(Deon)

It's not isolated and it's not a process that is steered by us. Specialists need to be appointed/tendered for the job and they will perform a study based on what is existing and what the requirements for the park are now that the landscape is changing. Why are you telling me what you think the process is?

Do you believe what you have suggested is possible, to divide Tokai from a TMNP EMP with a mini EMP of it's own? Do I have this wrong?

I have put something together that deals with the process of registering an NPO, getting constituted, low level maintenance agreements agreed by parks and the then Working Committee in 2011. Rationalisation, EMP and conservation mandates. Would you like it now or wait for a discussion in person?

Why did you leave/reject the offer of joining the committee? Serious question.

You know that this is not true. PLeas listen to what is being said and if there is something you do not understand, please ask. This is how the misinformation is spread, someone has now read that and thinks this could be possible. Did you not see Meurants head shaking when Vince suggested this.. How could TMNP separate Tokai from an EMP? It's their land. I hope everyone understand that we have not started talking about the details of trails yet.. there is too much emphasis on trails and not enough emphasis on the documents that determine the activity.

..and I did not understand it that way either. Jimmy knows both parties and i would not ever ask anyone to choose sides.

Thanks two hands, but I have had some time to think about this. The fact is the hub is not to blame, much of the sentiments you are seeing here are of those who are not hub regulars. The AGM MUST NOT be a place where this is discussed, the hub was also not meant to be the place. I have tried to look passed the childish comments found on page 1 and continue unabated. Despite providing very clear rationale to the the comments/accusations, the nonsense has continued and is indicative of the thinking of this group (Oldflow has stated that he shares their opinion and therefore is a spokeperson on their behalf). I will no longer be bullied or held to account for the timeframe in the requirements of progressing the facility of mountain biking. Just be sure that what these guys say is true.. the paper trail I have differs vastly!

I'm sure someone would have taken it to the guy in the hut. I would have been Godfrey on duty this weekend, I can check with him in the morning.. Welcome to the sport, just don't leave your helmet at home!!

Guys, stop. It is 11pm on Sunday night. If this really was a fair process we would be supplied the facts we have requested and not had an attack on personalities. This is an effort to smear the process that has run to date. I conceded Johno, I am out. I will as of tomorrow inform all the people currently involved in Tokai's fundraising, sponsorships, support and negotiations that I will no longer be their point of contact and leave it up to them to decide their commitement. Herewith notes from a meeting that was minuted by Duane (Omega Man) showing very clearly that the group claiming misrepresentation was included from day one. This is dated the 27th July. Please also note the presentation of Snake trail designs. You will also see the communication promised of the reconstruction of the snake trails.. if there was a problem, why was nothing said? Johno, do you know this? I do not want anyone to be pulled through this even though you seem to have no shame, I have said it before, but I cannot tolerate your assignation of my character on an open forum. Do you know what you are even doing? Do you have all the facts from the people you claim have the best interest in Tokai??!! There is more, 3 years worth! On 27 Jul 2013, at 12:01, Duane Bosch wrote: Hey guys. Just Some notes from our meeting the other night. I’m not a secretary but it’s pointless to have a meeting and not make notes or come out without an action plan and some deliverables. Present. Duane, Vince, Deon. Absent. Gary Barnard, Myles Mayhew. Notes from the meeting · Deon presented plans for the new snake trails to be rebuilt. This includes all 5 levels from Cobra down. · Deon to walk the Snake trails with Sandra on Monday 29/07/2013 or Tuesday 30/07/2013 for final approval. · Deon said he has 200m of work to do on Fairy Garden including rebuilding the bridge so he anticipates breaking ground on Friday 2 August on the new Snake trails. · Deon will make the necessary announcements around the rebuilding of the Snake Trails on social media ... · Vince and Duane to walk a potential interim solution including existing fire breaks on Saturday 3 August before or during the volunteer build day. ... · As soon as approval received this would be communicated to Vince & Duane · Duane and Vince to be made members of Tokai MTB to ensure transparency and accountability. Subsequent to this an email was sent to Myles, Gary Barnard, Vince and I think even Duane to inform them of the plans, a copy of the constitution and an estimate of timeframe. Your whole campaign as you have put it rests on two things, 1. my crap trails which your leaders approved. 2. My lack of transparency which is being claimed by Vince, Richard and Duane. I do not have a problem with any of these people, but if they are prepared to rope others in and withhold convenient bits of vital information, which is clear you have no knowledge of by your vehemence and determination to make me out to be the despot, the I pity the pawns who defend their actions.

