Please read: it is NOT ok

[jdog]

Heads up.

There have been serious complaint(s) about gutted trails and bad mannered mtbers to the park administrators.

We really need to self police this stupid behavior as a group.

Learn all about why freeze/thaw is a thing and why it can be muddy, even if it hasn't rained in forever.. and spread the word.

Also: PLEASE Stop being assholes to hikers. Slow down. Turn off the strava racer mentally and give people on foot A break. Really. Say hello, ask if they need directions. Think of them as your grandmother


Let's get this sorted. We have a super good thing going on here, but there are those who aren't happy and don't approve. (Think watchung opposition folks)

Consider that your actions are being noted and that it starts with you. Yes you. (Not the guy behind you!!)

I love that the ten plus years I've put into these trails is paying off, but let's pull this together.

I'm working at easing this tension, but I've enough on my plate.

While I have your attention, please consider volunteering at one of the NICA series races this season. This is a tremendous opportunity to be a part of a serious change in the way that young kids live out their lives.


Thanks

J

 

[Sven Migot]

For the lone wolf riders that lack education and not on social media, I've always thought there should be more highly visible signage at trail heads & parking lot bulletin boards. "Don't ride wet trails", more yield triangles.

 

[jdog]

For the lone wolf riders that lack education and not on social media, I've always thought there should be more highly visible signage at trail heads & parking lot bulletin boards. "Don't ride wet trails", more yield triangles.

100% agree. We will get one chance to get this signage right.

If you can write out a few lines that don't sound too preachy it would be helpful.

 

[Matt_]

Concur with @Sven Migot

When I was in HS I thought it was cool to have fenders on my mtb and hit some muddy trails. It wasn't until I was educated on TM much later that I realized I was an inadvertent idiot.

Highly doubt the majority of offenders are mtbnj regulars. Would love to find a way to reach more of the user base.

 

[KenS]

For the lone wolf riders that lack education and not on social media, I've always thought there should be more highly visible signage at trail heads & parking lot bulletin boards. "Don't ride wet trails", more yield triangles.

We are actively working on this. J and his JORBA chapter have built an amazing network of trails at six mile, and in 10 years this is our first complaint. Please help us educate those who do not read social media, are not JORBA members, and remain uneducated on trail etiquette and mud riding.

We all know that 6mr is more fragile from a soil composition standpoint than anyplace else in NJ, and the word needs to get outside of our enthusiast community to the casual user.

Please: join JORBA, and educate shamelessly and often. We have worked too hard, for too long, to let this get out of hand.

 

[Sven Migot]

100% agree. We will get one chance to get this signage right.

If you can write out a few lines that don't sound too preachy it would be helpful.

This may be preachy, but a quick education. Feel free to add or delete:
STOP! Read This Before You Ride:
- Don't Ride Wet Trails (it damages the trail & not cool)
- Yield to ALL other users (be nice, say hello)
- Announce yourself when approaching hikers (get a bell, it's the law)
- Learn more at www.JORBA.org
- Be safe, respect others & the trail, have fun!

Less preachy:
Mudders Are Not Cool: Riding mud = trail damage
Don't be a Mudder: Riding mud = trail damage
Got Mud? Don't Ride!
Wet Trails? Ride another day. Riding mud = trail damage

 

[MTBShane76]

IMBA already has a sign to address all of this.

 

[MadisonDan]

Still like this one...

Also, I shared your OP to the NJ Mountain Biking page on FB. There's 894 members on there. Hope that helpz.

 

[jdog]

IMBA already has a sign to address all of this.

This is a start..

But we need more.

We have the funds in place.

Keep the ideas coming please!

 

[Sven Migot]

How about a Muddy Meter?

 

[Sven Migot]

Another Muddy Meter

 

[Juggernaut]

Six Mile is a victim of its own success. For the last 2 years or so my wife has shown me scores of different FB "friends" posts saying they had a great time at SixMile all are runners and 35+ but 70-30 were riding bikes, usually hybrids or "box store" bikes and not one of them are regular cyclists, never the less MTB's....none.

I'm sad to say several clearly had "the red stain" splattered about.

Yes, my wife suggested being mindful of the conditions...I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Signage. In the lot, sure. At the trail head, of course. By why stop there.

Mid-trail signage is a must!

At every field 2 single track entrance.
At the Middlebush crossing.
At the Metal and Concrete bridges.
At every god damn crowdsourced mud hole bypass.

You don't train a dog by scolding it 6 hours after the accident do you? Why would a sign be any different?

Lastly, every year we're flooded with rouge trails, I'd like to relay a story.

My son and his HS wrestling teammates went to SixMile for some trail running. My son's only been there a few times and only with me, the rest had never been there. My son runs cross country and a couple of the others play soccer or lax but we also have the upper weight classes too. Needless to say the group got separated and all turned around in "the twistes" and they needed to rely on their smart phones to regroup and find their way back. Needless to say major short cutting occurred.

