TM at Hartshorne???

P

pdm362

Guest
Hello,
I was just wondering where i can find the date for the next scheduled TM at hartshorne. Riding this park as avidly as I do I want to give back some time to keep it nice

Paul
 

phathucker

New Member
why is it that when ever the trails become challenging or technical at any part, someone comes buy and blows the whole thing out so that even grandmas wheel chair can now fit through there?......Ive been riding there for 15 years and most of the technical stuff if gone. I can see making trails around the technical stuff but the trails are starting to get kinda boring......well, unless anyone remembers what they used to be 10 years ago maybe less trail maintenance is needed....
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
why is it that when ever the trails become challenging or technical at any part, someone comes buy and blows the whole thing out so that even grandmas wheel chair can now fit through there?......Ive been riding there for 15 years and most of the technical stuff if gone. I can see making trails around the technical stuff but the trails are starting to get kinda boring......well, unless anyone remembers what they used to be 10 years ago maybe less trail maintenance is needed....
The primary issue at Hartshorne/Huber is dealing with erosion. Hartshorne in particular is a mess, full of water bars that cause more damage than they prevent and corner ruts that are downright dangerous.

I have been riding there since 1992 and have seen the same changes you refer to, but I'd say it's been a long time since there has been any meaningful maintenance that has had impact on the technical nature of the park. It's true that there are less logs than there once were, and some were removed, but a lot of the obstacles in both parks have just plain eroded away, just as has happened to many sections of the trail.

The winter of 2006-2007 and some really irresponsible trail use have put a major hurting on Hartshorne from which it has yet to recover.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
We were there on Thanksgiving. The trail is definitely getting pretty beat up and needs some lovin'. As far as the technical aspect, I've been riding Hartshorne since '93 when I first started MTB, I never considered it a technical place at any time, even as a newbie. We should just get some rogue TM in there, who's in?

-Jim.
 

Frank

Sasquatch
We understand everyones frustration with the level of tm at Hartshorne, and while it seems like rogue trail work is what's needed, we should try to avoid it. Rogue trail work is not going to help the "cause" because it just puts a bad light on our user group. If you have any suggestions for the park you can call and nicely explain why you are dissatisfied with the conditions at Hartshorne. 732-842-4000 ext. 4283. This might help push our frequent requests for more tm sessions at that park. Thanks
 
N

NMBPmike

Guest
Tm Monmouth County Park HArtshorne

Hey guys,
Mike (NMBPmike) here,
the number frank listed is the main number for the volunteer coordinator Karen Livingstone she will take your information and do a background check and then you have to attend a Tm training class ( sorry park insurance policy) and its one that i help teach. the class is roughly 1-2 hours depending on questions we receive, and yes Everyone must attend a training class in order to volunteer with MCPS. You can reach out to Brian Snyder (JORBA MCPS new rep) as i have stepped down and Brian has taken the helm. The 2009 season will start sometime in April, you have to contact Karen and get your name on the email list and also a postal mail reminder card. If you have any other questions you can reach out to Brian or me.

Kindly,
NMBPmike
 

mike_243

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
Hey guys,
Mike (NMBPmike) here,
the number frank listed is the main number for the volunteer coordinator Karen Livingstone she will take your information and do a background check
Kindly,
NMBPmike
[/QUOTE=FFT;]

WTF? are you serious? Count me out, first guns - now trail. Please explain this one Mike, I hope that is a typo.
Da comrade ve are safe they vill never find us.... :)
 

Frank

Sasquatch
WTF? are you serious? Count me out, first guns - now trail. Please explain this one Mike, I hope that is a typo.

