GORC's New Secret Weapon

If you've been on any of the newest trails that GORC has been working on, you've probably been surprised at how fast so much trail is being built. On of the reasons, in addition to the super hard work and dedication of all of our volunteers, is this amazing piece of equipment, the Weed Wrench. In the past, where we had to spend a lot of time with pulaskis grubbing each and every sapling or small tree at the roots, now a single person or small crew can go along and remove them in a fraction of the time.
The retractable jaws clamp on to the base of the sapling, and then applying leverage to the handle closes the jaws and pops the tree out, rootball and all. Depending on which size you get, (we have the Heavy model), some stubborn ones will then require a few snips with loppers or a hack with a pulaski, but the efficiency is pretty amazing. It also seems like whoever is the lucky person to get on this detail doesn't want to give it up for the rest of the day! Why not come out to one of our workdays and give it a try yourself?

SIUE Workday- Saturday, December 16th

Thanks to the hard work last weekend of the approximately 30 volunteers who cleared all of the nearly 6 miles of existing trail at SIUE, we'll be able to spend this workday completely on the construction of the new Trail #4. The damage was impressive, requiring 4 hrs. of work for nearly every crew, of which there were 2 for each of the 3 trails. Kirby's crew also cleared the section under construction, so they worked for over 5 hours! As usual, the workday will begin at 9 am, followed by food, and a ride-- the weather looks like it will cooperate this weekend, yay!

SIUE Update

Well, we all knew that the ice storm had done major damage at SIUE. Here's a rundown: the map shows the downed trees which will require sawyer work. 34 on Loop #3, 21 on Loop #2. The ones marked with asterisks will require extra work. This does not even address the trees/branches which can be moved by hand or cut with loppers. Unfortunately, many of the downed trees also brought down tangles of grapevines or briars. It also does not include Loop #1, which others have looked at and discussed at some length. The kiosk on Loop #2 at the Morris Bikeway narrowly avoided being pulverized.
Unless there's a large turnout for the emergency workday on Sat. Dec. 9th, these trails will remain unrideable for some time to come. If you can spare the time, please come out and help. There's plenty of work to be done even if you're not a sawyer.

Come and help build a new trail at Castlewood Sat. 12/02/06

Yes, you read it right. GORC has designed a new trail at Castlewood, and we need your help in building it. This one is going to be called the "Rollercoaster", and it's in the northeastern corner of the park, off of the Grotpeter. If you like the last GORC-built trail at CW, the "3%, or Love Trail", then come on out and help, because it will be more of the same. Meet at 9 am on Sat. December 2, at the Ranger Station. Visit the GORC Forum for more details.

"...it played in Peoria"

Kirby and I went up to Peoria for a tour of Farmdale Reservoir, site of the 2007 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival. We weren't quite sure what to expect since every time the PAMBA gang comes down to STL, they're all on big-hit bikes. So it was a pleasant surprise to discover that in addition to the stunts and jumps, Farmdale has miles and miles of XC trails. Think of all the 6 or so miles of the skinny, fun stuff at SIUE, multiply that by 3 to 5 times, and you've got Farmdale. We're not sure how much singletrack there is, but we rode the whole afternoon until nearly dark, and they told us we had probably only hit about half of the trails. If you go, make sure to ride Schroll's. It was definitely the favorite for both of us. There's an area to play around on North Shore stuff, a Mountain Cross course, a downhill run, and a jump area, so no matter how you like to ride, there's something for everyone. There are also 3 other trail systems in Peoria, so there's plenty of riding to make it a weekend destination.

New Signs on Berryman

This past weekend, a GORC crew, with help from John Roth, added some new signs provided by the Forest Service to the western side of the Berryman Trail between Berryman campground and Brazil Creek campground. With any luck, we'll be able to finish putting them up on the rest of the loop in the next couple of weeks.

Burnin' Sensations

This is the last Burnin'-themed title. I promise.
Ok, we know the Pimp and 3-Bowl like to do everything together, right down to riding (formerly) matching Buzz Bombs. But breaking them in nearly the same place is getting a little carried away. This crack in Larry's frame had them sharing a bike for most of the race.



