Advocacy Alert Glenrock Trail Alliance - Build Days and News

[sammydog]

Yep, all full bench stuff. Glen let a few people go and build a half bench yesterday so he could show why not to do it.

Even though the Awaba building has been going on a while, I learn't a lot about trail construction this weekend.

This is all a precursor to the NPWS letting us maintain the trails, so the experience has been great.

Also great to see the guys behind the Hornsby movement come up for a dig and a chat. I think they had some good conversations with the NPWS staff as well.

 

[Nmag]

I'm impressed by Glen of Worldtrail. A nice bloke to work with.

Any chance we can see a time elapse video of the trail building?

 

[Blotto]

I was there building with all the guys on the Saturday, and I was extremely impressed with Glen and the rest of the World Trail and NPWS guys. We were able to get so much work done in 6 hours, and to have it all explained from a professional trail builder of the caliber of Glen Jacobs was invaluable. We were able to learn so much, like how much Glen likes to use his microwave size rocks!!! Seriously though, seeing all the theory that you read about being put to good use in an area that I live in was an experience that everyone would appreciate. This stuff always seems to be happening everywhere else, so it's good to see it happen here in the middle of Newcastle.

If anyone else ever has the opportunity to get out and participate in something like this, I highly recommend giving it a go. Having the opportunity to maintain your local trails legally with expert supervision is something that shouldn't be missed

 

[sammydog]

Glad you guys all found it to be a valuable experience. Personally, I'd like to think we have a good chance to have the World Trail guys come back after the POM is finalised to do more work. Time will tell though.

The big thing about Glen is that his enthusiasm for trail building (the right way) shines through in the way he works and it seems to rub off on others.

Next step though is for us to work through with NPWS how the volunteer trail group will function. I think there is a couple of hurdles to get over to ensure it doesn;t become a free for all in maintenance, but there will be regular maintenance days in the very near future.

As for the time lapse, I'll talk to glen and see if we can get our hands on them.

 

[Red Peekay]

I was there building with all the guys on the Saturday, and I was extremely impressed with Glen and the rest of the World Trail and NPWS guys........

.........If anyone else ever has the opportunity to get out and participate in something like this, I highly recommend giving it a go. Having the opportunity to maintain your local trails legally with expert supervision is something that shouldn't be missed

I am super impressed with the work Glen and his company has done down here in Vic and second your comments. He's are really down to earth guy who is really into developing mountain biking. Very professional. It's a shame he can't get around a bit more and pass on all that knowledge.

Looks great up there!!

 

[fairy1]

Must admit I did learn an awful lot about sustainable trail building over the two days, however I was having trouble winding bolts in at work today as my forearms were a bit dead.

 

[sammydog]

Well you did put in two days of digging dirt that may have well been rock. I suspect there is a few sore people around.

My cheap mattock is in need of some repair works after sunday.

Good news is rain forecast for Friday and Saturday.

 

[sammydog]

Finally got some pics to put up. Jumps look fun, nothing huge but probably great fun for your beginner/intermediate DJ types.

My DJ bike is almost back on the trail and I can't wait to ride them.

Second Quarry
Worth noting here the two lines on the left and right.

From the run in ramp

Upper few jumps

Lower Jumps

Mud Jumps

 

[tom1111]

definately need some rain out there

the newly rebuilt section looks really nice but doesnt ride very well yet
im suprised there was no rain out there as we had some rain here

 

[sammydog]

It seemed to rain everywhere on thursday, except in glenrock. Today was supposed to be wet......

I just can't see it happening and the trails are desperate for water.

Getting beyond frustrating.

 

[herzog]

It seemed to rain everywhere on thursday, except in glenrock. Today was supposed to be wet......

I just can't see it happening and the trails are desperate for water.

Getting beyond frustrating.

Looks like there was a decent dump last night.

24.4 mm at Nobbys accoding to the BOM.

Hope that rain does its thing for you guys, after all the effort.

