Trail Abuse

[dmvprof]

The following is a correspondence I have had recently with a guy relatively new to MtnBiking. In the city I live, there is a natural area with about 2.5 miles of trails. It’s only a couple blocks from my house, and It’s quite nice to have for a short outing. I’ve been riding around it for quite a while, about 10 years. But recently, this guy has found it and stated some really invasive modifications.
First of all, the trail is on private property. Landowners haven’t minded riding out there. One of the owners is a catholic church. They discovered a wooden bridge that this guy has built and tore it down. So he took his ideas to another location where different owners don’t visit enough to notice. He was doing some serious work, adding a little singletrack, maintenance, etc… But somewhere along the line he got bridge happy. And being that I don’t like most of the stuff, and I’m also concerned about abusing the access that the landowners have passively allowed, I had to complain. It started in the following email. And the following correspondance. Whatcha think?
I've got to complain more about some of the stuff in the creek. I'd been going through that creek without a single piece of wood in it for almost a decade before you even knew about that place. I flew through it and and lost almost no momentum doing so. I knew the fastest line and I knew a secondary line incase I came into it wrong. Now there is a wooden monstrosity clogging up the creek and dumbing down one of the few challenging tech sections there. I don't like it or all that wood you've got nailed to the roots on the following climb. If you can't clear that creek and make that climb without the wood, then it's a perfect opportunity to improve your skills at maintaining your speed through tech sections. Besides, you've got a 5X5 bike, you oughta just float right through that stuff.

And all that stuff you have on that descent to the creek has clogged almost every single line. If I want to use that to hammer up the climb, I can't. I have to zig zag around all that stuff for a good 70 yards. It should be moved over and made secondary to a singletrack, I don't want to have to lose my momentum coming down the hill dodging your ramps. The singletrack should take precedence, and in that section, it doesn't even come close.

Everything else is well off the singletrack and I have no complaints about it, it adds to the fun on the trail. But the things you're doing in the singletrack doesn't add to it, they take away the singletrack and change it altogether. Where a tree has fallen and can't be ridden over, a bridge is cool. But just throwing them up for no reason in the middle of perfectly good singletrack is not fair.

One thing I would have no right to complain about is if you cut new singletrack going through the creek and put up your stuff there. But the places you have it on now are well established trails that have been used for years by me and a lot of other people.

I would also be concerned about what the landowners may do if they find all that stuff on their property. Someone gets hurt, they see all this stuff, fence it up and put up no trespassing signs and the trail is gone forever. As long as the land is natural, they have no liability. But with all that stuff built on it, they are potentially liable for someone that is injured on it. That's why Father Brown had to tear down your big bridge.

I spoke my mind, and feel better. Now I hope you to do the same so we can figure out how to make everyone happy.

ok, i will try to address each of ur issues 1 by 1...but, 1st
let me say, i have made every attempt to make the main-trail friendly to
ALL users...& SINCE, i've Gotten Involved the main trail stays clear
many times with shrubbery-cutters to get growth off the trail! I am the
ONLY one that has made any significant physical effort to Improve &
Maintain the Trails...NOW, THAT said, & Off>>>MY-CHEST...i will respond...as
far as the bridge goes it had nothing to do with the Climb! it had to
do with EVERY time it rained the there was muddy-water & wet-clay to
sludge through! & i don't live around the Corner! i live 30 minutes North
& have to drive home with wet shoes, etc.,!!!! AAANNNDDD if, u noticed
i had U in Mind, when i slaved to clear the right-side of the bridge
for u to keep wheels on dirt & have a Real>Technical-Section to Climb...i
have had NOTHING but, "Thanks" from ALL the Riders in the trails about
those boards to help get over the roots at the top...if, WE want to see
mountain biking increase locally, for NEW>Riders in the [WOODED-LOT] of
St Johns these assist's make for more Novices to try it! for the
descent on the other-side i can Smoke it with Speed if, i by-pass the
a-frames...with respect to those a-frames & drop-ramp i've NOTHING but, "COOL,
Thanks! Man!" even the Attorney that lives there & rides with his
daughter has said to me he loves seeing this kind of stuff & seeing what can
be done on a bike! he even said if, he could, he would Buy the Lot to
keep it Open...
Maybe This will help U from here out...i've done ALL i'm going to do on
the main trail!!!! i AM doing more stuff on the trails I HAVE
CUT...WHICH ARE MANY! AGAIN, DO to ME WORKING in the Trails! I UNDERSTAND THE
MENTALITY OF the Grass-Roots, XC Riding but, AGAIN, this is a
WOODED-LOT in TOWN!!!! not a Nature-trail in the Woods or PARK! the Guys &
ME! r having a Blast on This Stuff & are Inspired to go back Ride ST
Johns instead of getting sick of the same old, Short-Run! if, want the
real, trail-ride for nature & distance: Grssy-Pond, Wh Sprgs, San
Falesco, etc., st. johns is kust a wooded-lot!!!!!!! hope, we can come to
terms on this....& AGAIN I HAVE DONE ALL I'M GOING TO DO ON THE MAIN-TRAIL!
HOPE, u will learn to be Happy, like Me Seeing ALL the New, Interest in
St Johns...sorry, 4 ur inconvenience! alan...ps: i will pass this
around to Hear EVERYONE'S Views & will be Sure U See Them!
But I'm going back and forth with the constructor, and things are deteriorating.

