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Post by Angela on Jan 7, 2016 12:29:24 GMT -5
2016 Keg Creek Trail Conditions
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Post by Angela on Jan 7, 2016 12:26:41 GMT -5
2016 Boyd Pond Trail Conditions
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Post by Angela on Jan 7, 2016 12:25:04 GMT -5
Mistletoe Trail Conditions for 2016
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Post by Angela on Jan 7, 2016 12:22:16 GMT -5
When: Sunday February 7th at 1:30pm Where: Boyd Pond Park near Aiken, SC What: Boyd Pond Trail - 5+ miles of fun! This trail is an intermediate trail packed into the terrain at Boyd Pond Park but suitable for fit novice riders as well. There will be ride leaders and the opportunity to stop and try some cool features like the ramp at Clown's Corner and a recently built section of trail near the walking trail. The ride is for SORBA and non-SORBA mountain bikers so bring your friends. In the event the weather or trail conditions are not acceptable, the ride will be cancelled so watch for postings here! Questions?? SORBAcsra or post here
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Post by Angela on Jan 6, 2016 18:24:23 GMT -5
On New Year's Eve we received permission from the USACE to assess damage along Bartram Trail and there is (at least) one bridge displaced by water (floated upstream and rotated 90°) - about 1 mile west of Petersburg. Beyond the bridge, the trail is under water. We're working with the USACE to get the bridge back to its original location, hopefully before the water goes down. Like some other trails in the CSRA, it will be a while before Bartram is open for business again. On New Year's Day SORBAcsra volunteers went out to reposition the displaced bridge on Bartram trail - three volunteers in kayaks and four on foot. While paddling out to the cove, they came across an orca! They repositioned and tied off the bridge, so it is floating near its original location. However, this bridge won't be functional until after the water level drops and we put it back onto its footers. The Army Corps of Engineers will keep this section of Bartram Trail closed, at least, until the water level goes down and the bridge is determined to be safe to use. Another bridge, approximately 3.8 miles west of Petersburg, is in place but nearly submerged and impassible. Within a mile or so of that bridge, at least 5 sections of trail were under water and impassible. It will be a while before all the bridges are checked and the submerged sections of trail dry out.
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Post by Angela on Dec 31, 2015 10:07:10 GMT -5
The first EtTR of 2016 was scheduled for this Sunday, January 3rd. After consulting with the park manager, the ride is cancelled due to the saturated trails (they had received over 7 inches of rain up there as of a couple of days ago).
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Post by Angela on Dec 31, 2015 10:04:01 GMT -5
The US Army Corps of Engineers has closed Bartram Trail due to wet weather and trail conditions. In some cases trail is under water and there are reports of one or more bridges being impassable. The USACE has signed and flagged each of the four Bartram Trailheads and requests all trail users to stay off Bartram Trail until further notice.
Thank you for your support.
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Post by Angela on Dec 22, 2015 23:07:59 GMT -5
FATS is officially CLOSED.
We've had excessive rain over the last 24 hours on top of previous rainfall, so the US Forest Service has enacted an official closure of FATS.
You can check our homepage, the USFS Call Before You Haul Hotline (803-561-4025), our Twitter Feed @fatsupdate, or our Facebook page for updates.
Please respect the official closure and thank you for your support.
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Post by Angela on Dec 22, 2015 7:36:38 GMT -5
It looks like the current front will continue to push rain through our area but we are already up to nearly 2 inches overnight. Please do not ride the trails, it will be several days before things dry out! Thank you
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Post by Angela on Dec 18, 2015 7:31:57 GMT -5
Looks like we picked up over an inch of rain yesterday. This time of year with the cooler temps and foliage not absorbing water at a high rate, it will take AT LEAST 48 hours for the trails to dry out. Please do not ride the wet trails!
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Post by Angela on Dec 17, 2015 7:50:03 GMT -5
One of the biggest problems we continue to face is the fact that if you exclude the Long Cane Horse Trails (they have rallied a nice group of dedicated volunteers to keep that approximately 26 miles of trail maintained) and the Canal Trail (again there is a dedicated group that routinely jumps on problems on that 3+ miles of trail) SORBAcsra still has about 120 miles of trail to try to keep maintained. Unfortunately a lot of the same people who are trained to do tread work on trails are also the same ones who are certified sawyers and we have had a lot of trees go down this year (still quite a few down on some of our outlying trails).
Work on the dips to remove the berms and improve the grade if possible so they will drain properly takes time and experience to do correctly so that it will last (usually about a year). So many of these dips are on ground that will not allow the above solution hence the cloth and gravel previously mentioned. There are about 25 dips just on Skinny alone that need more than just routine maintenance and several long sections of trail that need more serious remediation.
A work party is currently being scheduled for January, the scope has not yet been determined but please watch for messages about the date on Facebook, Twitter, the forum and in the newsletter to sign up and come out to help.