 

[sammydog]

Yep, lot of rain has come down. I haven't seen the trails since it started, but it should do the trick.

Some of us will go back up and do some tidying up and work on the rollers and berms, but I think it should all be sweet and will set rock hard now the rain has packed it down.

 

[BrindiCruiser]

photos look great

Glad to hear the rain has arrived. Selfish of me cause I am arriving for a visit to Newcastle on Friday. Really looking forward to reaping the fruits of your labours. Thanks folks!

 

[karl_eller]

I had a little ride on them last Friday, and they're very nice (abet quite dusty).

The rain we're having now should bed them in pretty well, though, so I'll be keen to see what they're like this weekend.

Eller

 

[sammydog]

quiet dusty is an understatement.

Normally it would be better to have closed the trails until they had a chance to pack down, but people were never going to adhere to that (we had people ride and walk through while we were building), so the decision was made to leave them open.

Bit of work once the weather settles and it should be all sweet.

 

[XXL]

The rework is really great, can't wait to ride it once its abit more solid. The quarrie jumps are maybe a tad small but i geuss thats what the new improved mud jumps are for. I also feel abit guilty not being there on the build day and then enjoying the result of other peoples hard work . I've made a submission on the NPWS website supporting the world trail rework and voicing my concern about losing all DH tracks.

 

[sammydog]

I also feel abit guilty not being there on the build day and then enjoying the result of other peoples hard work . I've made a submission on the NPWS website supporting the world trail rework and voicing my concern about losing all DH tracks.

If youve gone to the effort of putting in a submission, you have more than done your part.

Enjoy the new stuff completely guilt free.

Glad you are enjoying it though.

 

[dezza1994]

This is actually a pretty sweet track.. Those mud jumps are pretty nice jumps.. Wish i could ride it

 

[karl_eller]

Rode BJ's yesterday afternoon, and they're really nice (abet a bit soggy from the rain ). Give 'em a few days of no rain to dry out and they'll be sweet. I even made it UP a couple

Yes, I suck at riding up switchbacks.

Eller

 

[sammydog]

Time for a bit of an update on the world of Glenrock.

On the 13th March we another of our volunteer trail maintenance days. We have had a few before, but this day involved a lot more than routine maintenance. NPWS got in with the heavy machinery and did some prep work, the volunteer labour did the rest.

The works were based on the findings of World Trail and interpreted and implemented by the people who ride the trail.

This quote from EMPY on the GTA forum sums it up pretty well.

We worked on a very difficult section of trail near the Treatment works known as “Shit Happens” and are working in conjunction with the NPWS, they have done a lot of machine work so far and wil coninue with this as an ongoing project.

Because of the long term existence of this trail and the fragile and erodible nature of the surrounding area the NPWS were against any relocation of the trail and preferred that it was rebuilt in the same corridor.



Yesterday we worked on the upper switchback section. The steep grade and water flow problems made it one of the most difficult tasks we will undertake in the whole park.

In the proposed loops this is meant to be a climbing trail, we were not only attempting to address the erosion and water flow problems but to also reduce the maximum gradient and make the trail easier for the novice rider.

We wanted to do this without losing the technical nature of the trail for the more experienced rider, so alternate lines were built into the features to allow a challenging or easier line all on the one trail.

The result was truly exceptional.

We worked in very dry conditions so any filling work will probably need a revisit.
But with much hand ‘tamping’ and the use of a wacker packer on the slope! (which I can now tell you from personal experience is harder to ride than hardtail on a DH track) most of it went in really well.

Thanks very much to those people who worked yesterday, very well done.

With this sort of a project going so well we need to keep the momentum.

The NPWS workers should be back with their machines within about two weeks and then we will continue on the lower section of the trail, so watch for the date of the next volunteer day.

We still have the lower half of the trail to complete, NPWS have filled in all the major ruts and will move materials around for us. When a date is set I will post here, but if you are interested in helping keep an eye out on the Glenrock Trail Alliance Forum or the Glenrock Trail Alliance Facebook Page

Now for the photos,