I think this is going too far. I would like to to start justifying your comments with fact.

Maybe we should just leave this discussion at this point. I have no wish to drag people's names through the mud, all should just know that I am satisfied that this AGM is in the best interest of Tokai. It has always been a requirement to have a public approved committee, whether publicly elected or just ratified. To clarify from my side about some statements made on this thread: I want to make it clear that I was given a task which included a very basic instruction from parks and agreed on by all present in a Working Committee meeting in 2011; to continue with low-level maintenance and realignment of unsustainable trails in the park until the rationalisation study and EMP could be completed. This documentation is a requirement and until a means is found to circumvent its necessity, will always be required. The money donated by a private donor was intended to create a dedicated crew employed to work in Tokai. The funding of external contractors would be raised in due course when the rationaisation showed where investment into trails could be directed. The logging of the Snake trails was not taken into account in this meeting and the low-level maintenance requirement was extended in 2013 to reopening the trail based on what was previously existing under condition that it would be done in consultation with the manager for the area. A study of the slope was carried out and the springs and wetlands the trail needed to run around were identified. Soil conditions and time of reopening this trail have also made the challenge that much greater. It has been said by others earlier in this thread that building in summer is not ideal, I guess I don't have to justify the quality of my building then, especially given that the soil type in Tokai is mainly sand. Despite what is being said, the planning of the Snake trails included the group claiming not to have been consulted, forming the basis of this aggressive move for elections. I will be the first to admit that the passed 3 years of working with members of this group has been tumultuous at times but at each altercation, differences were put aside to see the completion of the Dowhnhill track - all built with volunteer labour.

I draw to your attention the point at which the tone of this thread changed course. Your last statement of not knowing why some people are not happy, again seems to evade you. You would be best advised of either reading what you are saying or at the very least, altering your "not so clean tactic" of discrediting the work I have performed in the last 3 years. You seem to base all your unhappiness on 1 trail that has been open for less than 3 months with an estimated total of 11 day's worth of work, many of them under adverse weather conditions with unexpected obstacles such as high water tables and roots at every dig of the spade. Please temper your emotion regarding thios free and fair election, unless this is the place for campaigning.

..no good! If it's anything like the stuff going on here, it's not a biker but a "concerned citizen". I feel for you guys.. the process here in SANParks land is excruciatingly long and tedious and expensive. I can just be thankful it is being entertained.. Cape council support for cycling needs to blow up your way... Council is also starting to see the light, albeit on the higher levels for now. The guys on the ground still have the glazed look when breaking down fun for the kids in the area. Safety is NB!! Tables are more work but forms a bond with those concerned about injuries. If you can win the people in the area, you win.

Has it been happening for long or is this an isolated incident? Last thing you want is for the "neighbour" to start complaining to council. Any chance of going through the mission of getting the nod??

Rata, glad you are ok. I can lend some input here as it is a case similar to what I am experiencing at the moment, just different. First thing to maintain is do they have any "right" to destroy what you/someone has built? In other words, do you have permission to build that there? Tough question to answer especially if you don't have the council's blessing?

I know! Me too.

No you are right, that is the AM trail that has been on the cards for inclusion on TMNP's map since 2005. It was supposed to be reviewed in 2010 which never happened. I have the old map that was drawn up in preparation for the review, the dates on it are clear. What DJR is surely referring to is that this trail is now included on the latest reprint of the TMNP trail map, along with DH0, DH3 and DH4. Not sure if you know but if it is not on the map, it may not exist.

