Rutgers Ecological Preserve

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
The preserve is a good ride sometimes. Small but I like the loop you can do there & the elevation changes are good there too & a couple flowy sections. It could be so much better though. Wish someone/we/I/whoevers could take an initiative to make it better. Are you RU cycling member?
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
that little wood ramp/droppy thing you have pics of - is that across a gully from the pseudo-dirt jump line?
 

Glancing Aft

Active Member
It looks good. I always like parks that are surrounded by urban/suburban sprawl that nobody knows about (kind of like High Mountain in Wayne)
Are there any entrances from River Road or do you have to enter from the college?
 

betta285

New Member
Yeah, the trails definitely could use some maintenance. No, I'm not a member of RU cycling, and I'm not really familiar with it either.
That wood ramp is actually a bit further southwest than the other jumps. I thought i had the place all mapped out in my head but i was very surprised to stumble upon this today. wish i had the courage to try it out.
There is at least one or two entrances from River Rd. I usually start at the one across from Hospital Road on Avenue E. or across from the Quads.
It definitely is a fun ride and very scenic. There is some fast single track as well as more technical lines. Plenty of roots, throughout. It's always a good challenge.
 

ellbiddy

Active Member
Yeah, the trails definitely could use some maintenance. No, I'm not a member of RU cycling, and I'm not really familiar with it either.
That wood ramp is actually a bit further southwest than the other jumps. I thought i had the place all mapped out in my head but i was very surprised to stumble upon this today. wish i had the courage to try it out.
There is at least one or two entrances from River Rd. I usually start at the one across from Hospital Road on Avenue E. or across from the Quads.
It definitely is a fun ride and very scenic. There is some fast single track as well as more technical lines. Plenty of roots, throughout. It's always a good challenge.

If you're ever down to ride it during the week I can bring my bike with me to work (CoRE building on Busch) and we could hit it up. I'll try anything, might motivate you enough to go for it if I don't tank and smash my face on something.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Nice enough looking trails. I have never been nor do i know much about the spot.

If trail work is worth doing and a loop can be made we should consider a trail day.

Anyone want to take on leadership of this project??
 

betta285

New Member
ellbiddy, yeah I'd love to get together and ride, But my hours are kind of limited. I'm free Monday after 1:30 and Tuesday before 1:30 and after 3:30. Between class and work I'm pretty much booked anytime else. Let me know if we can work something out, or we'll just discuss it on Sunday at Diablo.
A trail day would be a really good idea. something really nice could be put together with relatively little work. I'd be glad to take leadership, but considering I'm a complete noob it'd be much better if one of the pros took over.
anyone want to step up?:D
 
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jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
ellbiddy, yeah I'd love to get together and ride, But my hours are kind of limited. I'm free Monday after 3:30 and Tuesday before 1:30 and after 3:30. Between class and work I'm pretty much booked anytime else. Let me know if we can work something out, or we'll just discuss it on Sunday at Diablo.
A trail day would be a really good idea. something really nice could be put together with relatively little work. I'd be glad to take leadership, but considering I'm a complete noob it'd be much better if one of the pros took over.
anyone want to step up?:D

I am looking for organizational leadership.

-Getting in touch / getting permission from land managers.

-Perhaps creating /maintaining a Jorba chapter (like we have at 6 mile)

If you got that all going I would be willing to lead the actual trail work.


J_
 

sixseven

New Member
There are several loops in place there already. Several spots where its is WAY overgrown and I think a re-route would be necessary. A couple of us trimmed away some of the low hanging snaggers this summer but there is one spot that is like a collapsed tunnel of thorny stuff thats about 30 feet long and it shuts of one of the longer runs (the one with the gully). Its a big project. There are also several downed trees that need to be removed...namely the one at the bottom of the hill by the wood step off.

The old dirt jump area is pretty beat up and there are several cool log rides/skinnies that need some work on the ladders going up and off of them.
Other than that the trails are really in good shape.