We should mark the hell out of these trails. Not just intersections but the whole damn trail. Every 20-30 feet should have colored blaze on a tree. Mile markers with direction arrows and info like the one or two on Red near middlebush would go a long way in cutting down on "the accidental tourist traffic".

People like to know where they are and tend to follow things.

Just my 2c.

 

[Sven Migot]

Six Mile is a victim of its own success. For the last 2 years or so my wife has shown me scores of different FB "friends" posts saying they had a great time at SixMile all are runners and 35+ but 70-30 were rioting bikes, usually hybrids or "box store" bikes and not one of them are cyclists, never the less MTB's....none.

I'm sad to say several clearly had "the red stain" splattered about.

Yes, my wife suggested being mindful of the conditions...I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Signage. In the lot, sure. At the trail head, of course. By why stop there.

Mid-trail signage is a must!

At every field 2 single track entrance.
At the Middlebush crossing.
At the Metal and Concrete bridges.
At every god damn crowdsourced mud hole bypass.

You don't train a dog by scolding it 6 hours after the accident do you? Why would a sign be any different?

Lastly, every year we're flooded with rouge trails, I'd like to relay a story.

My son and his HS wrestling teammates went to SixMile for some trail running. My son's only been there a few times and only with me, the rest had never been there. My son runs cross country and a couple of the others play soccer or lax but we also have the upper weight classes too. Needless to say the group got separated and all turned around in "the twistes" and they needed to rely on their smart phone to regroup and find their way back. Needless to say major short cutting occurred.

We should mark the hell out of these trails. Not just intersections but the whole damn trail. Every 20-30 feet should have colored blaze on a tree. Mile markers with direction arrows and info like the one or two on Red near middlebush would go a long way in cutting down on "the accidental tourist traffic".

People like to know where they are and tend to follow things.

Just my 2c.

All great ideas. I always run into riders/hikers who are not sure where they are or going.

 

[Pearl]

As someone who has experienced how another local scene deals with this, the only answer is that you need to physically block the trail when it is closed. The local trails in Charlotte are all MINT because people actually see the trail blocked and do not go on it. I think it has to do with having a central location that has updated trail conditions, something that is trying to happen here.

(i always want to find a better picture of this, but this will do for now)
you can see on the right side the two posts with the "cable" across it. if the trail is closed, someone is in charge of closing it and opening it. Also it wouldn't be able to be removed or taken. They lock the sign on until it's open. You have to really be a dick to go around it.

The issue is, who would do that? Down here, someone is in charge of each location, voluntary. They also only have one entrance so that makes it a little easier. You could have multiple people that could be able to open/close with a pad lock combination or something.

 

[giff06]

Through all our travels we see trail open/closed scenarios. As far as we can tell they are all respected and the trails reflect that. I find it hard to understand why NJ doesn't seem to get that.......

 

[mustclime]

LOL, like there are going to be any parks in a couple years..... you guys should get out more.

 

[SmooveP]

You have to really be a dick to go around it.

Unfortunately, there are a number of "dicks" out there who will ride anyway. I've had recent discussions on the Fat Bike FB group with a few of them. Their "rationales" range from calling people "snowflakes", "tree huggers", or "PC police" to justifying riding in the mud by stating that the trails repair themselves over time or that their fat tires actually flatten out the ruts created by skinny tires.

 

[qclabrat]

As someone who has experienced how another local scene deals with this, the only answer is that you need to physically block the trail when it is closed. The local trails in Charlotte are all MINT because people actually see the trail blocked and do not go on it. I think it has to do with having a central location that has updated trail conditions, something that is trying to happen here.

(i always want to find a better picture of this, but this will do for now)
you can see on the right side the two posts with the "cable" across it. if the trail is closed, someone is in charge of closing it and opening it. Also it wouldn't be able to be removed or taken. They lock the sign on until it's open. You have to really be a dick to go around it.

The issue is, who would do that? Down here, someone is in charge of each location, voluntary. They also only have one entrance so that makes it a little easier. You could have multiple people that could be able to open/close with a pad lock combination or something.

I like the concept of closing the trails when wet but then you will have a debate on who has the right to make that decision for a public park.

 

[jdog]

I like the concept of closing the trails when wet but then you will have a debate on who has the right to make that decision for a public park.

I could make the call. I just don't want a full time job babysitting

 

[Pearl]

Unfortunately, there are a number of "dicks" out there who will ride anyway. I've had recent discussions on the Fat Bike FB group with a few of them. Their "rationales" range from calling people "snowflakes", "tree huggers", or "PC police" to justifying riding in the mud by stating that the trails repair themselves over time or that their fat tires actually flatten out the ruts created by skinny tires.

youre just hoping to cut down on those people, youll never make it 100%. If you got it from say, 60% now to 90%, that would be a win