New Trail At Accotink

[ridethewomble]

I rode the new section of trail at Accotink a few times today - nice! Thanks to the Boy Scouts for all their hard work. The surface is pretty much oatmeal right now, so get out there and ride the surface into shape.

Someone left a pair of deerskin work gloves on the "Bicyclists Yield To Pedestrians" sign. If anyone has contacts with the Boy Scouts, please let them know. As of about 1PM Sunday, the gloves were still there.

[tsteele999]

I didn't know the Boy Scouts were involved, they did a good job. We could have used them at Conway-Robinson a few weeks ago, instead we got equestrians :p .

[themonkeyman]

I rode it today, and it is a blast! I do know what you mean about it being "like oatmeal"! It's pretty bumpy, but it should get pretty hardpacked/smoothed-out by spring. Only thing I think might need to be tweaked, would be the one log obstacle--the double one, where there's two logs right on top of each other. I think it would be a little better if that were cleared away or had a wooden ramp built over it. I tried it like twice today and couldn't get it either time. Just a thought.
Good work on a great new trail! I will definitely be doing my share of packing it down ;) ! (I already have!)
--Monkeyman

[MyOtherBrotherL]

I read your post this morning and thought to myself, "What Logs"??

I helped Saturday, rode afterwards and for the life of me, I could NOT think about what logs you were talking about. At lunch today, I went out for a run and made sure I included the 2 new trails at Accotink. I didn't go over a single log. Are you sure you were talking about the "NEW" trail having a double log jump?? ((Now I did clean the trail with the leaf blower in both directions up to the end of the new trail. I stopped just past the log pile as you get to the fall line down hill. I'd believe that's what your talking about, but that particular trail has been there for a couple of years)). Any way - Try and let me know where on the trail you were talking about and we can see if they need to be removed.

AND - As much as I like the NEW Accotink trail, the Conway trail is even cooler. It's twice as long, has 2 rock gardens, a switch back and has several off camber sections. Some pretty experienced MORE trail builders showed up on that Conway trail day (Not to say that they were not at Accotink) and some great trail was cut. As a matter of fact, on November 21st we're put the finishing touches on it. ((HINT HINT)

[ridethewomble]

On the new section that starts right above the playground, the log is at the midpoint. I didn't think it was in need of any improvement. It's pretty rotten, anyway, so if folks don't like it, it's going to slowly chip away to nothing in short order.

[jabberwocky]

I rode the new trail section on saturday afternoon and thought it was great. I have a question though: I also rode the old section of Accotink (the trail that runs up by the railroad tracks) and someone had dragged a big log across the trail right at the bottom of one of those short steep hills there. To make matters worse, this particular hill allready has a log at the top. I dont know if it was anyone at the MORE workday that did it, but I wouldnt mind a bit if that log disappeared.

-Chris

[cipibajori]

What's up guys. I am the Boy Scout who led the building the new trail for my Eagle Project. With the hardwork of 33 (!) people, we were able to create the half-mile new section of trail over at Accotink. It's good to see that you guys like it. As of Saturday, there was only one log left on the trail, half-way through. We decided to leave this because everyone loves a good log hop. :cool: I do agree that it could use some building up though.

Also, I will check around to see whose gloves those are. Thanks for the heads up. Enjoy the trail, and thanks to everyone with MORE who helped with the project (especially Mike B. and Mike M.)

One last thing. Thanks to the Bike Lane for providing pizza to a bunch of hungry scouts.

Hopefully my picture of the new trail will work.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v481/mtbike/accnew.jpg

[tsteele999]

I don't think any person put it there, if it is the one I'm thinking about. We had high winds a few days ago.



I rode the new trail section on saturday afternoon and thought it was great. I have a question though: I also rode the old section of Accotink (the trail that runs up by the railroad tracks) and someone had dragged a big log across the trail right at the bottom of one of those short steep hills there. To make matters worse, this particular hill allready has a log at the top. I dont know if it was anyone at the MORE workday that did it, but I wouldnt mind a bit if that log disappeared.

-Chris

[pete]

Got a chance to ride this yesterday(Vets day) and was impressed with how long that section seemed in what I thought was relatively little real estate. When I popped out at the top I didn't at first realize what trail I had connected to. It was refreshing to be lost(even for a sec) in a place I have ridden since '92.

I sometimes try to retrace my steps from back then to change up the usual routes, alot of those trails still exist and are fun to revisit but adding new, when legal, is better yet!

I often wonder about the other side of the lake--to the right just after one crosses the bridge by the snack bar. There is some good terrain there and was wondering if any plans could be made to add to the park's MTB value(and increase the fun factor on that side)? There were some rogue trails there in the 90's but it looks as if they have been blocked and overgrown again.

[MyOtherBrotherL]

1st of all - Thanks for the Kudo's on the new trail. A few of us spent many personal hours working the planning and lay out for this trail. I'd like to think we used the land in the most optimal way.

Now for the Lakeside trails!

GONE! Gone forever. (And I miss them)

A couple of winters ago the Park Authority closed them as they revaluated the master plan and the environmental impact of these trails. Bottom line - These trails stayed wet long after the rest of the Park had dried out. Also, the Park "REALLY" wants us off the Cinder. WHY? User conflict. Heck - I've almost been run over by cyclists as I've jogged through the Park. The new trail is a perfect example of this Park effort. Why was it put there? To get us off the Cinder and into the woods. Out of sight, out of mind. I'd be insulted, but I just got slightly under half a mile of really cool single track added. I'll get over it.

