Frenchtown Preserve Conditions

SAM

Well-Known Member
Rode FTP before the rain this afternoon (just made it). Really nice job @Patrick clearing the tree blocking Green and cleaning up some other areas.

BTW, there are at least two log overs in FTP I'd forgotten about. I hadn't thought about it till it came up with the small tree down on Red.

This one is on Northwest corner of Orange just before it turns east to go down the hill. It has a small ramp. I've ridden over it many times but managed to forget it was there.
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This large log over is on the section of Green that runs right next to the west bank of the big ravine. It's on the other side of the loop from where the tree was blocking Green, so I haven't ridden it much lately. Has a sketchy multilevel ramp built up that is starting to rot/erode away. Also, it has a go around that is off camber down the side of the ravine. Pick your poison.
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By the way, the above mtb feature is on a Green "Horse Trail". Don't think it's there for the horses. The ravine side of the Green loop is cleared / cut back but the other side of the loop going up to where Patrick cleared the tree is overgrown. I was being careful but this is what I got riding that side of the loop today.
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Now, thanks to @Patrick there are at least three log overs at FTP. He didn't actually clear the whole tree. 👍:cool:
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Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Rode FTP before the rain this afternoon (just made it). Really nice job @Patrick clearing the tree blocking Green and cleaning up some other areas.

BTW, there are at least two log overs in FTP I'd forgotten about. I hadn't thought about it till it came up with the small tree down on Red.

This one is on Northwest corner of Orange just before it turns east to go down the hill. It has a small ramp. I've ridden over it many times but managed to forget it was there.
View attachment 196575

This large log over is on the section of Green that runs right next to the west bank of the big ravine. It's on the other side of the loop from where the tree was blocking Green, so I haven't ridden it much lately. Has a sketchy multilevel ramp built up that is starting to rot/erode away. Also, it has a go around that is off camber down the side of the ravine. Pick your poison.
View attachment 196576

By the way, the above mtb feature is on a Green "Horse Trail". Don't think it's there for the horses. The ravine side of the Green loop is cleared / cut back but the other side of the loop going up to where Patrick cleared the tree is overgrown. I was being careful but this is what I got riding that side of the loop today.
View attachment 196577

Now, thanks to @Patrick there are at least three log overs at FTP. He didn't actually clear the whole tree. 👍:cool:
View attachment 196578

I'd be tempted to cut out the middle one. In a small park, these create some challenge. The ones that need to go under, I'd get rid of.
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
Agree. I feel some log overs tempt riders to test skills they do not have, leading to injuries. Of course, a lot of features are like this (narrow bridges, skinnies, jumps, etc). I take go arounds or walk features that I'm not comfortable with, but not all do.
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
Trails are in good shape with just a few wet spots and puddles.
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The Green Trail loop that had the tree across is almost gone. At least the entrance. I didn't attempt it. Here's the entrance looking up from the main east - west Green Trail, which is overgrown but ridable.
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SAM

Well-Known Member
FTP drains well. Just a few puddles even after the rain yesterday and last night. Trees like to fall across the Green Trails. At least this one was passable.

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one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Tree-fall and overhangs I dislike, but I hope there are still a few log crossings left! Not a lot of difficulty on these trails, so a real bummer if they are reduced to a carpet ride.

I'll check it out this weekend.
 
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SAM

Well-Known Member
Conditions great today. Just two or three puddles. Trees down across Blue and Green. Photos and locations:

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Nice small log over on Northwest corner of Orange just before it turns east to go down the hill still exits, as it should.
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As does this one on the downhill section of Green (Kingwood Trail on Trailforks) that doubles as a kicker.
View looking downhill:
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View looking uphill:
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This monstrosity with the loose and rotting ramps the sketchy off camber go around on Green Horse Trail no longer exists (photos from Sept 19). Good riddance.
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Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Conditions great today. Just two or three puddles. Trees down across Blue and Green. Photos and locations:

View attachment 201453
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Nice small log over on Northwest corner of Orange just before it turns east to go down the hill still exits, as it should.
View attachment 201456

As does this one on the downhill section of Green (Kingwood Trail on Trailforks) that doubles as a kicker.
View looking downhill:
View attachment 201457

View looking uphill:
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This monstrosity with the loose and rotting ramps the sketchy off camber go around on Green Horse Trail no longer exists (photos from Sept 19). Good riddance.
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i'm up to my eyeballs in work right now. We should do a proper walk-through at some point.
i'd like to ride it rather than hike someday!
 

Cole

Well-Known Member
This is the closest trail to my house and I have never been... Can any one take a chainsaw to it? If not I'd be willing to help someday and ride after
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
i'm up to my eyeballs in work right now. We should do a proper walk-through at some point.
i'd like to ride it rather than hike someday!
I'm there for walk and/or ride when work falls below your eyeballs. Me, I don't have work, so....
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
Trails frozen and crunchy for the most part.

Thanks to whoever took care of the tree across blue.
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Small tree down across Green. (The other tree across green mentioned in previous post is still there)
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I was mistaken about the log over with the rotten ramps and sketchy go around. It is still there. Just not where I thought it was. It's on the unmarked trail right along the ravine that parallels the green horse trail.
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one piece crank

Well-Known Member
That log with ramps - is it closer to the word “Preserve” on your Map? If heading toward the creek is it just before the fallen tree jam? If so, it’s rideable! It was the first log crossing on my new fat bike. It should just be re-ramped and not paved over.
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
That log with ramps - is it closer to the word “Preserve” on your Map? If heading toward the creek is it just before the fallen tree jam? If so, it’s rideable! It was the first log crossing on my new fat bike. It should just be re-ramped and not paved over.
About where the X is on the map below. The trail runs downhill toward the creek right next to a steep ravine on the right. The black line is the Green Horse Trail that runs parallel to the that trail (blue line). The Green trail with the fallen tree jam is on the other side of the ravine (double blue line on the map because I rode it twice).

Yes, the ramps definitely need to be rebuilt. I don't think it's going anywhere.
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SAM

Well-Known Member
Rode here this afternoon. 41º. Trails were firm. Just a couple of muddy spots. Trails handle freeze/thaw well for a central Jersey Park.

Hooray. The tree across "Kingwood Trail" (that is the name on Trailforks) is cleared. Kudos to who dun it.
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Also someone cut a fresh new kicker on the "Yellow Horse" trail that runs downhill toward Trenton Ave. That trail already has a bunch of log overs/kickers with go arounds. No go around for this new one though. Maybe it will develop just to the right.
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Seems to me like Trailforks has been updated. All the trails I know of are there now. A section on Blue that didn't exist has been removed. Naming is horrible.
 

Cole

Well-Known Member
First time there today, took a walk with the family. Sloppy in spots, solid in others. It's a neat spot 10 minutes from home that I will have to come back to.
 

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SAM

Well-Known Member
It has been about two days since the rain, but still pretty wet. All the low spots had puddles. Most of the cuts had running water. Some of the trails were very wet. Not much damage because park doesn't get a lot of use. I won't go back until it has a chance to dry out.

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one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the update. I guessed the conditions and didn’t even go.

I’m hoping for a dry and/or cold stretch for February. That’s my month-of-pain ride everyday target.
 

SAM

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I thought it'd be better drained. I guess the wet weather has caught up with it. Even the stream feeding the Giving Pond is wet again. First time since last summer.

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SAM

Well-Known Member
it's been about two weeks since I was here last with not much rain. Conditions much better today. Some mud in the usual places. No standing or flowing water on the trails, even in the usual muddy spots. G2G.
 
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