Trail work...

Rog says:

<snip good trail-building stuff>

Quoted message said:

Good riding to ya everybody!!

And to you. Good to see you back.

Steve "keep the sticky side OUT!!!"

Roger Buchanan said:

Long time no post...I know...I know... Heh-heh-heh... :-)

Oh yeah... on a personal note, I've got over a thousand kilometers of saddle time. Not bad
considering last season was a complete write-off for me :-(

Good riding to ya everybody!!

Well, well, well! If that doesn't just make my day! How great to hear from you, Rog! And to hear yer
out bustin yer hump with axes and shovels, to boot. Way to go, and thanks for checking in.

Paladin One of your original fans, and a shameless groupie, I admit

"Roger Buchanan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

<snipped good work and fun had!>

Great to hear from ya Rog.

Quoted message said:

Oh yeah... on a personal note, I've got over a thousand kilometers of saddle time. Not bad
considering last season was a complete write-off for me :-(

Brilliant. This mean you're gonna be posting up a thousand K's of RR soon?

Quoted message said:

Good riding to ya everybody!!

Take care,

Shaun aRe

"Roger Buchanan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Long time no post...I know...I know... Heh-heh-heh... :-)

Well, the past couple of weeks have been interesting from a trail construction point of view.

One of the local clubs was having a trail building day, so I volunteered my time. With no real
experience I think I got the better of the deal though. I learned about the types of tools that
are used... thank God for pruning shears, as well as how to make the most of the existing
topography. When there are no really big climbs or descents, a trail builder needs to take
advantage of every root, boulder, downed log and off camber section they can find. Make it all
twisty-turny and you've got yourself a fun and challenging trail! With trail cutting slow and
steady wins the race.

With enough rakes, shears, saws...etc, we cut a pretty nice extention to an already existing
trail. It's a section that is a little more technical than the rest of the trail. As such,
although it's only 30% of the overall loop, it will take about 50% of the total lap time to get
around. Not to give too much away, but can you say "HOW wide are my bars???"

It's not something that I'll likely be able to ride, but it was worth kicking in the time just to
know that people will be enjoying it as either an advanced recreational trail, or when it gets
used for races next year. (I'll be sure to help out at the races, just to see how well the trail
"performs"😉

My next job will to be to go out there sometime soon with a garden rake and clean all the leaves
off of the trail. That way when winter arrives the snow will help pack down the trail underneath,
so that things are a little firmer when the first riders of the trail next spring help "ride-in"
the new singletrack.

If you haven't taken part in a trail crew day, I'd highly recommend volunteering some time. The
people are fun, you get to learn lots about the trails you ride, and it's a great way to generate
good will with the land managers, not to mention giving back to a sport that sorely needs help at
the grassroots level.

Oh yeah... on a personal note, I've got over a thousand kilometers of saddle time. Not bad
considering last season was a complete write-off for me :-(

Good riding to ya everybody!!

Welcome back, Rog. Glad to hear that you're doing well, keep up the good work!

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

"John Harlow" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, the past couple of weeks have been interesting from a trail construction point of view.

Thanks to you and all those who help keep our trails healthy.

One thing I may suggest though; go lightly as possible with your rake - do just what's necessary
to clear out the big sticks from jumping up in your drivetrain. It'll eventually all become
compressed and form a nice base, and help prevent erosion. If necessary, use large sticks on both
sides of the trail to help demarcate it (and keep the barneys in line).

Be very careful how you use sticks/logs on the side of the trail to mark it out. It can work in
SOME cases but often causes problems. This was done in our state parks (ie. Douthat State Park
close to me) and caused terrible damage to the trails. This has been done in many cases where
the water should cross the trail from the high side to the low side and then dump out of the
trail. Instead, the water is held IN the trail by the logs/sticks and forced to run with the
trail instead of exiting across, causing much more erosion than it otherwise would. You need to
be sure not to use this method anywhere that the water will be trapped by it. The more your
trailbed sinks below the level of surrounding terrain and the more slope there is to the
ground, the more this method causes trouble. In a perfectly flat area, it may not cause
problems. Another downside to this method is that the logs/sticks on the sides eventually
(maybe a long time, I'll admit) end up falling or getting knocked back into the trail,
typically on an angle almost running with the trail but crossing it on a slight angle. When a
rider has no time to avoid them, they become potential derailler or wheel eaters or cause a
crash This may be a lesser concern than the first one, but still worth considering. I would
suggest that if you really need to mark the trail, some kind of small flags stuck in the ground
on one side can mark it, and later be removed easily once the trail is established. (Your power
company and phone companies often use these flags to mark out planned underground cable lines.)
Better yet, just get the folks out there several days en masse to really hit it well and help
the bed to pack down.
--
Off to ride the mountains, D H Reply to newsgroup. Spam is out of control.

