MmmmmMeadows!

Discussion in 'Trail Conditions' started by herzalot, Mar 9, 2013.

  1. Earn Your View

    Earn Your View Member

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    I remember Enriquez! I'll keep you and the group informed!
     
  2. Dirtboy29

    Dirtboy29 New Member

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    Thanks in advance for your Hard Work "MTB Men of O.C." (and girls if you helped). I'm here on the east side of the harbor and spend most of my time in either Sullivan Canyon as my go-to place (20 mins by car) or out past Malibu at our Sycamore Canyon in Ventura. I want to ride where you worked today and could use some good directions ((including where to park safe & secure (don't mind paying to support our parks)) to get me to the trail head.

    I don't know about STR, Aliso, Wood, Kioti or Meadows and would like to know more.

    If you never have ridden in Sycamore Canyon out in ventura it's worth the 2 hours it'll probably take you (like it'll take me to get to O.C.

    Thanks, Great job guys, now Shred !

    Hank
     
  3. Doc Holiday

    Doc Holiday New Member

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    Great Work to all involved! Trail rode great today
     
  4. herzalot

    herzalot Well-Known Member

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    How to get to Aliso. Go south on the 405 or 5 until you get to Alicia parkway, 2 miles south of where the 5 and 405 rejoin. Turn right. Find your way southwest to Aliso Creek Road (4 miles?). Go to the next right. Turn. Park. Ride. It's safe. $3 in the dirt lot, or free on the road.

    STR = SoCal Trail Riders - the forum you are on
    Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Aliso Viejo/Laguna Niguel/Laguna Beach CA.
    Kioti = (Pronounced Coyote) Local Legend known to come out when no one is watching and install flowy berms on trails that badly need them
    Meadows = Mile long trail in A/W Canyons Park: flowy down, challenging up. Not technical, but steep in places. Kioti struck yesterday.

    Go ride!
     
  5. brown chicken brown cow

    brown chicken brown cow Member

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    We rode Meadows today and was in the best shape we had ever ridden it!
    Thanks to all involved on making this trail perfect again, it's one of my favorites!!!

    Before dropping in, we were scoping out the Brian Lopes line from the street up the side where the steps are...good grief! can't believe how fast he had to be moving...

    Hope everyone had a great ride today, Aliso was PERFECT!
     
  6. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

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    Thanks to everyone - I think I'll hit it tomorrow!!

    Jim: I'll PM you so I'll get the trail work volunteers needed memo next time.....
     
  7. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    Thanks, Roxy! This trail is so loved I want to give as many riders as possible a hand in it's makeover. The Ranger had a chance to hike up there today and he liked what he saw. That means we can keep doing what we're doing, and get the rest of the turns done. Major props to Ranger Ed for supporting this kind of trail work!
     
  8. RydeMTB28

    RydeMTB28 Member

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    Here is a preview of the fine trail work these fellows did today. Thanks for making it fun, its a lot more smooth and flowy now!!!

    [video=youtube;Z-AV2PfXot8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-AV2PfXot8&feature=youtu.be[/video]
     
  9. herzalot

    herzalot Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, but one of our primary motivations is to keep the trail flowing enough to PREVENT bikes from taking shortcuts. Please do not use these straight lines and shortcuts. We hope that riders will stay on the main trail and enjoy it.
     
  10. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    So far our work is focused on the 45 seconds of trail after the bridge. I like that you took the bermed inside line that we worked on, and cut across the grass in a place we haven't gotten to yet.

    It's true those shortcuts through the fields are something the Ranger isn't happy about. New fences may be in the works. I'd hope we get the whole trail to a point where staying on it is more fun than trail blazing.

    But thanks for the props and the video! It was fun seeing it without a shovel in my hands.
     
  11. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    We've replaced those fences several times before and blocked off the straight lines with brush, digging up those illegal lines and even going to the thicker fence post and they keep getting torn down. Hopefully the riders who keep doing it will stop, but there are those who believe they can ride whatever and whenever they wish which can times ruin it for those who follow the rules.
     