I did find the term "Attractive Nuisance" which is the name of the liability that the owners are exposed to.

Anywho, there are two more emails.

I got a little pithy here, but hey, I'm me.

"Gotten Involved the main trail stays clear due to ME cutting & clearing fallen trees & limbs & walking the trail many times with shrubbery-cutters to get growth off the trail! I am the ONLY one that has made any significant physical effort to Improve & Maintain the Trails.."



That trail would be just fine if you'd have never seen it. I can promise you that. Just because you did it doesn't mean it wouldn't have been done by someone else. You have cut some new singletrack, and for that I thank you. But the loop I primarily ride has been there for many years.



"as far as the bridge goes it had nothing to do with the Climb! it had to do with EVERY time it rained the there was muddy-water & wet-clay to sludge through! & i don't live around the Corner! i live 30 minutes North & have to drive home with wet shoes, etc.,!!!!"



If you're worried about mud and dirt, get a roadbike.



"AAANNNDDD if, u noticed i had U in Mind, when i slaved to clear the right-side of the bridge for u to keep wheels on dirt & have a Real>Technical-Section to Climb."



That line is ruined by the wood bridge.



"i have had NOTHING but, "Thanks" from ALL the Riders in the trails about those boards to help get over the roots at the top...if, WE want to see mountain biking increase locally, for NEW>Riders in the of St Johns these assist's make for more Novices to try it!"



Why should I care about novices riding a dumbed down trail. I didn't when I was a novice, and I learned just fine. And why should I want mountainbiking to increase locally? Dumbing things down for the masses is NOT a good thing in my book. Again, if you want a nice easy smooth ride, get a roadbike.



"for the descent on the other-side i can Smoke it with Speed if, i by-pass the a-frames...with respect to those a-frames & drop-ramp i've NOTHING but, "COOL, Thanks! Man!" even the Attorney that lives there & rides with his daughter has said to me he loves seeing this kind of stuff & seeing what can be done on a bike! he even said if, he could, he would Buy the Lot to keep it Open..."



Alan, that line is ruined for a climb. And I shouldn't have to by-pass anything in the main trail. Calling something a "Wooded Lot" doesn't change the fact that it's the only trail in city limits.



I can tell you're ticked, that sux. Hopefully this isn't a falling out. I felt that I needed to voice my thoughts to you respectfully before I got ticked. I appreciate your enthusiasm about biking, but sometimes, enough is enough. I have just as much right to arrange that trail the way I want it as you do.


What do you think the landowners would think about that stuff if they found out? I know I'd be pissed. If they find it, they may kick us all out! You don't seem to care about this, but you're constructing on someone elses land. How would you feel?