There are several threads on here showing attempts to contact land managers...most of them end in frustration. A little over half of the park is administered by Highland Park, the rest is Rutgers property.

Its a cool little spot thats great if you are close to it, not really a destination like 6 Mile. I may try to get out there Saturday am early if anyone wants to go for a ride or get a tour.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
There are several loops in place there already. Several spots where its is WAY overgrown and I think a re-route would be necessary. A couple of us trimmed away some of the low hanging snaggers this summer but there is one spot that is like a collapsed tunnel of thorny stuff thats about 30 feet long and it shuts of one of the longer runs (the one with the gully). Its a big project. There are also several downed trees that need to be removed...namely the one at the bottom of the hill by the wood step off.

The old dirt jump area is pretty beat up and there are several cool log rides/skinnies that need some work on the ladders going up and off of them.
Other than that the trails are really in good shape.

There are several threads on here showing attempts to contact land managers...most of them end in frustration. A little over half of the park is administered by Highland Park, the rest is Rutgers property.

Its a cool little spot thats great if you are close to it, not really a destination like 6 Mile. I may try to get out there Saturday am early if anyone wants to go for a ride or get a tour.


Keep in mind that NO ONE rode 6 mile 5 years ago. It was a few quad trails and some fields. Don't underestimate what can be done.

j
 

sixseven

New Member
Keep in mind that NO ONE rode 6 mile 5 years ago. It was a few quad trails and some fields. Don't underestimate what can be done.

j

True. People do ride the Preserve now, the trails are well ridden in. I love riding there. Guess my point was that its not like 6 Mile which has room to grow. I would think that having JORBA approach the management would be more effective than a single biker going in and beginning the process.
Again, the place is small so it is very manageable and the issues are pretty minimal....seriously one day of TM with a dozen people people would bring that place up a notch.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Hmmm... maybe I. Wouldn't be a bad idea.

-I hate my job
-therefore I have plenty of time on my hands
-been to a TM before (would love to go to the chimney rock class but I'm gonna go to the Velo Swap out in lehigh valley i think)
-RU grad & was RU cycling
-RU cycling rides there as there stomping grounds. I'm still in touch with some fellas and I'm sure they have to know who to contact...

I could probably get in touch with the right people... :hmmm:

Borrowing someone's GPS would be nice to map out area...

EDIT: How does one start a jorba chapter anyways? Guess I'll poke around on the jorba site.
 
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sixseven

New Member
Hmmm... maybe I. Wouldn't be a bad idea.

-I hate my job
-therefore I have plenty of time on my hands
-been to a TM before (would love to go to the chimney rock class but I'm gonna go to the Velo Swap out in lehigh valley i think)
-RU grad & was RU cycling
-RU cycling rides there as there stomping grounds. I'm still in touch with some fellas and I'm sure they have to know who to contact...

I could probably get in touch with the right people... :hmmm:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^YOU ARE THE MAN^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am up for putting in some time/phonecalls/letters. Let me know.
 

betta285

New Member
That would be really nice of you, thatmanmanny. Let me know what i can do to help. We should organize a day before it gets too cold. My hands were completely numb for the first twenty minutes of the ride yesterday. Guess i should invest in some gloves.

Jim
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Email Sent

Just sent an inspirational 350 word essay of an e-mail to people who might be able to get me in touch with the right people. I also touched base with how more trails in the Preserve will improve the RU outdoor community and RU team.
 

Glancing Aft

Active Member
There is at least one or two entrances from River Rd. I usually start at the one across from Hospital Road on Avenue E. or across from the Quads.

sweet, I'll check it out next time I crash at my friends place in the bruns. It looks like it should only be about a mile and a half ride on the road to get to an entrance.

Good luck with any TM you guys get going.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
thanks manny - that's awesome you're willing to step up to try to organize something for the preserve.
 
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