[magnetosphere]

Once again Fatrac has gone and done unnecessary trail work. The Granite Bay trail is pretty much a self sufficient trail. It does not have any problems with erosion or huge mud puddles. But for some reason they felt the need to add water breaks on the back side of the trail between the benches and the parking lot near Dotens Point.

Why would you add a water break in the main line of the trail? Sure there is a rut and the water flows down the rut. But it is not causing any damage to the hill side. The hillside is not even very steep there. Just because some unskilled riders cannot ride the rut does not mean that everyone takes the alternate route. How about making the rut a little wider so it is easier for novice riders. That way there is only one line and extra erosion is eliminated. But instead they blocked up the rut and dug a huge ditch on the down hill side to try to divert the water.

Didn't a guy at the TBF race have to be taken out on a stretcher because of the same section of "trail maintenance"?


Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? Why is there not any skilled supervision of the unskilled volunteers? Just because I do not help does not mean that I cannot voice my opinion.

I know that all of Fatrac is run by volunteers and that they mean well. But meaning well and doing well is totally different. I fully believe that the work being done is not helping out our trail systems or our advocacy for further trail building.


Flame suit on.

 

[scooter916]

take some pics the next time you are out there so everybody knows what part your talking about, I'm pretty sure I do

 

[nachomc]

Yeah can you give a better description of where it is? I haven't been out there yet.

Here's a link to some pics from the day the trail work was done. FYI, I hope your flame suit is extra retardant as many members here pitched in on that work day (I was not one of them, for the record).

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=5292182&postcount=23

 

[anotherbrian]

Why would you add a water break in the main line of the trail? Sure there is a rut and the water flows down the rut. But it is not causing any damage to the hill side. The hillside is not even very steep there. Just because some unskilled riders cannot ride the rut does not mean that everyone takes the alternate route. How about making the rut a little wider so it is easier for novice riders. That way there is only one line and extra erosion is eliminated. But instead they blocked up the rut and dug a huge ditch on the down hill side to try to divert the water.

I haven't been out there in a couple weeks, but I assume you are talking about the short stretch of down that is in a deep and sandy channel, then the trail curves to the left. The trail is too narrow there for riding in both directions.

There has been a waterbar there for many many years. It's annoying when it is freshly dug, but within a couple weeks it gets pounded away until its just a little bump.

 

[Bokchoicowboy]

Magneto, when we (volunteers) were out there we were working with several people who had years of trail maintenance and building experience, including one who I understand builds trails as his business and another who built most of the stuff you might ride up at Northstar. Everyone there were riders, so there was a lot of discussion on trying to find the middle ground between good water drainage and rideability.

If I remember correctly, the waterbar (hump) above the gullied section was intended to be flattened out into a more rideable obstacle by the expected trail users, including those who would hit it on the following weekends TBF race, but still do the job of diverting water so the gully doesn't get any deeper..

As far as the comment of "Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? ", I believe this organization was the one that originally built the trail you are focusing on, as well as being the only organization to bother to do ANY trail maintenance in the area. If they don't do it, who will?

My suggestion to anyone who doesn't like the work being done is to please show up at the next trail day and give your input onsite at the time work is being planned.

 

[Team Rocky]

As one who helped build "your" trail. Try going to a trail building class before you spout off. In the long run the trail will be better off with the "improvements". That trail system gets alot of traffic in poor conditions and holds up very well. But large ruts will just get worse with time. The water bars are needed. (and make great jumps!)

 

[Chapped (o) Hole]

Once again Fatrac has gone and done unnecessary trail work. The Granite Bay trail is pretty much a self sufficient trail. It does not have any problems with erosion or huge mud puddles. But for some reason they felt the need to add water breaks on the back side of the trail between the benches and the parking lot near Dotens Point.

Why would you add a water break in the main line of the trail? Sure there is a rut and the water flows down the rut. But it is not causing any damage to the hill side. The hillside is not even very steep there. Just because some unskilled riders cannot ride the rut does not mean that everyone takes the alternate route. How about making the rut a little wider so it is easier for novice riders. That way there is only one line and extra erosion is eliminated. But instead they blocked up the rut and dug a huge ditch on the down hill side to try to divert the water.

Didn't a guy at the TBF race have to be taken out on a stretcher because of the same section of "trail maintenance"?

Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? Why is there not any skilled supervision of the unskilled volunteers? Just because I do not help does not mean that I cannot voice my opinion.

I know that all of Fatrac is run by volunteers and that they mean well. But meaning well and doing well is totally different. I fully believe that the work being done is not helping out our trail systems or our advocacy for further trail building.

Flame suit on.

I was out there last night, and have ridden the trail a couple of times since the trail work was done. The work that was done was minimal at best and had very little effect to the trail from a riding stand point. Are you seriously bent out of shape over a single water bar. Ride over it and move on, why come on here and rant about something that most skilled riders would hardly notice, let alone take exception to.

 

[Mr.P]

The Granite Bay trail is pretty much a self sufficient trail.

That is not correct. It drains well, but over time, due to winter riding, migrating organic matter from off trail and the race series, pools of water/mud and ruts form. This usually happens towards the end of winter.

What keeps the trail so good during the winter months is the years of trail maintenance that have been done to it.

P

 

[mtnbiker4life]

Once again Fatrac has gone and done unnecessary trail work. The Granite Bay trail is pretty much a self sufficient trail. It does not have any problems with erosion or huge mud puddles. But for some reason they felt the need to add water breaks on the back side of the trail between the benches and the parking lot near Dotens Point.

