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Time to put my muscle and my time where my mouth is.
I'll be going to the Downieville Trail Daze on May 15th to put in a few hours of work to maintain the trails that I've not yet ridden, but will at least a couple times during the summer.
I'm willing to give up a day or two (riding the day after) of spring skiing to do my part to keep trails open and in good shape.
Who's with me?
I could probably be talked into it. Never ridden there, always wanted to, and I'll lend a hand wherever it's needed. I'll have to see as it draws closer.
Good on you guys! Great to see fellow mountain bikers giving back to the trails.
I can't commit yet...but keep reminding me as the date gets closer.
I'd be up for it. I think my arms will be pretty close to fully functional by then!!
CHEERS TO NATER!
i may be guilted into it, as I have been riding in Downieville every summer and fall since '95.......did the IMBA trail crew work-party and ride there a few yrs ago, which was cool.
Yuba Expeditions (used to be Coyotee Adventures), run by Greg, usually sponsors this. He is a cool guy and works hard to keep these trails open and in shape....MTB'ing has transformed Downieville into a destination spot for MTB's, and helped the economy there...so the locals (picture real mountain men, guys still panning for gold on the Yuba..no lie..) are pretty hip to the bikers...
But, I am old school: my friends and I still do the 5000 ft climb every yr vs taking the shuttle service from Yuba...a matter of manly (read: stupidity) pride....
anwway, let us know as we get closer and i may join ya'll...
^bump^
My plans are to do the Trail work on Sat and then head to lassen for that evening and some turns on Sunday.
Anyone else interested is more than welcome to join in on my travel plans (ie car pooling).
Probably will be up for this. Downieville rocks and is more than deserving of my sweat equity.
Telenater,
you planning on going this coming w/e? and work on Sat, then drive to Lassen and ski Sun? No sticking around to ride Sunday?
Weekend of the 15th of May. Plans are still subject to modification (and probably will be if the need to MTB outweighs the desire to ski Lassen with some other buddies).
AHHH, OK, 5/15.....me thinks i could pitch in for the trail daze and do some riding on sunday....
would be up for Lassen, Tioga or Shasta one w/e as well......but to haul it from downieville to Lassen is a little too mas for me.....prefer to stay and ride and car camp and drink some beers in Downieville the whole w/e.........
Bump
Unless something changes, I'm feeling the need for a day of biking on Sunday instead of skiing. It's time for some two wheeled mayhem.
rollcall?
ahhh... i am out for the trail daze.
looks like the wife talked me into going to "The City" and partaking in the Bay to Breakers craziness. it should be interesting running while pushing my 2 daughters in a jog stroller....
damn. I'm out. A friend is having a big b-day party that weekend. sorry to miss it - would love to lend a hand at Downieville, seeing as how it's provided some of my best mtb memories ever. And yes - Greg at Yuba rocks!
Freshies? Anyone else? I'd love to have some company for riding on Sunday.
I still might be in. Depends on if I can talk my roommate into it or if any SoCal Maggots are up for the long ass drive. Hmmm, how far a drive is that, anyways? [/thinking to self]
If anyone is driving up from points south or west, I can offer a floor to crash on in Davis for Friday evening. Then we'll head up to Downieville early on Saturday morning.
Superstar? Arty? LPH? I know I've at least mentioned this to each of you....
hmmm, i need to get up to my place in Truckee next weekend and prep the deck (sand and stain)....I +may+ be able to swing through Downieville on Sunday for a ride, then head back to MV from there.....just depends on how far I get on the project Sat....
Going!
I'll be up and car camp around Sardine Lakes or Packer Saddle Friday nite then cruz down to Downieville for Trail Daze Saturday. Sunday: skiing Sierra Buttes preferred.
sorry nater,
leaving on a non-skiing, non-mtn biking vacation on sat morning, otherwise i would seriously consider it.
lph
What the hell kind of vacation is that? You better be comming back with pictures/video of sky diving, bungie jumping, cliff diving or race car driving (or at very least tales of debaucherous days and nights with WW).Quote:
Originally posted by lph
non-skiing, non-mtn biking vacation
Anyways, our current Maggot turnout appears to be me, Legoskier, and Agent00X. I've also got at least one real world friend who'll probably be there too.
I'm thinking of either going to Squaw on Sunday to wrap up my lift-season, or go down to the South bay and do some road riding. There are some minor family obligations for Sunday.....I should really go......as my brother is now engaged (yay!) and the parents are coming up to San Jose for a brunch. I think the road riding will do me some good, apres-brunch.
Ah, to experience hard-burning Hwy. 9 hills once again.....!!!
