"Leg Bone" continues

The last couple days have seen work progressing nicely.  Toni came out and helped one afternoon to add some of her muscle to a couple bigger jobs.

The trails now marked out to the top, the only small compromise is moving the trail head back down the track a little, meaning thigh bone has already started :)  This allowed us to incorporate some nifty trail features as well as ensure the climb was not to steep but will make the descent a "hoot" of a ride !  We had always planned something interesting as the easy climbing track, "ankle bone" has been built.

Large Log Obstacle
This wonderful fallen tree provided an excellent opportunity for something a little different, an A line over a "Y" in the log, with a drop off on the back side as you descend.  We cut a narrow gap to slow down those that choose the "B" line for the descent, this is also the line you have to take when climbing.  The "Y" in the log will be filled will loose logs from another coppiced tree (only 1/2 full presently) , leaving the logs "loose" under the wheels should add a degree of interest to the trail feature !  Pics are worth a 1000 words, so hear's a few thousand.

Chainsaw cut for the "B" line through a 3ft thick log !

"A" line of the same log, looking up, with a drop off  on the
down side !

Same log from above, "A" line (left), "B" line, right

Logs curing, after debarking, in preparation for use as
stringers on the up-ramp over the log

Once again we have coppiced logs beside the trail for use in construction, in my opinion, the most environmentally sustainable method of construction, knowing the provenance of the materials !

Half Bench
Here the trail threads between a large spotted gum and a large string bark, the down hill side is right near a 10m near vertical drop into a creek.  The large spotted gum was providing stabilisation but needed a little help to make the track a little "safer" and more sustainable.  We built a rock wall and filled it with cut material from the benched track a little further up the trail.

Through the trees, before

Through the tree, after

Rocks providing stabilisation for the fill.

Benched Trail
We also spent a fair bit of time benching the track where it was needed, the side slope is not particularly steep, so not a lot of cutting is needed, that combined with the softer, loamy, ground made for quick excavation.  Having done a lot of trail work in Townsville on the Douglas trails where the ground is rocky and the soil as hard as rock, this is about 10x as fast ! Sweeeeettttt...

Benched track through the rain forest on "Leg Bone".

Interesting Obstacles
Gravity Drop
There's a nifty Gravity Drop, as an A line (descending only), to come, I have roughed this out and it's rideable, if you're careful but really needs a little benching as there is a small off camber section that is a bit "tricky".


Overlocker Corner
This has two sets of two large trees to thread the needle through, thus "Overlocker".   Sewing aficionados will know why we called it "Overlocker Corner"

Top of the corner, first set of trees
to "thread" between

Half way through the corner, the second set of tress
to "thread" between

Then cross a log as you exit the corner

Soil ramps (large rocks buried) over a log
after "overlocker" corner.

I would estimate we are about 50% of the way through the trail so far.  I hope to have it finished by the time of the social ride, on the 29th May.

Rescheduled social ride - 29 May !

The promised Nymboida MTB Social ride is on again.  The inaugural ride last year went down well, so we decided to repeat the ride again this year (original date in April was cancelled due to rain !.  Keep an eye on this site for updates, in case (heaven forbid !) we need to cancel the ride again due to inclement weather !

What : A social Cross Country mountain bike ride near Nymboida, single track and firetrail

When: Sunday 29 Mayl, 9:00am

Where: 41 Martin Rd, Nymboida

How to get there <--- (clickable link to map)

All skill levels and riders welcome.

Well maintained bike, with a helmet, spare tube and drinking water is a must

See you all there !

Trail work has started again

Now I have finished several projects around the house, I am back working in the trails again !  The trail names for this Northern Section are based on the "Dem Bones" song. Toe, Foot and Ankle are done... now it's "Legs" turn.

DEM DRY BONES

Your toe bone connected to your foot bone, 

your foot bone connected to your ankle bone,

Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone,

Your leg bone connected to your knee bone,
Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone,

Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone,

Your hip bone connected to your back bone,

Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone,

Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone,

Your neck bone connected to your head bone,

I hear the word of the Lord!

...

Leg Bone
I have been spending some time scouting where to put the trail, all we knew was where we wanted it to finish, on the northern intermittent creek, these many walks in the bush (which I enjoy thoroughly, getting to intimately know the lay of the land) have resulted in the bottom 1/3 of the trail being decided on, so I have cleared the trail corridor and started building in earnest.