Ha ha! Was that the folder present at the meeting with 40± statements?? I hope everyone voted "poor", any vote for "good" would have detracted from the need to improve on the current offering.

Hold the phone! What?! "building in summer in Cape Town is a waste of time for the most part because everything you build turns to dust in a matter of days" So you guys give me a few months in summer to come up with trails on par with other areas where the consistency is clay, not sand, and you base this from your "volunteer expert" as justification of your dissatisfaction? Double standards much?

Sanparks had oddly been the common denominator in all the previous attempts at getting "what we want". Meurant has tried, Cobus has tried, now I am trying but the truth is, these attempts are a lot like South African rugby. If a game is lost, hang the coach and start again. I am however struggling to see which game it was that has attracted this attention. All the demands were met from this group to repair the DH track. Not only was permission granted to fix the track from top to bottom but these demands were exceeded by adding the lines never before included in the map which dictated what is legal or illegal trails in the park. How can you still quote incompetence? Or is your problem only with the volunteer module which has sustained this activity in the park since 1995? I understand contract labour can be used and this has been allowed in future funding for Tokai. In 2011 I contacted Bennet personally and explained the constraints that would probably be imposed until 2013 when we can lift the low-level maintenance restriction, and start building based on the approvals we had negotiated.. At that stage I was hopeful but also careful not to over-promise as historically we have been duped by the hanging carrot before - and if you can't learn from other's experiences then you are actually not winning. Duane, I still have the minutes you sent when I presented the plan for the rebuilt Snake trails. I consulted you and Vince and approval was given.. "Fine, just build it!" The urgency to rebuild was as a result of the downhill being used by all riders as the Snake trails were closed for nearly 8 months. Just to indicate that this is business as usual, the election was always supposed to happen. Sure, an interim committee was established to meet the requirements of the broader goal, the TMMTB forum, and to take care of admin like opening bank accounts etc. A spot on this committee was open to Vince and Duane, but following an unexpected and abrupt public notification to say that they want no further dealings with Tokai due to the timeframes associated, these spots are still open to be filled. So is the lack of proper representation a result of my actions? I don't know. Is the public election required? Yes it is. It could have also just been a ratification process with the public, but if general elections are now the flavour of the month, then so be it. I welcome the public's input. It remains a a real shame that the people calling for change think the way to achieve votes is to make others look bad without full disclosure of the events leading up to their dissatisfaction. I am not too fussed if I am not elected, I wish the new committee luck.

Tell you what. You go back and read what you wrote about the people who have worked tirelessly within the constraints of a National Park with World Heritage Status, and recently a 7th Natural Wonder of the World with a critically sensitive Red Data extinction list, conservation driven timber harvesting exit lease due to be fulfilled by 2017, and then come back and give it another shot at answering your own questions you have posed, as for some reason the answers within DJR's text evaded only you and of course, anyone else not willing to understand. Was that short enough?

Constitution for TokaiMTB provided by AMArider Have a read. TokaiMTB_CONSTITUTION.pdf

Yes and Yes. The constitution will be made available on the Facebook site and an annual report is being drawn up as we speak. Actually this is the required process for TokaiMTB to be representative of the Cape Town Mountain bikers on the Table Mountain Mountain Bikers Forum (TMMTB). All groups present as the founding members must be constituted and ratified by the public.

I feel a Sukuma thread coming on.. Interesting bike actually: 3 years in development and shows in its crafting (which Patches now knows intimately) Included DW himself on design ("kinematics" ), Last bike Pat had a hand in while at the 'wood, Launched while 650b was entering the market - actually one of the last 26" bikes to be designed and launched before the new wheel size hit town... and let's face it, the new format is the new wheel size This is an impressive resumé. So how does it ride?? If anyone knows it'll be you Patches, your history with the brand should quickly determine what difference Split Pivot offers.