Conway Robinson

[RATM]

Was there for the first time this weekend, and I had a pretty good time. I used to live off Heming Ave. so I constantly rode at Accotink, Wakefield, and 495. Moving from 3 prime riding locations has been the big adjustment. Even though Bristow Va, is not that far, it is considering you didn't need a car to get to either ridng spot, or that you could ride all three in one day. Conway is now the closest, and to be honest, I think it has a lot of potential. The blue, section was okay, and the yellow, was boring, but the orange trail was kick ass. Since it was my first time there and leaves were on the ground I was not able to follow the trail as well as I would have liked, but it was still a fun ride. There were slight elevation changes, and plenty of rocks to keep you honest. All in all a pretty good ride. I look forward to doing some more discovering there.

In the mean time if you know of any other secret little nuggets at conway, feel free to pass them on as I will appreciate knowing were the cool sections or jumps are. I'll be just as happy as when I found the 4 two/three foot singles at Lake Accotink.

Also, if anyone wants to join me for a ride there some time, PM me. I usually ride pretty early though. I like being at the trail by 8 am.

[allencb]

I live in Manassas, so I hit CR fairly often. I don't have any tips or hints though, I just ride the various trails till I get some miles in.

Fountainhead isn't that far from you either. There's a casual ride Sunday: http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5673

Chris

[Squirrel Girl]

Conway is now the closest, and to be honest, I think it has a lot of potential. The blue, section was okay, and the yellow, was boring, but the orange trail was kick ass. Since it was my first time there and leaves were on the ground I was not able to follow the trail as well as I would have liked, but it was still a fun ride. There were slight elevation changes, and plenty of rocks to keep you honest.
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In the mean time if you know of any other secret little nuggets at conway, feel free to pass them on as I will appreciate knowing were the cool sections or jumps are.
Here's a copy of the most recent map:
http://www.conwayrobinson.org/conrob.pdf

There's been a long history of what's been going on with mtbers at ConRob. To summarize.... MORE built the orange trail. But that was the last of what the land managers had any interest in building. They want to "preserve" the rest of the forest. However, there's been, in the past, verbal approval of building some Technical Trail Features. However, before that is done, a plan must be submitted and approved before any work can be done. We were told that only natural materials could be used to build any TTFs.

ConRob has had a lot of illegal mtb activities and that's been a challenge. I've had to dismantle a lot of stuff, and that's no fun, plus is doesn't put us in a good light with the Land Managers. We've also had 4 different Foresters for the little plot of land in the past 2-3 years that I've been Liaison.

I've made the offer many times. Anyone who wants plan and build TTFs is encouraged to do so. I will help take your plans and put them in a slick little pdf to submit to the DoF. The plans should be according to recommended building procedures of IMBA and not use dimensional lumber.

Enjoy!
Barbara am Ende
Conway Robinson Liaison

[allencb]

What constitutes a "Technical Trail Feature"? Is it a bridge? A new trail? Some freeride monstrosity?

What CR really needs is for local law enforcement to swing by once in a while, maybe even walk some of the trails. I've seen some rather interesting things since I started riding there this summer. :eek:

Chris

[Squirrel Girl]

What constitutes a "Technical Trail Feature"? Is it a bridge? A new trail? Some freeride monstrosity?

What CR really needs is for local law enforcement to swing by once in a while, maybe even walk some of the trails. I've seen some rather interesting things since I started riding there this summer. :eek:

ChrisI think a TTF is a term that sounds a whole lot more PC than "stunt." So it would include a gap, a ramp, or a freeride monstrosity. I don't think it's meant to include a boardwalk bridge, but would include a technical bridge. Others can be more discerning than I am about the definition.

Would you please PM or email me regarding those "interesting things"? Many of you know there's been a long history of "interesting" (or not) things going on there. Mountain biking has been encouraged there to try and discourage the "interesting" things. Lately there have been a few complaints that there's been an increase again in such activity. The head of Friends of Conway Robinson recently contacted the police and they're supposed to be doing a little more patroling, but I'm curious about what you've come across.

[macdaid]

We're moving our offices to Chantilly in December. Sometime once we're settled in there, I'm hoping to hit ConRob after work on some kind of regular basis.