John F. Stinkbait was in fine form, decorating the climb up to the campground with an assortment of inspirational items, slamming alcoholic energy drinks, emceeing the awards, defending his buddy... A regular whirlwind in a thorn tree.


Kirby and I did a ride from the campground that he named "the 3 Fingers." Start at the campground, and head up the new connector and hit all 3 branches of the Ozark Trail between 32 & DD- North Trace Creek up to DD, Middle Fork up to the DD/32 intersection, and South Trace Creek up to 32. South Trace coming back is especially fun. It's a 20 mile roundtrip according to his cyclocomputer, and another excellent ride you can do from Council Bluff now that the new connector is open.

Burnin' Google Earth Update

For those of you who are getting ready for the Burnin' at the Bluff; Google Earth has added a major update of the imagery for Missouri. These latest ones taken in 2005 showing some rather stunning views of Council Bluff Lake.

New Telleck Branch Connector at Council Bluff

Ever been riding at Council Bluff and seen the trail that heads off from the first bridge? You know, the one you rode a couple of hundred yards, came to the swamp caused by the beaver dam, and then had to turn around, or do a balancing act to walk across the dam, all the while trying to avoid the briars? Well, that's a thing of the past! The OTA spent this past weekend cutting a new reroute into the hillside above the old trail. It's now wide open to use Council Bluff campground as your base and head out for one-way rides of 8, 16, 25 miles or more, depending on which section of the Ozark Trail you want to ride. The second page of this map gives an overview of what's out there.

Sunday Rides at Greensfelder

Steve Smith, who recently took over as the trail steward for Rockwoods Range, is going to be having regular rides at Greensfelder.
The rides will begin at the Roundhouse parking lot on the first Sunday of every month beginning at high noon, weather permitting. The next one is set for Sept. 3rd. If you haven't been out to check out the extensive rerouting that GORC has done at Greensfelder, now's your chance. The rides will cover some variation of the Dogwood and DeClue trails, plus they will also throw in bits of the existing trails in Rockwoods Range, like the Fox Run Trail. The plan is to keep this ride at a laid back pace, so if you want to find out more about the trails here, have some fun with fellow GORCers, and maybe have a few frosty beverages, then come on out.

Remember When...

Since I didn't make it out to Greensfelder today for the First Sunday ride, I decided to remember the nice, cold days of February, when it was too cold and wet to ride. Wait a minute, which is better, having it too cold and wet, or too hot and dry?.... Well, you decide for yourself. Also included is a shot of the "virtual kiosk" there which must have melted with the snow.

St. Charles County Parks Mountain Bike Training Class

Eight participants showed up for the first St. Charles County Parks "Inroduction to Mountain Biking" ride. Four GORC elves showed up to help steer the participants around the park. SCC Parks employee Kent "trail shredder" James had a nice introductory level course laid out and everyone survived the the trek. All present seemed to have a pretty good time and I personally hear many saying "I'll be back to do this again next month".

The ride lasted for just over an hour and several folks went out for a few more miles after regrouping at the original start point.

I fully expect this ride to grow in size and when it does, there will be multiple groups going out covering varying skill levels. This is the perfect way to introduce that friend, relative, significant other, kid, stranger or coworker to mountain biking. Its also a great way to help someone who is familiar with riding to step up their skill level. We'll do our best to make sure anyone who shows up doesn't end up seeing something like this...

What:
GORC Mountain Bike Training Class

When:
2nd Wed. of each month, May 10 – Sept.13
6:00 PM–Dusk

Where:
June & July - Quail Ridge Park, Wentzville
August & September - Matson Hill Park, Defiance

Which Line Would You Take?

This is the spot on the trail at Big Bear where Rockboy broke his chain. The picture was taken looking against the flow of the trail. The line over the roots was the original trail, but proved to be a lot trickier than most riders were willing to chance, especially with the damp conditions. There were usually about 10-20 spectators here waiting for the carnage. Once the alternate line wore in, it wasn't quite as interesting.
So, which would you choose; the fast, straight shot over the roots with the risk of your front tire sliding and running you into one of the trees, or the safer, wider one which forced you to slow down?

