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Post by jtaylor on Mar 9, 2011 13:31:25 GMT -5
We talked about Baker Creek at the meeting last night. I believe that we were in consensus that everyone hates to lose a trail and will help with a work party. However, those of us interested in this trail need to take the lead (nothing new there). It would be helpful to have someone take the "trail champion" role for this trail (who doesn't already have a trail to take care of). I will ride the trail in the next week or 2 and report on what I think it will take for a work party (if someone else beats me to it feel free). Then Daniel will set an "official" work party date.
I think we also agreed that a low-key, half-Bakers-Dozen is about all we can do at this point. Angela said she would come to count laps and bring cookies. I can see where this trail could become a favorite of the big-mileage guys (like Ted, Mark, and Dsq), combined with Hickory Knob. BC has enough climbing to keep you honest, has a few technical spots, and is relatively long (about 10 miles) so a loop in each direction plus a ride over to HKSP and 2 loops there would give somebody about 45 miles.
For someone who has never ridden this trail, I think it would be a great addition to your options. Maybe now that the CSRA has gotten tired of FATS ;D, we can give this trail some love. Anybody else besides me, Drawdys, and Russell?? Can we get some Greenwood guys interested??
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Post by DK on Mar 9, 2011 14:51:11 GMT -5
BCSP has always been one of my favorite trails, but when I have the choice of driving to McCormick and paying to ride a 10 mile trail versus literally parking in my back yard and riding LCHT for free, it's a no-brainer. I do miss riding there though, and I think a 1/2 BD event would be something that would be well worth the trip down there to do. Heck, it might just be the ticket to being the motivation I need to get out and ride more. I think it would make a great first event for someone. As far as committing to driving there on a regular basis to ride, maintain, or support the trail, that's not doable for me at all unfortunately.
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Post by seenvic on Mar 9, 2011 16:11:41 GMT -5
I plan to check out BCSP and be involved in the activities there.
The last 3 miles built are quality, no question about that. They were the only 3 miles "built" and not "raked". I always called this section "Neil's Backyard" as it started by the residence of the asst ranger (Neil). Sadie's Last Loop also had some work done by Michael Burton to rehab some bad sections and had a pretty good feel/flow to it.
I bet it is a log hopper's delight out there right now.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 9, 2011 17:22:59 GMT -5
I bet it is a log hopper's delight out there right now. Doubt it. Whether it is popular or not, we have cleared all non-riders (typically 18" or larger) for many years now. The main problem now is just finding the trail. As much as we have ridden it the past several years, we caught heck this past fall just following it. Thus, we offered to blaze it. It does continue to get the occasional hiker/biker, but IMO, it will be lost if blazing is not done. MD
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Post by Angela on Mar 9, 2011 17:24:55 GMT -5
We can blaze at the time the work party is done if enough people volunteer!
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Post by dgaddis1 on Mar 9, 2011 17:31:10 GMT -5
I hope to make both the work party and the BD0.5 From the descriptions I've read of the trail, it sounds like a diamond in the rough. Just needs a little polishing.
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Post by oddcouple on Mar 9, 2011 23:00:18 GMT -5
For someone who has never ridden this trail, I think it would be a great addition to your options. Maybe now that the CSRA has gotten tired of FATS ;D, we can give this trail some love. Anybody else besides me, Drawdys, and Russell?? Can we get some Greenwood guys interested?? If you are looking for a trail champion I can not commit to that.Bakers Creek is close to a 1 1/2 hour drive for us.Its been hard for me to ride Boyd Pond which is about 15 minutes away. I will be glad to help with work party's if available and will be glad to bring my walk behind bush hog if needed.
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Post by jtaylor on Mar 10, 2011 12:25:08 GMT -5
RH- yeah, since you weren't there, we all talked about you and how you moved the wrong direction...... 35 minute trip for me, I take the shortcut I learned on the DAM ride.
DG- you will really like the trail, maybe not as much as Mistletoe (which has some truly unique features) but will enjoy the variety of features/scenery.
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Post by wooglin on Mar 10, 2011 14:18:26 GMT -5
I've got nothing useful to add to this thread. Except a picture for those who haven't been there.
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Post by seenvic on Mar 10, 2011 14:34:35 GMT -5
I wish the tread looked like that when I saw it Saturday.