[dmvprof]

My OP went past the limit...so I continued it here


Then he responded with this one....
U are CLAERLY, ALL-ABOUT-U! When U say, "What do 'i' care about a Buncha Nivices riding a down-trail...etc.," Novices meaning EVERYBODY that rides IN THERE But, "U!"....the rest OF us!!!! So, YES, this is
Definitely, a "Falling-Out!" AND as i said, I'm the ONLY>ONE WHO has done ANYTHING in the TRAILS: CLEARING, CUTTING, BUILDING, ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!
I CLEARED & BUSTED-ASS ON >>>BOTH<<< SIDES! & IT WAS A YEAR AFTER, I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE PLACE THAT I DID THAT...IN THAT TIME-FRAME NO-ONE DID
ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
& EVERYONE who has Said ANYTHING about the Trails>>>Many People I DON'T KNOW>>>LUV IT! "Man, This Stuff is So, COOL! Just, like the MtnBk Sites!" SnoeShoe, Whistler, ChallengePark, Keystone, etc., Bart Davis Jut,
Got Back from Keystone & he wants to trade in his RazorBack for a Long-Travel, Bike!!!!!!!!!!! OH!, Never-Mind! he's another Novice & NOT INTO
What U R!!!!U Sound a LOT like the Spoiled-Kid that didn't get to PLAY "HIS GAME!" even though EVERYBODY Else Wanted to Play Something Else...So, He Took-His-Ball & Went Home! & If, U Think, that that trail was Originally, Constructed JUST, for MtnBkn & JUST, 4 U! WRONG!!!!!!!
EVERYTHING I'VE DONE was THINKING about EVERYONE Else & HOW Much
REVISED INTEREST & ENJOYMENT there would be about St Johns...WHICH IS EXACTLY, WHAT'S HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
& IF, U ARE THREATENING ME WITH, "IF THE OWNERS KNEW..." THEN, THAT ONLY SHOWS ME WHAT A SELF-CENTERED: ME! ME! ME! U R! AND U GO FOR IT! WHAT COMES AROUND>>>GOES AROUND! & 'I' DON'T THREATEN!!!! I GOT A PROBLEM WITH SOMEBODY 'I' GO FACE-to-FACE! HEAD-to-HEAD!!!!! as i said i've done EVERYTHING I'M GOING TO ON THE MAIN TRAIL! & WHY
DON'TCHU BUILD WHAT U WANT?!!!!!! THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE CREEK & ELSE-WHERE>>>OOONNN THE [MAIN-TRAIL] FOR U TO MAKE THE LINE U WANT AAANNNNDDD WE COULD ALL BE HAPPY...HELL, IF, SAW U, WORKING & SWEATING ON
WHAT U>WANTED I WOULD HAVE PITCHED-IN & BUILT THE BEST, LOGGEY, TECHNICAL-AREAS AROUND>>>OOONNN THE MAIN-TRAIL!!!! I'M CLEARING MY LAND RIGHT OF CONGESTED TIMBERS & WOULD HAVE BROUGHTTHEM IN THERE JUST, 4 U!!!!!!!!!! OR AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO'S WILLING WORK FOR WHAT THEY WANT WITH
EVERYONE'S INTEREST INVOLVED! IF, U WANT TO DISCARD UR FELLOW-RIDERS & BUDDIES, THAT SHARE THE PLACE? FINE! & ONLY THINK, OF WHAT YOU WANT? THAT'S FINE! TOO!


Yea, I know....
Then I sent this.
Sorry to read that Alan.

I really am.

You shouldn't have done that, I respected you enough to try to NOT have a falling out.

Consider this. I could have just taken it all down and avoided the hard job of trying to be on the up and up with you. It would have very easy to just tear it down, and continue to tear it down if you rebuilt it. But I didn't did I?

And It's not all about me, it's about what's right. You never even responded to the question about the landowner. Ask your lawyer friend about the legal term 'Attractive Nuisance'. You may think it's OK to impose these potentially huge liabilities on the landowners without their knowledge, but I don't. You glaze over the point I continue to make about someone getting hurt and closing it all down for everyone forever. SO FOR THE THIRD TIME... YOUR STUNTS CAN GET US KICKED OUT FOREVER IF SOMEONE GETS HURT.

And if you'd calm down a sec, you'd see that I'm only complaining about 2 spots on the trail. That's it. I tried my best to ask you politely about it, and suggested that the landowners may have a problem with this, and you want to write me off for good.

Was I wrong about respecting you enough to consult you first about any changes?

Because I can certainly change that.


And so it goes...

Also, I spoke to the owner of a LBS here that agrees that it's too much.


