TA Report: Collis P Huntington SP

Great day to be single speeding despite the
tragedy that befell our community on the previous day

Date: 12/15/2012
Report Type: TA/TM Report
Trail Name: Collis P Huntington SP
Town: Bethel/Redding
Trail Conditions: Hoar Frost, slick, and a little muddy

That doesn't look like Fat Bike Tracks

Observations/Information: Trails at Huntington show signs of many riders hitting this place, though I didn't see any riders on the trail. A lot of walkers and runners, though. The frost heaves coming with the colder weather are turning to mush.  Looks like someone is riding a motorcycle on the carriage roads

.

A few trees down here and there since Hurricane Sandy that are in hard to reach areas.

Someone foot raked a small alternative route on the Glacial Erratic which I blocked by throwing sticks and leaves on. If it were longer and swoopier it would make sense but it wasn't and just plain stupid.

Also on the Glacial Erratic there was a mud pit forming on one the turns just south of Dave Francefort's Spine Line creation. 

There were no nearby rock stores so I scoured the area for flatties to armor it up.

Coming off of Rock & Roll and heading back up the carriage road into the lot I noticed a car with the back window open. There have been a rash of break ins at the Upper D-Town lot and I happen to notice a woman who started jogging from the lot with a dog as I passed by. I turned around and caught up with her and informed her that her car window was open and also told her about the recent break ins. She thanked me and said not to worry because she would be out for a 15 minute run

I wore Yellow and Blue in Solidarity for Newtown, CT

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Big Burn, Single Track from the Burn to Little Vomit, Little Vomit, Green, South Park, Glacial Erratic, Red, Waterfall run, Blue, White, and Rock & Roll
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 3
Approximate Distance (Miles): 10

TM Report: Hartman Park

Date: 12/12/12
Report Type: TM Report
Trail Name: Hartman Park
Town: Lyme
Trail Conditions: good..
Observations/Information: went out with a few people from the town of Lyme to finish the re-blazing of the Red trail, last section is now done. kinda a hike out but it was good as way more people showed than expected so we went out as 2 crews and worked from each end toward the middle, got done pretty fast actually considering it's a good 1/2 hour hike out to that section.

One note that some may get upset about is the major downhill/fault line we closed, is WAY to rough and heavily eroded. The actual trail never did go down it but a LOT of people used it as a short cut/ downhill thrill. We blocked it off and moved leaves to show the real tread line, then hid the old line really well so hopefully most people wont even notice till they are on a section they don't recognize.. We'll see if some crazy down hiller types try and re-open it... hopefully not.
Trail Ambassador Name: Thom Lamourine

TM Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date: 11/25/2012

Trail Name: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Town: Newtown, CT
Trail Conditions: Nice
Observations/Information: Paula Burton brought her chainsaw and we cut up the remaining trees blocking the Gussy Trail.

She was able to cut the lower trees but the upper tree was left but it looks high enough that people should be able to ride underneath it.

I redirected the trail under the tallest part.

Paula also took care of the Widow maker further up the trail and then we took out an up and over that was a flow kill for the ride up.

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie; Paula Burton
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Hiking/Walking

TM Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

 

Date: 11/12/2012

Report Type: Trail Maintenance
Trail Name: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Town: Newtown, CT
Trail Conditions: Delicious
Observations/Information: I decided to do a reroute around the blowdown in the middle of the Gussy Trail.

The new route is great on the way down (the Gussy) but very challenging for the way up.  If and when someone gets in and cuts the two trees that are on the ground that caused me to do this in the first place then at least there will be a couple of options.

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Other Trail use
Trails Ridden:
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 3
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TM Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

 

Date: 11/12/2012
Report Type: TM Report:
Trail Name: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Town: Newtown, CT
Trail Conditions: Reroute needed

Observations/Information: With the trees blocking the main part of the Gussy Trail I decided to put in a re-route around the issue, however, at some point if I can get someone in there with a chain saw then I think I can open it up.

I put down pin flags and set to clearing. I had to make some concessions in terms of the terrain. There is a short section, perhaps 30 feet in length that is fall line but with some benching and a little grade reversal it should be OK.