Bridge to Nowhere

It made me sad to see this construction out on the Grotpeter Trail at Castlewood.
I thought about how many lunches the materials used for it might buy for workdays spent repairing and maintaining the deteriorating trails there.
It seems like it would be more useful to teach how to build sustainable trails, or reroute around problem areas, rather than attempting band-aid projects such as this.

Ride Report: Greensfelder

The DeClue reroute at Greensfelder is finished, so 7 of us decided to ride it on Sunday. We started at the Roundhouse parking lot and began by riding Dogwood counterclockwise. Dogwood is in great shape, even after taking a pounding during the Spring freeze-thaw cycle. The climb out of the valley back up to the Roundhouse has a few rough spots where it crosses drainages, but is entirely rideable. Next, the awesomely fun section of DeClue down to Allenton Rd.
Then it's up the steep, rocky grinder to the Radio Tower. Not much has changed with it. In order to enjoy all the fun stuff going clockwise on DeClue, there aren't many alternatives.
DeClue is in good shape aside from a few wet spots below the rock garden where post-holes have collected some water in the drainage.
Up, up and away, then the rollercoaster ride. Mountain biking doesn't get much better than this!
Regroup at the cut-off before beginning the next rocky section. So far, the Punisher is crash free!
Through, around, up and over the rocks until you get to the steep, rocky downhill section. Well, it's not there anymore. The trail continues straight, bypasses and cuts back across the old section in a S-shape before rejoining the existing DeClue section. Along the way are ledges, dips, alternate lines, off-camber screamer sections, and other assorted fun. Um, Randy, the trail turns left here.
You're only on the old trail for about 50 ft. and then there's a keyhole which directs you down and to the left--watch out for that ledge! Down, down, around. More ledges, rocks, turns, a bit of climbing, hoops embedded in trees, the "loading dock", and then back to Allenton Rd.
Then the hardest part is trying to decide which way to head next; back up the way you came, or hit the fun section across the road. Better do both!
We need to put a lot more wheels down on this trail. Don't forget the Off.

Greensfelder Workday Saturday 5/20

We're going to try and finish the re-route this weekend, but there are several somewhat complicated sections left to build, so we'll need help from all the experienced GORC trailbuilding experts we can get out there.
The map shows what's been done to this point, and what we hope to finish is shown in red.
If you haven't been out yet to see why some GORC members consider this to be one of the most fun, and exciting trails in the area, now's your chance.
Be aware that I-44 has some major construction going on around the 6 Flags exit, so you might want to consider an alternate route. Here are a few other alternatives:

SIUE Connector Trail

Here's a detail of the newly constructed connector trail between Trails 1 & 3 at SIUE. Previously, you went to the first intersection with the cross-country trail and followed it down to the bottom of the hill, made a left, then a right on the asphalt. Now, the connector branches off to the right just before the cross-country trail, and takes you around to a short section of asphalt which leads to New Poag Rd. and on to the trailhead of #3.

Ozark Trail on the TeeVee

Not everybody gets the Ozark Trail Association's weekly email updates so I'll post this up here. John Roth of the OTA (and GORC, but he keeps that on the DL) just had a really big weekend with the Middle Fork / 200 mile grand opening celebration. Here's a great five-minute interview with him from last week on the KMOV-4 TV morning show. Click this link and then click Part 3. He even plugs mountain biking on the OT in it. Go OTA.

SIUE Workday- Saturday, April 29 + Other Happenings

We'll be cutting a short connector trail between the 1st and 3rd sections of trail out there, and doing some maintenance leftover from the construction of the 3rd section last fall. You might even learn the (im)proper way to carry tools. The fun starts at 8:45 am.

SMBA is also having a workday on Sunday, April 30 at the Cove Hollow Trail near Carbondale, IL.

This weekend is also the official dedication of the 200+ miles of continuous Ozark Trail. There's going to be bbq, music, hiking, and a shuttle for mountain bikers to ride North Trace. Details on the festivities can be found here.