OK, I did some recon of the areas in question.

When you first enter the trail, you go down a hill a hundred yards or so to a creek crossing. It was'nt to special, and a novice could do it. But a few months back, Alan dedided it slowed him down too much, so instead of learning to cross it, he built a bridge and some assists to get up some tricky roots....

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179creek1-med.JPG

from the other side...

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179creek2-med.JPG

Then out of the creek you turn a corner and where you once had a nice line launching you into the little climb coming next, you have the back side of a log jump forcing you to cut to the left and further widening the trail.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179stumpramp1-med.jpg

Then, once past that you start a small climb over a rooted trail. Apparently, it was too rooted and that just won't do. So to smooth it out, he nailed boards down to the roots to give you an assist to get over those 2 inch high roots. And this guy rides a Giant DS1 with a 5" fork. :rolleyes:

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179rootboards2-med.jpg

and some more further up....

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179rootboards3-med.JPG

then further up, a 3 inch high log proved to be too tricky to traverse for our freeriders...this one is just pathetic.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179smalllogcross-med.JPG

Then further around, after passing several more log ramps, you enter a descent back to the creek. After gaining some speed, clearing the bottom of the creek, you turn a corner trying to hold your mo, and see this mess...

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179circus1-med.jpg

when you get closer, you see your line choices from the following image.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179circus3-med.JPG[/image]

when you manage to clear this, you get up the hill a bit and see this monstrosity in the middle of the singletrack...

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179circus5-med.JPG

another 20 yards past that one, and there's another one.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179circus6-med.JPG

Then another 30 yards, he chose to clog a part of the trail that goes between 2 trees with a ramp. This one really gripes me.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179clogramp-med.jpg

It all started out of a bridge built out of necessity like the one below.

http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179GoodBridge-med.JPG

But unfortunately, they are all over now.

[hairygrump]

That's some of the most orthographically creative work I've ever seen in my life.

As far as making things accessible, that's fine if you can do it with the owners' approval. If he wants to build it and the owners want him to build it, then I guess you'd just have to learn to like it better.

Even if that were the case though, based on those pictures it looks like he's constructing things out of wastewood wherever he can find room to put it. I think he's doing more harm than good. I'm no expert, but I have a hard time imagining this nonsense (http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/503/1179circus5-med.JPG) isn't going to get somebody badly hurt... nevermind making things more accessible.

Seriously... I'm all in favor of building things to make trails safe and accessible for everybody. As far as rhetorical highground goes, I'm with him there more than I am with you about preserving lines for experienced riders. Your point about lines, though, demonstrates that this guy doesn't know his elbow from his arsehole when it comes to building safe trails with good flow. Recommend Trail Solutions (http://imba.com/resources/trail_building/trail_solutions.html) (and everything else that IMBA has to offer) to him, and tell him that if he wants to do it, then he needs to do it like a professional with materials and techniques that won't kill the first person that rides over them next spring.

Also recommend this book (http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/hacker/writersref/) to him. That email made my eyes spin around.

[davkatreb]

Jim, I just clicked on the photo. Wouldn't even let my cat walk across that bridge. Ouch.

[Mister Chow]

Trees, dirt and rocks don't need to be fixed.

Whatever the motivation to do that trail work, the bottom line is that the "builder" doesn't know jack shit about building or maintaining trails. If a trail is designed correctly it won't need constant maintainence. You'll just ride it for year after year after year. Like you've been doing.

All of that crap that's been dragged onto the trail will just fall apart and all that will be left is splinters, tar paper and nails (I've worked WAY too hard removing rusted out nails from trail features!) AND it'll require maintenance, continually. If your builder is so proud of the work that he's done, then he should leave his home phone number posted on everything so WHEN IT NEEDS work it'll be his responsibility to clean up his mess.

[Newt]

DUDE!!! That is some of the most disgusting builds I have seen. The only pic I saw that made any sense was the ramp to get over the high log.....THATS IT! And to do it all with-out permission, when someone does break their neck you can let that person know who built that CRAP. then there goes the liability.

[kennbenny667]

What is it with people post filth on these boards? Go to Bikeforums.com or something, Jeezum Crow!

