Revival

[Vibrato]

Really excited to hear they're willing to look at a separate system. LT has incredible potential. From the outside looking in and having some experience with RICO I think there are a few things we should consider-as we all know the goal is a great experience for hikers, bikers on this trail, and equestrians on their trails-

If possible, a separate trail head would be great, if they would be willing to consider it. Horses get spooked by bikes and we don't like the poo, so keeping us separate would reduce conflicts for the rangers.

With separate trails, we'd have to see if they want us to use the old trail system and the equestrians get new trails, or are we going to leave the old equestrian trials and start anew for bike/hike? Or will we get half and they get half? etc...

Forcmeister and a bunch of other old school hard cores would probably be up to speed with the existing trail layout, and would be able to make suggestions for what would be a good 1st loop when planning, depending what the land managers wanted us to use with the old system, if anything.

The dood that heads up trail grants for Bi-State regional commission (Doug something... DeLisle?) went out a bout 2-3 years ago and actually found the monuments for the Sac-Fox trail system, and asked us if we'd be willing to open the trails back up. (The monuments were so overgrown he had to bushwack to get to them, and separate trails wasn't being considered so we weren't really interested.)

The boy scouts have a badge that used to be available for scouts that hiked the entire sac-fox trail. Re-opening this trail layout would require crossing the road and dropping down the bluff and back up, but thats nothing we haven't overcome before with great success. The problem is a good portion of it is equestrian trail, and may not be suitable for us at any rate.

When the boy scouts built their clubhouse a few years back I spoke with several upper doods who expressed interest in working with FORC to help provide some labor, etc. Seems like one of them was already very involved, but I'm drawing a blank as to who it was... one of our members Dads, maybe?

Anytime FORC starts a new park, there is a new influx of local cats who find out we're building real trails, and they join the club and get involved helping out. LT is fairly close to Muscatine, so I would anticipate a few future hard cores would come out of this area.

Overall, I'm jealous. When we talked about doing this years ago, I told Forcmeister I'd sell my house and move out there if we had this opportunity- Now I work in Cedar Rapids and won't get to have the fun. Dang it.

[Vittetoe761]

Anytime FORC starts a new park, there is a new influx of local cats who find out we're building real trails, and they join the club and get involved helping out. LT is fairly close to Muscatine, so I would anticipate a few future hard cores would come out of this area.

There will be no problems finding a few hardcores in the MuscaVegas...

[jimithng23]

a quick update...

Communication has begun between FORC representatives and RICO. Very preliminary, but the ball is slowly rolling.

A small group of FORC'ers scouted possible trail layout yesterday... let's just say, as most know, the potential out there is astounding. So much room for activities!

Exciting times, my friends. Exciting times.

[Bexter]

Thunder has the potential for being an amazingly epic trail system! Camping and pavilions, a decent-sized lake to fish and kayak, bike/hike trails... wow!!

[BD83]

Maybe we should stomp some trails out this winter

[jJohnson]

Maybe we should stomp some trails out this winter

Yeah.

[corbin]

Have you been playing my drum set!

[Surge]

-off pink bike- Starting in January and running through the end of February, Bell Helmets and IMBA will begin taking applications for 2014 trails, with finalists named during the first week of March. Voting will then come in three regional phases, starting in April with the West coast, and ending in May with the East coast, with central voting in between. From there, all winners will be officially announced in May 2014, with trail design and construction beginning in June
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Bell-He...-for-2014.html
This would be a good thing for LT or Westbrook in Dewitt, not sure if our imba status would qualify Forc for applying, but I'd be willing to write a grant if needed.

[DH001]

Word from the LT ranger is they are not considering trail development for another two years and there are still some issues we will need to resolve with them if it we will even be involved. That grant would be useful for other projects in the meantime. I know there is talk of expansion on LT at Sunderbruch and we still have a skills park to build at Scott County. We would need a pretty watertight plan before applying I am assuming?

