Is it me or does the Canal..

[Ross D]

single track brush grow substantially overnight!! I mean, I've been going down there about once a week, one hour today, and trying to keep the brush cut back and such and it seems every time I go, area's I've cut back before are grown back out... I mean, that soil looks like good stuff, but man I'd love to have a field of it, you could grow anything in it.. I just get tired of stuff whacking me in the face and such... My allergies are getting me now of course so I know it's growing season, but that stuff down there is CRAZY!!

Trail seems in GREAT condition.. Still a couple of trees down, but I still have no saw , but I am keeping the place up as best as possible.. My knee is feeling quite a bit better today, so I hope to ride tomorrow after work if possible..

[Mark Y]

I rode it today and aside from a couple of trees and one big limb that I moved, it appears in good shape. You are right though about the brush. I got slapped in the face more than once.

[razorhoof]

my roommate said the same thing when we were out there yesterday. "hey man, didn't we just cut this?" it's ridiculous. are you talking about the big downed tree on the river side of the trail with the little dead logs piled on either side? if so, I successfully ride that thing on a regular basis and it's actually really fun. instead of cutting it out lets build some dirt up on either side of it and make it part of the trail. that's a big hardwood and it's probably going to be awhile before it rots. so why not make the trail more interesting? there are two others that are smaller and easy enough to ride but they're in terrible spots that either have a funky pitch or completely kill all momentum. those need to go.

[Mark Y]

No, this was a big (4''-6" ) limb across the upper part of the trail parallel to the RR tracks. I was breaking the small limbs off of it and was going to leave it as an obstacle, but another rider came along and said we best move it because of its location at a place people could come on it with too much speed. Even though it was no more than 6 " it was a foot high because of the way it was lying.

As far as the big log i don't care one way or another since I walk anything taller than a street curb. I'm old, fat, and break easy. ;D ;D I've already had to get Phil to get the wobble out of my weeble where I miscalculated a log at FATS and bent my front wheel; not to mention skinned my a$$ when I fell. The last thing I need is to break my bike or myself and have to drag one or both of us out of the deep woods.

[razorhoof]

ah ok. i haven't been up on that side lately, i normally ride there from my house right off walton way so i come to the south trail head first and just enter there. i sometimes forget that terrain preference varies quite a bit around here. I'm going to get out there sometime this week and see what i can do about some of the problem areas.

[Ross D]

I just use them for cross practice, except for the big one, which I'd like to see gone, but like you said, that big old thing will take forever to rot.. It's actually a nice place to stop and stretch or just sit and enjoy the scenary.. I'm hoping to keep going down there on a regular basis with clippers.. I rode last night and it was great.. Of course, if it rains and then sun, it'll be crazy again..

[Mark Y]

Feb 18, 2009 13:32:44 GMT -5 razorhoof said:

i sometimes forget that terrain preference varies quite a bit around here.

Thanks for acknowleging that. Sometimes I get the feeling that some people would rather the less passionate not bother; but I enjoy my tooling around just as much as the more aggressive riders. Many if not most see the trail as a challenge to conquer; I see it as a resource to get some excercise and enjoy the woods. There may come a day when riding the big logs and highly technical stuff is my passion too; but in the meantime, there is room for both of us.

[razorhoof]

i agree. we're all out there for the same reason, to have fun.

[brianW]

I used to hike a lot in NH all year long. If I wanted to challenge myself I would trail run a mountain. If I wanted some peace from the world I would take a long slow hike. Same now with the bike.

[Ross D]

Got a good bit done this morning, with the rain, the limbs were hanging low, so I got some good hanging stuff cut out.. Also, was able to with a sling blade, take care of some of the briar areas near the ponds on the main trail.. Still can't get over how fast things grow down there!!