TR: It was fun. Got some good work done. There's a lot more that needs to be done out there too. These people have great ideas and if they can get the help they need to make it all work could turn Downieville into a model MTB mecca (as opposed to the mecca it is now).
Other notes.....
Lego and I hit up 1st, 3rd, and 2nd divides today....
Climbing on a mountain bike is more work than climbing on foot.
When fucking about, don't ride too close to the pile of dead, dry, and very spiky rose bushes. You'd be surprised at how fast you can stop a bike when you're hauling a rose bush along with you by the thorns embedded in your leg.
Anyone know if it's possible to get poison oak in your mouth? I've never had it before (but not for lack of exposure). But I'm going to test my constitution with my poison oak to open mouth (at 20mph) mistake.
I will be going back, and I will make the climb up 3rd divide without making dumb line/gear choice mistakes that make me put the foot down.
Downieville <----Rules The Earth
That is all.
Nice to meet you Legoskier and Telenater.
DTDR: I had little idea what the 5/15/04 Downieville Trail Daze would encompass. This was my first trail building day. Living in the Bay Area with out-the-door rides around, getting in the car to go ride is an odd idea to me. I get in the car to find snow. So although Downieville is a destination I am just getting a clue on what the big deal is. Since Trail Daze was on, and I had yet to ski Sierra Buttes again this year and I read that the Trail Conservancy would like to establish a year round hut/yurt system my interest in the area was up so I figured I'd go and make it a combo trip.
The primary goal of the 15th was to dry out about 65 feet of Graegle Creek Trail about 25miles up the road from Downieville and near the Gray Eagle Lodge.
The trail section is about a half mile north of "Gray Eagle Lodge":
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=...83&layer=DRG25
The secondary goal for the day of clearing growth from another trail would be attacked if enough folks showed up, which they did and I overheard were successful in doing go.
Up at Graegle the two Forest Service folks were waiting for us, along with tools, core logs, rebar, fiber cloth, culvert pipes, a couple of wheelbarrows, one tank tread motorized wheelbarrow, drawings of the "Forest Service approved" turnpike, introductions, an orientation with safety instructions, cool spring air, a nice breeze and lot of sun.
I did not know what a turnpike was until I saw the drawing:
http://www.fs.fed.us/.ftproot/pub/ac...ails/913_2.pdf
Then I knew what kind of day we were going to have, or I thought I did. Turns out although a bunch of our group had previously worked Trail Daze, some in other areas, Telenater was the only one of us with turnpike building experience and knew.
Milling around the trail head waiting for another van of trail builders, I got on with that odd, to some, idea of introducing yourself to people from the internet. I guessed correctly and met Telenater and then Legoskier. About two dozen folks showed up, roughly 1/3 Sierra locals, 1/3 Sacramento folks, and 1/3 bay area folks.
Soon we were at the boggy section of trail and folks were jumping into turnpike construction. Orange tape pre-placed by the Forest Service indicated where to build. Judy, our Forest Service leader gave a few initial instructions where to lay the culvert, where to dig to re-route the water flow and soon it was largely a free for all of destruction and construction with people, largely spontaneously, quickly and smoothly setting to work digging, laying the logs and collecting rock and gravel. Judy recruited Telenater and other volunteers to figure out the nitty gritty of actually laying the turnpike, working smoothly as a sub-team to figure out exactly where to dig for drainage, lay the logs and place the stones and gravel.
Before long I had an idea what was going to happen, folks were busy and I was feeling idle and I knew what I was going to do: collect fine Sierra rock and gravel! Legoskier and a few others worked for what seemed like a couple of hours tossing rock from a rock rich area to near the trail where others loaded and wheeled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow load to the turnpike. Each square foot of turnpike easily required 100-200 pounds of rock and gravel. After all the easy pickings were collected Legoskier went to work with the sledgehammer and liquefied big rocks. Each hammer blast sent a spray of chips and added to the steam-like dust cloud. Later in the day I saw that Legoskier joined the muddy, cooler and shaddier super busy turnpike construction area. Rock and gravel was collected as far as a quarter mile back to the parking lot. The advancing 3-foot wide turnpike replaced beautiful black mud of uncertain depth. No gold nuggets were found but particularly stubborn drainage trench obstacles, once finally removed, were offered as prizes. I was impressed by the energetic and tireless efforts of the Trail Daze crew. As expected this turnpike project was not completed Saturday. It was all good fun. Anybody interested in working on the remaining unfinished turnpike or any other upcoming Trail Daze contact Yuba Expeditions or Sierratrails.org.
Sunday I skied Sierra Buttes, the easy way, from Packer Lake.