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Post by neal1975 on Sept 5, 2010 9:09:29 GMT -5
I rode bartram yesterday petersburg, west dam and lake springs and back to petersburg. The trails were in perfect shape, and there are no down trees anywhere! I want to extend a sincere thanks to all the people who work on these trails and keep them looking so great. They have been, and still are my favorite in the area. Someone put in a hell of alot of work on the lakesprings trail area to route some of the drainage runoff away from the trail area. They had dug out several ditches to run it away. It looks like it is working and that area is still a little muddy, but its drying out?
It was one of those perfect ZEN rides. I was riding by myself, it was 75 degrees in the woods, nice cool breeze, the sky was a pure deep blue and the sun rays would pierce the treetops to make the greens seem to glow. It was just one of those great peaceful rides where you feel like you are just floating through the woods - not a single care in the whole world. Not a single thought in yoru mind - just the trees ripping past you and the familiar click-clack sounds of the gears. I caught myself thinking - if i could somehow package up this experience and give it to people or show them how great it is - SO many people would want to do this. . . . .
. . . but i was the only one out there. Its really kind of nice that way-
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Post by DK on Sept 5, 2010 10:17:05 GMT -5
It was one of those perfect ZEN rides. I was riding by myself, it was 75 degrees in the woods, nice cool breeze, the sky was a pure deep blue and the sun rays would pierce the treetops to make the greens seem to glow. It was just one of those great peaceful rides where you feel like you are just floating through the woods - not a single care in the whole world. Not a single thought in yoru mind - just the trees ripping past you and the familiar click-clack sounds of the gears. I caught myself thinking - if i could somehow package up this experience and give it to people or show them how great it is - SO many people would want to do this. . . . . . . . but i was the only one out there. Its really kind of nice that way- Funny, that's how most of my group ride at Wine/Turkey went yesterday. Ain't it great?  Maybe you can't package it up, but putting it out there for people to read is pretty darned close. Well said Neal.  |
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Post by dgaddis1 on Sept 5, 2010 13:26:31 GMT -5
Enjoyed the write up Neal, we need more posts like this!
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Post by bikerpanda on Sept 6, 2010 7:22:15 GMT -5
rode New Bartrams yesterday and it was in good condition. Had one rider tree down within the first mile and then no more trees down. Like Neal said, the breeze coming off the lake was fantastic. There were 4 riders plus my uncle and I that I counted out there.
Did see something a little concerning. A family of four (Wife, Husband, son, and daughter) heading into New Bartrams. Just seemed odd they would ingore that HUGE sign about being an intermediate/advanced course.
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Post by brianW on Sept 6, 2010 7:45:35 GMT -5
What makes the Petersburg/Wildwood section of Bartram an intermediate not a beginner trail is the total distance not the trail features itself. I would not hesitate at all taking my kids on this section but I wouldn't take them the whole length and back. Just my opinion.
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Post by bikerpanda on Sept 6, 2010 10:14:03 GMT -5
What makes the Petersburg/Wildwood section of Bartram an intermediate not a beginner trail is the total distance not the trail features itself. I would not hesitate at all taking my kids on this section but I wouldn't take them the whole length and back. Just my opinion. I wouldnt take my g/f's daugher there. these kids were 7-9 yrs old like my g/f's little girl. I just dont think her daughter could navigate the humps and some of those 'rockier' sections in the beginning without falling or hurting herself. But you're right, the trail isnt THAT technical. |
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Post by Mark Y on Sept 6, 2010 14:14:08 GMT -5
I wouldn't take a kid on it either; they would pedal themselves to death on the humps and dips. That section requires a big bike and big legs to maintain momentum, else you will be toast.
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Post by azdrawdy on Sept 6, 2010 16:14:12 GMT -5
Someone put in a hell of alot of work on the lakesprings trail area to route some of the drainage runoff away from the trail area. They had dug out several ditches to run it away. It looks like it is working and that area is still a little muddy, but its drying out? Glad to read this. Sounds like the ACOE is doing exactly what they said they would do after the last conversation we had with them. They will be dumping a lot of water out of those hydrants over the next several months, and they devised a method to divert it. Good Deal! MD |
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Post by dparrott on Sept 6, 2010 17:59:38 GMT -5
the water was not from a hydrant but some kind of drain line the county had installed. COE did the fix just last week. Drain water now going into ditch under bridge near fishing dock.
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Post by azdrawdy on Sept 6, 2010 18:56:55 GMT -5
the water was not from a hydrant but some kind of drain line the county had installed. COE did the fix just last week. Drain water now going into ditch under bridge near fishing dock. DP, we watched the water flowing from a hydrant not once, but twice. That was when we decided to address the issue with the ACOE. I can show you the hydrant, if you wish.  It was a line clearing issue with Columbia County. ACOE was not aware of the trail washout issues until we brought it up. MD |
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Post by oddcouple on Sept 6, 2010 21:51:09 GMT -5
Rode the New section yesterday for the 1st time.Sooooo sweat can't wait to go back.
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Post by Mark Y on Sept 7, 2010 7:21:20 GMT -5
Rode the New section yesterday for the 1st time.Sooooo sweat can't wait to go back. Ain't it great!!! It just flows so well, especially going from Wildwood to P'Burg. I rode Washington Road to West Dam and back to P'burg yesterday so might have passed you along the way. |
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Post by bikerpanda on Sept 7, 2010 10:12:25 GMT -5
Rode the New section yesterday for the 1st time.Sooooo sweat can't wait to go back. Ain't it great!!! It just flows so well, especially going from Wildwood to P'Burg. I rode Washington Road to West Dam and back to P'burg yesterday so might have passed you along the way. I prefer it from Wildwood to Petersburg too. The downhills seem faster and more flowy for some reason. What gets me is when you start seeing the parking lots through the trees (Im usually struggling by this point. mile 17 by my computer on the way back to petersburg) and you get that slimmer of hope that the end is juuuuuust around the next bend, only to realize you are not as close as perceived lol. |
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It was a line clearing issue with Columbia County. ACOE was not aware of the trail washout issues until we brought it up.