He was serious about not being allowed to attend trail maint. unless you have been through their training class. It is an insurance issue they have there. As far as the background check...:confused:
 

Brian Snyder

JORBA "Roaming Gnome"
JORBA.ORG
As with most things today, liability issues cause things like training classes to be required. The checks done on all new volunteers and employees have been in place as long as I can remember, and I have been a volunteer since 1991. If any one has any questions, feel free to contact MCPS and they can give you the detailed answers. ( www.monmouthcountyparks.com )
 

mike_243

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
the response to a joke is out of your hands all you can do is throw it out there...i do it all the time, sometimes you stick your foot in your mouth sometimes you kill.
Not to hijack a thread but somtimes I should write down my replies let them sit for 30 secs. them read them to see if they are still funny.

As for the TM and signing up I guess if we need to do that to work on the park then so be it.
question is how many peeps do we need to sign up and get trained before we can start to do anything useful?
l8tr Mike
 

Brian Snyder

JORBA "Roaming Gnome"
JORBA.ORG
AH-HA! That is the rub. I am trying to get that answered myself,but, every single volunteer counts.
 

don

Well-Known Member
I did the training course earlier this year it was really informative. Mike Flatery did a great job - I was very impressed before I knew it was him and he was a fellow rider. Not trying to blow smoke up his arse but his newer style trail building methods were far more interesting than the other speakers items.

The last trail dig @ Hart saw a handful of people. I was late myself due to kids soccer stuff but tried to help with the little time I had. But it could have been stronger - I think Mike and I were the only riders in the group.

At that trail dig, Karen mentioned they want to setup maintenance 1x/month for Hart next season. If that's the case and we get a good local dig crew we could really get that place dialed. Mike knows the techniques and how to show others about them. The last obstacle would be getting a good trail layout in place. I am sure Mike and Brian have some pretty good ideas on how to make Hart work the best it can. Like many others have said - the terrain is there - it just need to be utilized the best it can.

Brian - once you do the course are you set for life? It would be nice not having to do it every year. OR could we have an special intro courses for a group of 20 or more if it's put together - like a MTBNJ training course?
 

don

Well-Known Member
why is it that when ever the trails become challenging or technical at any part, someone comes buy and blows the whole thing out so that even grandmas wheel chair can now fit through there?......Ive been riding there for 15 years and most of the technical stuff if gone. I can see making trails around the technical stuff but the trails are starting to get kinda boring......well, unless anyone remembers what they used to be 10 years ago maybe less trail maintenance is needed....

Yeah, some of the old logs you needed to hop were so much fun and I remember working on some of them for a 20 minutes at time. But the place sees so much traffic, that stuff isn't right for it now. I do miss it tho. I think Hartshorne would be a great park for a skills area for that very reason.

And I wouldn't call the waterbar washed out sections at Hart tech - more like annoying. With the soil there I don't think it could ever be made tech and keep but with smooth, well laid out trails with good pitch and turns it sure could be fun. The boys I know up in VT call it "sniggletrack".
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Don brings up some good points, namely that attending a training course can be very informative and we could greatly improve the erosion issues at Hartshorne by attending trail maintenance dates.
I have to come clean, I am a Monmouth County employee who is also an avid mountain biker. I have spoken to Karen Livingston(MCPS) regarding TM. All park volunteers are required to take a training course so that they know what trail maintenace is all about, guys like Mike Flatery pass on great info free of charge. The indoor class is followed up by outdoor hands on training, in total the class lasts about 3hrs. This class only needs to be attended once, your name is entered in the MCPS data base and your volunteer hours are tracked. Those that perform 40 or more volunteer hrs. a year are invited to a free luncheon. There is no background check, this only pertains to volunteers who work with children.
Volunteers at MCPS put in over 1000hrs. of work at various parks, and is planning to have approx. 6 TM dates at Hartshorne in 2009. Having volunteered for TM at other parks throughout the state I do admit that having to attend a training course to volunteer for TM can be a hassle. But you can also look at this as an opportunty to get some good info from some good teachers and use this knowledge to perform TM at Hartshorne as well other parks.
There will probably be a trainging course in March, it will be posted on Jorba when exact dates are available.
 

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