Roger Buchanan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip a good yob>

Quoted message said:

Oh yeah... on a personal note, I've got over a thousand kilometers of saddle time. Not bad
considering last season was a complete write-off for me :-(

bueno

Quoted message said:

Good riding to ya everybody!!

y tu mi amigo

JD

"D H" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:1066307758.559535@cache3...

Quoted message said:

"John Harlow" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, the past couple of weeks have been interesting from a trail construction point of view.

Thanks to you and all those who help keep our trails healthy.

One thing I may suggest though; go lightly as possible with your rake -

do

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

just what's necessary to clear out the big sticks from jumping up in

your

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

drivetrain. It'll eventually all become compressed and form a nice

base,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and help prevent erosion. If necessary, use large sticks on both sides

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the trail to help demarcate it (and keep the barneys in line).

Be very careful how you use sticks/logs on the side of the trail to

mark

Quoted message said:

it out. It can work in SOME cases but often causes problems. This was done in our state parks (ie.
Douthat State Park close to me) and caused

terrible

Quoted message said:

damage to the trails. This has been done in many cases where the water should cross the trail from
the high side to the low side and then dump

out

Quoted message said:

of the trail. Instead, the water is held IN the trail by the logs/sticks

and

Quoted message said:

forced to run with the trail instead of exiting across, causing much more erosion than it
otherwise would. You need to be sure not to use this

method

Quoted message said:

anywhere that the water will be trapped by it. The more your trailbed

sinks

Quoted message said:

below the level of surrounding terrain and the more slope there is to the ground, the more this
method causes trouble. In a perfectly flat area, it may not cause problems. Another downside to
this method is that the logs/sticks on the sides eventually (maybe a long time, I'll admit) end up
falling or getting

knocked

Quoted message said:

back into the trail, typically on an angle almost running with the trail

but

Quoted message said:

crossing it on a slight angle. When a rider has no time to avoid them,

they

Quoted message said:

become potential derailler or wheel eaters or cause a crash This may be a lesser concern than the
first one, but still worth considering. I would suggest that if you really need to mark the trail,
some kind of small

flags

Quoted message said:

stuck in the ground on one side can mark it, and later be removed easily once the trail is
established. (Your power company and phone companies

often

Quoted message said:

use these flags to mark out planned underground cable lines.) Better yet, just get the folks out
there several days en masse to really hit it well

and

Quoted message said:

help the bed to pack down.
--
Off to ride the mountains, D H Reply to newsgroup. Spam is out of control.

You live near Douthat? I love riding there. Harlow and I are down in Richmond. I agree with your
concerns using logs to line a trail. We did that at Pocahontas SP and ran into some of the same
problems. John is correct in not raking down to mineral dirt. (At least east coast trail building)
We learned to rake just to the 'duff' or root mat. As it is ridden the earth underneath compacts
while the duff wears off leaving a perfect trail surface without turning into a mud bog.

Mike

Hi Rog!

Roger Buchanan said:

Long time no post...I know...I know... Heh-heh-heh... :-)

That's life, eh?

Quoted message said:

Well, the past couple of weeks have been interesting from a trail construction point of view.

One of the local clubs was having a trail building day, so I volunteered my time. With no real
experience I think I got the better of the deal though. I learned about the types of tools that
are used... thank God for pruning shears, as well as how to make the most of the existing
topography. When there are no really big climbs or descents, a trail builder needs to take
advantage of every root, boulder, downed log and off camber section they can find. Make it all
twisty-turny and you've got yourself a fun and challenging trail! With trail cutting slow and
steady wins the race.

With enough rakes, shears, saws...etc, we cut a pretty nice extention to an already existing
trail. It's a section that is a little more technical than the rest of the trail. As such,
although it's only 30% of the overall loop, it will take about 50% of the total lap time to get
around. Not to give too much away, but can you say "HOW wide are my bars???"

