....One thing that continues to sadden me is the continuous effort on the part of SWAMP to make every trail, even if it is a "double black" into a generic, smooth, sidewalk, designed for one bike type "xc". I rode Moonscape yesterday and noticed that the climbs were all loaded with baby-heads and all the dh's were all smoothed out?? The first big dh was so loaded with dirt that the berm was completely wasted and could not be entered from the bottom. It was because of this stupid trail change, that I blew the corner and dislocated my shoulder. STOP TOUCHING THE DOUBLE BLACKS!!!!! They are much better without your help... ....
Here's the deal - no trail that recieves any amount of use and abuse from both riders and Mother Nature is better left "not touching it." That is just plain ludicrous. Trails get built and need to be reworked or changed in some way as they mature and receive user abuse. One must remember that this is all volunteers who try to find time in their busy lives to go and actually make a trail that can be used by the masses with little recognition or appreciation of the hard work that goes into both making it, and keeping it maintained on a regular basis. It is a full time job if that is what you expect. There are no tax dollars to pay for a crew to go out and fix it like found on the countries road ways as one suggested. It is FREE TIME given by a dedicated few. Harder trails are built and skills get better for riders, so harder trails don't seem as hard as they once were. The trails are designed and built with the IMBA rules of trail building in mind. They are also built with erosion in mind and how often a group of VOLUNTEERS have to go back time after time to repair it. Can it be much harder and require much more maintenance? Yes. Can it be difficult and less maintenance in mind so even the caretakers can find time to ride it? Yes. Many times I see the same faces and bikes riding the trails at the same time I am working them, but I keep working them all the same trying to make them to the point of very little maintenance. That way I can ride too. Maybe the next rain damaged trail won't be so bad next time because of the efforts that I, and those who stand shoulder to shoulder with me, do to make it a more sustainable trail. Is it perfect? No; what in life is? Will it be a stronger longer lasting trail? Yes.
Stop making the Double blacks into blue squares... Leave something that is actually hazardous and difficult both up and down hill....
Ever hear of litigation? Land owners and managers do not like being taken to court over injuries on their property. Just a fact of life you will have to get a grip on. By definition we still have "Double Blacks." They may not be to the standard YOU place on them, but Double Blacks just the same.
You and your short travel bikes have miles upon miles of "xc" trails to play on. Leave Gatorback and Moonscape alone as you are clearly incapable of supporting them in any useful way.
Once again, the Trail Bosses do an exceptional job of designing, building, and maintaining a trail that receives hundreds of bike tires a week on them. SOme who have no business on the trail because of subpar skills, and others who skill set is adequate for most any trail thrown in front of them. Bottom line is the trail is worked to make it fun and sustainable at the same time. Not an easy task. One can't be everything for everybody. If you dislike SO much, ride somewhere else that pleases you more. It's built and maintained for FREE. You're welcome. :-)
Leave some diversity, the world of single track is not just for one type of rider. Just because you can't ride it or it scares you, doesn't mean that you should make it easier, it just means you should ride something else!
The world of trail maintenance is not just for one type of rider. Just because it is made to be sustainable and longer life shouldn't scare you from coming out to help make it better; perhaps you should ride something else that pleases you better. Let others know where this jewel of a trail system is so they can ride it too. The more trail choices the merrier.