[dmvprof]

As far as rhetorical highground goes, I'm with him there more than I am with you about preserving lines for experienced riders.

Hi grump,

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Can you be more specific. Alan seems to want it both ways, my only point is that the singletrack should be primary, and if all that other stuff has to be there, it should be secondary.

Also, he doesn't have permission in any way, and I'm positive that if he asked, he wouldn't get it.

PS

orthographically creative .... ;)

I was going with barely literate.

[dmvprof]

One thing I was pondering is presenting him with a whole lot of posts from experienced builders or anyone that has some real credibility about this. He seems to think I'm old school or something. I have to admit, there aren't a lot of mountain bikers in this town, so I don't have a strong base to sway him with. I can't even get this guy to drive an hour to a significant trail with a 20 mile loop. So his frame of reference is going to be limited too.

Anyhow. I'm imagining that page after page of polite, informative letters from people from this and other forums might be able to show him the light.

[hairygrump]

Hi grump,

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Can you be more specific. Alan seems to want it both ways, my only point is that the singletrack should be primary, and if all that other stuff has to be there, it should be secondary.

I was just making a point about the argument he's making. Your initial approach seemed to make a lot of use of his monstrosities ruining lines or diminishing the difficulty of a section, and his initial response was "I'm just trying to make it fun for everybody." What I was saying was that, all other things being equal, if I had to pick between those two points of view, I'd pick the access and equality point every time.

The facts as you present them here indicate that all things aren't equal. They show that this guy is wrecking an otherwise perfectly good trail with poorly designed and constructed trail features. His access and equality point is just spin.

Regarding your pages of letters from experienced builders, get thee to ye olde IMBA listserv (http://imba.com/interactive/listserv.html)

[hophead]

Arguments as to whether or not the modifications to the trails improve or degrade them aside, without permission from the landowner, the trails shouldn't be touched. Even if he had permission, it's fairly obvious that he has no idea what he's doing.

You are right to be worried about the attractive nuisance thing. It's just going to take one accident on that junk and you can kiss your ride good bye.

[15dollar]

There is no reason for any of these 'bridges.' I did not see one thing that even a novice could not have cleared. You have tried to convince the builder to think of what he is doing with little effect. Inform the land owners. The final decision on what should and should not be allowed really rests with the land owners.
Either way, muddy shoes is an awful poor excuse coming from a mountain biker. :D

[RandomAssSOB]

We have a similar situation in Seattle w/ folks building "unauthorized" features on a popular trail local system (St. Edward's Park). In fact, last week I took my 9 year old out and he fell pretty hard after encountering a dug out dirt jump that was all but invisible from the "wrong" direction (i.e. the lip was at trail height, the jump was a dug out depression below trail height). Luckily he was more scared than hurt, but if he had been badly hurt who would I be able to hold responsible?

A couple of tweens showed up right afterward complaining that all the features were being taken down. Pissed as I was, I asked them why they thought they had any right to build stuff on land that wasn't theirs. They responded w/ the argument that Mt. Biking is "inherently dangerous". I reminded them that human built features are not an "inherent" part of the trail. I know those trails quite well and am capable of reacting to things like that, but my 9 year old doesn't and isn't. I take him there because it is (was?) a good place to LEARN, without having to worry too much about what is around the next bend.

I have no problem w/ "obvious, well marked" features and "experts-only" trails (and I do think it is a shame that some of the better constructed and out of the way features were removed), but this was neither - and THAT is the crux of the issue as far as I'm concerned. When you get unskilled hacks like the one dmvprof is dealing with "building" the crap he has been polluting that trail with, the likely outcomes are serious injury and trail closures. Who needs either?

Of course it is obvious from the "quality" of Alan's responses that dmvprof is dealing w/ the bottom of the food chain. My recommendation? Head out there w/ some tools and demolish all that foolish nonsense and keep doing it every time it reappears! I'd do the same at St. Ed's, but we're lucky enough to have the BBTC to police the trails for us. I fully anticipate that little stunt was filled in w/in a day or so as it should have been. And if it hasn't been I can personally guarantee it will be!

And if the trail builder is reading this I offer the following compromise: I'll leave your features alone if you give me a sworn affidavit that you'll pick up any medical costs associated with injuries sustained on your handiwork. Seems only fair . . . Deal???

