Yet another airlift on Ladera Ridge

We can get a Catholic Priest to perform an exorcism on the evil feature. Some Latin words a little holy water
maybe a Jesus on a couple of Popsicle sticks.
The Evil Feature now rendered powerless shall then be bulldozed into oblivion!
A maximum speed limit of 5 mph. will be enforced by trail Nazis (A.K.A. Sierra Clubbers)
After that we are going to need a bunch of huge ass signs pointing out every rock,rut twist and turn and elevation
change. Then we just have to cover the whole trail with that cushy playground rubber.
The sides of the trail must be cleared back to make room for continuous foam pits on both sides the whole length of the trail.
Now you have your perfect beginners trail safe and sanitized .
The parking areas will feature restrooms with automatic butt wiping and wiener shaking toilets and urinals.

 

Sorry for the off topic post but I couldn't let this one pass!

 

WOW - I didn't even get past the first few posts...didn't even bother with page 2...and was hoping I'd see a 'thread closed' - this is why we need (and love ) the mods!!!

 

I say, throw caution to the wind and ride every obstacle with reckless abandon. After all, if you get hurt, it must be the obstacles fault...

Never mind, use common sense and ride safe everyone.

 

Anyone that rides a mountain and thinks that they won't get hurt, maybe seriously, is completely delusional. I have had more than one "just riding along" incident that ending up with me on the ground wondering how that happened. That does not even count front tire blow outs going downhill.

Dean

 

Well after careful consideration, I've changed my mind and now call for the instant removal of the "evil hump."

At the same time I would like to submit that the following hazards be removed from SoCal:

1. The Wedge - Has probably been responsible for more broken necks than every trail in the OC combined. World famous, this freak of a wave is caused by the swells bouncing off a jetty and jacking up to great heights a couple of times a year inviting many a novice to test their luck. As only "elitist A-holes" seem to be able to ride this wave safely, I propose we eliminate it by erecting a breakwater around that section of beach to insure the safety of all those knuckleheads who think that bodysurfing the ankle slappers their used to qualifies them to take on 20-footers to impress their girlfriends.

2. Joshua Tree and Tahquitz Rocks - Every year climbers (and wannabees) from around the world come here to test themselves on the historic routes at these two locations. Unfortunately, as with all hazardous activities, many of these climber are injured or even killed when they overestimate their abilities and get on routes that only "elitist a-holes" can climb safely and get in over their heads. I propose that we immediately install plastic holds and topropes on all of these rocks so that even the most clueless tourist can scale them in safety.

3. Santa Ana/San Gabriel/San Bernadino Mountains - Every year there are rescues of hikers who don't have the common sense to check the weather reports before venturing into the wilderness or they get lost because they don't have maps (and probably couldn't read them if they did) and many times overestimate their abilities. As hiking seems to be only safe for those "elitist a-holes" who take the time to learn these skills before venturing out, I propose that we close all of these trails to hiking until we can build a network of roads so that the clueless can explore the wilderness in the safety of their vehicles thus saving us all the expense of all those rescues.

If anyone can think of more for the list, please chime in so I can submit them to the appropriate land management agencies.

 

I am sorry to hear that yet another rider went down on this trail.

That being said, this is one of my favorite little trails because it is right in my backyard and affords me the opportunity to get in quick rides without having to load the bike on the car. If anyone does anything to the trail that results in this trail being closed/restricted I will be extremely unhappy. The hump is really the one real obstacle the entire length of the trail and can really be seen cleanly from both directions. I always warn first time riders that I take on the ridge that the hump is there so as to avoid an unfortunate mishap. I don't expect signs pointing out every little nook and cranny on the trails I ride. I know the risks when I jump on the bike as should everyone else.

 

Totally agree with Tree (and JamR on pg 2). This is a fun little trail (right in my backyard too) that's nice for quick workouts. I barely classify it as an MTB ride because it's so incredibly non-technical. The hump should pose no threat to anyone. It's easily seen well in advance from either direction and it can be rolled over at any speed. It's only those who hit it fast and don't have any jumping skills that will get into trouble. Maybe we should just make it a bit longer so we can actually jump it like a real table... and it would actually be safer too!

 

Maybe if there was a jump at the top of the trail it would make riders more alert that there are other features to look out for... maybe put a few more in the middle, throw in some S turns, a log roller or two. Ok I could see how that can get out of hand but be really fun.

 

it seems as though the trail is destined to be closed if nothing changes. either the city or county (whoever is paying for the rescues) is going to do it or somebody's going to sue the landowner.

i've only ridden this trail a couple of times, but i remember the hump as more of an abnormal obstacle than a real feature. i don't think there's anything else around that compares to it. does anybody hit it other than a few bmxers? if not, then it's kind of like having a big gap jump in the middle of an otherwise innocuous trail, is it not? not quite like the wedge...

 

It is by no means a "gap jump" it is a 3 foot bump in a mostly singletrack trail.

 

Plenty of mountain bikers "hit it" it is not just a couple of BMXers.
Did you see the video posted or read the all the comments posted?
It is not a "big gap" it is not a surprise either as it is highly visible from either direction.
There are plenty of humps on trails in So Cal that will jack you up if you are not paying attention or
over estimate your abilities to hit them at speed! How do I know? I have picked my bloody self up off the trail
many times because of them.
The riders getting hurt should be liable for the expenses incurred if they need rescue.
I would love to see the real stats on how many people have been injured by the hump in comparison to
how many ride over it without having a problem. I will see if I can find out how many airlifts there has been .
I would rather see the trail closed then to start the precedent of removing obstacles.

 

geez. i said it was like having a gap jump (or a similar big expected feature).

it's actually worse, isn't it? more like a faux tabletop with a flat landing. whatever, i don't really care, although i don't like seeing people get hurt. i guess i'm with falconer (see above): shutting it down makes more sense than fixing the problem.

 

Gap Jump!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I agree with all your arguments, when you ride, you must use common sense.

But the reality is that it brings a lot of attention to a cool trail located on private land. We need only one moron to sue the land owner and the trail will be lost permanently .

It's not like other features on other trails that add to the fun-factor of the trail. This one doesn't really add anything, it's a freakin' speed bump. It just cuts the flow before you go down to the fire station. If it was not as steep with a good landing, a jump that propels you forward instead of straight up. it would improve the flow of the trail and be safer. 1/2 hour work, change the hump from nuisance to fun and keep the trail

 

"Ride within your limits." wise advice, eh? Not really.
You only know your limits when you exceed them.

On the older version of this thread we had

Looks fun.
Just because someone runs out of talent on a feature doesnt mean the trail needs to be santitized.
Ride within your limits.
For every rider who is injured on the bump, 1,147.3 riders had fun on it. Stats dont lie...
​

Sorry to say 8 days later he had a dislocated shoulder.

I hope no one else finds their limits.

 

The issue with this "hump" really isn't in pushing nor finding one's limits. It's about reasonably knowing what to expect. There is nothing inherently dangerous about this particular feature as a standalone obstacle. The problem, if there is one, is that it's located at the bottom of a descent on an otherwise featureless trail, and it's probably shorter than it is tall (or seems that way!) so it catches people off guard.

 

I can't believe I survived:

[video=youtube;evBsDeHQaLo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evBsDeHQaLo[/video]

 

Going southbound is not a problem. It is the northbound route that is dangerous.

 

It's awesome be cause it really is that innocuous.