There is an oversupply of snakes and big ants...or so i have heard.
 
CourseOut

CourseOut

Likes Bikes
pink poodle said:
I haven't ridden at jesmond for a long time, what is happening there at the moment?
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Doesn't appear to be too much trailwork happening - seen some kids on BMX's heading in there with shovels the other day and have come across some "dirt jumps" that have been updated a bit. Nothing too exciting though. Motorbike use seems to have dropped off a lot, haven't been passed by a moto in months, and was surprised to hear someone in there on a bike yesterday (I live on the Elermore Vale side of the Jesmond bush)

Some clearing has happened to allow the geo-tech guys to get there drilling rigs and what not in there. Has encroached on some of the single track down near the horse paddocks beyond Jesmond Park, but nothing that makes them unrideable. Overall its pretty fun in there to me, but definitely a more "natural" trail which changes every time it rains
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
CourseOut said:
Doesn't appear to be too much trailwork happening - seen some kids on BMX's heading in there with shovels the other day and have come across some "dirt jumps" that have been updated a bit. Nothing too exciting though. Motorbike use seems to have dropped off a lot, haven't been passed by a moto in months, and was surprised to hear someone in there on a bike yesterday (I live on the Elermore Vale side of the Jesmond bush)

Some clearing has happened to allow the geo-tech guys to get there drilling rigs and what not in there. Has encroached on some of the single track down near the horse paddocks beyond Jesmond Park, but nothing that makes them unrideable. Overall its pretty fun in there to me, but definitely a more "natural" trail which changes every time it rains
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Seems much of same-same. It is location of great potential for a few trails catering to any ride style. A shame that the local govt arent into bikes. All that parkland wasted on shit like cricket...
 
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Roy Turner

Likes Bikes
CourseOut said:
Doesn't appear to be too much trailwork happening - seen some kids on BMX's heading in there with shovels the other day and have come across some "dirt jumps" that have been updated a bit. Nothing too exciting though. Motorbike use seems to have dropped off a lot, haven't been passed by a moto in months, and was surprised to hear someone in there on a bike yesterday (I live on the Elermore Vale side of the Jesmond bush)

Some clearing has happened to allow the geo-tech guys to get there drilling rigs and what not in there. Has encroached on some of the single track down near the horse paddocks beyond Jesmond Park, but nothing that makes them unrideable. Overall its pretty fun in there to me, but definitely a more "natural" trail which changes every time it rains
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As Jesmond bush is only a stones throw from my house, I still tend to visitit from time to time to see if there is anything new popping up here and there. Recently I have come across more trails being touched up by what seems to be a few teenagers on long travel (DH/FR) bikes. They have really just been touching up a few of the older DH style tracks and the dirt jumps half way up the hill, but it seems like there could be a little life starting to show for Jesmond again.

However, the rest of the trails that once were there have just been rutted out by the rain to the point of almost unrideable. Such a shame, I used to love it about 10 hears ago!
 
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Roy Turner

Likes Bikes
Touch Base

A little late to the party, but was there any progress here or was a candidate named? It would be great to see a few of the existing and/or some of the older tracks touched up or given a face lift.

With a lot of the older main trails (4 or 5 if I remember correctly?) Intertwining with smaller chutes inbetween them it could give some great variety and options for various lines and carrying them out to more than 30 second runs
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
pharmaboy said:
Found a vid this morning, posted yesterday of one of the downhill tracks - creek gap

Anyway, really well produced and worth watching

https://vimeo.com/161897363
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This fellow has himself a fair bit of spare time! It's a well made video, captures the essence of the 45 second track.

Here's a few good ones I just looked up.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EbskkXvsFZ8 shot with dick cam
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EbskkXvsFZ8 this must be the Worst series of berms ever. I don't know Wether to blame the trail builders or majoroty of riders...but wow. Just wow. Also note rider goes up down ramp and down up ramp of what was once a popular dirt jump, but now severely eroded because of said reverse use.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gjf3tfOT8TI this one is actually pretty good. Guys bike is...you'll see.

Turns out there is a lot of glenrock clips. I was surprised.
 
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