Collis P Huntington SP

Date: December 14, 2011
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Collis P Huntington SP
Town: Redding
Trail Conditions: Wet, sloppy in places
Observations/Information: Hit Huntington Wednesday afternoon. I wanted to try out the new rock ring I installed in place of a large chain ring. Trails were wetter than I expected. The area got a major dump of rain in the first week of December and, although it has not rained for the past five days, colder temps mean longer drying times. There is a lot of standing water in the low places, and slimy trail surface where the trails dip low. Pretty much all the trails are this way, but the Rusty Truck (boardwalk) and south end of Rock and Roll in particular. Although temps get below freezing at night, by afternoon the trails had lost whatever freeze-induced hardness they acquired the night before. The carriage roads are also wet/gooey in places. Good news is that the South Pond reroute is dry from end to end, a testament to its good design. The improvised plank bridge at the boardwalk is still in place and holding up well.

As for the rock ring, I found it to be an improvement. It's easier to hop logs without that big, toothy appendage hanging down. The big wheels and higher final drive ratio of 29ers renders a big ring useless to all but the strongest riders, and mine had lost most of its teeth anyway, due to scrapes with rocks. The bike even feels a little bit lighter, although that might be wishful thinking. So if you've got a big ring you never use, you're tired of the way it scrapes on rocks, hangs up on logs, and inflicts dirty, greasy puncture wounds on your leg, you might want to try a rock ring. They're not just for freeriders anymore.

The trails at Huntington will not be drying out anytime soon, so if you ride there this weekend, I'd suggest going in the morning when the ground is(hopefully) still frozen. Also, please use good judgment regarding the wet areas.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernes33athotmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Rusty Truck, Burn, Dam, South Pond, Rock and Roll
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 2.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 12ish
Images/Photos: 007.JPG
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