[mtbmore]

Brother L, I think he is referring to the trails on the other side of the marina. there is a single trail that starts on the park maintenance road and goes through the picnic area makes ahard left and drops over the creek on a bridge through the forest and back out on top of the ridge and back left to the cinder trail.

Scud

[themonkeyman]

I think I know the trail you're talking about. If you take the little park road back up through the picnic grounds, a trail drops in there. But there is a lot more back there then I realized! There is a whole other network back there. It shows that not many people ride it, there are a lot of downed trees and overgrowth. It was fun, and I hope I wasn't acidentally poaching :confused: they did seem a little wet, though--Monkeyman

[Dirt]

I think I know the trail you're talking about. If you take the little park road back up through the picnic grounds, a trail drops in there. But there is a lot more back there then I realized! There is a whole other network back there. It shows that not many people ride it, there are a lot of downed trees and overgrowth. It was fun, and I hope I wasn't acidentally poaching :confused: they did seem a little wet, though--Monkeyman

The section that Scott described is wonderful singletrack. the problem is that it goes through a swampy area that should be avoided during the winter months and within a week of a rain storm.

Most of accotink is amazingly resiliant when it comes to rain. Though there are some low points that get soft easily, it takes a long, soaking rain to make it so there isn't a loop through accotink that isn't rideable.

Please be careful and don't ride the soft sections. If you find you can't get past an area because it is muddy, turn back and head out instead of riding through it.

Thanks.

Peter

[pete]

Actually, and not to drag this out, I was referring to the rather large wooded hill to the right of the cinder trail after one crosses the bridge from the Marina. There were 3 or 4 entry points about 5 yrs ago and some trails back there-one of which hugged a chainlink fence if that rings a bell for any of you? Another dropped down to the old, now removed, foot bridge. Anybody? Buehler?

I was just thinking that there seems to be additional land there being unused that could be utilized for our benefit AND get us off the trail and away from the bipedals as well. I believe there is more real estate to work with on that side than was cut near the playground last week. Just a thought. Maybe the park has ixnayed building on that side which is fine too. I just remember some good climbs and technical riding over there.

Thanks

[Dirt]

Actually, and not to drag this out, I was referring to the rather large wooded hill to the right of the cinder trail after one crosses the bridge from the Marina. There were 3 or 4 entry points about 5 yrs ago and some trails back there-one of which hugged a chainlink fence if that rings a bell for any of you? Another dropped down to the old, now removed, foot bridge. Anybody? Buehler?

I was just thinking that there seems to be additional land there being unused that could be utilized for our benefit AND get us off the trail and away from the bipedals as well. I believe there is more real estate to work with on that side than was cut near the playground last week. Just a thought. Maybe the park has ixnayed building on that side which is fine too. I just remember some good climbs and technical riding over there.

Thanks

Yup. That's what we're talking about too. I rode that section a month ago and it was great except for the swampy areas. From the marina, if you head across the bridge and continue along the cinder trail until there is a right turn that leads back into the neighborhood. There is a small kiosk there with trail info on it. This section of trail leads uphill for about 30 meters. There is singletrack that heads off to the right. That begins a section of trail that winds across that hill, goes back to into the woods, crosses the creek, once by bridge and a second time without a bridge. There is the formentioned swampy section, then a nice little bit of singletrack that goes around the picnic ground and across the hill above the marina. It comes out at the paved maintenance road above the dam.

I lead that section when I ride Accotink in good weather. If there was a reroute around the swamp, I'd ride it every time I'm over there. The only way I see to go across that is to build a boardwalk though. I've scouted around and there doesn't seem to be a very good way to go around it. Maybe there is something better up stream.

Peter

[pete]

Thanks Peter,

I wasn't aware that it was ever or still "legal" much less rideable anymore so that is good to hear. Guess now I'll have to wait til it freezes up to check her out. Not sure I was aware that it connected with the picnic grounds but maybe it'll come back to me if I go.

Addtionally I wonder if the creek trail that links to Old Keene Mill by the ballfields is legal and rideable still. Do you know?

As usual the high side of Accotink was great yesterday, dry but tacky. Too bad my SID was leaking Neg air or it would have been perfect.

[Dirt]

The section of trial that goes down a steep hill to the bridge next to the marina is closed. That isn't ecologically stable and ruts out and gets muddy very easily. The trail turns away from the bridge and follows the fence posts down the hill, turning right at the log at the end. That goes back to a somewhat distressed (but still strong enough to hold me up) bridge.

I don't know about the section by old keene mill road and the ball fields. The Accotink trail rep can tell us that.

We rode the high side of accotink too (as you can see in my post of the conditions). It is amazing how well that stuff holds up. As long as there isn't a long soaking rain of more than a few days, the trails drain well and stay firm.

I'm getting off work early tomorrow to scout the new trails. I saw them Saturday, but didn't want to ride them since they were new and we had rain the day before. We'll see how they look Thursday afternoon.

Take care,

Peter

[themonkeyman]

I was just thinking, it may not be too bad to try the new trails after a light/moderate rain--it might smooth out some of the washboard-like bumps! ;) It would kinda sculpt it out into the correct shape. Just a thought--but I really don't want to screw up the new trails--they ROCK!! :D
---Monkeyman