Downed tree on Vineyard trail?

[the sloth]

This is a shot in the dark, but does anyone know anything about the downed tree on Vineyard shortly before entering/exiting the tunnel? It's in a pretty bad spot when you're heading downhill, and is the right height (2') to take someone out badly if they can't slow down in time... It looks like there's been a sharp path cut around it even though the tree is small enough to remove completely. Is this tree being used as some kind of speed control or does the park not know about it?

[cbass]

I locked em up pretty good yesterday and skidded into that mofo. Yikes!
I managed to scrub most of my speed and all was good, but it was scary.
You could ramp that thing and get all evel knievel! :D

[the sloth]

Rode through earlier in the week and it looks like the trail is being rerouted permanently around this tree...

Really poor job of rerouting imho... the new line is much too sharp of a turn coming from the downhill side of the trail. People locking up their brakes trying to avoid crashing into a blind obstacle is going to cause some damage :(

I'd be interested to hear why maintenance didn't just remove this tree.

[mike a]

I never ride down Vineyard, always up...but...

CBass, when I read your post I thought how could someone run up on that tree?? It's pretty big and hard to miss.. :D Well I was riding with my friend Gabe, we climbed Vineyard but were having some mechanical problems so we decided to shoot down vineyard to cut our ride short. I tend to haul a$$ downhill. I came up on that tree really quick!! Somehow I managed to hit the brakes and wash my front wheel out. I was going over 20mph when it happened. It happened so quick i didn't even realize i was falling...I've never hit the ground so hard. If I hadn't fallen there is no way I would have been able to stop before creaming that tree. It really needs to be cleared out. Luckily we've gotten a lot of rain, the ground was fairly soft.. :rolleyes:

[riderx]

Rode through earlier in the week and it looks like the trail is being rerouted permanently around this tree...

Really poor job of rerouting imho... the new line is much too sharp of a turn coming from the downhill side of the trail. People locking up their brakes trying to avoid crashing into a blind obstacle is going to cause some damage :(

I'd be interested to hear why maintenance didn't just remove this tree.I'm sure the reroute is simply riders going around creating a new line and not any actual trail construction by the park crew. "Maintenance" (I doubt they would like that title) probably hasn't removed it because they haven't been alerted to it's existence. I just sent an email to the trail crew to alert them that it's down.

[riderx]

Response from the trail crew:
Thanks, we will have it out before the weekend.
Now that's service!

[cbass]

I never ride down Vineyard, always up...but...

CBass, when I read your post I thought how could someone run up on that tree?? It's pretty big and hard to miss.. :D Well I was riding with my friend Gabe, we climbed Vineyard but were having some mechanical problems so we decided to shoot down vineyard to cut our ride short. I tend to haul a$$ downhill. I came up on that tree really quick!! Somehow I managed to hit the brakes and wash my front wheel out. I was going over 20mph when it happened. It happened so quick i didn't even realize i was falling...I've never hit the ground so hard. If I hadn't fallen there is no way I would have been able to stop before creaming that tree. It really needs to be cleared out. Luckily we've gotten a lot of rain, the ground was fairly soft.. :rolleyes:

yeah, it's right about at the spot where you reach max. speed on that descent.

while i'd like to see more curves in that trail to control the speeds the ride around that's been created is not good/

[escatmore]

I must be blind. Right after this was reported in early October, we went up Vineyard Springs in search of to give Amy a good location. We didn't find anything that looked crazy and thought it was already removed since I had forwarded the original message to her on 10/9. We rode it on 10/10. Sorry I dropped the ball here, as Joe mentioned Amy has said she'll have it out before the weekend.

[mike a]

As of today it's gone! Talk about quick service!! Thanks :D

[the sloth]

Wow, that's awesome! Thank you!

[leroy]

Rode both Ho. Co. and Balt. Co. sides yesterday (nearly 19 miles worth) trails are perfect. A few angry hikers to contend with - whatever.

[riderx]

What were the hikers angry about? :confused:

Rode both Ho. Co. and Balt. Co. sides yesterday (nearly 19 miles worth) trails are perfect. A few angry hikers to contend with - whatever.

[mike a]

What were the hikers angry about? :confused:

There were tons of hikers out this weekend. I always try to be very polite, pass slowly ect...A lot of them seem to get annoyed that bikes are coming by.

I'm sure there are a lot of people that blast by them so I guess I can see their frustration.

[punga]

What were the hikers angry about? :confused:
We ran into a lot of hikers along Ridge and Cascade yesterday (to be expected on a nice Nov. Sunday). Most were friendly and patient, since the clinic I was running kept stopping, forcing the hikers going the same direction pass us, only to be passed again a few minutes later, in some cases multiple times.

Trails seemed in good condition except for blue where it parallels the stream that leads to the waterfall. Some pretty bad areas in between the 2 bridges.

p!

[old_bashturd]

There were tons of hikers out this weekend. I always try to be very polite, pass slowly ect...A lot of them seem to get annoyed that bikes are coming by.

I'm sure there are a lot of people that blast by them so I guess I can see their frustration.

I noticed that too Sunday. There were a ton of hikers and Bikes out Sunday. I came up behind one guy on Charcoal and asked nicely if I could squeeze by. He ignored me and kept going. I tried asking again and still nothing. I finally found a place to pass him. Most others I came accross were ok. Once it gets colder, the hikers will thin out.

[mike a]

I noticed that too Sunday. There were a ton of hikers and Bikes out Sunday. I came up behind one guy on Charcoal and asked nicely if I could squeeze by. He ignored me and kept going. I tried asking again and still nothing. I finally found a place to pass him. Most others I came accross were ok. Once it gets colder, the hikers will thin out.

I had that happen over on the hilton side, asked if I could pass...the guy turned around and looked at me and kept walking right in the middle of the trail. I did the same thing as you, I'm not about to try and squeeze by even if the hiker is being a jerk.

[escatmore]

mike and bash,

your trail liaison thanks you for being fine upstanding citizens, even when faced with some dude on the trail demonstrating his poor upbringing.

[leroy]

What were the hikers angry about? :confused:

I don't know. Time and space maybe. This year I have had many more bad hiker vibe experiences. I always slow down, say hello etc.. Most folks are friendly but I have noticed a lot more cold shoulders this year.

[punga]

I don't know. Time and space maybe. This year I have had many more bad hiker vibe experiences. I always slow down, say hello etc.. Most folks are friendly but I have noticed a lot more cold shoulders this year.
I've given up being nice. I just run them down now without calling out. Seems to be more effective.

p!