Benched trail, Rake Ho lean showing cross-fall !

Some jobs require more muscle then I can bring to bear on my own, so Toni helps out when she can.  We went out early this morning, forgoing a ride, to do the creek crossing.  Manoeuvring the large rocks by myself was more then I could handle !

Toni, tidying up the Creek crossing

The crossing is mostly finished.  We will use some concrete to fill some of the gaps, we will mix the cement  with on site gravel, to make it is "natural" as possible but we will need to wait until the creek drys' out.  It is completely rideable but parts of it will wash away (where we have used a little dirt) if we have a big rain, these are the parts we want to concrete.

The new track looks great and we have a few interesting obstacles planned, including a drop off, off a large diameter felled tree and we've cut a narrow gap for a "B" line through the same tree, with plenty more to come !

Trail Signage

We finally installed the trail signage a couple weeks ago.  Most of the work was done my a local artist and outdoor enthusiast, Pamela Denise.  More about her here  Thanks VERY much Pam !!!!

Toni with some of Pam's signs !

Installed at one of the trail network hub points

Which way to go !

We have since added a couple others that Toni has done

Social Ride is off

UPDATE: RIDE IS CANCELLED DUE TO CONTINUAL RAIN !!!

With all the rain over the past six months (another 35mm two days ago) and being away for a month, trail development has been slow we did manage to finally finish the last "B" (easier) line around one of the "tricky-er" obstacles.  All the difficult obstacles have a "B" line

but the promised Nymboida MTB Social ride is on again.  The inaugural ride last year went down well, so we decided to repeat the ride again this year.


What : A social Cross Country mountain bike ride near Nymboida, single track and firetrail
When: Sunday 17 April, 9:00am
Where: 41 Martin Rd, Nymboida

How to get there <--- (clickable link to map)

All skill levels and riders welcome.

Well maintained bike, with a helmet, spare tube and drinking water is a must

See you all there !

one more log...

this log across the trail

The log, with rake-ho for scale

had been bothering us for some time, it sat unfinished as the last obstacle in the track, prior to this we have had to lift the bikes over it.  We had been debating if we should construct a wooden up 'n over the log but it's on a in-sloped fast section of trail and I was worried at getting the angle of the in-slope exactly right and interutpting the riders flow.  So, after some debate we decied to build it from dirt,

Toni doing some digging

ride it and then we can easily modify the in-slope and width as necessary.  So after many sweaty hours and 18 wheelbarrow loads, we ended up with this

Eighteen wheelbarrow loads of dirt later

It was great to get it finished as now the track is 100% rideable, with only the "B" line around one obstacle lower down tobe done to complete the layout, then we need to go back and tweak a few corners with berms etc.

On the way back we also did a small maintenance job on a log crossing, where the considerable and continuous rains had damaged the crossing.  We grabbed plenty of larger rocks, making sure this time to do the job properly and not cut corners.

Spring has sprung in the bush, with the rain and warmer weather, plenty of flowers where out, includng this tiny flower, not muchbigger then the size of a match head

After this I plan to take a short hiatus while I build a few dry stone walls around the house and catch up with a few other chores and then get back into extending the trail, probably early in the new year.

benchin' !

We did some tidying up today, there was a part of the trail that had to be aligned underneath a large Spotted Gum, finally got to doing it properly.  We had to drag rocks from afar, as we needed to do some 1/2 bench  and the rocks where to provide support for the fill.

Starting the rock collection !

It's never ideal to align any trail below a tree, you have to contend with the roots when you try to put a bench in, but sometimes it's unavoidable.  After gathering more rocks, then benching and dragging dirt to use as fill, the trail was starting to take shape

Lookin' fine

We continued on further down the trail, where another piece of off camber track needed some benching,

That's some mighty fine pickin' and rakin' !

Little by little we're attending to the finishing of the first part of our trail network.  The only major job left is the construction over a large log.  It's on an off-camber corner, so we will be putting an in-slope on it.  The timber for the bearers has been seasoned, we've scavenged some hardwood for the decking, now we just need to find time to get it done !