Cheater Lines

[MikeP]

The point is, there is no way to make that happen. If you can't enforce it, you have to accept the go arounds/short cuts/etc.
Trust me, it gets old having to close the same short cut over and over and over again.

this is very frustrating to me, the shortcuts keep coming back (not a go around for a TTF) but a shortcut literally to avoid stretch of trail or a "difficullt" few turns. No matter how often we try and cover the shortcut people open them back up, there's really nothing you can do to enforce stuff....that actually works

 

[Tionegear]

this is very frustrating to me, the shortcuts keep coming back (not a go around for a TTF) but a shortcut literally to avoid stretch of trail or a "difficullt" few turns. No matter how often we try and cover the shortcut people open them back up, there's really nothing you can do to enforce stuff....that actually works

We can start by saying that it's wrong to do. It's funny that we keep talking about people who don't stay on trails as if theyre not here. Per these last few posts you can see that they walk amongst us and think it's okay to do.
This site has become the NJ mtb community (for good or bad) so by raising awareness and discussing the issue we can begin to stem the problem.

 

[soundz]

Unfortunately, I think this is something we will all have to get used to since it seems the new TM policy is to take out challenging trail features and leave in newly created cheater lines.

No newly created cheater lines were "left in". Jorba created what you call these cheater lines; they did not exist previously. Your statement, "it seems the new TM policy is to take out challenging trail features", tells me you refuse to accept as true anything Ellen has posted about.

 

[rlb]

No newly created cheater lines were "left in". Jorba created what you call these cheater lines; they did not exist previously. Your statement, "it seems the new TM policy is to take out challenging trail features", tells me you refuse to accept as true anything Ellen has posted about.

I was going to join this discussion, then I remembered this.

 

[McKMtnBk]

That's an understatement.
"cut the log"

It's been quite quiet for a while now. Hopefully they all got sick of it.

 

[BShow]

I would rather see a go around than the total removal/destruction or sanitation of obstacles, like I've seen recently at the 4 parks in my hood.
I don't understand the logic behind all that.
I say if you can't ride it, learn to ride it, walk it, or go around it.... and if all else fails there's the rail trails.

I agree with this whole hardheartedly. I hate when people remove trail obstacles like this. The trails I ride most frequently have had this going on in the past couple years. I've seen logs that have been across the trails for years, be removed recently. I don't know what it is about theses people or what they think they're helping by removing stuff, but I think it's very selfish and ignorant to think that everybody wants the trails to be smoothed out and non-technical. It seems that every time I ride, I see new lines cutting off a tricky corner, or freshly cut out logs or new trails bypassing a sketchy section... Grr.

 

[pixychick]

On Skylands, we made several attempts to discourage cheater lines, but after one or two attempts, we reevaluate the situation. If the new line is sound, we check our egos at the door and embrace the new line. The Blowhole just south of Skylands is a good example. I do not think anyone rides the original line. Although I could ride the old line, I feel it may have been too tedious or technical for the majority. My responsibility is to maintain the park for everyone. Case closed.

I wanted to verify that we never closed any line on this section. All 3 (original A, rock B and cheater) remain open, however when leaves fell, the original A line covered over, and to my observance, the original does not get used. Feel free to ride it if you like. My story was to point out that we just stopped trying to close the cheater. We felt it was a useless cause, and accepted the fact that the original line that was built at the IMBA trail care school class, was not attractive to anyone.

Back to cheater lines: In my opinion they need to be looked at case by case, as the reasons and consequences will vary with each case. I would not always assume log removal, go arounds and rocks being pulled out are made by bikers.

I've noticed rocks turned over all around and I think it is the bears looking for grubs. Hopefully the blueberries will ripen soon before they rip all our trails apart.

 

[ninja4life]

I thought it wasn't until you started riding with me that you realized you could "ride over" logs !!! hahahaha

On another note - last weekend in RW it was a bummer to see the log that had a great rock and branch build up on both sides of it and was a nice challenge but definitely very very rideable at the beginning of yellow heading out from Pierson Ridge to have been cut last week - that had been built up nicely and there over a year or two if not more ! It was near the top of the ridge before you reached the look out (Ingelsteins Rock) as you went around a corner...there was no cheater line you just either made the log or didnt or walked over it...now its cut.

I think my bike shed a tear when I came around that corner and saw the log cut:cry:. I hope they don't touch the double log. Wait, Maybe I shouldn't mention there is a double log feature.

 

[pixychick]

I think my bike shed a tear when I came around that corner and saw the log cut:cry:. I hope they don't touch the double log. Wait, Maybe I shouldn't mention there is a double log feature.

sorry for your pain, to my knowledge Jorba had nothing to do with any logs way out there. If the log was as big you make it sound, someone must have really hated it to cut it out by hand.

Just a heads up: with little rain these days, Forest Service patrols the roads and cuts any deadfall on FS roads incase of fire. And not to bring bad news, but pipeline people are coming to Ringwood soon to lay the 2nd pipe like in Waway and Jungle. Millie Whites road may undergo some widening, and the beginning of Skylands trail may undergo displacement. When I know more, I will post another thread with updates.

 

[ninja4life]

sorry for your pain, to my knowledge Jorba had nothing to do with any logs way out there. If the log was as big you make it sound, someone must have really hated it to cut it out by hand.

I doubt it was done by JORBA or a mountain biker. The piece that was cut out was left there half hazardously. It was actually easier to go over the log rather than through it. Thanks for the heads up

 

[pixychick]

sounds like boy scouts

 

[loggerhead]

I doubt it was done by JORBA or a mountain biker. The piece that was cut out was left there half hazardously. It was actually easier to go over the log rather than through it. Thanks for the heads up

If they cut out that double log, there will be hell to pay. I screamed some curse words when I came up to the top of the hill and seen the cut stump at the beginning of yellow. Cutting out just a 12" section acutally made the section more dangerous.
Please, Please, Please nobody modify anything on yellow anytime soon. It is perfect just the way it is. It might just need a weedwacking though

 

[VOR]

Please, Please, Please nobody modify anything on yellow anytime soon. It is perfect just the way it is. It might just need a weedwacking though

I have kind of resided to the fact that all of those tech sections at the start of yellow from skyline are being taken out.

I see ribbons going around the three challenging(at least for me)drop offs at the top of yellow right before it splits.

Yellow just appeared to be a trail to me that didnt need much maintenance and left to its own devices held up pretty well.

I hope this trail is not being modified just to get more people on it that were previously unable to ride it.

One of the best feelings about mtbing is doing things that most people can or will not do.