Has anyone tried riding LT lately?
LT conditions?
Has anyone tried riding LT lately?
Supporting Member
I wish! As far as I know it really hasn't been ridable for over a year now. It never opened last spring because of all the rain, then was completely wiped by the July 21st derecho that blew through here. I don't think anyone has had the time/energy/motivation to go out there and clear all the trees! Maybe someone else has a more recent picture of what it's like out there?
FORC'n Newbie
Where is it located?
FORC'n Newbie
in illinois near muscatine and andalusia
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...32093&t=h&z=14
if anyone wants to go out and work on the trails, i'd help! i love it out there! just look at the terrain--nothing like it near here. i've always envisioned an imba epic trail 30-50 miles of singletrack. it'll be a lot of work though!
Never done trail maintenance but I'm up for it.
I ran through this winter moving branches and logs a few times and ran a lap in May. It is in terrible shape. I think the DNR or some of the lumber company's moved some of the large logs... but between the erosion and the horses... Well, I just figured the people at FORC wrote it off in favor of Sunderbruch... at least there you can somewhat keep the horses off the trails. (though i'm seeing a lot of horse crap on the trails as of late at Sunderbruch).
FORC'n Newbie
we should pick a day and go out there
FORC'n Newbie
Im down as long as its int Aug., July is bookedOriginally Posted by konabiker
FORC'n Newbie
aug is just around the corner
let's pick a weekend and get out there
i'm out aug 8 and aug 30
I went over to LT yesterday. Didn't even consider biking it. I ran a lap just to see how bad it was.... I think I can answer the question "what happened to the great mayan civilzation?" Horses.
That Guy
I hate to ask but... was it rideable?
Rg.
Haters gonna hate.
Supporting Member
I have often wondered, what if a group got fed up w/ red tape, paying too much insurance, not being appreciated, equestrians not contributing but rather damaging hard work or whatever the case and decided NOT to maintain a trail system anymore?
Please tell me it is such a mess that the equestrians can't even really enjoy riding an ungroomed and rutted trail system.
I want to know if they eventually get fed up with overgrowth and erosion and stop riding there and move on to destroy (w/out repairing) a different trail system?
Or do they just keep on keep'n on?
Ya didn't see me do it. Ya can't prove it!
That Guy
The equestrians told us several times that they preferred the trails to be "wild" rather than groomed. I'm sure they're pleased with the way things have turned out...
Rg.
Haters gonna hate.
FORC'n Newbie
Rumor has it that they had all but given up riding the trails out there numerous years back because no one maintained them. Ranger Mike indicated that he wasn't all that bothered by it at the time because it much less of a hassle.
When FORC started maintaining them, the equestrians started coming back, and so the usual conflict between our user groups began again. (We scare the horses, they tear up the trails, etc.) I ALMOST get the impression that Ranger Mike would just as soon let the trails go to seed so he wouldn't have to mess with either the equestrians or the MTB'ers.
Yeah, We know the Parks that only allow MTBers (or that ENFORCE the seperation rules! Oh, hi Scocopa, didn't see you standing there...) don't have these problems because we maintain, assist, educate, inform, and basically police ourselves and our fellow riders who may not be up to speed with all of these issues like we're supposed to in order to create a better relationship with the land managers.
Based on Scocopa and Loud thunder, it seems the circle is this-
Step 1. Equestrians use the trails until their unrideable and stop showing up
Step 2. Mountain Bikers offer to spend thousands of hours and thousands of dollars to rehab the trails to sustainability
Step 3. Equestrians get upset that they have to share the trails or that they aren't allowed to ride on the trails built or rehabbed with MTB time and money.
Step 4. Equestrians ignore the rules and create conflict by doing so.
Step 5. Rangers adopt a "can't we all just get along" attitude and ignore the problem.
Step 6. MTBers get tired of repairing trails or riding crap trails.
Step 7. Equestrians use trails until they're unrideable and stop showing up
Step 8. Go to step 2, repeat ad nauseum...
Unless a ranger follows Sugar Bottoms example and gets rid of the user group that won't maintain their own trails. In that case popularity ioncrease, conflict goes away and everyone is either happy or somewhere else.
Believe in yourself? Well sure, of course. But be aware that "believing in myself" has been the root cause of most of my injuries.
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"I feel sorry for people who don't do this." -Badfish41- after bombing the Hermosa's at Levis Trow.
Supporting Member
That's what I thought.
Ya didn't see me do it. Ya can't prove it!
Not even remotely rideable... Probably beyond repair.
Poser
good...sets us up nicely in the future....
4 years ago there was about 3 miles of decent single track that the horses hadn't ruined. Much agreed about an epic possible ride there. Not quite like Levi-Trow or Chequamegon epic though it is fun to dream. I'd focus on what ya got and build the community before going head to head with the horsebians.
Anyone willing to come out here and help clean up again?
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