VIC Lysterfield Park

[hungrytiger]

Where did you have success with this? I really wouldn't mind knowing more if you feel like sharing.

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It was a few years ago when pv started threatening the club with liability due to a number of incidents in the park. The liability is all theirs of course, which we got in writing and that was the end of that. Theres a bit more to it , but that's as much of a summary as I want to give on here. PV are amateurs, just got to remember that when dealing with them, collaboration is not in their organisational DNA.

 

[Calvin27]

Stupid question, but how does dumbing down trails not happen elsewhere? Are they different types of park under different ownership or something?

Honestly PV had got zero clue. MTB traffic is ridiculous at lysty and riders probably outnumber runners/walkers 5:1. Without the park, might as well flatten the lot and make it into a residential development like everything else. I don't mind dumbing down of the main trail - I think there is a positive element of inclusiveness. But The side trails are there to be ridden and the bloody ratings are just embarassing.

 

[teK--]

Aaaaaand the entire network is about to be made one way.


I understand some people don't like how 'easy' the park is, but try not having a shot at the builders. They're up against some serious resistance and continue to put efforts in to make the best of the situation as it is.

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Edit - apologies, venting some frustrations...

Thanks for the constructive criticism, the builders will be sure to pass it along to parks who will completely ignore it all. We've always struggled to get new stuff approved and it's usually subject to heavy scrutiny, hoops to jump through, and dumbing down just in order to get it past.

Parks put the double black rating on follow me, despite being told by Ldtr that it was not (we put a sticker on sign to make it single black, possibly gone now). Parks also demolished all the features on wallaby hop to make some runners happy. They complain about minor features and now seemingly just flatten them if they don't like them. Aneurysm is currently in danger of being dumbed down further still, despite being an officially black trail they seem to think it should ride entirely like a mild green. Aaaaaand the entire network is about to be made one way.


I understand some people don't like how 'easy' the park is, but try not having a shot at the builders. They're up against some serious resistance and continue to put efforts in to make the best of the situation as it is.

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Edit - apologies, venting some frustrations...

I don't think anyone criticising features are directing their frustratation at the builders. We all understand it is volunteer work and you are doing it on public land governed by Parks Vic.

As for making it one way that is not entirely a bad thing (as long as it's anti-clockwise). Most riders are OK and look ahead but there have been way too many clowns going the "wrong" way. I came acround the corner on Snipe track once and came face to face with a father pedalling up, with his young son sitting in a handlebar mounted seat facing forward... seriously WTF.

 

[Plankosaurus]

I don't think anyone criticising features are directing their frustratation at the builders. We all understand it is volunteer work and you are doing it on public land governed by Parks Vic.

As for making it one way that is not entirely a bad thing (as long as it's anti-clockwise). Most riders are OK and look ahead but there have been way too many clowns going the "wrong" way. I came acround the corner on Snipe track once and came face to face with a father pedalling up, with his young son sitting in a handlebar mounted seat facing forward... seriously WTF.

Yeah, I was halfway through my rant and starting thinking most people probably get that, but I was halfway through so it wasn't getting scrapped. Also some people don't get it, and do criticise the builders, and we get it from both sides too - "why didn't you make it bigger" & "why'd you make it so big?"



I partially agree with one way trails, there are some that should be officially made one way because common sense is apparently not so common (seriously, who would ride up snipe??). I disagree with the bulk of the main loop being made one way, any sections that are actually dangerous should be able to be made safer or sections of trail added. Like dog pound/humping hound - there was a descent that was dangerous to climb on a two way loop and it was made safe by adding an up trail nearby. And I personally think the loop makes more sense clockwise, this is unpopular but stuff it, I'm on a roll


My opinion aside, part of the deal with parks was for a bunch of new trails to be implemented first so people have a way to get to and from the outlying one way trails, this isn't happening first. Slapping a label on the trails as they are is going to cause people (like myself) to just ignore it. If I go out for a few laps of follow me/aneurysm I don't want to be stuck with a fire trail ride back when I've been riding these trails both ways since the dawn of time. Similarly, if I take the kiddos out for a ride and they want to call it early without doing a full lap the same thing applies. Bugger parks, I'm going rogue...




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[slowmick]

Plank - can i ask 2 questions? What makes clockwise better? The trails seemed aimed at anticlock wise. Also - does this statement mean you ride follow me and aneurysm in both directions?

If I go out for a few laps of follow me/aneurysm I don't want to be stuck with a fire trail ride back when I've been riding these trails both ways since the dawn of time.

 

[Plankosaurus]

Follow me and aneurysm run in the clockwise loop, you have to double back if you're going anti clockwise. You can string together more trail with less firetrail if you go clockwise around the main loop, no other reason.

Nope, never do and never have done aneurysm/granite link/common games/follow me/snipe/wallaby hop/dogpound(since humping joint was made) in reverse. Probably could have been clearer on that, I'm talking about the main loop, Blair witch to hug to Redgum to middle to buckle. They were built as 2 way and in my opinion, there's no reason they shouldn't remain that way.



...aneurism and follow me in reverse? What kind of crazy ass climber do you take me for? My lycra isn't nearly tight enough for that!

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[Calvin27]

I have an idea.

Saturdays acw, Sundays cw.

I've always wanted to descent the comms game climb.

