Trail Love, GORC Style

A lot of the work GORC performs goes unnoticed - and that's a good thing. From downed trees to drainage issues, the club keeps tabs of the area trails every time riders hit the dirt.

What may take a volunteer several hours to complete can go unnoticed as you whisk by the maintained section in the blink of an eye. While not comprehensive by any means, here's a short pictorial of work performed this month.

This work has been performed all summer by Chubb riders as they beat this tread into the extreme sideslope on the two short fall line reroutes. If you remember last year they were very off-camber. You are in for a surprise now if you haven't traveled there lately. Both reroutes have been ridden and a great tread has formed. The amount of man hours it took to bench cut the hillsides is staggering. You have to remind yourself that you aren't on the side of a mountain traversing a scree field.

Kudos to the sideslope work on the Chubb reroutes. These additions let riders get up the hill while the still-open original track allows for ripping downhills.


This tree on Flint Quarry at West Tyson/Chubb stuck around all summer but unfortunately, sometimes that's the case. GORC is entirely volunteer-based and the summer months can be busy for folks with the day jobs.

Sawing out deadfall is one of the more dangerous jobs GORC performs but all safety measures are taken: Sawyer training, leg chaps, sawyer helmets, sawyer gloves and tip-top equipment ensures that all tasks go smoothly. This downed tree at Greensfelder needed a chainsaw; many times a simple pack saw will take care of many downed saplings or branches. They are compact and fit nicely in hydration packs.

This tree on DeClue was a bugger as it was large enough to require several strategic cuts. If a tree is too large or too high off the ground and is deemed unsafe, GORC will use prudent judgment and request the county to step in. Not all downed trees can be taken out safely with our equipment or man power, however, it is a rare occurrence.

This short pictorial is just some of the work GORC is performing for the benefit of all trail users - biker, hiker, and equestrian - in just the past month or so. Next time you see a tree cut at the trailside or some drainage maintenance just remember: GORC love you long time.

Clif Bar Grant Purchase In Action

Last year we received a $500 grant from Clif Bar to purchase a Stihl Yard Boss. I'd seen Glenn using it at workdays at Lost Valley, Creve Coeur and Greensfelder, but those were all on relatively small sections.
Here, we took it out to the Dogwood trail, and used it to remove a large berm that was causing water to be channeled straight down the trail.
This section was about 60' long, and Glenn ripped through it in a little over an hour. It probably would have taken the two of us most of the day to do it by hand. In these pictures, he's around half-way done, and you can see the height of the berm next to the mud. The Yard Boss is a pretty slick little machine, and we're planning to use it even more to help with maintenance and trail building.

Castlewood Workday- March 13th

On Saturday, March 13th we will be working on one of our favorite but most neglected trails. The Cedar Bluff Trail at Castlewood is in dire need of our helping hands. An 1800+ foot re-route has been planned to begin restoring this trail to its former greatness. Please, come be a part of this great event that will help keep Cedar Bluff Trail useable for years to come.

Details: From 9:00 am till 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 13th. Meet at the Sherman Beach Trailhead off St. Paul Road in Sherman, MO. Parking may be limited, so carpool as much as possible.

Directions: Sherman Beach Trailhead is located off St. Paul Road in Sherman, MO.
From Big Bend Rd. and 141 take the following:
Big Bend Rd. west to New Ballwin Rd.
Take a left onto New Ballwin Rd. RdTurn right onto Kiefer Creek Rd.
Turn left onto St. Paul Rd.
Follow St. Paul Rd to Sherman Beach Trailhead

For google maps directions, type 1582 st. paul rd, sherman, mo into the search box.

What to Bring: You’ll need gloves, eye protection, water, and warm, protective clothing.

RSVP: Lunch will be provided by Lone Wolf Coffee Company following the workday. Make sure you let us know if you are going to attend. That way we can make sure everyone gets some delicious grub following all the hard work.

What is Provided: GORC will supply trail building tools, safety instructions on the tool usage, and information on how to build and maintain trails.

Why: The Cedar Bluff Trail has been subject to abnormally high amounts of erosion over the last several years and is in need of attention. This re-route will provide a more sustainable, enjoyable piece of trail.

After the Workday: Chow down on the great lunch provided, and then, trail conditions permitting, ride!

SIUE Workday- Saturday, March 6th

When: Saturday, March 6th, 2010. From 9:00~1:00.

What: We are doing some much needed maintenance work at SIUE. The trails received very little TLC last year, so let's get them spruced up for Spring '10.
We will be doing a short re-route around the mudpit on Trail 1, as well.

Why: SIUE is a super popular trail system that gets a lot of use, and is all dirt, so it needs quite a bit of work to keep it truly sustainable.

More Info: Please RSVP via this thread where you can ask questions or find more details.

Directions: From the Highway 40/94 interchange, Take hwy 255 North past Interstate 270, to New Poag Road. Turn Right or East at the end of the exit ramp. Stay on New Poag Road until the first intersection with a 4 way stop sign. This will be University Drive. Turn Right onto University Drive. The road will immediately bend to the left, at the end of the bend on your right is a gravel road, turn onto the gravel road. Follow the rock road past the hedgerow on the left, the road will make a 90 Degree turn to the right and then back to the left, then it will dead end. The Northernmost Trailhead is located at the 90 degree corner of the woods near that dead end.

What to bring: Gloves, Sturdy shoes, eye protection, and something to drink on the trail. It’s also a good idea to read through pilznr’s “What to expect at a workday” post, available via this link.

GORC will provide: Trail building tools, instructions on trail building, safety guidelines, and lunch. There will be giveaways as well. Bring your bike. There will be some sort of a ride afterwards, even if we cannot ride the trails due to conditions. There are miles and miles of bike paths in Madison County for your riding enjoyment if it is too muddy.

Sponsor: The Cyclery is sponsoring this workday and will be providing lunch from Blimpies, some great swag. Stop on by their shop after the workday and say hello. They are good people.

They're located at 2472 Troy Road, Edwardsville, IL 62025 and you can contact them at 618-692-0070, Store Hours: M-F 9-8, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-4.