2006 MMBF is in the books

Yes folks, the 2006 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival is history, and it appears to have been a rousing success. If this photo doesn't convince you that EVERYONE had a good time, then it probably isn't going to be possible. More to follow...

Festival Music

If you're a fan of the whacked-out traditional music, don't show up late on Saturday.

The band lineup is looking great. Big thanks to Mesa Cycles for footing the bill for us to get so many good bands.

noon The Monads, punk bluegrass rockabilly, think split lip, but with more strings on the bass, I bet they hate that. Click the link and find out for yourself. Or better yet, just show up. The beer starts flowing at noon too.


2:00 Maid*Rite I don't have a link, but these girls rock country style, or play country rock style, or something. It's always a good show.

4:00 Red Ass Jones: You saw them last year but this year they'll have two more people, a mandolin, and electronical amplification. Another good country-style thing, maybe more traditional bluegrass than the others.

6:00 Dub Kitchen. Dub is kind of like reggae, but more electronic. Don't take my word for it, find out why these guys have such a big local following.

8:00ish The Choir: You might recognize Matt Black Matt James, the guitar player, as a local bike shop wrench (big shark, now mesa). Mr. Ray-of-Sunshine's band will be playing "balls-out rock and roll" as soon as he catches his breath after the night time trial, and hopefully puts on some pants.

After that, who knows.

So, fans of the stand-up bass, don't put off coming out. We have three in a row right from the get-go. Get your stuff together now, enjoy the show, get a demo bike and enjoy the trails, whatever.

Early registration is closed so when you come out you can pay your $25 (still a bargain!) for the whole shebang or pay $10 for the cheapskate limited-benefits saturday-only registration.

FEST

No Monthly Meeting 4/05/2006

There will be no monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 5th due to final preparations for the Midwest Mountain Bike Festival this weekend. Kirby says it's ok to go drink beer and talk about bikes if you like. See you this weekend!

GORC Does the DRJ Bike Clinic

A few of us helped out with the DRJ sponsored Bike Clinc at Castlewood State Park on Saturday. We gave a little talk explaining what GORC does and a little about proper bike etiquette on the trail. We had a lot of interest in GORC and the Festival. Rich Love and the rest of the presenters gave GORC huge props for the work we do, very nice of them.

Lost Valley - The "In" Place To Be

Yep, there were all kinds of people out there on Sunday enjoying the beautiful sunny weather, and nearly perfect trail. We ran into the Beeg and a couple of his buddies, Pete, GiGi, and Joe, Mike Dunston, and Rob, Barb and Boone. JohnnyD's car was at the Mound, so he was somewhere in the area. Supposedly we just missed Dug and the Pirate. There were lots of other hikers and bikers as well. Hopefully, everyone will be happy about helping to build trail that so many are getting out and using.
There are a couple of trees down right before the bridge, but you can ride under them. Otherwise the trail looks great, and is ready for lots of visitors from the Festival.

Klondike Double Switchbacks

Here's a pretty descent picture of the double switchbacks out at Klondike. This past weekend we had 18 people come out and do a little pre-fest maintenance to the trails. We re-worked one of the switchbacks on the Hogsback and did a little benching here and there where needed. For the most part, the trails were in good shape. The west side of the park was totally ready to ride despite the deluge of rain we've had recently. After a couple dry days, I think the Hogsback would be in similar shape. Most sections were slick, but solid underneath.

Just Say No To Mud

Dirt Rag's website has an article about riding this time of year and what can happen when wet or thawing trails are ridden. Most of the info comes from NEMBA's website, which also provides a little more in-depth analysis.

While we may not be in quite the same situation as they are back east, this photo of the climb out of the valley on the Dogwood Trail at Greensfelder shows that we can develop the same sort of damage to our own trails. (Yes, there are bike tracks there, too.)