  12. me and my bike

    me and my bike New Member

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    I really don't think all of those short cuts and broken fences are due to peoples lack of following the rules and trying to ride whatever they want. Meadows is a steep fast trail, that is put on a lot of beginner rides as well as a go to for first timers. Even for those experienced on their first time, you really can pick up speed and end up off line on some of those steeper corners. Are all of the lines misguided riders? No as the video above showed, but I think with more work on those berms, and help with the flow you can stop riders from crashing through those fences. How do I know that beginners might crash through those fences and otb? cough cough , I don't know, just a gut feeling.
     
  13. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    I've been working on the trails at Aliso for years and there used to be no fences. Actually the old lines are these lines now being blocked off as Meadows was rerouted the way it is now. The fences were put up to stop the riders from going straight. They get torn apart or broken in half. I don't know, you tell me from these pics(taken while on TAV patrol at Aliso on the same day). Do all these look like they were caused by crashes?

    IMG_2775.jpg
    IMG_1412.jpg
    IMG_1413.jpg

    In this pic, you can see father down that the next set of fences were also down.
    IMG_5553.jpg

    I just find it hard to believe that after we replaced the broken ones, I go back a few days later to find them all broken again. I guess those riders just keep crashing in the same spots..., just into the fences and no other part of the trail.
     
  14. me and my bike

    me and my bike New Member

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    A few of those do and a few of those dont. Were never going to know what they were caused by. There are people out there who like to ruin peoples hard work like fences for personal enjoyment, but I cant grasp why. I guess were just going to have to keep trying to prevent it, so it doesnt get ruined for the rest of us
     
  15. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    The Ranger has a plan for dealing with the shortcuts, but a big part of the problem is simple efficiency. It's easier for people to walk or ride a short distance, especially on grass, than follow the trail out to a turn and back. I've also seen that a lot of the shortcutting is being done by hikers, and when you walk the trail you understand why.

    Right now I'd say the broken fences are more of a hazard than a benefit. There are pointed ends and screws sticking out, along with debris scattered on the ground.

    Our goal, at least those of us organizing this, is to focus on improving the trail. That means banked turns, unobtrusive drainage, and clear lines. 45 seconds down; 3 minutes and 15 seconds to go (based on the video and a 4 minute descent). Somebody do a rain dance!
     
  16. jcampbell

    jcampbell going Gods speed since 75

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    That damn Strava Monkey strikes again. Hasn't anyone else noticed that almost every corner in OC has a cut line?
     
  17. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    ^^ That's a good point, but shortcutting has been a practice long before mountain biking came along. Hiking-only trails are full of them.

    The trick with a trail like Meadows is to find and define a line that works well, and that's a challenge with uphill and downhill traffic, beginner to expert riders, hikers looking to get out of the way or off the hill, smooth grassy fields and a historical fall line trail.

    As far as cut lines through turns, we may leave a few because they work well to separate users and offer options, both for climbers and descenders, and for different types of riders. Of course, this is a multi-use trail, and one of our goals is to improve it for all users based on safety, aesthetics, flow and sustainability.
     
  18. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    Gotta love it when people video themselves cutting the trail then proudly post them for the public so they can say "look how cool I am".
     
  19. MojoCP

    MojoCP New Member

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    Yeah, I didnt believe it at first when some of the MTB mags were reporting it. But slowly over the last few months I'm seeing more corners cut off (in a matter of days, not gradually from normal wear and tear) and I can only imagine it's from teeny weenie riders needing to prove self worth through KOM.
     
  20. commplex

    commplex SSuper SSlacker

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    Thanks for the trail work guys. I have never worked on meadows but I have on other trails in the park. I will send a PM to get on the work days email list. I rode the trail this morning and it was pretty sweet.

    That said.. I agree with Gene. I remember last year when a fresh set of fences went up and I noticed them broken very early in the morning the following day. I ride this park frequently and it seems to me like that once the fences go up people break them and push them down pretty much right away.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 11, 2013

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