It's not something that I'll likely be able to ride, but it was worth kicking in the time just to
know that people will be enjoying it as either an advanced recreational trail, or when it gets
used for races next year. (I'll be sure to help out at the races, just to see how well the trail
"performs"😉

Sounds pretty challenging. I dunno if I'd be able to ride it, either.

Quoted message said:

My next job will to be to go out there sometime soon with a garden rake and clean all the leaves
off of the trail. That way when winter arrives the snow will help pack down the trail underneath,
so that things are a little firmer when the first riders of the trail next spring help "ride-in"
the new singletrack.

If you haven't taken part in a trail crew day, I'd highly recommend volunteering some time. The
people are fun, you get to learn lots about the trails you ride, and it's a great way to generate
good will with the land managers, not to mention giving back to a sport that sorely needs help at
the grassroots level.

Oh yeah... on a personal note, I've got over a thousand kilometers of saddle time. Not bad
considering last season was a complete write-off for me :-(

That's great! You're ahead of me by at least 100 kilometers.

Quoted message said:

Good riding to ya everybody!!

Kathleen

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

You live near Douthat? I love riding there. Harlow and I are down in Richmond. I agree with your
concerns using logs to line a trail. We did that at Pocahontas SP and ran into some of the same
problems. John is correct in not raking down to mineral dirt. (At least east coast trail building)
We learned to rake just to the 'duff' or root mat. As it is ridden the earth underneath compacts
while the duff wears off leaving a perfect trail surface without turning into a mud bog.

Mike

Yeah, Mike, I'm about 10 miles from the center of the park, and Douthat is my main fishin' hole
for riding. I maintain the trails there pretty much constantly as I ride, on a volunteer basis.
(It sure gets under my skin when I see the park people pay to have stuff done wrong, but they
just don't know any better and are more concerned with showing that _something_ got done, I'm
afraid.) We fared very well from Isabel; I cleaned about 2/3 of the park in one day, mainly
limbs and small stuff, with very few trees downed. Another guy got most of the rest of them a
couple days later. I really feel for you guys out there where it slammed you. If you're coming
out this way, give me a shout beforehand if you want to see some stuff outside the park. Some of
the wilder stuff is awesome. I've been riding some rock garden stuff and extra remote
bushwhacking trails lately, and it's been a blast. Takes some good climbing to get there,
though, so you have to pay the price (which is well worth it!) I'd be glad to have company, and
if you like technically challenging stuff, I promise the other trails will put an even bigger
smile on your face than the ones inside the park! We can do either, though, it's your call. I
sent a separate copy of this to you so you'll have my email address.
--
Off to ride the mountains, D H Reply to newsgroup. Spam is out of control.

Roger Buchanan said:

My next job will to be to go out there sometime soon with a garden rake and clean all the leaves
off of the trail.

Well today was the day. I went out to the newly cut trail and started cleaning off the leaves.
Managed to get the whole dang section of new trail cleaned up. About 1.6km, or just over a mile. Boy
my arms are sore!

With all the leaves out of the way the *real* contour lines are showing up along the trail. Heh-heh,
some sections are even steeper than some might have thought at first glance.

I didn't move anything below the level of the leaf litter, 'cept for maybe a stick or two...

The highlight of the day was when I came across two White-tail deer as I walked into the trailhead.
I was heading into the wind so I saw them before they could hear/smell me. They knew I was there
eventually, but weren't at all concerned. Until I put up my arms and went "BOOOOOOOOO!" They
certainly deserve the knickname "Jumpers" by the way they responded... heh-heh-heh...

Good riding to all of you folks!!!

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

Shaun Rimmer said:

Brilliant. This mean you're gonna be posting up a thousand K's of RR soon?

Heh... Even I don't have enough words for a thousand K's of RR's <grin>

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

MattB said:

Cool. It is a good thing to put your time in, both from an education and a due paying point
of view.

My attitude is if I can't ride those trails, errrr, rather "attempt" to ride those trails anymore,
the least I can do is help work on them so others can enjoy them.

I've found that even by just working on the trail I can get an appreciation for it's flow, and level
of difficulty. Some of the flow is just outright malicious... <grin>. I mean, a section like
"descent", "off-camber-turn", "tight gap" then "log"..."flat". That's gonna be fun come race day...

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

Paladin said:

Well, well, well! If that doesn't just make my day! How great to hear from you, Rog! And to hear
yer out bustin yer hump with axes and shovels, to boot.

