Sunday, November 28, 2010

TA Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date of Activity: November 28, 2010
Location: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Condition of Trail(s): Good but the oak leaves make it very slippery



Observations:  Headed out on the Gussy Trail in frigid temps and after discovering that leaves can be slippery and experiencing a little Endo action I rode further up the trail to find that the blowdown that Paula cut up for me last month got moved again, only this time blocking the trail proper.  This section has been moved around a bit but it current position disrupts the flow of the up hill climb so I cut a lever from one of the spring poles that Paula already cut and started levering it into position.

I tried it on the right side of the trail but didn't like the stubby branch coming off one side.  If someone were to try riding the skinny and were to slip off in the crotch they would surly endo.  I armored the crotch so if someone did slip off they could get back on the skinny but I didn't like the line at the end of the skinny.  After all that work, I cleared the armoring and levered it to the other side of the trail.

When I got it lined up perfectly with the rest of the trail there was one problem, part of the log was sticking right into the middle of the trail.  I got out my collapsible saw and proceed for the next fifteen minutes to saw through the 12" section of the log.  I was amazed at how fast it cut.

Then I re-armored the crotch and made a tranny on the on the other side so you have three riding options.  Come in on the left and ride the skinny and huck back into the trail.  Approach from the other side for ride and huck, or just huck through the crotch.

After spending an hour on this feature I continued up the Gussy and then looped the top of the Brody and an excerpt of the Mulikin Trail and then back to the Gussy, where I met a walker and his dog.  Apparently, he came up from Blue Trail, where he found a yellow blaze and followed that up to the Gussy.  Looks like the Equestriennes blazed their trail.

Trail Ambassador:  Mark Lurie

Town: Newtown
Trail(s) Ridden: Upper Gussy, Poly Brody, Mulikin
How did you use the trail: Mountain biking
What was the time of day: Morning
Duration (Hours): 2 
Distance (Miles): 6

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