Bluff Creek - trail work

[shutter2ride]

I have a suggestion....move the entrance hole a few feet forward (right) of where it is right now, and make the exit what is now the official entrance. Make people take a right turn somewhere after the bridge. I'll help with that just to keep the exit area before the bridge as it is now, fast and technical.

that is another option we've talked about. unfortunately a right turn after the "do over" bridge is near impossible because of the speed there. we are looking at another way to end the trail. after "no more fun" and the chicken wire bridge (we will not change this section at all) instead of making that quick left turn across the culverts, stay on the right side of the creek and do a rolling up hill bench cut to an exit/trail head.

truth is that we want to reduce the number of bridges in the beginning of the trail, and that last "do over" bridge. A. the bridges are starting to show fairly significant wear because of their age and B. accidents keep happening on them. If we keep the beginning section of trail on the East side of the creek, we can get more good single track on the way back on the West side of the creek...

Can I assume that most people don't really get anything out of the bridges themselves? I mean they are not adding much to the ride experience, they just get you to the other side...

[Troy]

Can I assume that most people don't really get anything out of the bridges themselves? I mean they are not adding much to the ride experience, they just get you to the other side...

There is some novelty in having bridges, and makes it look like the trail was built on purpose and didn't just occur after some people started following some deer tracks in the woods to a newbie, but I agree that they don't add anything in and of themselves. The more the trail is built up with berms, bridges etc. the more "official" looking the trail is, imo.

Whether or not that's worth it depends on who wants to infringe on it. If the city wants to pave it over, it may be better to have all these structures in place as monuments to how much work was put in the trail. I don't think that a lot of people realize how hard it is to bench cut a trail, but when they see a bridge, they know real effort went into that.

They also make a good noise when you roll over them

That's the best I can do playing devil's advocate.

Personally, I could care less, I'm all about the ride. But, my ride will be severely disrupted if the trail is paved over.

[YZF571]

I know this is weak but I honestly think that the bridges prepare some of the less experienced riders for other man-mades that they will eventually encounter. Not that they are that big of a deal, or anything at all to most of you experienced riders but again some" up" their confidence on those bridges.
Also short of staying completely out of the creek bed, more often than not they are the very reason we are able to ride the trail, surely you remember what it was like with out them. Oh and there are a couple that are fun to huck off and play around a bit on. I'd hate to see them go anywhere,
YZF571

[shutter2ride]

Can we have more big drops/climbs. There are a lot of ravennaes out there to go up and down.

btw I think this can be done at NuDraper. there is a big canyon in the Red, all ready to do something big with...

[spidervaldez]

I can go either way with the bridges, bridges have boards and nails, they have to be inspected and can get torn apart in a crash. If the bridges were to be removed from Bluff, I am sure the creeks could be armored with rock, and with all the road construction in OKC there should be plenty of waste pavement being dumped by the City somewhere. It might keep more people off the trails after a good rain too since there would be standing water in the bottom of the creeks. Just my two cents.

[shutter2ride]

fyi shane and I will be at bc on Sat at 10 AM to do some rough cutting to aid scoping out a possible new trail ending / trail head change. come hang out / help if you want.

marcel.

[reddirtdrifter]

New trailhead for sure, do I need to bring post hole digger for a possible movement of the trail head bulletin board, I can charge the drill up too, or am I jumping the gun, I never really liked where the bulletin board was hence the possibility why it may get looked over, let me know if we can grab coffe before somewhere it may be a little brisk,
" bike tire begins where the shovel ends" .....wait,,, u know what I mean

[shutter2ride]

hey thanks Shawn. we'll post an official workday or 2 for that. we first will have to shape a new section of trail as part of the move of the trail head. we rough cut most of it but we'll have to bench, dig, add a roller and a small berm, I want to run this by James and you first before we start that work.

I've also have started flagging a fairly long section of 'rake & ride' trail. this would add a nice bit of trail, but it will all be easy flowy stuff (the terrain is boring).

will post workdays asap.

Marcel.