Heh... more like "breaking a sweat" and "bending a nail". But your phrase manages to get the
point across.

Quoted message said:

Paladin One of your original fans, and a shameless groupie, I admit

Methinks I've lost my touch though...

Remember your "broken ribs" incident way back when? You were in the recliner for a few weeks... I
think I beat that poor record last year (though not by choice)
--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

Kathleen said:

Quoted message said:

It's not something that I'll likely be able to ride, but it was worth kicking in the time just
to know that people will be enjoying it as either an advanced recreational trail, or when it
gets used for races next year. (I'll be sure to help out at the races, just to see how well the
trail "performs"😉

Sounds pretty challenging. I dunno if I'd be able to ride it, either.

I have to take into consideration my medical condition now when I come to thinking about riding new
stuff. Both Linda, and my doctors, consider wrecking on my bike to be a "contact sport", and
something that *must* be avoided <sigh>. Besides, I don't bruise for a few days now... when I wreck
I bruise bad, and for a few weeks. Welcome to the wonderful world of anticoagulants, vasodilators
and beta-blockers etc...:-P

I'm sure that you'd be able to manage the trail just fine. Though I wouldn't mind seeing you attempt
one certain section of the trail <evil
grin>.

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

"Roger Buchanan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shaun Rimmer said:

Brilliant. This mean you're gonna be posting up a thousand K's of RR

soon?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Heh... Even I don't have enough words for a thousand K's of RR's <grin>

Shame that - the hole you left in your absence has remained unfilled. (I have lots of words, but
amongst other things, I ain't got the rides! Heheheheh).

Shaun aRe

Roger Buchanan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Paladin said:

Paladin One of your original fans, and a shameless groupie, I admit

Methinks I've lost my touch though...

Remember your "broken ribs" incident way back when? You were in the recliner for a few weeks... I
think I beat that poor record last year (though not by choice)

Sorry to hear of your involuntary sedentariness.

It's a sure sign of old-fart-type senility to sit around comparing ailments, but I spent about 5 mos
sleeping in a recliner, while my ribs, shoulder and collar bone healed up. I think that adventure
installed a permanent "governor" on my downhilling speed.

Paladin

Paladin said:

Sorry to hear of your involuntary sedentariness.

It's a sure sign of old-fart-type senility to sit around comparing ailments, but I spent about 5
mos sleeping in a recliner, while my

8 months for me... in the thing almost 24x7.

Quoted message said:

ribs, shoulder and collar bone healed up. I think that adventure installed a permanent "governor"
on my downhilling speed.

No such "impairment" for me though. I came outta the ordeal about 110lbs lighter and actually
was able to approach what might be considered as posing for almost fast. Once I got my legs
under me that is.

Still now what I would recommend for a "weight loss" or "training program" though.

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog

Roger Buchanan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Paladin said:

Sorry to hear of your involuntary sedentariness.

It's a sure sign of old-fart-type senility to sit around comparing ailments, but I spent about 5
mos sleeping in a recliner, while my

8 months for me... in the thing almost 24x7.

Oh, no! I thought I'd set the record. Jimminy Christmas, Man, you could be the poster-child for
Barcalounger or La-Z Boy. Did you find some configurations in the chair to make uhm, er, relations,
comfortable? I naturally thought up a bunch, (after all, *everything* wasn't broken, you know) but
couldn't talk my wife into trying very many of them. Spoilsport.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ribs, shoulder and collar bone healed up. I think that adventure installed a permanent
"governor" on my downhilling speed.

No such "impairment" for me though. I came outta the ordeal about 110lbs lighter and actually was
able to approach what might be considered as posing for almost fast. Once I got my legs under me
that is.

Still now what I would recommend for a "weight loss" or "training program" though.

I'll bet there are easier ways. So how's your heart? Be thinking about coming out for AMB-ID 2004
this next summer. Even if you don't feel like riding much, the company would be good, the setting
pretty fantastic, and we'll take good care of y'all.

Paladin

Paladin spray painted on a boxcar:

Quoted message said:

Roger Buchanan <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I'll bet there are easier ways. So how's your heart? Be thinking about coming out for AMB-ID 2004
this next summer. Even if you don't feel like riding much, the company would be good, the setting
pretty fantastic, and we'll take good care of y'all.

Paladin

Shuttle driver.

;-)