TA Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date of Activity: 5/17/2009
Trail Ambassador Name: Tren Spence
Trail Ambassador Email:Tspence[at]hotmail[dot]com
Town: Newtown
Location: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Trail(s) Ridden:Poly Brody, Upper Gussy
How did you use the trail: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day: 8am
Duration (Hours):1.5
Distance (Miles):5
Condition of Trails(s):damp

Observations: Rode with Mark, the Chapter VP and builder of Gussy Trail because I had not been on it since last summer. It would appear that the hunters were not too pleased with the recent logging activity in the forest and manifested their displeasure by pumping a few rounds of bird shot into this sign. The Brody Road, as Mark calls it is mostly now a gravel and dirt road that supported the recently forestry practises. Once past the sign the Brody road reverts back to dual track.

We picked up the Gussy Trail from the Brody right before a huge decsent. I recall on a previous ride coming up that part of the trail and while it's rideable you want to puke when you get to the top. The Gussy opens up to a light climb on what was once probably an old skidder path. The through an old blow down that would have been an excellent way to keep quads off the trail but according to Mark someone who he was building the trail with went saw happy on the tree and made the opening large enough for a 4x4. At the top of the climb, the trail rounds a corner and then it gets technical with a rocky climb.

There all sorts of challenges along the way including little rollers, up-and-overs, and log hops. It is truly a sweet trail that encompases all the aspects of trail building from technical decents to armored stream crossings. In fact, a third of the way in, we stopped and armored a section of the trail that was getting really soft and about to wallow.

After we finished we rode it a bit to get the feeling for the line and coming up, it's nice but decending it's off a bit. Mark said he would fix it in the coming weeks.

Since this is a shared use trail, a bypass will be needed for the equestriennes.