 

[link1896]

I have an idea.

Saturdays acw, Sundays cw.

I've always wanted to descent the comms game climb.

Ride at night. You can ride down the comm games switchbacks till your heart is content. Down switchbacks, turn around and go back up. Or loop with the fireroad, go to the top of the hill to the navigation beacon.

Coming back down from the fireroad to the top of comm games once, at night, I fucked up and hit wet grass. OTB at speed. So disorientating where the ground comes to meet you in the dark. While falling you have no time to sense gravity, and you have no idea which way you’re going to hit.

 

[Calvin27]

Ride at night.

I rekon night is even more reason to do a 1 way rule. Oncoming riders with 3000 lumens of power is like a flash bang head on!

 

[slowmick]

Cheers Plank. I've always considered hug a descending trail (from back when it was one of the few trails in the park) and use to head straight down the hill from the first clearing. but see now reason why it can't be two way. I just see no joy in the reverse.

Now understand what you mean about doubling back with fire roads for Follow me and Aneurysm.

 

[Chriso_29er]

You can always cover the same ground twice in the singletrack to avoid fireroad on a anti loop
I'm like Mick, think the main trail just flows better on an anti loop, Hug is still one of my favourite parts of the loop. Coming up it is a bit blah. The rest wouldn't matter too much.

Back to my original rant, not having a go at the actual builders, just dont understand the reasoning for even changing that part of the trail!

 

[ctguru]

big issue is that people still are ignorant, don't read or care

if implemented, a fair amount of people will still ride in the wrong direction

Snipe definitely needs to be one way

 

[Stacktacular]

Sneaky little downhill modifications are unofficial building, not built officially by LDTR and have not been signed off by PV.

These would have been built by the same rogue builders who put logs over the two rock roller on upper buckle and PV then mistakenly removed the whole thing thinking it was all built unofficially.

Follow Me is only black diamond, not double. Grading has changed since initial sign installation. Other maps online might need an update.

Cheers

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[Warwick]

Ride at night. You can ride down the comm games switchbacks till your heart is content. Down switchbacks, turn around and go back up. Or loop with the fireroad, go to the top of the hill to the navigation beacon.

Coming back down from the fireroad to the top of comm games once, at night, I fucked up and hit wet grass. OTB at speed. So disorientating where the ground comes to meet you in the dark. While falling you have no time to sense gravity, and you have no idea which way you’re going to hit.

Bad idea. Have seen the evidence of that often enough through the years, and people rip the corners up

 

[mike14]

Interesting to read the discussion on whether it should be a one-way loop after my Sunday ride. Based on being told off from 3 different people for going "the wrong way" while heading back up Blair Witch/Hug to the Comm Games car park it seems lots of people already think it's a one-way system.
I actually thought I may missed some signs about changes after one of the blokes went mental at me. I don't think I'd ever done those trails in 'reverse' before, but having already done a loop and then deciding I wanted to part of another I got to Snipe and decided I'd had enough but would rather ride back along single track than fire road.
It was actually a bit of fun to ride the other way as they feel totally different (this is likely obvious to most!).

 

[Jpez]

I had zero idea there was actually a supposed direction to follow. The few times I’ve been there I generally just head up one side or the other depending on mood.
I guess some of the filthy looks I got from some of the passing locals make sense now.

 

[caad9]

I've never ridden the trails as directional, but also haven't regularly ridden Lysterfield for 5-6 years.
It seems like @mike14 has just reiterated why I don't.

 

[Calvin27]

I guess some of the filthy looks I got from some of the passing locals make sense now.

There are a lot of grumpy folks out there. Don't stress about it. It adds to the adrenaline just like the increasing numbers of ebike riders. I'm generally a supporter of ebikes, but after seeing how they carry on around lysterfield I am firmly in the camp of get them completely off the trails and limit to fire road use only.

 

[Chriso_29er]

Interesting to read the discussion on whether it should be a one-way loop after my Sunday ride. Based on being told off from 3 different people for going "the wrong way" while heading back up Blair Witch/Hug to the Comm Games car park it seems lots of people already think it's a one-way system.
I actually thought I may missed some signs about changes after one of the blokes went mental at me. I don't think I'd ever done those trails in 'reverse' before, but having already done a loop and then deciding I wanted to part of another I got to Snipe and decided I'd had enough but would rather ride back along single track than fire road.
It was actually a bit of fun to ride the other way as they feel totally different (this is likely obvious to most!).

I would have politely set them straight if that happened to me lol

While my preference is anti, I still ride it clockwise from time to time. Never had anyone make comment, however do get the odd surprised look ha ha.

I was naughty one time and carefully took the dogpound descent as a shortcut rather than taking the longer one way trail back up the hill.
Had moved 3m off the trail and was stopped as one guy came past and yelled out "are you all right" lol. Not sure if it was a reference to my naughtiness or was genuinely concerned for me lol.

 

[teK--]

There are a lot of grumpy folks out there. Don't stress about it. It adds to the adrenaline just like the increasing numbers of ebike riders. I'm generally a supporter of ebikes, but after seeing how they carry on around lysterfield I am firmly in the camp of get them completely off the trails and limit to fire road use only.

I have never ridden anywhere else that has so many grumpy men... They are always riding alone and don't seem to be having much fun riding at all .