[EBasil]

Out here in California, we have a section of the state code that's generally referred to as the California Recreational Use Statute, which is designed to protet individuals that open/allow their land to be used for recreational purposes. In a nutshell, it provides Immunity to personal injury liability to persons using the land recreationally. There are exceptions, of course.

One of the primary exceptions relates to land that has been altered by, or with the knowledge of, the landowner and which presents a hazard. This is one of the exceptions that gets litigated and "tested out" from time to time.

Out of the mix comes some basic guidelines that direct landowners (even land managers) in California: don't allow modifications to terrain on open land, because you "buy" the liability. Insurers now specifically "exclude" coverage for hazards of this type.

My understanding of how the bridges and trail modifications DMV posted photos of (or really high quality stuff like you can see other places) would be treated in California is that the landowner could be easily be deemed liable for injuries sustained on the modifications, even if the landowner weren't aware of their existence. Based on that, what landowner wouldn't be offended if the stuff was placed there without permission?

I posted this somewhere else, and it's a good test: does the architect(s) of the trail modifications own his own home? Can we construct things like this on his property? If yes, do it there. If no, why not?

(Responses from numbnuts like, "I am too busy fighting the corporate oligarchy to own a home and am perpetually oppressed by SUV-driving white men, so I [only me, not others] can do whatever I want, anywhere..." are predictable, but rarely persuasive where it matters.)

[RandomAssSOB]

(Responses from numbnuts like, "I am too busy fighting the corporate oligarchy to own a home and am perpetually oppressed by SUV-driving white men, so I [only me, not others] can do whatever I want, anywhere..." are predictable, but rarely persuasive where it matters.)

Now what makes you think you'd get a response like that on this board?

:D

[EBasil]

Heh heh heh! Actually, that response comes in similar form from all over. I just heard something similar from kids we caught making illegal modifications to trails in our preserve.

Damn kids and their rock music.

[plume_mtb]

most of that stuff looks very unecessary - the trail looks ridable without those "bridges". If he thinks those conditions are bad he should come to New York and ride. very, very muddy.

I think his heart's in the right place, but if you're going to build something, do it right or not at all. I felt guilty about adding a small ramp on one of our local trails - but this makes my work look great comparitively.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE riding features like the one's shown but they have to be tasteful, especially if it's on private land like that. You have to be as low key as possible! I'm tempted to make more single track in our "ez access" spots but I'd rather continue to be able to ride the existing trails...

[vladamir]

(Responses from numbnuts like, "I am too busy fighting the corporate oligarchy to own a home and am perpetually oppressed by SUV-driving white men, so I [only me, not others] can do whatever I want, anywhere..." are predictable, but rarely persuasive where it matters.)

That seems a little too cerebral for a numbnuts building gradeschool trail mods. Perhaps you hear what you want? I have a repair tech that works brasswind instruments who is of the conservative persuasion who always makes comments like "liberals!!" or "stupid liberals!!" in relation to customers who annoy him on the phone...and he's serious as though conservatives can't be just as ignorant-he always sees liberalism in every situation he finds friction from. I know liberals who do the opposite. I know leftists who cry fascism to anything found polar to their worldview.

At any rate I doubt this is heard often in these situations. I know of no one whom is involved in any aspect of enviromentalism, anti-gentrification, educating about white privilage or liberation politics whom carries the attitude that one may do as one pleases at anothers expense due to the duration or involvement of their chosen work/concerns. And definately not in relation to poor trail modifications.

[EBasil]

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!

You're supposed to say, "Near Miss!" or "Direct Hit". Obsfucation is unecessary and irrelevant.

[vladamir]

Gotcha! :D ;) Always poking fun aint ya :p

[Fergie]

The following is my personal position on built stunts in a real world public environment, based on my experiences here in southern NY. I have been building trails for over 10 years, have built entire trail systems (legally and illegally) including IMBA free ride destination - The Sprain Ridge Park. Just to toot my own horn, I have been riding for well over 10 years, and I am a mid-pack Sport level trials rider. Please also note that I love to ride on well constructed built stunts, and dream of a world where we can all ride them without fear of lawsuits and poor construction.


