Hartford Cyclocross: Mike Marques Photography

Courtesy of Mike Marques Photography

Courtesy of Mike Marques Photography

Courtesy of Mike Marques Photography

Courtesy of Mike Marques Photography

Please visit Mike Marques Photogalleries for Hartford Cross Pictures.

Trail Ambassador Report: Nassahegon State Forest

This report covers the month of October.

Trail Ambassador: Mark L.

TA hours: 16

TM hours: 12

Conditions vary but generally have been better than expected. Heavy leaf cover has made lower-use trails somewhat difficult to find this week, but the heavily-ridden areas are still easy. Few hunters have been seen as much of this area is private. Considerable, thoughtful and much needed armoring has been done recently by non-NEMBA personnel with more planned for November. About 10 miles of rarely ridden trails have been added to the network bringing the total milage here to about 50. The threat of parking tickets outlined in previous reports failed to materialize and logging operations appear to be the only nusiance to riders. Both the Tour de Nassy - a 40 mile all day epic ride - and the Nassy Fall Classic Ride & Picnic were cancelled due to illness and poor weather.

TA Report: Bradley Park

Date of Activity:10-30-09
Condition of Trails(s): Dry

Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton
Location: Bradley Park
Trail(s) Ridden: All
How did you use the trail?: TM 2hrs. / Mountain Biking 1.5 Hrs
What was the time of day?: 12:30PM
Duration (Hours): 3.5
Distance (Miles): 8
Observations: Did 2 hours of reblazing covering all the yellow, and white trails. Noticed that all the yellow trails are requiring tree trimming as they are less traveled trails since all yellow trails end at streets and are only out and backs. I also planned out connecting trails to combine the adjacent yellow trails into loops, and will be making a propsal to the WCC next week. Afterwards, got the bike off the card for a 1.5 hour fun ride through a leaf filled park, temp was perfect and riding was dry and fast.

Hartford Cyclocross Pix

Here are all the pictures I could find from the TheBeatBikeBlog, CCBA's Facebook page for the Hartford Cyclocross Race that we put on with CCBA.

TM Report: Mianus River Park 10-25-09

TA Report: Mianus River Park

Sunday, Oct. 25th, 2009

Condition of Trails: Still Wet in Spots

Trail Ambassador Name: Rich C, Ryan Tucker

Trail Ambassador Email: mtnbikerdad[at]yahoo[dot]com

Town: Stamford/Greenwich

Location: Mianus Park

Trails Hiked: Various

How did you use the trail?: TM

What was the time of day? Morning !0 AM

Duration (Hours): 3

Observations:

Just Ryan and I today arrived at 10 Am and hiked a good part of the park heading to the north end to discuss issues and solutions for the Cabin Trail. Although our original intention was to fix a drainage issue on an already heavily armored stream crossing on the Second Loop trail, we discovered on our walk back, a large goopy mud hole, already rutted with tire tracks on a usually pristine section of the Second Loop Trail.

We spent over an hour cutting a nick (cambering the trail) to allow the water to drain off to the side. Once finished we recovered it with a scattering of leaves to blend in.

TA Report: Troutbrook

Date of Activity: 10-25-09
Condition of Trails(s): Damp, muddy in only a few spots

Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Weston
Location:Troutbrook Trail(s)
Ridden: Most
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: 12:00
Duration (Hours): 2
Distance (Miles): 8
Observations: A lot of hikers out today the main parking lot was filled had to go to another entrance, but I dd not see one other mountain biker. Gave directions to a couple of people lost in the park.

TM Report: Bradley Park

Date of Activity:10-25-09
Condition of Trails(s):Wet


Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton
Location: Bradley Park
Trail(s) Ridden: N/A
How did you use the trail?: Trail Maintenance
What was the time of day?: 3PM
Duration (Hours): 1.5
Distance (Miles): N/A
Observations: Reblazed the entire orange trail.

TM Report: Wilton Woods

Date of Activity:10-25-09
Condition of Trails(s): Wet


Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort;
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton
Location: Wilton Woods
Trail(s) Ridden:N/A
How did you use the trail?: Trail Maintenance
What was the time of day?:8:30AM
Duration (Hours): 2
Distance (Miles): N/A

Observations: Brought in the chain saw to deal with all the fallen trees blocking trails in the park from this weekend's storm. Also raked out the black diamond trail.

TM Report: Bradley Park

Date of Activity:10-24-09
Condition of Trails(s): Dry


Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort, Chris Keczkemethy
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton
Location: Bradley Park
Trail(s) Ridden: N/A
How did you use the trail?: Trail Maintenance
What was the time of day?: 9:00AM
Duration (Hours): 2
Distance (Miles): N/A
Observations: A long bridge was severely sagging because of improper construction, Chris and I brought in a hydraulic floor jack and jacked up the bridge and installed new supports overlapping the weak areas on the bridge. Also straightened the bridge by adding rocks under one end to get it level. We hiked to the back area of the park where there was a short walkway with a gap in between the boards wide enough for a mountain bike tire to get caught in, we disassembled and used new wood supports and reused the decking and re-assembled.
Two sets on dog walkers came by and thanked us for our efforts in the park and they also commented on how much they enjoyed the section of the orange trail that I re-routed last week.

