canal trail

[dfairburn]

tried to ride canal yesterday..many large trees down throughout entire trail --moved as much as we could

[Angela]

Did you make it all the way around? If so approximately how many trees are down?

[shortlineskier]

Tried to ride canal loop Saturday. Seven trees down, all fairly big. One was uprooted at the small bridge on the back side of the trail. Bridge is still intact but enterance to bridge from railroad side will require small reroute. Let me know if anyone is interested in a clean-up effort. Several people, a couple chainsaws and a few hours should do it. Also the trail out at the ponds is covered with overgrowth. Great little trail to ride during the week so it's worth cleaning up.

[dgaddis1]

I have yet to actually ride the canal trail, but I hear it's pretty fun, and I can be there from work in less than 10 minutes.....

I'll be more than happy to help. I wont be able to work this weekend most likely, and I don't have any chainsaws or other tools, but I can lend a helping hand anytime during the week after 4:30.

[Angela]

A workparty would need to be scheduled on the weekend because we'd need to bring down two chainsaws, the DR mower and possibly the gas trimmer and since most folks don't get off early enough to get down there before 6 we wouldn't have enough daylight to make it worthwhile during the week.

It is possible we could bring equipment in sometime this coming weekend (Jul 28 or 29) if we had enough folks willing to help with a work party. We'd need at least 7 people total to make it effective.

Email me if you are interested in helping get this trail cleared sometime this weekend and we'll try to get a time worked out to get the equipment down there and a few folks to operate it.

[e-mail]

[b16madman]

Yeah, on an even day I rode over from my APT to ride the canal trails only to find some reroute's cut through brush. I gave up on passing through it. Just took a quick whisp down the boring canal dirt road. I don't know when I could help, but I'm interested in helping out as I like having this lil trail right near me.

[Angela]

Right now two people have contacted me via email willing to help. Unfortunately 4 people can't do all the work that needs to be done but we can concentrate on some specific tasks like tree removal or dr mowing, etc.

If others can come work, let me know, it is really hard to get time to work on the trails right now so it would be very nice to at least be able to clear the trail this weekend if possible. There is no telling when we would be able to get back to this trail with so much work to do and so little time or inclination to do it during the heat of the summer

We are thinking about 2:30 there in the parking lot at the pumping station. If you are pretty sure you can make it, email me and give me a number so I can reach you if things change.

This will not occur if it is raining

Angela

[jjdickens]

I am willing to work on the canal trails with my wife. we have chainsaws, loppers, weed eaters, machetes and would be glad to help out. Im just getting back in to this and my wife is just now getting into it so we would love to help fix the trail so close to our house. email me at [e-mail]

[Angela]

We have plans over Labor Day but would be willing to try to pull together a work party on the following weekend (September 8 & 9) if the weather is decent. If folks are willing to come out and volunteer to help get it cleared we will bring chainsaws, etc and get it organized.

[jjdickens]

The weekend of the 8th and 9th is fine with me. Just as long as I can be home in time for the GA/SC game that evening...lol

[b16madman]

I'd say the canal is rideable for the most part, except for that one spot where you can't be my height and save your back. Instead of removing the trees how about we just build up some ramps?

[dgaddis1]

I vote for the ramps idea!

I rode the trail for my first time Tues. evening, seems like a fun trail. I rode from work (@ Enterprise Mill) to the trail, rode it, then rode to the bmx track and did a few laps, then back to work.

If I'm in town the weekend of the 8/9 count me in for the work party.

[b16madman]

I love the canal trail & living downtown. I can bike to singletrack. I've tried riding the bmx track before on the hardtail, but it just doesn't work, then again I don't go sky high off of a jump either

[Angela]

We definitely need to get it opened back up. Since this is an urban trail it is frequented by a lot of riders and not just mountain bikers. You might mind a mom with 4 kids in tow, people on quasi-road bikes, etc so it is best to keep the trail pretty simple. Trails like this need to be kept wide open and leave the more technical trails to those in outlying areas (except those built for tricks, etc like the BMX park).

We can try to get something set up for that next weekend and see if we can get it opened back up. I'll be in touch next Tuesday and see if we can get some folks interested in working.

[shortlineskier]

Had some guys from our shop try and ride last night, they say it is still pretty much unrideable. One guy was so frustrated he brought a chainsaw to work today and said he was going to start clearing the reroutes...then the rain came. Just like last month when our work party got cancelled. He and I will widdle away at it over the next week. It's a great little trail that will come in handy when the time changes in the fall. Just post a workparty schedule and I'll rally the troops from National Hills area.

[Angela]

Our first Explore the Trail Series ride is scheduled for next Saturday, September 8th at Keg Creek and it will probably start at 10:00am. Due to the riding and socializing afterward it will probably be 1:30 or so before we get home. We would eat, grab tools, etc it would be in the afternoon before we could get down there - I'm thinking 4pm. We can bring a couple of chainsaws and some other equipment to get things cleaned up. Check around with some folks and see if anyone can work during that timeframe. If so and the weather cooperates lets get that trail cleared!

[b16madman]

ramps ramps ramps, the way the trail is now i don't see mom and kids in tow enjoying the ride, or just build a wussy path next to the ramp. i'll ride the wussy part

[Angela]

This trail comes under the authority of the Augusta Canal and we clear everything we do with their Ranger before doing it. We have permission to go in and do trail maintenance and clear out downed trees, etc. but anything else done on the trail needs to be approved!

[dgaddis1]

When I say ramps, I'm not talking about a big launch, just something that will allow you to roll up and over the tree without getting off the bike or riding around the tree. Of course, you could jump them if you want, but you wouldn't have to. But I guess that would need approving right?

Either way, I'll be here this weekend, so count me in for working on the trail. Just let me know when to be there!

[Angela]

We have the Keg Creek Explore the Trail ride in the morning that will probably start just before 10 and then of course the socializing afterward but I think we could be down there by 3:30 pretty easily. Depending on how many folks we can rally we could have two chainsaw crews, someone working the gas powered hedger and potentially the DR mower to cut near the ponds. That is dependent upon how many people we have willing to come work. We would need 4 people who are trained on the gear (Daniel and I could be two of those people) and then we need 4 safety/helper folks. I am getting ready to send out the newsletter and will mention the need for workers. Email me at [e-mail] so we can trade contact information and get a list started!!