Since when did "Freeriding" become built stunts???
Before you jump on the built stunts bandwagon, there are probably better options.
First of all, each geographical area of the country has it's own unique pros and cons. In BC they have an abundance of natural building materials, seemingly loads of free time, less lawyers, and universal health care when they screw up. You, (fortunately, I might add) are not from the land of Bryan Adams and Celeine Dion. Your neck of the woods probably lacks many aspects that make BC trails appropriate, but probably has it's own perks.

Before you even start thinking about what to build, find out what the rules are for the land you will be working on. Chances are, they won't allow you to build what you have in mind. In NY (land of 10,000 lawyers) any built object on the trail must be at least 36 inches wide, and if it is more then a foot or two off the ground, it must have a hand rail. Pretty much eliminates building anything worth riding, eh? But screw em right? Build it anyway... Don't even think about it! Even a few small stunts will attract a LOT of attention, and even though it took weeks to build, any bozo with a chainsaw can rip it down in about five minutes. If you want to know how much that truly sucks, just ask the BC guys, thousands of hours of their hard work was destroyed in a day by chainsaw swinging osiffers. If you want it to last, get permission!

OK, so you have permission, and it doesn't have to be three feet wide with a hand rail. First make sure that it doesn't have to meet any other building codes, such as concrete footings or inspection requirements. The next question is what materials to use. In BC they have a limitless supply of very slow rotting, clean splitting wood. I don't know what is growing in your back yard, but chances are it's not going to be as ideal for construction. If you use the wrong kind of wood, it will rot away before you know it. People will start falling through your bridges, supports start breaking, and nails end up sticking out everywhere - not good for access relations. Chances are you will have to use a good amount of pressure treated lumber. In addition to being expensive, pressure treated lumber is very heavy to carry miles out into the woods, and a toxic bitch (arsenic) to work with.
The last problem with built stunts is what they will attract. As bad as the hordes of unwashed freeriders begging to break collarbones, wrists, legs and skulls are, they are the least of your worries. Bored kids, drunken yokels, and displaced trail users all know how to play with matches, chainsaws, crowbars, and pickup trucks (well, the kids might not). If you are lucky, they will just knock everything over, or cut it to bits. If you are unlucky, they will sabotage it to break when it is the most dangerous, or perhaps put a few well placed nails, or fishing line where you least expect it. The further in you build it, the less likely it is to be messed with, but that means carrying hundreds of pounds of lumber miles into the woods - which sucks, believe me! Also, the further in it is, the harder it will be to maintain (stunts require much more maintenance then regular trail) and the further they will have to drag out your mangled body, after you cut your hand off with a saw or fall off a teeter-totter.

So what is a young, impressionable, aspiring little freerider to do? Well, since you are probably pretty lazy, but cunning and crafty, use your wits. That is to say, use your imagination to make the best use of the conditions you have. In Moab, they have an ocean of crappy sand fields, but they also have some of the best and most unique slickrock in the world - thus dirtbikers there made the world famous Slickrock Trail. Down south they have that great packing red clay, and build sick jumps and berms, that can be ridden year round. Out west they have huge scenic mountains and aspen groves, and have some of the best fast downhills around. Here on the East Coast we have loads of roots, sick weathered rocks, and plenty of moderately dense forests. We are able to build tight, twisty, and technical singletrack trails.

[Note: Before everyone writes about what a technical trial they have in the West, or great fast downhill in the East, these are just examples used to prove a point based on general geography. I'm simply saying that the land should dictate the type of trial. If you are in a dense forest, enjoy twisting through the tight trees, if you are on a great plain, enjoy the view, and the fact that you can dig a big jump without hitting tons of tree roots.]

What I'm getting at here is that every area has it's own specialties. If the folks out in BC had tried to build fast wide track, with long bombing descents, and great views, like Crested Butte, they would have had to work their asses off, and would have ended up with mediocre trails. Instead, they used what they have to the fullest, and now have trials that are the envy of the riding world.

Now don't get me wrong, I love stunts, but you don't have to build them out of lumber, and often you don't have to "build" them at all. If a tree falls, use the loose dirt by the exposed roots to form a little ramp up to it, and ride it BC style. Find sloped rocks to ride down, or up. Often a narrow line along a small ledge, or tight line between trees will be just as fun, and much less work. Natural dips form great jumps with a little smoothing. If some bitch ass wanker sues, and the lawyers ask, the truth is it just occurred that way in nature, and they will have to sue God about it. (Lawyers never sue the devil for some reason...)

