[Joe Mama]

It's okay to trim the hedges, but you done scorched the Earth. I'm sure you are trying to be helpful but you've gone way too far. Please get some guidance before you do any more damage. Trails on private property need to be as low impact as possible. They are "Hidden" for a reason. It's going to take a long time for those trees to grow back. In the meantime there's no shade and it feels like you're riding on the freeway. Please stop.

 

[Hawgzilla]

You must water them and add Miracle Grow.

 

[veloborealis]

Private property, you say? Are you sure it isn't the landowner?

 

[twentysevenfive]

bummer

 

[twentysevenfive]

.rats.

 

[Forest Rider]

Those little tree things laying on the side of the trail provide shade?

 

[Joe Mama]

Those little tree things laying on the side of the trail provide shade?

They used to. It used to be 6-8 feet tall lining both sides of the trail. Made it seem more narrow and fun, like riding through a tunnel. Now it's fully exposed and wide open, like every other trail in the area. One selfish person decided to drastically alter the whole character of the trail. They basically cut anything within 12 feet of the singletrack down to the roots. Now it's not unique experience. It also draws unneeded attention to a trail that used to be hidden from plain view.

 

[ElTortoise]

Those little tree things laying on the side of the trail provide shade?

I rode up there last Sunday and noticed some pinkish colored ribbons hanging from a few of the bushes along the trail. It looks to me like this may have been organized and it's more than just one individual's efforts?

And yeah, it really sucks the very little bit of shade that was on this trail is now gone.

 

[Joe Mama]

I doubt it's organized trail work, it hasn't been publicized through sdmba, the sycamore rangers, or anybody. These are pirate trails on private property. I've seen ribbon, chalk, and even spray paint used by trail running groups to organize impromptu races on local trails, maybe that's the source of the ribbon.

 

[ElTortoise]

I doubt it's organized trail work, it hasn't been publicized through sdmba, the sycamore rangers, or anybody. These are pirate trails on private property. I've seen ribbon, chalk, and even spray paint used by trail running groups to organize impromptu races on local trails, maybe that's the source of the ribbon.

It very well could be impromptu markings somebody did for a ride, run or race. As extensive as all the cutting and clearing was, it just seemed to me like more than one person had a hand in it unless someone has an awful lot of time and ambition on their hands?

 

[scatterbrained]

Maybe the same people who have been "sanitizing" some of the trails around here?

 

[twentysevenfive]

it wasn't organized. It's pretty easy to pick out on Strava. Take a section, seek the slowest times over that section. If there is a section that is a 2-5 minute average and a rider has a 40 minute time and the track looks like spaghetti, they were not changing a tire... wink, wink.

 

[jcd46]

People use Strava when doing trail work?

 

[786737]

Well color me embarrassed. When this thread started I thought it was about the Riverside Sycamore canyon, not in San Diego. I've been riding Sycamore/Goodan the past 4 weeks and don't recognize the trail.

I don't need to know where it is if it's on the down-low.

Q&D has a race scheduled there in Dec. but that seems like a ways off to be doing any sanitizing.

 

[evdog]

They used to. It used to be 6-8 feet tall lining both sides of the trail. Made it seem more narrow and fun, like riding through a tunnel. Now it's fully exposed and wide open, like every other trail in the area. One selfish person decided to drastically alter the whole character of the trail. They basically cut anything within 12 feet of the singletrack down to the roots. Now it's not unique experience. It also draws unneeded attention to a trail that used to be hidden from plain view.

I rode out there yesterday and didn't think they did a terrible job. 12 ft is a bit of an exaggeration. They just took the nearest plants out completely rather than trimming only the branches that were closest to the trail. If that was my trail I'd probably do the same rather than have to come back and trim it every year or so. It looks like a bad haircut now but on the plus side it won't be overgrown for a few seasons. Trust me, it will grow back. The worst part IMO is that they left all the trimmings lying there rather than dispersing them away from the trail.

 

[alex345]

The USFS standard is to brush 4' on each side. Like evdog said, if you give it a bigger haircut you don't have to come back and do it every year.

 

[Joe Mama]

The USFS standard is to brush 4' on each side. Like evdog said, if you give it a bigger haircut you don't have to come back and do it every year.

I'm not sure any fun mountain bike trails are built to USFS standards. Using that logic we should cut all of the trees down in tunnels too, maybe we should just clear cut everything so we don't have to trim it again next year :bluefrown:. When trail work is done properly the character of the trail is unchanged.

 

[alex345]

Brushing standards are for things with canopies in the trail corridor (like bushes) so like existing trees it would not apply to or things that existing before the trail did (like a tree that you can clip your bars on). But any new trees or brush growing up are fair game to cut.

After saying that, I don't brush trails to to 4' it is somewhat excessive. I maintain trails to USFS standards in altadena, and they are fun. I'll just go back to doing trail work instead of talking about it on the internet.

 

[Nostrangertodanger4]

Please send Edward Scissorhands to Simpson park in Hemet. We need some trimming
after all of last seasons rain, chamise and buckwheat R strong!! You really shouldn't complain about trail maintenance even if it is not done to your liking. And yes it does grow back.

 

[Joe Mama]

Please send Edward Scissorhands to Simpson park in Hemet. We need some trimming
after all of last seasons rain, chamise and buckwheat R strong!! You really shouldn't complain about trail maintenance even if it is not done to your liking. And yes it does grow back.

And you really shouldn't chime in about trails you don't know and don't ride regularly. I have a pretty good understanding of what will grow back and how long it will take, I live locally and have been riding the trails in this canyon for 20 years. I'm also free to complain when they get screwed up, on the slim chance that someone else can learn from it. The several people I've met lately on the trail in question all felt the same disappointment I did, and I'm certain no one cares what someone 100 miles away who doesn't ride here has to say about it. If we manage to locate Edward Scissorhands I'll help relocate him to Hemet for you.