I benched the north section but need to come back and do more benching on the fall line but I want to ride that section a little more to make sure I have it just right.
Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Other Trail use
Trails Ridden:
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 3

TM Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date: 11/3/2012
Trail Name: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Town: Newtown, CT
Trail Conditions: Leafy
Observations/Information: There are a couple of blow downs on the Poly Brody and 4 on the Upper Gussy. My goad today was to take care of those on the Upper Gussy. I did notice that the blow down nearest the gate was cut up but not sure about the rest.

Headed up the Gussy clearing sticks along the way to the farthest blow down from the Echo Valley lot. Using loppers I was able to open the trail up again.

Down from there a piece of tree came down and created a widow maker. It's is tightly wedged in another tree so I cleared around it and foot raked a go around.

At the end of the new re-route, from the last storm, another tree came down about 10 feet north of another tree that has been down for quite some time.

 

I took care of this tree Paul Bunyan style with a long handled axe and a little gravity.

Did some ramping on this log to improve the flow since coming down the re-route is pretty fast and flowy.

Then I looked at the last mess of blowdowns. It's needs a chainsaw! I looked at trying to do a reroute but it would be a bigger job then what you could do with a chainsaw. Hopefully, I can get someone out with a saw in the next week to do some cutting.

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Hiking/Walking
Trails Ridden: Upper Gussy
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 2
Approximate Distance (Miles): 2

TM Report: South Pond Trail

Paula benching

Date: 10/21/2012
Report Type: TM Report:
Trail Name: Collis P Huntington SP
Town: Redding
Trail Conditions: Benched
Observations/Information: Paula and I headed out to finish benching one last section of the first the South Pond trail. Granted, this is an active trail now but still needs a few tweaks here and there and this was one of them.

Looking North

Before

After

Just as we finished a big group of riders came through to christen the newly benched section and they were truly appreciative.

Looking South

Before

After

After we were done we headed over to assess the big tree that finally came down and decided on a course of action on where to cut this tree and create a better section of trail.

The last thing we looked at was the technical choke point at the top of the trail. That's going to be another project that we're going to have to plan for because it's going to take a lot of rock work and unfortunately there are no Rock Stores nearby.

Stay Tuned


Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie; Paula Burton
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Hiking/Walking
Trails Ridden: South Pond
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 3
Approximate Distance (Miles): n/a

TM Report: Collis P Huntington SP

Date: 10/14/2012
Report Type: TM Report:
Trail Name: Collis P Huntington SP
Town: Redding
Trail Conditions: Leafy
Observations/Information: Maybe it was the rain or the fact that NEMBA listed this event for Monday but no one showed up for today's trail work.

Still, I was able to get a lot done. I worked on the south end of the new trail.

I did a little rock armoring at one point, scraped the duff off a few sections and opened the rest of the trail up but everyone seems to be riding it anyway.

All that's needed now is a little rock work in the northern section of the trail and about 20 yards of benching and it will be ready for primetime.

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden:
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 3

TM Report: Upper Paugussett State Forest

Date: 10/07/2012
Report Type: TM Report:
Trail Name: Upper Paugussett State Forest
Town: Newtown, CT
Trail Conditions: Leafy

Observations/Information: Went in to take care of the new blowdowns at the Wetspot, the Cleavage, and the Blue Ball Roller.

 

The best line, which is the most difficult, was obstructed by some oak branches that I had to cut with a bow saw. I took care of the sapling that probably throws people off all the time and put in some more flat rocks.

There was a new blowdown on top of the old one from Snotober. I took care of both. A couple walked by, out for a morning stroll in the woods, each with their iPods on.

Someone got to the Cleavage before me (thank you) which was the impetus for me coming out there in the first place and seeing that was squared away I set about to adding a by pass route to Cleavage.

 

The curve that comes down and lines you up to ride up through the Cleavage is too sharp and when I come around there I sometimes dish out in the curve. I extended the roll out past the Cleavage with a small climb that meets back up with the main trail.

 

There was this guy, Jason, on a Jeff Jones Fat Bike that I met before and I asked him to ride it both ways and he said it was great, especially at the curve where he washes out all the time.

 

He then showed me how to roll this rock that I thought riders might want to bank off of.

 

I benched the slopped section and hope to go back in a few days to finish removing the duff on the flat section of the trail.

 

I left the up-and-over but it needs some logs on both sides to make a better ramp.

Trail Ambassador Name: Mark Lurie
Trail Ambassador E-mail: ctnemba a la gmail dot com
How did you use the trail? Hiking/Walking
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 2