We travel out of town to ride in other areas and when we ride another chapter's trail system that is say 30 miles long and that is the bulk of their local trails and the trails are in pristine condition I am a little jealous. Why? Because all of their volunteer resources can be totally focused on just that 30 miles. Do I wish we didn't have so many miles of trail, as a rider no, I love having the options we have locally but when I have my trail work volunteer hat on, sure would be nice to be able to concentrate all our volunteer efforts on those fewer miles. And quite frankly if we don't step up the maintenance on our outlying trails, that could very well happen (end up with fewer miles to maintain) but we need more volunteers to step up to help with that work.
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Post by Angela on Dec 3, 2015 0:29:47 GMT -5
Rained most of today, was not a deluge but steady rain for the whole day. The trails will be too wet to ride for the next couple of days, please do not ride wet trails1
Thank you!
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Post by Angela on Dec 1, 2015 7:23:48 GMT -5
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Post by Angela on Nov 24, 2015 21:56:07 GMT -5
FATS is OPEN. Lower Skinny is still too wet to ride and is taped off. Please do not ride lower Skinny.
For status updates, you can check our homepage, the USFS Call Before You Haul Hotline (803-561-4025), our Twitter Feed @fatsupdate, or our Facebook page. Thank you for your support.
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Post by Angela on Nov 22, 2015 11:36:11 GMT -5
Thanks to our great volunteers and all who came out to participate in Grand Opening of the Petersburg Trailhead and the 9th Annual BikeFest. The weather turned out to be perfect with just enough nip in the air to appreciate the new fire pit.
With over 45 attendees it was the perfect number for our first event in this location (we filled the parking lot and had some overflow). People could ride the trails (we stuck to Bartram east due to overly wet trail conditions on Bartram west), play some bike games, ride the skills course, sit by the fire with friends, eat some great food, watch some bike videos and end the night with a night ride.
If you didn't make it out this year be sure and put it on the calendar for next year (it is always the first Saturday in November) when it will be even bigger and better!
The Petersburg trailhead transformation could not have been accomplished without the help from SORBAcsra, Columbia County Community and Leisure Services, Mulherin Lumber, Andy Jordan's Bicycle Warehouse, Augusta Concrete Block, Ivey Residential LLC, Chain Reaction Bicycles, Outspokin' Bicycles Augusta and Frankie Barry, Eagle Scout, Troop 620. Here are a few pics from the event! At the ribbon are from the left - David Kozlowski, SORBAcsra President and representing the USACE are Ron Woodall, Heather Killips, Scott Hyatt and Aaron Wahus. Cutting the ribbon on the official grand opening of the new trailhead. There were some wet spots but the otherwise the trail tread was in great shape! Larry shredding the trails. Another great bench installed along the trail by Eagle Scout Frankie Barry from Troop 620. The kids had a great time with the "pump till it pops" Not to be left out the adults jumped into the action. Check out the action on this tire toss. Gator on the skinny in the skills area. Gathering to eat. Thanks John and Julie, the food was great! Once the bike videos began the little ones grabbed front place seating. They settled in to watch one-wheeled wonder, Kris Holm (check him out, he does on one wheel what most won't do on two). Enjoying the firepit!
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Post by Angela on Nov 20, 2015 13:11:56 GMT -5
Looking forward to the grand opening of the Petersburg Trailhead and our 9th Annual BikeFest! We have about 50 people signed up to join us for the cookout and hope to have even more turn out for the grand opening.
Don't forget to bring a folding chair and your hunter orange jersey or vest!
If you have any questions please email them to SORBAcsra
See you at 1pm at the Petersburg Trailhead!
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Post by Angela on Nov 17, 2015 13:02:32 GMT -5
Last day to sign up and get your name in the drawing for a nice price for the Bikefest cookout this Saturday. If you haven't signed up yet be sure to do so today. Come on out and enjoy the fun! Survey Monkey Link for Cookout
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Post by Angela on Nov 16, 2015 18:49:00 GMT -5
We received permission from the USFS to send someone out to FATS today and they reported that the trail is much wetter than expected and, in fact, places that have not been wet before are now holding water.
The USFS will keep FATS closed for a while longer. How much longer you ask? We don't know but I wouldn't make any plans for FATS this weekend. Please respect the official closure and don't risk a ticket from the USFS law enforcement folks. Protecting the trails will benefit all trail users for years to come!
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Post by Angela on Nov 15, 2015 9:36:28 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, we will get them added to the list!
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Post by Angela on Nov 13, 2015 7:40:40 GMT -5
Don't forget to come to the 9th Annual Fall Bikefest on Saturday, November 21st - we had a great crowd of over 80 people signed up for the cookout at this Grand Opening/Bikefest event before the threat of rain forced a reschedule. We'll repost the schedule in the next couple of days but come out for all or part of this event. This event (including the cookout) is free and if you sign up for the cookout by Tuesday night your name will go into the hat for a drawing for a nice prize you can do that right here> 2015 Bikefest Cookout Signup Come check out all the great amenities at the new Petersburg Trailhead.
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