Demo: Tractor Trail? - Ride Report.

[jeng]

is it still down?? I want to do an all Demo ride and I like to ride up Tractor so just wondering if it is still being logged or whatever they shut it down for some time ago. Thanks.

[Carl Hungus]

is it still down?? I want to do an all Demo ride and I like to ride up Tractor so just wondering if it is still being logged or whatever they shut it down for some time ago. Thanks.

My understanding is that Tractor as you knew it is done forever. Whatever replaces it in the future will probably be a pretty considerable reroute.

[ziscwg]

is it still down?? I want to do an all Demo ride and I like to ride up Tractor so just wondering if it is still being logged or whatever they shut it down for some time ago. Thanks.

For an "All Demo" you can do:
Corral and climb back up Sulfur Springs and take the Saw Pit loop. Then, get to the base of Sulfur Springs from Hilm and climb it again and take Braille.

I want to dub this the Demo Triple Crown.

I miss Tractor too. I was a good trail not to use brakes on.................

[mrtoadsc]

Like a phoenix, Tractor Trail will be reborn into a better, more flow-y-er beast. Perhaps this winter if we can line up the resources...

[drew p]

Tractor is still closed. I think all the redwood has been shipped but there is still some hardwood harvesting and other close up operations happening.

[primordial]

We must be patient with SDF as in fact the mission of the place is to do logging (more sustainable techniques than average...but logging nontheeless). Still, one is left with the feeling with Tractor Trail that the pooch has been screwed... How is it that the MTB community must now find the financing to re-build the trail that was snuffed out by the big yellow log taxis? Wasn't it part of the bid for the logging operation to provide funds to re-build the trail? If not, why not?

I know it's the deal we've got to work with...Demo is called Demo Forest for a reason, but still it does feel that things really didn't work out right in terms of the 2-year(?) Tractor Trail tribulation.

Braille is the most famous, but Demo really has very few trails, and losing one is really a big deal.

[shredchic]

We must be patient with SDF as in fact the mission of the place is to do logging (more sustainable techniques than average...but logging nontheeless). Still, one is left with the feeling with Tractor Trail that the pooch has been screwed... How is it that the MTB community must now find the financing to re-build the trail that was snuffed out by the big yellow log taxis? Wasn't it part of the bid for the logging operation to provide funds to re-build the trail? If not, why not?

I know it's the deal we've got to work with...Demo is called Demo Forest for a reason, but still it does feel that things really didn't work out right in terms of the 2-year(?) Tractor Trail tribulation.

Braille is the most famous, but Demo really has very few trails, and losing one is really a big deal.

I don't know the answers to those questions - good ones for sure. But I do know that loggers don't know how to build fun mountain biking trails, and I assume the "resources" that Mr. Toad is speaking of means, human resources - i.e. time - to design and build the trail to all of our riding benefit.

[francois]

I did the ride with Jeng and company. It was incredible. Three crashes and two broken bikes. There was a lot of riding and a lot of ayer time.

Jeng had a full speed crash as he smacked into a pile of logs. He needed a few minutes to relax but then he led the charge again.

We met up with a few folks then everybody started cramping. I told them about all the Russian River beer in my car and everyone made it back in one piece.


fc

[francois]

Olympus OM-D photos.

It's nice to have a camera that can capture the fast action in that dark forest.

[francois]

photos

[StuLax18]

There's so much potential out at Demo, but no trail is worth having a tree fall on you. Every time I'm out there and hear creaking I get nervous.

[d-bug]

Personally, I am glad tractor is gone and am very excited about what we can build in its place. Want to make it rad? Then show up for trailwork days.

[francois]

There's so much potential out at Demo, but no trail is worth having a tree fall on you. Every time I'm out there and hear creaking I get nervous.

For realzzzzzz?

fc

[francois]

Demo is a little beat right now but it is full suspension heaven. Braille is choppy and dusty. Corral is good. But Saw Pit is in amazing shape. That trail is dust proof and rain proof. So awesome.

