New Trail at Morris Bridge

[Guest]

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[SandPine]

Last night we rode in the new trail which is going to be a one way trail from hole in the fence.  I don't know if is the way in or the way out yet.  But it should help with all the runners, hikers, and bikers who heavely use that section of the trail.

Attached you will find a GPS map of the new trail.  It is the yellow line which is within 5-10 feet of accuracy.  The blue line is an old GPS map that I have of the old main trail.  That blue line is 20-50 feet accuracy since it was an old GPS reading.

[FACTORe]

what software/site/program are you using to put your gps information on a map like that?  i have a garmin 305 and would love to make maps of my rides that looked like that

[SandPine]

I also have the Garmin Edge 305.  One week into it and I can't belive I didn't get this toy before.  From your Garmin (or other supported GPS receiver) load to http://www.MotionBased.com via the agent software or the web synch program they have.  Go to your inbox and load up the new activity.  Under the activity summery you will the see the course map.  Right under it there is a link to click on Google Earth.  It donwloads a *.kml file to your PC.  You will need Google Earth (BEST MAPING DIRECTIONAL SOFTWARE I EVER USED) installed on your PC to view the file.  From there you can zoom in and out then save to a *.jpg file.

If you don't have a GPS unit, you can still see someone's ride/map on Google earth.  Just click on someone activity within MotionBased and click on Google Earth link under the course map.  There is a link there to install Google Earth.  Here is the link to my ride last night...Give Google Earth a try..

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3011791

[FACTORe]

oh wow - i am already on motionbased - i need google earth i guess to make that feature work

[ROCKgardener]

awesome... cannot wait to ride it!!!

thanks for the update!

[perchman]

Wow, I was just out there Saturday during my hog encounter and didn't notice a thing.  Tricksy nasty Swampers!  This should be great, but, how do you limit the direction other than signage?  I understand the desire to keep the traffic down but if it's a good trail, the desire of the bikers to use it in either direction instead of the "same old" main back to the car (or to the trailhead) will be tempting.  Obviously I follow signage and I'm not suggesting that anyone do differently, it's just that a new trail in that section that eliminates the redundancy of the "old" main trail will be quite popular, at least to me.  Thanks again to the work done.  A new trail in that section of the system is just cool.

[perchman]

Oh yeah, until a direction is mandated, can we ride it in either direction?

[cole]

Until signs are up there is nothing but pick and choose.  When the signs are up it is up to the signs and all the riders to educate.  It will take awhile but people do change, just slowly.  Why not take a poll which way #4 to #5 goes and which way #5 to #4 goes.
I am sticking with history.  The hole in the fence #4 was and to some still is the starting point. Remember if you are running a bit late go the opposite direction towards Trout Creek that way you end up at the hole in the fence, a bit late, no big deal.  I herd the Park Rangers did a lot of the work.  Keep them with the riders, say thanks.

[perchman]

Will this new section, when the direction is mandated, result in the old main becoming a one way section?  I can't imagine that it would.  I interpreted Sandpine's post to mean that the new section was to cut down on the bike, foot and other traffic from/to hole in the fence, giving bikes an alternate route.  Although I have yet to see the new trail, I agree that, upon intitial consideration, it would probably be an alternate one way "in" trail from HITF.  Can't wait to ride something new in that area of the system.  I will make sure to give a thanks to the rangers.  Has a name been thrown about or should we let more people ride it to get a feel for the name?

[SandPine]

One trail to go in, one trail to come out.  I dunno yet which one will be which.  We rode in using the new trail which needs a lot of rides to look closely to a single track.  Right now it has a lot of grass and needs more trimming.  There will be signs I am sure but those will take a while.  It is also going to be hard to enforce.  Those of us in the WTA Bike Patrol, will do our best to remind riders of which way to take.

[Gregg]

That trail will be a great addition!

And that GPS toy is really cool where did you get it?

[perchman]

I had intended to come put and help with the workday but with father's day, etc., I didn't even get a chance to ride.  How's the new trail?

[SandPine]

We had 9 people show up to work Saturday.  We concentrated on this new trail.  The fence at the start has now being changed but the new trail is blocked right now.  We added a couple of re-routes to keep things flowing better and rough cut some new sections.  Some section still cross barved wire fences that needs to be removed.  Grass mower is going to give it another cut some time this week.  It will probably be ready for bike traffic after another work day.

I also learned that most of the new trail will be use to "exit" and come back to hole-in-da-fence parking lot.  You go in on the right as the sign will tell you.  Unless you can't read or understand English.  The right side trail is the old trail.  You do the old main trail to about 100 feet before the section where tree is down and we ride under it.  Then you will be forced by fence to go right into the new trail.  It will dump you by the sign at quiosk by the pits.  On the way back, you will be asked (by signs again) to take the main old trail.  Again, before that tree down landmark, you will be forced (by fence and trees) to take the new trail to the right.  The new trail add about 1.5 miles to the route.

[perchman]

So a fence will force all traffic, bikes, joggers, etc., to follow the same route, depending on which direction you're going?  I interpreted your first post to mean that this new trail was to give the bikers a road less travelled and take traffic off the main trail.  So this new trail will become a modification of the main?

[SandPine]

Correct, the trails will be converted to one way for ALL users.  Of course, that is if they ovey the signs.