Attention Cheater Line Trail Builders

[Off The Road Again]

Out at the Rock today, I noticed some cheater lines that are starting to get more use. In particular, on the Red climb out of Newman's lot has 2, and Yellow approach trail to High Tech has one. Please refrain from creating/ using these cheater lines. It may seem to be an easier line, but the lines that cut off switchbacks actually create more run off and erosion, and can cause closure of trails. If you ccan'tride the trail as designed or laid out, DON'T RIDE HERE!

 

[jumpa]

or maybe walk the features would be a easier approach. if you don't try it you'll never know if you can do it. trust me, half the time on that hike-a-bike mode

 

[Dusty the Whale]

Or maybe the persons responsible aren't apart of this small mtbnj community. We all disapprove of 'cheater lines' but they keep showing up like it or not.

We all understand your frustration but believe it or not many trail users have never heard of this site dispite seeing those kits and ugly ugly socks out on the trails and roads all over the state.

 

[rlb]

On a semi-related note, does anyone else feel like the yellow climb off of Gilbride is looking a little more sanitized these days? I'm wondering if someone has been rearranging rocks out there again. In particular, the line coming out of the stream crossing looks a little too "neat"

 

[Norm]

Dustin loves our socks. He dreams about them.

Sometimes when people are going fast they cut corners. It happens. If enough people cut the corner maybe that just means the trail is better that way. I know the trails are sometimes built with "speed scrubbing" in mind. But sometimes the users just don't like that. Not much you can do there.

When it comes down to it, you can't make people go left around a tree when they really want to go right. Stuff like you see at KVSP is really bad for the future of the park & the trails. But cutting a corner is probably just more an evolution of the trail.

I'm not saying it's ok to just ride wherever you want. Just that this is a pretty minor transgression. I'd say it's more a result of "oh shit going fast need to not die" than people cheating. Cheating is what you do on tests. Like Chevy Chase in Spies Like Us.

 

[BiknBen]

Whatever the cause or reason, this type of behavior is what causes our singletrack to look more like fire roads. We have enough of those around here. While riding in another NJ park over the weekend, I said to myself outload, "Jeez, I could drive my car down this Singletrack. What the F happened here?"

IMBA rule: Ride only on designated paths or trails.

 

[Pearl]

i blame the horses, they mess up everything

 

[Johnny Utah]

No repsect for cheater of "softer" lines. Ride it or walk it, end of story.

 

[Arwen's Mom]

i blame the horses, they mess up everything

please dont hate on the horses

 

[Kaleidopete]

please dont hate on the horses

I did a ride last week and I rode so many rock gardens I was sick of 'em! Then before me was a choice, another jarring rock garden or a pile of horse dung. I took the soft route on this one just for a break.

 

[Mitch]

Whatever the cause or reason, this type of behavior is what causes our singletrack to look more like fire roads. We have enough of those around here. While riding in another NJ park over the weekend, I said to myself outload, "Jeez, I could drive my car down this Singletrack. What the F happened here?"

IMBA rule: Ride only on designated paths or trails.

Clayton by chance??

 

[Pearl]

Rode today and didn't notice anything too crazy....

If someone takes a cheater line riding alone, does it matter?

 

[Norm]

Yeah I had ridden there yesterday & Monday and didn't notice anything.

If a tree falls in the woods when you're riding alone, does the Pope wear a funny hat?

 

[Magic]

If only Strava was more accurate to track down the culprit. Amiright?

 

[icebiker]

Mark, I feel your frustration. I see it everywhere. At Lew Mo it's particularly frustrating as I tend to the trails there. This past weekend I noticed a new line next to the right of a tree when the established trail is CLEARLY to the left and has been for years. The new line wasn't there the weekend before. This wasn't a "going too fast so I got lazy" development, it was "oh, a couple of roots to the left...never mind that I'm riding a bike that's designed to handle the rough stuff...let me just ride to the right instead 'coz it's smoother"

We learned from IMBA TCC Training that one way to get a trail to stay as originally designed/built is to place visual cues that guide riders (somewhat subconsciously) in the right direction. Often, if the new line is burned in too much, it becomes the "new normal" and hard to correct, but when you see a newish line forming that isn't right, addressing it right away can help. A few largish branches and/or rocks strategically placed, along with a dusting of leaves from the forest floor ("dressing" as IMBA calls it) can make it "disappear" for all intents and purposes. It's not perfect, but I've used this technique at CR, 6MR, Lew Mo, KVSP and countless other parks and have found 9/10 times it "sticks" (poor pun) Only takes a few minutes out of one's ride, too.

 

[mattybfat]

@Kirt and I when cleaning off the downhill part of ice cream piled a debris pile on a cheater line which was an old logging down the fall line. What surprised me I went back clearing arrows a week later and it was all cleaned off again. What suprised me more as where it conneted back up below was no sign of use. That must mean someone cut in a new trail that must head to Dan's trail. This type of work pisses me off, spiderwebbing the trail system. Same mess that has been going on in SSP. Which the rangers are now aware of and not happy about.

 

[Off The Road Again]

Or maybe the persons responsible aren't apart of this small mtbnj community. We all disapprove of 'cheater lines' but they keep showing up like it or not.

Yeah, I kinda figured it wouldn't be anyone familiar with Mtbnj but I was so frustrated with what I was seeing that I had to air it somewhere. Also in the hopes that who belong to this community don't take those lines to make them the more preferred line. The 'cheater lines' on Red and Yellow cut off switchback climb/descent, probably to bomb down straight I assume. They are not worn in very much and may simply be a result of winter riding where the designated trail isn't as obvious in the snow and just followed footprints. Regardless, my point is a) switchbacks make the climbing easier and b) making a trail go straight down across the switchbacks causes erosion that will eventually create cross-trail gullies on the main trail. I don't have an issue with go-arounds for TTF's or some rock gardens, tho I think both add to the fun and challenge of mtb, and as BiknBen posted the more go arounds and skirting corners make the single track into fire roads.

 

[njmark]

I finally cleared 4 particular parts of red and blue cleanly the other day and it felt great to do so, cheater lines for the sake of ease are really a disservice if you care about improving your skills. If you're not worried about that I don't think anything is going to stop people from riding the easier lines.