I was super confident at Demo even in the dust. Big tires and better cornering is cool. Dropper post is a huge plus there!!

fc

[StuLax18]

For realzzzzzz?

fc

Yes, now mind you this is not on the trails.

[dth656]

Demo is a little beat right now but it is full suspension heaven. Braille is choppy and dusty. Corral is good. But Saw Pit is in amazing shape. That trail is dust proof and rain proof. So awesome.

I was super confident at Demo even in the dust. Big tires and better cornering is cool. Dropper post is a huge plus there!!

fc

dude, my friend and i hit braille for the first time yesterday (before, we had been to demo 6 or 7 times, but did the corral--> sulphur springs--> sawpit loop). holy shiet! he rode 99% of it on his 96 bridgestone MB-1 (w/ girvin flexstem)---i ended up walking some of the techie stuff after those first 3 steep sections in sequence. i dunno, after blasting those, i was so high i kinda lost focus on the rest of the trail!

[francois]

dude, my friend and i hit braille for the first time yesterday (before, we had been to demo 6 or 7 times, but did the corral--> sulphur springs--> sawpit loop). holy shiet! he rode 99% of it on his 96 bridgestone MB-1 (w/ girvin flexstem)---i ended up walking some of the techie stuff after those first 3 steep sections in sequence. i dunno, after blasting those, i was so high i kinda lost focus on the rest of the trail!

I think most of us forget about the true trail treasure we have here which is Demo Forest.

fc

[francois]

Yes, now mind you this is not on the trails.

Ok.... what exactly are you taking about. Curious now.

fc

[jeng]

I did the ride with Jeng and company. It was incredible. Three crashes and two broken bikes. There was a lot of riding and a lot of ayer time.

Jeng had a full speed crash as he smacked into a pile of logs. He needed a few minutes to relax but then he led the charge again.

You should see my eye this morning Thanks for the photo's and BEER. Good ridin witcha

[francois]

You should see my eye this morning Thanks for the photo's and BEER. Good ridin witcha

Let's see it dude. Does it look like you went 15 rounds with a pile of logs?

Riding with you, Jason Van Horne and Michael Fine is a lesson in cornering braaap!

fc

[erisch]

Like a phoenix, Tractor Trail will be reborn into a better, more flow-y-er beast. Perhaps this winter if we can line up the resources...

Do you know if the logging is already done? I mean I'm excited to build a new trail but I guess we'd still have to wait until they open it up for building. Hoping that we can start as soon as the first rain falls.

Erik

[ask]

That looks like it was a good group ride @ Demo yesterday... nice pics! I was out @ Demo Saturday morning. Hardly anyone out there. I expected it to be more crowded on a holiday weekend.

Amazing weekend of riding for me... I finally got a chance to ride Skeggs, Demo, and Annadel back to back... 3 days... 3 parks. Capped everything off with a visit to RRB for some Pliny and a day off the bike to swim with my kids.

Friday - crammed 4 of my favorite DHs into a Skeggs loop after work
Saturday - Early morning Demo loop... everything except Corral.
Sunday - 26 miles or so @ Annadel. Hot temps and fun rocky trail goodness.

Have not had a chance to grab any stills off my GoPro yet... so just a shot of a post-Annadel my victory beer:

[TahoeBC]

I miss Tractor too. I was a good trail not to use brakes on.................

Hell yea fast & furious lot of good times on that one, it will be missed.

FC, there's a few gems in that batch of photo's

[Carl Hungus]

Amazing weekend of riding for me... I finally got a chance to ride Skeggs, Demo, and Annadel back to back... 3 days... 3 parks. Capped everything off with a visit to RRB for some Pliny and a day off the bike to swim with my kids.

Now that is a weekend.

[StuLax18]

Ok.... what exactly are you taking about. Curious now.

fc

Just out in the forest, I've seen the pink tags for logging.