If you simply MUST build some stunts, start in your backyard. It's close, and a good controlled environment. Just be aware of "attractive nuisance" laws. Or if you don't have a backyard, or your wife, neighbor, etc doesn't want it filled with homemade obstacles there are a few other options. In my neck of the woods, I was approached by the police, for a different reason then usual. They wanted to create a small training area for their bike police. What better way to train then on BC type obstacles? They could supply the materials, provide protection, and even help prevent lawsuits.

In terms of the actual construction, it is more like building a deck on a house then a trail. Anyone with common sense and a little understanding of construction can do a good job. Just remember to build for the heaviest rider, and that people will always find new ways to ride/ fall off of the obstacles, so build them strong and sturdy in general. Remember to be extra careful when designing things that move. It's one thing to fall off a teeter-totter, it's another to get whacked in the jaw by it as the rider in front of you goes over it. To find out more, skip the freeride sites, and go straight to the guys who have been doing better for years now, trials riders! <http://www.biketrials.com/> and <http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~rcoope/>. Also look for information about a guy nicknamed 'Digger' - I have heard that he is one of the key builders in BC.
HAPPY RIDING!

[RandomAssSOB]

Great freakin post there Fergie. Not bad for a gun-toting cop-hating nutter! :D

But seriously, I've been looking into the site I posted from my ride on Galbraith Mtn. (www.galbraithmt.com) and it has some great examples of kick-ass stunts "built" from natural features. You would love them!

[Ernesto]

in B.C. this and in B.C. that....

have you ever been here or are you just talking out you ass????. I'm thinking the later.

you got some of it right. it's more what we don't have then what we do have. we don't have a bunch of people telling us what we can and can not do. we don't have a lot of private owned land. thats why things have worked out the way they have. but for the most part, when you say B.C. your talking about one very small chunk of it which see a lot of exposure.

speeking for the non shore B.C. we still have, though it is getting beter, a lot of poarly built structures, and trials littered with crapy, not quite fitting in to the over all, stunts. it seemed like for a few years there was this craze to build stunts all over the place on every trail, even if there was no reason for them and 99% of the matierial was imported. It's is getting better, trails are being purpose built with an over all vision, and creativity is going back into building. but it's not all roses in terms of where and how things are being built. there are pros and cons with just being able to go out into the woods and build. it's a learning curve and there are some unspoken laws that are starting to develop. don't build on some one elses trail being #1. if that shit showed up on the trails I ride I would just go in there and rip it out. problem solved.

your point about working with what we've have is correct on to a point. it always looks weird to me when I see pictures of latters and bridges out side B.C. it's like some desided, OK this is where we are going to put a latter or an A frame, and they build every thing including the suprots and reason. then later on, on a perfectly flat cunk of trail they say, this is where we're going to put a bridge, and they build the whole thing. it's just not right. maybe this doesn't make any sence unless you've been here and seen first hand. maybe this will help. (http://www3.telus.net/owens/sun12.wmv)

[CRUM]

From the pictures I saw, it might be better if the guy just graded everything and paved it. Then all his "novice" buds could ride to their hearts content and not get their sneakers wet for that 30 minute drive home. Up our way, the trails pictured would be considered take your girl friend, granny, or one legged buddy trails. And then to cover or bypass the only fun stuff on a stretch is almost blasphemous.

Stunts have begun to show up in my neck of the woods. While I don't tear them down, I don't use them either. After having a bridge collapse under me back in the late 80's, I prefer rocks, roots, and mud, thank you very much. Besides, the basic construction quality of most the bridges and stunts I have seen recently look like a 10 year old made em. Uh, and maybe they did. Wood sucks.

We have been actively cutting new trails where we can. Our goal is to design the trails to work with the landscape and not against it. When a creek needs crossing, we rock bridge it or just run through it. If there is a log over the trail, we leave it. They tend to dissuade the ATV's from using the trails. IMO, Mother Nature provides all the stunts I need to have a good time in the woods.

[EBasil]

What's the epitaph on this one, DMV?