Road to Demo blocked 12/27/12

[bikesroll]

Doh! Thanks for the clarification, I misread a date.

[PACS]

There's a tree down near the bottom of Braille. Probably going to need a chainsaw to move it. It's after most of the features but you could still plow into it if you' re not paying attention.

[StuLax18]

I should be out there Tuesday so I'll look and see if I can't summon some super human strength.

[d-bug]

I should be out there Tuesday so I'll look and see if I can't summon some super human strength.

If it's the same tree from a few weeks back, you'll need superhuman strength...and a chainsaw.

[nordy643]

They cleared Highland yesterday

Highland Way cleared of mudslide in Santa Cruz Mountains - Santa Cruz Sentinel

[StuLax18]

Good good. Turns out I have meetings at 11:30 on Tues/Thurs so that killed my Demo ride yesterday. Now I gotta decide for Thursday when to go.

[squashyo]

If it's the same tree from a few weeks back, you'll need superhuman strength...and a chainsaw.

Perhaps maybe our wonderful Forest Managers will open up the possibility of building with lumber and nails to build bridges, ladders, and safe features. ah, but to dream.

[Carl Hungus]

Perhaps maybe our wonderful Forest Managers will open up the possibility of building with lumber and nails to build bridges, ladders, and safe features. ah, but to dream.

That would be nice, wouldn't it. I've never quite understood the policy against it.

[PACS]

That would be nice, wouldn't it. I've never quite understood the policy against it.

I believe the issue is that nails might present problems to the logging trucks (flat tires, etc). I doubt braille would ever be logged given some of the terrain and its use for recreation. Policy also probably has to do with people running around the forest making ladders everywhere, nailing into trees and creating unsafe features. Slippery slope argument I guess.

I'm with Squashyo. It would take Demo to the next level if the forest service started allowing ladder features to be built. Ive worked with Ed and the trail crew out there on some of the more recent feature - the stuff is built to last. How about a nice planked out bridge over that mud pool near the beginning of Ridge, instead of an ever-widening, equally muddy track around it? Could really build some cool stuff, under the supervision of the FS of course.

[StuLax18]

Ended up doing a ride all the way down to Sawpit and out, but I went up the last little section of Braille looking for the tree. I found what looked like a cleared tree just before that last 100 feet or so, and also one a bit further up just before the last sweeping right turn. There was a tree that seemed to have fallen, and was right next to the trail. It was pretty dead and I was actually able to yank on the tree and break it off. Here's a picture of it, laying on the ground on the right. Was this the tree? It used to be sticking out almost onto the trail through that tree closest to my rear wheel.



Slide was pretty well cleared up, but I learned the hard way how slippery they can be. I guess the rain overnight got it a bit wet and I ended up sliding for a couple seconds into the hill. Better than going off the edge for sure though. Tires picked up a nice new brown color.

[Carl Hungus]

Ended up doing a ride all the way down to Sawpit and out...

What kind of shape were the trails in overall? Standing water?

[StuLax18]

What kind of shape were the trails in overall? Standing water?

Not too terrible. The usual places were wet/muddy like near the end up of the climb up to Ridge, and that about 15 foot wide mud bog not long after the start of Ridge. Sawpit seemed pretty normal, no water that I remember. Hihn's had puddles here and there where there were potholes, and a few muddy spots. Seemed to have been a good amount of car traffic that was making ruts more than anything. You could definitely tell when you got in the wet stuff though, it killed my climbing. I definitely need to get clipless soon.

I would say in general it was damp, but not muddy. As in stuff was wet but you couldn't see water.