It looked more like the forest floor next to the trail in this pic.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 10, 2011 17:10:07 GMT -5
I've got nothing useful to add to this thread. Except a picture for those who haven't been there. I can tell you that the leaner tree is still there! Well, it was there on Oct 2, 2010. That's the last time we rode it, because it was shut down for the season that same weekend MD
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Post by seenvic on Mar 10, 2011 21:12:07 GMT -5
It's laying across the trail now. I saw it Saturday. That pic is right by the green box in Sadie's Last Loop.
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Post by wooglin on Mar 11, 2011 12:45:11 GMT -5
Little Modoc is what I remember that little section being called. And I expect the tread is probably fine; just gotta find it under the leaf litter.
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Post by jtaylor on Mar 14, 2011 12:22:48 GMT -5
David K and I rode BC yesterday. Well, David rode most of it, as a stick ate his derailleur about mile 7. There is surprisingly little lopping to do; some sections are heavy, such as the trees just after the outside-the-park road section (going cw). A DR would be a waste of time. What is bad, is just finding the trail and all the branches/sticks in the trail. Talk about tempting the derailleur gods..... David lost/ I won this round. We could not find the trail at all in several spots. There are probably 12 trees to chainsaw, with 4 of those being in the last 0.5 mile. One big tree down about mile 8. As far as a fix, we definitely need to blaze more. Even if we blow the trail off, it will be in the same shape next spring. Some sections of trail have erosion damage, and should not be blown off. We'll have to put our heads together to determine the best course of action. One big work party would work if each group had someone who knew the trail. Otherwise, we'll need to flag several areas. One good feature of this trail is that it crosses a road several times and can be broken into short segments.
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Post by wooglin on Mar 14, 2011 13:28:13 GMT -5
Talk about tempting the derailleur gods..... That used to be the norm. And is one reason I wish I'd discovered singlespeeding 25 years ago.
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Post by seenvic on Mar 14, 2011 13:52:33 GMT -5
Now I want to hear David K's version.
For a fella who learned this sport at FATS, David K is game. He's done the Snake and now he's ridden BCSP.
Most folks who learned at FATS think Modoc is pretty extreme.
I looked at the section along/somewhat under the highway on Saturday. Couldn't believe how overgrown it was.
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Post by dsquaredmsquared on Mar 14, 2011 15:22:38 GMT -5
Yes, what JT has written is true. We were at BCSP scouting out the trail when, as I was just riding along, my RD snapped off. At least JT paid for us to get into the park (thanks JT) and I didn't get another backseat full of dog puke. Unfortunately, I think the backseat dog treat is gonna be much cheaper to fix. This was my second time riding BCSP, so LCHT is the only trail in the CSRA that I haven't ridden. I hope to ride LCHT during the EtTR in June.
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Post by azdrawdy on Mar 14, 2011 17:37:37 GMT -5
FWIW, here's my take on the Baker Creek State Park mountain bike and hiking trail:
The majority of us here know the history of this trail, and realize that it probably will never, ever, see more than a few dozen riders a year. OK, maybe 100 riders a year, if we put on an event there. There are too many other accessible, and free, trails in our area.
It has been said many times in the past several years - the tread gets lost. It's not gone, but it can be very difficult to find.
So, a large work party with a bunch of people out there will be a huge waste of manpower. One person (or in my case, me and YC) can go out and blaze the trail in a day. Lotsa blazing. No biggie. That has to be done, this year, or we will lose the trail, and Todd has already blessed that. Then once or twice a year a chainsaw can be B.O.B.'ed around for a lap. Couple three hours max. There are a few of us here that will be more than willing to do that for years to come.
Agree on the DR comment. As long as one of our stick edger champions gets a small party together every three or four years, some minor lopping will be the only issues in the spring.
MD
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Post by brianW on Jan 14, 2012 10:03:14 GMT -5
Is there an interest in doing a spring ride here? I never rode it and would be interested. You get a group of 10 or so riders and do a lap or so would do a lot in keeping the trail open.
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Post by dsquaredmsquared on Jan 14, 2012 14:11:07 GMT -5
Talk to MD and BD; I think they were one of the last ones to ride there and the trail was ugly. Regardless, I think the park (and the trail ) is closed for the winter.
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