TA Report: Wilton Woods (Continued)

This is an update to a night riding issue that we encountered on 10/22/09. I spoke to the Wilton Conservation Commission (WCC) regarding night riding at Wilton Woods, as the police said the park closes at sunset. I found out that is correct and the way they handle camping is through a permit. When a camping permit is issued they give the Wilton Police all your car information (make, model, license plate) and this way the police will not ticket or tow your vehicle. So it looks like no more nights rides there. I plan on talking to the WCC about if there is anyway instead of a sunset closure that a specific time can be used, say 8 or 9pm.

TA Report: WIlton Woods

Date of Activity:10-22-09
Condition of Trails(s): Dry

Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort; Ryan Tucker
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton Location: Wilton Woods
Trail(s) Ridden: Most
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: 7:00PM
Duration (Hours): 1.5
Distance (Miles): 6

Observations: good group, lots of leaves down so finding the trail was a challenge at times! Police I guess came and started calling our houses, telling that the park is closed at night. I sent an email to the Wilton Conservation Commission to find out what is up as they allow overnight camping at the park. When I get an answer I will post back up.

TA Report: Dingle Brook Trails

Date of Activity:10-17-09
Condition of Trails(s): Dry and leafy

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie, eatsleepfish@gmail.com
Town: Newtown/Brookfield
Location: Burr Farm Open Space
Trail(s) Ridden: Blue
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: RAW
Duration (Hours): 1.5
Distance (Miles): 6

Observations: Cleared numerous blow downs. Sections of the Blue Trail heading down to the bench at Dingle Brook are hard to follow with all the leaves and it looks like no one is really using the trail. It appears there's been some ATV on the right of way but that was is it.

Bradley Park Ride Video

TA Report: Collis P Huntington State Park

Trail Ambassador Names: Paula Burton
Trail Ambassador Email: peburton@aol.com
Town: Redding
Location: Collis P Huntington SP
Trail(s) Ridden: Blue,white, Burned Trails, South Pond Loop
How did you use the trail? Mountain Bike
What was the time of day? Late Afternoon
Duration (Hours): 2

Distance (Miles): 8

Condition of Trail(s): Good

Observations: A few blowdowns, but otherwise trails in good shape. It was a beautiful fall afternoon. The DEP cop was in the parking lot. I returned to the lot just in time. They will be ticketing folks in the park after sunset.

TA Report: Bradley Park

Date of Activity:10-17-09

Condition of Trails(s): Dry

Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort
Trail Ambassador Email: dfrancefort@excite.com
Town: Wilton
Location: Bradley Park
Trail(s) Ridden: All
How did you use the trail?: TM / Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: 7:30AM
Duration (Hours): 3.5
Distance (Miles): 5

Observations: Re-routed a section of he orange trail, closed about 200 feet of trail due to severe erosion. The trail section was dead straight up the fall line and has lost between 1 and 2 feet of soil. Wilton Conservation Commission approved re-route to more sustainable area. New section is about 400 feet long maintaining perpendicular to the fall line and should be much more sustainable. The new trail section also has much better flow. Followed up the TM 2.5 hours with a 1 hour ride to test it all out....

TA Report River Highlands State Park

Date of Activity: October 17, 2009

Trail Ambassador Names: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador Email: glennvernes33athotmaildotcom
Town: Cromwell
Location: River Highlands State Park
Trail(s) Ridden: Green, white, red, blue.
How did you use the trail? Mountain Bike
What was the time of day? Late Afternoon
Duration (Hours): 1

Distance (Miles): 6ish

Condition of Trail(s): Good, leafy, dry.

Observations: A quick after work, before-the-rainstorm ride revealed that not much has changed since my last ride here on Tuesday. Fewer sticks due to our trail clearing efforts, but still the leaves and acorns to deal with.

TA Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date of Activity:10-17-09
Condition of Trails(s): Dry and leafy

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie, eatsleepfish@gmail.com
Town: NewtownLocation: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Trail(s) Ridden: Upper Gussy and Poly Brody Forest Road
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: 9:00AM
Duration (Hours): 1.5
Distance (Miles): 5

Observations: Lots of twigs and branches littered the trail which I cleared. Looks like the Western Connecticut Orienteering Club is having a meet this weekend. I found quite a few of these points, three of which were on the Gussy Trail. The leaves make the trail slippery but the fall foliage is still really nice to look at. Kind of cold this morning, 40 degrees.