Watchung News 12/9/2016

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have a map of where the alleged trails will be built?
I think that's what Mr. Seebeck meant as forthcoming in the next few weeks. (i wanna see it too)

I am traveling hopefully.


While i will wait to see it with my own eyes, and the "official" recognition of our access and repeal of those two deadwood ordinances, let me say this: Best. Christmas. Gift. Ever.


As someone should have said years ago: Don't sell your mountainbike, the trails will rise again.
-Lonerider
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
anxiously awaiting ground breaking
I hope we don't need to build all 14 miles before wheels are allowed to touch dirt though, but sure there will be plenty of volunteer hands when called upon
 

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
What remains so ironic is that while people all over are trying to get more folks outdoors, exercising, and on bikes, Union County has spent so much effort over the years to go in the other direction.

It's like they were saying, We want out of shape citizens with no experience with, and therefore, no respect, for nature.

But thankfully that's a mistake soon to be rectified, to some degree. I hope they expend the same effort now to make their part of implementing the mountain bike access possible. (I know we the riders will)

-Lonerider
 

I Ride Bikes

Well-Known Member
So is JORBA going to be involved in building/maintaining the MTB only trails or the entire park. I'm thinking if they are only going to maintain the MTB trails that there will be a lot of other users on them, regardless of the rules, due to the level they will be maintained. Once everyone realizes what we can do for a park they will want more. Although I agree with the benefits of multi use trails, I'm not going to be upset to finally see a sign on a trailer head that says bikes only as apposed to the other way around.
 

stilluf

Well-Known Member
Good work everyone! It's been a long time coming.



That said ... as long as the "register your bike with your town" and "let random cops tinker with/'inspect' your bike" ordinances are on the books, most of us will either not be able to ride .

That said.... progress! Awesome glorious progress.

If they can take care of repealing those two deadwood ordinances when they "officially" allow mountainbike access, we are good!

I will see you on the (opened) trail when it happens

Ride on!

-Lonerider
We haven't heard anything on registration, since the trailside meeting. I'm hoping the county realizes this is misguided, bc probably unenforceable, and not sure would
Pass a legal test. It's also out of step with every other park in NJ. I would never want to see other counties retaliate with their own registration ordinance.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
think i mentioned this before,
this whole process would make an interesting documentary.....
who is going to play Ken? I'm liking Ed Norton.
 

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
We haven't heard anything on registration, since the trailside meeting. I'm hoping the county realizes this is misguided, bc probably unenforceable, and not sure would
Pass a legal test. It's also out of step with every other park in NJ. I would never want to see other counties retaliate with their own registration ordinance.
That's what I'm thinking too.
-Lonerider
 

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
But I want either Woody Harrelson or Johnny Depp to play my part.[/QUOTE]


But you would need a ghostly crew if you were Depp. Or scissorhands. Make steering the bike difficult altho would be a boon for trail maintanance/ brush cutting.

-Lonerider
 

kidzach

Well-Known Member
This is is great news indeed. Thanks to all for their hard work and I'm sure biting their tongues more often than not. Maybe we can send this blue print to the South Mountain folks to show them we can in fact coexist.
 

Shorepoints

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have a map of where the alleged trails will be built?
Yes I have a copy of the map. I don't want to step out of bounds with the county and publicize it before getting permission. In any case, the actual map will probably change once we get in there and flag out the route, since the terrain and natural features will ultimately dictate the exact trail. But generally speaking, it runs around the outside perimeters of the park, including crossing Glenside and continuing in the woods NORTH of 78, ultimately dropping back south of Glenside by the Kennel/Turf Fields. The rocky river trail in the SW corner of the park will also be part of the route. It also runs East-West in the woods between Rt 22 and Skytop, all the way toward Bowcraft, before heading back up toward Skytop. Parking lots with access to the trail include: WR Tracy, Glenside, Summit Road, Seeley's Pond, Skytop Pavillion, and the "McDonalds" trailhead. The only shortcoming I see is it's not a true circular loop. You'll have to do some out-back or road riding to do a complete loop. But on the positive, a full out-back on the MTB trail could approach 28 miles! There are also several shorter loop possibilities.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
So is JORBA going to be involved in building/maintaining the MTB only trails or the entire park. I'm thinking if they are only going to maintain the MTB trails that there will be a lot of other users on them, regardless of the rules, due to the level they will be maintained. Once everyone realizes what we can do for a park they will want more. Although I agree with the benefits of multi use trails, I'm not going to be upset to finally see a sign on a trailer head that says bikes only as apposed to the other way around.
it will be interesting to see if there will be bikes only signs, however I can say with very high certainty that there will be signs for hikers and horses only. I actually don't think the bike only signs are a good idea, as it draws battle lines which won't improve the relationship between our groups.

anyone who has done a TM knows building and maintaining biking trails is much more complicated than hiking trails. Once others see our capabilities, dedication and care of the reservation, it will begin to change the perception of our group. I hope to see some level of shared trails in the near future.
 

bm1981

Member
This thread got me thinking; we are going to have a ton of non wheeled users, especially runners since the flow of the trials is way more conducive to running when compared to the ankle breaker sections of current trials. I'm not anti multi use, however whats the right stance for hikers/ runners on the trials? I know its a ways off and honestly a great problem to have. Personally I can care less, and agree w/ Flash that it hurts our image if we take the "these are our trails stance" but then again I'm beyond grateful for everyones hard work and the county for coming to the table.
 

stilluf

Well-Known Member
This thread got me thinking; we are going to have a ton of non wheeled users, especially runners since the flow of the trials is way more conducive to running when compared to the ankle breaker sections of current trials. I'm not anti multi use, however whats the right stance for hikers/ runners on the trials? I know its a ways off and honestly a great problem to have. Personally I can care less, and agree w/ Flash that it hurts our image if we take the "these are our trails stance" but then again I'm beyond grateful for everyones hard work and the county for coming to the table.

Our current understanding is that the county wants these trails to be bike only in order to minimize user conflict.
 
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