Will post when I'm going.

BTW, Barbara, is night riding officially sanctioned at CR? Or do you need to get some kind of clearance...?

Also, re 'interesting' activities, are these of the nocturnal variety? :eek:
And doesn't Ffx County Police use CR for their bike patrol training/workouts?

Dave

[mtbmore]

We have broached the subject in the past when I was the Liaison 2001-2002 but have been told no. Barbara may have newer info.

Scud

[Squirrel Girl]

Whoops, I lost that people had posted to this thread. Sorry for the delay in answering.

No, the forest is closed. I think they had signs that said 7-7. But then they changed it to dawn-dusk, but never got the signs changed (if I recall).

We've had something like 4 foresters during my tenure as liaison, so it's hard to get a good working relationship with the folks at DoF. In general, they're good people. But sometimes they've had problems getting their bosses to approve mtb-friendly stuff. I will look back into the meeting that is supposed to happen "sometime" between the head of the Friends of ConRob, the current forester and me.

I think the "interesting" activities are not so nocturnal. The police do pay attention to who is parked in the lot, as I understand. Some mountain biker was chastised by the police because he came off the trail after 7 one time. I think the activies are more of a daytime affair (no pun intended).

We're moving our offices to Chantilly in December. Sometime once we're settled in there, I'm hoping to hit ConRob after work on some kind of regular basis.

Will post when I'm going.

BTW, Barbara, is night riding officially sanctioned at CR? Or do you need to get some kind of clearance...?

Also, re 'interesting' activities, are these of the nocturnal variety? :eek:
And doesn't Ffx County Police use CR for their bike patrol training/workouts?

Dave

[RobT]

I think the "interesting" activities are not so nocturnal. The police do pay attention to who is parked in the lot, as I understand. Some mountain biker was chastised by the police because he came off the trail after 7 one time. I think the activies are more of a daytime affair (no pun intended).

I rode Conway Robinson Friday morning around 9:30 AM. I saw two families walking the trails, one car with a bike rack, one creepy guy sitting in his truck the whole time I was there, and two people kind of standing around off the far end of the orange trail. Since this was my first time there, I'm guessing the last two on my list were of the unusual variety.

Had fun riding though, especially the orange trail.

[Squirrel Girl]

I rode Conway Robinson Friday morning around 9:30 AM. I saw two families walking the trails, one car with a bike rack, one creepy guy sitting in his truck the whole time I was there, and two people kind of standing around off the far end of the orange trail. Since this was my first time there, I'm guessing the last two on my list were of the unusual variety.

Had fun riding though, especially the orange trail.Personally, I doubt that the "interesting" type would bother to hike all the way to the Orange Trail. Don't know for sure, but I get the impression that they'd rather be there, do their "business" and be gone.

One time I was at ConRob with a prospective freerider*, and we noticed this solo woman acting really strangely. Well, it wasn't that she was actually doing anything strange, only that she kept wandering around off trail in some weird places. Why would anyone go there??????

Doh! A day or so later I realized that she was geocaching! So ya never know what people are doing out there--even the 'legitimate' ones. However, creepy guys are creepy guys. No more need be said.

*Actually he was a real freerider, he was just prospective in terms of getting anything going at ConRob.

[allencb]

one creepy guy sitting in his truck the whole time I was there,
If it's the guy I'm thinking of, he's there frequently. <shudder> Or at least he's there about 3/4 of the time I've been there to ride (a bike, a bike!).

Personally, I doubt that the "interesting" type would bother to hike all the way to the Orange Trail.
One of the "creepier" ones I've seen was almost at the orange trail. Shirtless, with tennis shoes w/o socks and "shorts" that appeared to be nothing but a waistband with a flap in the back and lord knows what up front (I didn't turn around as I rode by).

Chris

[Squirrel Girl]

If it's the guy I'm thinking of, he's there frequently. <shudder> Or at least he's there about 3/4 of the time I've been there to ride (a bike, a bike!).Bwahh, hahh, hahhh, hah! :D LMAO

Well, go figure (wrt to where the creeps hang out).