[shutter2ride]

I'm looking at spending a couple of hours working at BC on Sunday afternoon. maybe work on a smaller dirt project, spend some more time looking at future projects, get some input from whomever shows up... meet at 1 or 2 PM, as soon as Shawn lets me know his schedule

[shutter2ride]

2 pm. Flag and dig some.

[shutter2ride]

Charles and I started digging a short little g-out benchcut section yesterday. if the weather cooperates we'll have an official workday at BC next Sunday at 1 PM to continue work on this and start working a long section of new trail in the same area which would mostly be fast flowy rake & ride stuff (if I can finish the flagging this week).

Marcel.

[shutter2ride]

just saw your note Troy.

I'm doing some impromptu work at BC tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30 PM. Working on the new rough cut, to try to get that section finished by this weekend and open it up.

Marcel.

[Troy]

just saw your note Troy.

I'm doing some impromptu work at BC tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30 PM. Working on the new rough cut, to try to get that section finished by this weekend and open it up.

Marcel.

I'll take a late lunch and be out there. Just give me a heavy implement to swing for an hour and I'll be good.

(btw, deleted my note... didn't want to make it look like there was a workday this Sunday)

[shutter2ride]

thanks Troy, I'll be in the parking lot around 1:30 PM.

[shutter2ride]

I'll be at bluff at 2 PM today to do some more work, with wheel barrow, trying to build a little berm. Join me if you like to shovel dirt.

[shutter2ride]

Shane and I will be at BC at 1 to do some recon & rough cutting. Join us if you need some fresh air.

[shutter2ride]

thanks to help from Shawn, Shane and Brian, and previously Cole, Amy and Troy, we now have 750 ft of new xc trail. It starts with a small reroute, this is not entirely finished, it still needs a short section of berm after the 2 rollers to keep you on the trail and out of the creek, to connect to the banked turn that we did finish. It's a bit awkward right now, then again it replaces another awkward section so perhaps that's the way it goes... We'll come back in the next week or so to finish it. We'll let it all pack down to see how fast it is, to see if it needs anything else...

btw thank you Tony V for pointing us to the unused area that we put this new section in.

Marcel.

[shutter2ride]

FWIW I'll be out at BC tomorrow/Monday at 5 PM to continue reworking one of the older berms half-way through the trail, if someone wants to help shovel & shape some dirt let me know.

Also, in the next week or 2 we'll be taking out the 2nd & 3rd bridge in the beginning of the trail. As such we are temporarily shortening the trail slightly with a quick reroute. We've been planning this for a while now and it is part of a long term plan to rearrange & add to the trail on the way back. Some of the reasons for removal of those 2 bridges; the 'toll plaza' before bridge #2 (4 ways to get around/through the trees right before it) is a mess, the dirt U turn section across the creek is pretty much worn out and both bridges need reinforcement as part of normal wear & tear. Yes the bridges are considered a challenge and will be missed as a result (I can hear the sighs already) but not the bad memories that go along with them (some pretty bad wrecks and a lawsuit). We're going to reuse the material for a long & low 'land bridge' as a fix for the (often) muddy section in the low area next to the paved trail at the pond in the back. We'll put this into place in a few months when that area is drier. If you want to know more about these changes please contact me...

[schlockinz]

I'll see you out there tonight.

[shutter2ride]

cool bring a shovel if you have one...

[Troy]

Wish I could, be sure and let me know if you're out tomorrow.

[shutter2ride]

Hi Troy, I'll know later tomorrow if I'm going to be out there again...

we had 6 guys today reworking a berm and wall turn. James, Jared, Drew, Joel, Jeff and myself. Lots of guys leaning on shovels... except for Jeff

pics by James

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[shutter2ride]

FYI late notice but it looks like Shawn and I will meet at bc tomorrow morning at 930 AM to work on something. Join if you'd like to.

[shutter2ride]

FYI Shane will pick up the trail boss duties at Bluff Creek going forward, taking it back actually good things will continue to happen at BC and work days will be posted soon I'm sure...