Why would you add a water break in the main line of the trail? Sure there is a rut and the water flows down the rut. But it is not causing any damage to the hill side. The hillside is not even very steep there. Just because some unskilled riders cannot ride the rut does not mean that everyone takes the alternate route. How about making the rut a little wider so it is easier for novice riders. That way there is only one line and extra erosion is eliminated. But instead they blocked up the rut and dug a huge ditch on the down hill side to try to divert the water.

Didn't a guy at the TBF race have to be taken out on a stretcher because of the same section of "trail maintenance"?

Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? Why is there not any skilled supervision of the unskilled volunteers? Just because I do not help does not mean that I cannot voice my opinion.

I know that all of Fatrac is run by volunteers and that they mean well. But meaning well and doing well is totally different. I fully believe that the work being done is not helping out our trail systems or our advocacy for further trail building.

Flame suit on.

I was out there this morning. The trail work has minimal impact to the rider. It appears that the work done will better the trail in the long term. Granite Bay is a "high usage" trail both by mtn bikers and equestrians and is not a "self sufficient trail"........

 

[mhykhelle]

Thanks for being there and doing the work

That is not correct. It drains well, but over time, due to winter riding, migrating organic matter from off trail and the race series, pools of water/mud and ruts form. This usually happens towards the end of winter.

What keeps the trail so good during the winter months is the years of trail maintenance that have been done to it.

P

Too bad folks who flame here can't count to ten and think about what they have done lately to improve the trails for all users as FATTRAC has done. Don't let the entitlement naysayers wear you down.

I'll be joining up and doing my part where I can. I have recently joined Access4bikes.com amongst others and am getting a better grasp of the issues here compared to AZ.

See some of you at Annadel on Saturday I hope.

 

[Quercus agrifolia]

Ruts are bad, mmmkay?

But FATRAC rawks!:thumbsup:

 

[napa]

Rode granite bay yesterday and it was in best i have ever ridden at g.b. thank you fatrac keep up the good work.

 

[mtbnutty]

Hey Mag............

Once again Fatrac has gone and done unnecessary trail work. The Granite Bay trail is pretty much a self sufficient trail. It does not have any problems with erosion or huge mud puddles. But for some reason they felt the need to add water breaks on the back side of the trail between the benches and the parking lot near Dotens Point.

Why would you add a water break in the main line of the trail? Sure there is a rut and the water flows down the rut. But it is not causing any damage to the hill side. The hillside is not even very steep there. Just because some unskilled riders cannot ride the rut does not mean that everyone takes the alternate route. How about making the rut a little wider so it is easier for novice riders. That way there is only one line and extra erosion is eliminated. But instead they blocked up the rut and dug a huge ditch on the down hill side to try to divert the water.

Didn't a guy at the TBF race have to be taken out on a stretcher because of the same section of "trail maintenance"?

Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? Why is there not any skilled supervision of the unskilled volunteers? Just because I do not help does not mean that I cannot voice my opinion.

I know that all of Fatrac is run by volunteers and that they mean well. But meaning well and doing well is totally different. I fully believe that the work being done is not helping out our trail systems or our advocacy for further trail building.

Flame suit on.

..........STFU

 

[w00t!]

 

[Tone No Balone]

That's priceless wOOt!
I mean it! :thumbsup:

what's a few water bars anyway?

 

[magnetosphere]

As far as the comment of "Why is Fatrac allowed the to do this to our trails? ", I believe this organization was the one that originally built the trail you are focusing on, as well as being the only organization to bother to do ANY trail maintenance in the area. If they don't do it, who will?

My suggestion to anyone who doesn't like the work being done is to please show up at the next trail day and give your input onsite at the time work is being planned.

I know that Fatrac built the trails. But as stated in other threads the people that were in charge of Fatrac back then are no longer affiliated with the organization.

My main problem with the water break is not the break its self but with how it is built. Most all of Fatrac's water breaks are built like speed bumps. If the break was about 8" taller and had a longer more gradual slope on both sides the break would be a more permanent fixture in the trail and it would make a better "jump". The lager size would make it more obvious the riders and would decrease the amount of future maintenance. These are the same types of water breaks that have been popping up for the last few years. They have always annoyed me but now I have finally voiced my opinion.

Thank you to: Bokchoicowboy, Team Rocky, and Mr.P for actually forming complete sentences and being able to voice their opposing opinion without resorting to name calling or childish anger.

To: mhykhelle, Quercus agrifolia, mtbnutty, and w00t!. Good job on being idiots. You are all now on my ignore list.

 

[HarryCallahan]

Magneto,

People in clubs turn over in time. It happens, and life goes on. Ususally there's a continuity of info and experience.

Your last post at least lays out in more analytical terms something that would be useful. But you still need to work on the delivery if you want folks to actually think about your idea. That's just my (hard earned) experience.

 

[ss34x18]

Did FATRAC build Salmon falls? If so it explains a lot.

 

[nachomc]

Did FATRAC build Salmon falls? If so it explains a lot.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

New trail work and maintanance

usually sticks out like sore thumb adn it is always genius by commitee, no matter how skilled the leaders are. It is hoped that the trail will ultimately benefit by the work and it always wears in.

Thanks to all of you who were out there to help adn those keeping a watchful eye. We need you both.:thumbsup: