TA Report: Pequonnock River Valley (aka Trumbull)

TA Report: Pequonnock River Valley (aka Trumbull) 3-6-10

Saturday, March. 6th, 2010
Condition of Trails: Muddy, Rutted, Wet in Spots, Dry and rideable on the higher ridge trails
Trail Ambassador Name: Rich C
Trail Ambassador Email: mtnbikerdad[at]yahoo[dot]com
Town: Trumbull
Location: Pequonnock Valley State Forest
Trails Ridden: Various
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Biking, TM, Photos
What was the time of day? Late Afternoon 3:00 - 5:30PM
Duration (Hours): 2 1/2 Hours

Didn't get a chance to get out to ride until after three but it was still sunny and warm so I made the most of it. Entered thru the southend at Daniels Farm Rd and rode up to the top of the hill where the red and white split and turned on the white for a short distance then veered to the right to pick up the yellow.

Spent a little time scouring the area before the first escarpment (taking photos, etc.) for a reroute Mark and I are considering as an alternate to the fall line there.

Rode on to where Mulholland ends by the stream/ waterfalls and came upon a nasty wet section once I crossed the stream.

There are a couple of natural springs here and fallen leaves and a huge misplaced log have clogged the flow making the trail now a rutted super muddy mess. I had taken along a folding camp shovel (it fits nicely in my Camelback) and wanted to try it out. It turned out be very useful. I was able to clear out all the leaves (including under the log) and dig a little channel/knick allowing the water to flow again. I armored about 3ft of the formerly soupy section with flat rock and it should hold up well now. The log really should be moved or at least about 4 ft of it cut off at an angle to allow runoff to flow naturally and reorinet the trail over the larger armoring that the log had been blocking.

I rode on and, once down near the old lake bed (a.k.a. The Serengeti), I noticed a trail that parallels the rooty trail about 10 ft higher. The rooty trail (I mentioned in my Dec 6th report) down below was a complete muddy unrideable mess.

It was starting to get a little darker so I rode down the fireroad and headed back on the white trail, At the perpetual mudhole (mentioned as well in my Dec. 6th report). I tried to dig a channel to siphon some of the water off but it was so swampy on the western edge the mini-shovel was useless (and I was getting wet socks!).

Work here involves a dedicated crew with big shovels for sure. Headed back up the white trail hill and, once out of the lake bed area, it was once again dry and rideable.