Good stuff happening in Southern Illinois

The fine folks at Shawnee Mountain Bike Association, Southern Illinois' IMBA Club, are building some tasty new trail, like the beautiful logride option above. See more pictures from their last workday here. They're working this Sunday March 5th and don't have nearly the number of people in the area as we do. Most of the time that's a great thing. On workdays, not so much. The best plan would be to go ride one of their many trails on Saturday, camp, and work Sunday. I know, too much sh-- er, stuff to do... seems to be a problem for everyone. Go ride down there sometime anyway. It's not all that far.

There's more info on this weekend in the our forum here, and of course at SMBA's website.

Mardi Gras Survived Successfully!

Thanks to all of the tips it was a breeze making it through another Mardi Gras.
Here, our own Sniker risks life and limb to ensure that the keg tap was installed correctly. She gave it a very thorough inspection, and after giving it a thumbs-up, the beer was flowing again in no time.
It was that kind of personal sacrifice and generosity that allowed everyone to have a good time, even on such a cold, blustery day.

GORC Wants Your Ca$h

Yep, the Trail Pimp's got expensive taste. What with buying new trailbuilding tools, paying for newsletters, posters and other printed stuff to get the word of GORC out, and even putting on the Midwest Mountain Bike Festival, things add up. What better time to renew your membership?
Not a member yet? 10 bucks a year is a bargain to help maintain and develop new singletrack in the STL, isn't it? Don't forget to check out the work schedule to see other ways you can help.

Workdays this Weekend

There are several workdays going on this weekend. Why not get out and help build some trail.

First, is our own re-route and maintenance at Matson Hill on Saturday, from 9-1. We're going to re-route the one climb that's become a little too rough to sustain. As usual, there will be a ride afterward pending the weather.

If that's not enough for you, SMBA has a workday going on Sunday, Feb. 19th to reroute a section of the Cove Hollow Trail. This is a really fun, technical trail which is going to be even better once they get done fixing up a few sections.

Also, for you people in Illinois, Rod is having a workday at Lake Lou Yaeger near Litchfield on Saturday the 18th. They're steadily getting trail built and pretty soon it's going to be a place to go for mountain biking. There's a real nice lake for swimming there as well.

Tool Review: Fiskars Loppers

I borrowed a well-worn set of these 15-inch Fiskars Powergear Anvil Loppers for a while at an OTA workday and was pretty impressed. They went through stuff as big as my 24" bypass loppers but were a lot lighter and quicker. I think the geared drive works well with short handles. With the longer-handled geared loppers you have to move the handles a long way to get it onto whatever you're cutting. I like the small size because you can carry them easier and munch through scrubby brush faster than with the big'uns. Long handles are nice for thorn patches though. Anvil loppers are generally better for hard woody stuff, (and trailwork) while bypass are easier on the plants in your yard that you're pruning, not killing. Both work fine. Also, these are made in Finland, so they have that freaky european playschool style going, if you're into that.

If you're looking for a little set of loppers, these are GORC-recommended and worth the twenty-something bucks. Besides, the club already has a bunch of big loppers now thanks to a discount from Fiskars. For some reason Lowe's didn't have them but Home Depot did, although the last time I was at Lowe's they had a screaming closeout on fiskar's 24" bypass loppers for $12, and of the two big-box stores, Lowe's usually has nicer stuff.

From the Rockbreaker Archive

Straight from the man himself: "That's the trail down to Pelican Island. They are old 3 wheeler / ATV Trails. This is back around 84 or so, when some of the guys would bring out their old 24" wheel single speed BMX race bikes. We would go down the trail so fast you would actually ride up onto the side of the berm. You had to go fast or you would get down into that nasty center line. When you got to the bottom of the hill if you came in too fast you would not be able to stop and you ran into the itch weed. Then you rode as fast as you could to the river to rinse off. They called it a heritage park and made it that it would not be able to be developed. It is near Douglas Rd. and Persimmon. Closest big intersection is New Halls Ferry and Shackleford."

Rockbreaker's Old School Mountain Biking

These photos are part of Glenn Meyer's MTB Archive. I'm not even sure where and when these pictures were taken other than near St. Louis a Long Time Ago.

I'm really looking forward to hearing about what that bike is doing in the tree.
Check out those gaiters.