Friday, June 1, 2012

River Highlands State Park


Date: June 1, 2012
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: God, with one exception

Observations/Information: I rode the Blow Hole after work Friday. A popular place as of late. I must have left just before Brendan arrived. Rather than repeat Brendan's report I'll suppliment it. The tree on the green trail came down during my visit- the trail was clear on my first pass, blocked on the second. It's a big oak that had been rotting from the inside out, although it looked healthy on the outside. The moderate breeze was enough to bring it down. You never know when a big tree will fall, and it's one of the risks of being in the woods. 

As far as the new "Sidewinder" reroute, the flow is good but the trail surface needs more work. There's still some loose dirt that slows you down and interferes with turning. I think an hour or so with a roque hoe will improve it considerably, and I plan to do that ASAP. The reroute at the stream crossing on the yellow trail is excellent. 

As I left a young couple was just arriving, and they might be the braid unblockers Brendan talks about. They both looked capable of getting over the logs if they tried and maybe practiced a little, but of course they'll never learn if they keep going around. As this park becomes more popular, braids will become more of an issue. 

River Highlands will be one of the first places to dry out after the most recent round of rain. 
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes


Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Yellow, green, white, red
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.5
Approximate Distance (Miles): 7 miles

1 comment:

Brendan said...

It wasn't them. They were ahead of me.

It was the work of a lone trail braider.