tuesday 17 corner canyon

[PunchKing]

Sorry Luce, your bike had a hard time of it. I hope that muddy adventure doesn't cost you too many green backs.

[fourtycal]

Memoriable ride night I need to ride that "downhill" trail when it is dry, maybe it seemed like a lot of uphill because of the weather

[neilether]

At the great risk of being flamed by the group, perhaps we should exercise a little bit more patience and wait for the trails to dry out. It's one thing to get caught unawares and ride through mud, but from the pre-ride posts, it seemed very evident that serious mud was inevitable. Riding in that kind of mud damages more than just bikes......(not the least of which is our reputations as responsible trail users).

flame on

[fourtycal]

flame on

OK!

[PunchKing]

Jesus loves the Tuesday rides, if he didn't want us to ride in the mud he wouldn't have sent the rain

[TreeHugger]

At the great risk of being flamed by the group, perhaps we should exercise a little bit more patience and wait for the trails to dry out. It's one thing to get caught unawares and ride through mud, but from the pre-ride posts, it seemed very evident that serious mud was inevitable. Riding in that kind of mud damages more than just bikes......(not the least of which is our reputations as responsible trail users).

flame on

Sorry guys, but I agree. Mtnbkrs get a lot of (usually unwarranted) grief about how we damage and erode trails, this doesnt help. We can righteously claim that horses do more damage but when there are 3 inch bike tire ruts in a trail, we have to think twice about pointing a finger. Always good to preserve the integrity of the trails we ride on.

[tallsteve]

Sorry guys, but I agree. Mtnbkrs get a lot of (usually unwarranted) grief about how we damage and erode trails, this doesnt help. We can righteously claim that horses do more damage but when there are 3 inch bike tire ruts in a trail, we have to think twice about pointing a finger. Always good to preserve the integrity of the trails we ride on.

Ditto.

[fourtycal]

I suppose bikers that have achieved a higher level of greatness than myself always just somehow know when the weather and a trail is perfect for riding. Good for you I will never be that gifted

I can think of hundreds of GREAT rides that would have been missed had I listened to the weather forcast, and I can think of dozens of times the weather was supposed to be good and a trail assumed rideable when I had to deal with rain and mud.

I don't particularly like riding in mud, but it's so fun to clean up and good for the bike . The worst part of this trail was all rutted up by 4x4's and I'm sure will be leveled by bulldozers and development in the near future. Until then a bike tire track in the rut made by teenagers out muddin their jeeps is hardly noticable and hardly damaging, but if I somehow ruined the future of bike riding for everyone them I am sincerely sorry

[accadacca]

All of the deep ruts that I have ever noticed on trails are from motorcycles or 4x4's. IMO, mountain bikes just don't do much, not that I have seen and any signs usually gets fixed by the next rain storm or general traffic. In fact, it rained so much that night that I bet it washed away any signs of our tracks on the trail, which were only 1/4" anyway. You get that much indention riding a damp trail. We will probably be riding the trail again in the next couple weeks and I am going to see if I can even find a trace. I doubt we'll find anything.

Anyway, not worth getting in a pissing match over in my opinion and I figure everyone has heard it enough from their mom or dad growing up. To each his own, but it just rubs people wrong. Live and learn. I cant remember the last time I rode in mud like that, prolly cause I don't enjoy riding in it. Like fourty said with sarcasm. PITA cleaning my bike. If I would have known it was going to be nasty, I would have drove straight home. Nuff said.

My bike is lubed and ready for next week. I hope Luce has his derailleur fixed (and for the record, his derailleur broke going through huge ruts made my 4x4's before we even got to the "trail', so he turned around and met us on top at the trucks.)

[live2ride]

damn that looks like a good old mud mess, to bad about the bike parts getting broken, I am out of riding for at least another week, rolled the ankle and popped it playing a little b-ball...

[TreeHugger]

OK, I'm not going to get into a pissing match either, but you guys clearly just dont get it. Its about RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP FOR OUR SPORT. I understand this Utah, but even in Utah a little environmental and trail respect goes a long way. Maybe because I'm from MI, where most of the trails are in state parks, and there are always battles about trail use I'm more sensitive to this. Here's is what is always posted on the Michigan Mountain Biking Association website... for your consideration.

Your Name Isn't Mud!

Do not give yourself or other mountain bikers a bad name by riding on trails during the spring thaw. The recent warm weather may be melting the snow, but the sub-surface layers of soil are still partially frozen. Trails are critically sensitive to erosion damage at this time.
Currently, water from the melting snow is unable to sink into the soil, so trail surfaces are muddy. Tire ruts help channel this water and contribute to erosion and muddy spots that can become long-term trail damage.
A good rule of thumb is that when the earthworms begin to emerge, the ground is thawed. Please ride on pavement or gravel roads for a few more weeks while the trails properly thaw and dry out. Help us keep trails open to mountain biking by riding in an environmentally sound manner.

[neilether]

Unfortunately you guys have gone and tried to prove my point for me. The whole "rain or shine" ride attitude has the potential to be very bad for the already tarnished image of mountain bikers. The trail damage argument is somewhat of a moot point. I absolutely agree with you that mountain bikes in general have little capacity (under normal...even muddy....circumstances) to create lasting damage. Much less so than horses, ATVs, and 4x4s. It is the simple matter of public perception that worries me. We are lucky in Utah with trail access, but other areas (an increasing number) are losing privileges quickly. I don't want to see that happen here. Whether we like it or not, we are automatically lumped in with those other user groups until we can prove that we care about and are responsible for our trails. Somehow horses get a free pass.....go figure.

I certainly don't claim to be able to predict the weather, but riding in May is always hit and miss in Utah, and all I'm saying is that it was very clear in the ride invite that mud was very probable. It is possible to ride until you find the mud and then turn around and stick with the dry stuff. A little patience is all it takes. A couple more weeks (maybe even days!) and this will not be an issue until fall.....

[tallsteve]

Yeah, what they both said!

[fourtycal]

Unfortunately you guys have gone and tried to prove my point for me.

I already bowed to your greatness. I wouldn't know anything about access and other user groups since I hardly ever get out thanks for the enlightenment

[Sombeech]

oops, I took a wrong turn. Looking for the mountain biking forum and ended up in the Canyoneering section.

[Ride On]

My goal is to go out and have fun road riding isn't fun even if its gravel not only that but I bet money that when I'm 40 either the trails will be fine or all the hippys will have freaked out enough to get them shut down to all. Not only that but it is true that there will be houses on this trail before they even finish all the trails that they want to build there. I am going to continue riding every tuesday rain or shine until there is a couple inches of snow on all of them.

[accadacca]

:55

[neilether]

I already bowed to your greatness. I wouldn't know anything about access and other user groups since I hardly ever get out thanks for the enlightenment

Sigh.....

[neilether]

...I am going to continue riding every tuesday rain or shine until there is a couple inches of snow on all of them.

I know.

Hopefully when you are there will be trails for your children to ride. No sarcastic response necessary because I am obviously exaggerating....to a point....

[tallsteve]

This is what happens when we don't use common sense. I discovered these on my road ride up to the summit of AF Canyon today. These signs were installed sometime this week and have been placed at every trailhead. At least the closure's apply to equestrians and moto's, too.