[dgw2jr]

There's nothing wrong with LT if you dig serious berms lol

[jimithng23]

-off pink bike- Starting in January and running through the end of February, Bell Helmets and IMBA will begin taking applications for 2014 trails, with finalists named during the first week of March. Voting will then come in three regional phases, starting in April with the West coast, and ending in May with the East coast, with central voting in between. From there, all winners will be officially announced in May 2014, with trail design and construction beginning in June
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Bell-He...-for-2014.html
This would be a good thing for LT or Westbrook in Dewitt, not sure if our imba status would qualify Forc for applying, but I'd be willing to write a grant if needed.

I think it would be a great thing if we were awarded a grant for any of our upcoming projects.

Actually, I wrote and applied for last year's Bell Built grant for a project at Sunderbruch. The entire process put a bad taste in my mouth--the winner was ultimately decided upon based on votes via social media/facebook so naturally, IMBA's regional directors pushed for "their" projects. Our project hardly saw the light of day.

If you wish to spend the time to write an application, let me know and I'll get you the project info I have. Just be aware of the highly politicized process you'll go through to try and get your grant awarded.

Personally, I don't want anything to do with that process any longer.

/thread hijack.

Bummed about the ranger's outlook on trail development at Loud Thunder. Hoping our diplomacy, advocacy, and education can show him/them the light.

[Epoling]

I would love to help out any way I can. I am from Andalusia so any excuse to head out that way is nice. I'm not very experienced in trail building but I love to ride and have spent many days in LT. I also have quite a few connections in Rock Island Co. Please let me know what's can be done.


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[tykaalan33]

On Saturday there were 150+ people at the scout camp clearing the Sac-Fox main loop

[davideemccann]

thanks my issue has been fixed.

[TravelerTravis]

I'm new to mountain biking and new to FORC membership, but I saw this thread and was wondering if anything ever came of this? I rode Sac Fox South at Loud Thunder last fall and it was a very mixed experience. I rode over 8 miles from the front office, through Sac Fox South and back, and my thoughts echoed what was said several years ago in this forum thread: the area has HUGE potential. However, my experience riding it last fall was not good... mainly because it is more an equestrian trail than a MTB trail. Many of the hills are way too steep for beginner / intermediate mountain bikers, and much of the trail is heavily rutted, pitted, and downright dangerous in some spots. In fact, I broke my chain and got a flat during my ride there and had to walk my bike back part of the way (chain break was my own fault trying to put power into the peddles while gearing down for a steep hill... pinch flat was due to some unexpected cement at the bottom of a hill). Anyway, it is a beautiful area with plentiful space and potential, but judging from the lack of activity in this thread for many years, I'm guessing the idea died?

[DH001]

Travis, they did some trail rework a few years ago (2017?) south of the horse corral and wiped out the remaining old singletrack. Like you said, the new stuff is very steep, has massive erosion ruts, dangerous sharp corners, and was carved with a bulldozer by someone who never heard the phrase sustainable trail design. Almost all of this work created wide fall line trails/roads which severely erode after each rain storm and create a massive maintenance burden for the park and natural resource damage. A huge mess basically and super disappointing to see. I've emailed the Loud Thunder Ranger on a few occasions over the last few years and, based on the replies, didn't get the feeling they are interested in developing the kind of trails FORC likes to build at this time. Huge potential but I get the feeling the politics isn't right yet.


Erosion ruts shortly after the "trail" was carved in 2017.


One of the steep & eroded corners.

[TravelerTravis]

Thanks for the update! I sure won’t be going out there again after my experience last year. Very thankful for the trail systems we have, even if the potential at LT is huge.

[Cascade_Effect]

Thank you for the update, Drew!

I'm new to mountain biking

I am new too!

I broke my chain and got a flat during my ride there and had to walk my bike back part of the way (chain break was my own fault trying to put power into the peddles while gearing down for a steep hill... pinch flat was due to some unexpected cement at the bottom of a hill).

Even after all I had read I was still thinking about it, but that might put the nail in the coffin... Like you said:

Very thankful for the trail systems we have, even if the potential at LT is huge.