Advocacy Alert Glenrock Trail Alliance - Build Days and News

[pink poodle]

I know this is all pretty close to the event and I'm not part of the alliance, thus haven't been part of the planning process...but those jumps really aren't worth repairing. Their current shape is unsafe and unfun.

My unsafe claim is because for the height of the launch ramps, they are too flat and the tables not long enough. This makes it too easy for riders (particularly noons) to overshoot the landers and get bucked on the next up ramp. I have seen more crashes on the jumps as they are now than I did before the original muds were knocked down (way bac k in the dream time). This is easily fixed by making the jumps a little steeper and a little longer. I have no issue with them being table tops.

Unfun because they just don't have any pop factor. But this is not as big an issue as unsafe.

Is there any chance of building 2 lines of jumps in that space? There is definately enough room. One line similar to what currently exists in size? And then a more advanced line of bigger and steeper jumps? Something similar to what used to be at San Demo perhaps. If this is the case I'll bring a shovel.

 

[sammydog]

We are working towards more than one (how many is unknown) lines in that area, as well as fixing the quarry below.

what we want is various lines of different ability levels so people can progress. Thats not there at the moment.

 

[pink poodle]

We are working towards more than one (how many is unknown) lines in that area, as well as fixing the quarry below.

what we want is various lines of different ability levels so people can progress. Thats not there at the moment.

Sounds like the answer is something I won't like or there isn't actually a plan.

 

[sammydog]

Sounds like the answer is something I won't like or there isn't actually a plan.

I'm not going to force or plead with anyone to get involved, but the person who will be driving these trails is pretty motivated and rides them.

Yes, the next maintenance/build day is maintenance only. But planning has begun for revamping that whole area, is there a finished plan.......nope to early for that. There is no preconceived notion at the moment of what the outcome will be. the process will involve getting as much rider feedback as we can, and also seeing how much we can make the land manager comfortable with.

You can read into that what you will, but honestly, since the club was formally set up there is a much broader range of input in to the direction/form of trails.

 

[fatboyonabike]

is there any plans for a pump track/skills area, similar to what's at Stromlo?..

 

[sammydog]

is there any plans for a pump track/skills area, similar to what's at Stromlo?..

NPWS had always slated the quarry area next to the powerlines for something like that. I have my reservations given the soil type and horrible drainage. For a significant chunk of the time it would just be a wet boggy clay.

there had been talk of trying something on the grassy hill to the right when you go through the gun club gates, but it hasn't been pursued as yet.

 

[pink poodle]

I'm not going to force or plead with anyone to get involved, but the person who will be driving these trails is pretty motivated and rides them.

Yes, the next maintenance/build day is maintenance only. But planning has begun for revamping that whole area, is there a finished plan.......nope to early for that. There is no preconceived notion at the moment of what the outcome will be. the process will involve getting as much rider feedback as we can, and also seeing how much we can make the land manager comfortable with.

You can read into that what you will, but honestly, since the club was formally set up there is a much broader range of input in to the direction/form of trails.

Well I shall wish you folks the best of luck.

NPWS had always slated the quarry area next to the powerlines for something like that. I have my reservations given the soil type and horrible drainage. For a significant chunk of the time it would just be a wet boggy clay.

there had been talk of trying something on the grassy hill to the right when you go through the gun club gates, but it hasn't been pursued as yet.

Too right there. That quarry would provide awesome clay for building, but is a bog pit. With a massive reworking it could be made into a rad area, but the machinery needed to undertake such a job would make it prohibitive. Another area that might be worth considering might be the old tip face. Hardly anything there that npws would deem worthy of conservation, easy to access, and able to be linked up to the existing xc trails on the opposite side of the gully or a fresh trail running the length of the gully. Would also be a prime location for fr/dh style trail and could incorporate that winding flat snake thing that is nearby...

The grass at the gate would work well too, especially for families with small kids that want to hit the dirt. But the first thing I would be looking to put at the gate is a bin...so much rubbish appearing there of late, not just the usual scumbag dumpers either unfortunately.

 

[sammydog]

The flat snaky trail is in desperate need of dirt to rebuild the berms on each corner. They were each quiet sizeable berms that have worm or settled down to be not much at all.

That whole tip area is available to be developed into trails and originally we spoke of a skills park. One issue we found when putting in the trail that is there is that there is not much top soil capping the earthquake rubble below. It is a few inches deep in parts before you hit building waste. Throw machinery on top and you go straight through it. As you step further north from the existing trail, the fill on top gets thinner and thinner.

Its not prohibitive for a trail, but its not the blank canvas it seems to be. When we had the weeds killed off you can see rubble sticking up all over the place.

 

[sammydog]

Doesn't show the crap sticking up, but this gives an idea of that the tip trail was when it was built. Unfortunately its been left to wear down too far.

Lot of work today in the old tip site. Blank canvass and NPWS gave us the OK to go do what we want. We went in thinking about twisty singletrail, then got carried away with the machinery.

Heaps more photos at http://glenrocktrailalliance.com/node/21406

Tomorrow some technical alternate lines will go in.

 

[sammydog]

A few photos from yesterdays build day on Six Shooter.

We had a pretty good turn out yesterday of about 12 volunteers with some of the local dirt jumpers and kids stopping by to give a hand over the day as well.

The dirt is still really dry so we won't have a great result till it rains and we do some re-packing - here's hoping that's soon.

If you are riding them before then, just take care that there may be some loose areas that haven't compacted as well as we would have liked.

This is what the dirt mounds masquerading as jumps looked like before we started works. They were essentially the product of a few years of neglect.

Finished product on a few of the jumps.

No date set as yet for the next build day, but it will likely be on the section of Kenny's after the chute, and working on the chute if materials and machinery permit. We have been looking at adding a few new features to this area and alternate line options.

 

[pink poodle]

Looks like you guys did work I would have approved of. Well done and thanks. I shall be more open towards assisting the next build in that area.

Good point about the old tip. I hadn't realized it was so chunky. The snake...it was too flat when originally built. Most riders don't use the berms. Thus the over grown etc. Steeper berms next time! Almost like wall riding....

 

[pink poodle]

poodle approves

I rode the reconstructed dirt jumps this afternoon. I approve of the work! Well done and many thanks.

 

[sammydog]

I rode the reconstructed dirt jumps this afternoon. I approve of the work! Well done and many thanks.

View attachment 308611

Thanks.

How had the landings packed in? We didn't have much water on the day and it was super dry, dusty and loose.

The key now is to not let them wear down as much as they had.

 

[pink poodle]

Noons be the real issue every time...so many people ride through them as a big rolling course. That just wears jumps down. I know a few people who rebuilt the old ones a few times (nicely rather than the typical teenager making them doubles) and people would flatten them back down in a few days each time.

I'm all for noons riding and wouldn't want to discourage them from having a go, but I'd certainly prefer them to be trying to jump them. It will be a forever problem at glenrock due to the wide range of skill levels there.

Currently the up ramps are wearing out dead centre and the landers are seeing a lot of casing. But its raining now and I'm pretty sure someone will throw some fresh mud on them come Monday or Tuesday if they need it.

On the subject of misuse...I ran into a group of about 20 runners up there around Christmas. They came out of the been at the end as I railed the last jump. Dickheads went flying everywhere!