I am looking for some insightful advice to building and optimizing an MTB Trail. ..... small 500m worth of trail located on the Sandspruit (river joining the Braamfontein Spruit in Sunninghill). The trail is also shared by people walking, trail-running and also horses......oh, and some riders have also come to play in my backyard (would be great to hear their feedback). My specific request for advice is along the following: - Ideas to further develop the trail... noting: I am only using a spade, wheel-barrow and weed-eater. No money to plough into the project - only some time & energy. - How to build solid ramps. I have built 3 ramps. Mostly out of sand (probably the bulk of the problem). Although the sand is hardening now, the horses also use the ramps as part of the rider training and they naturally step a few holes into the ramp - especially on the sides. Perhaps a selection of rocks - How to smooth the course surface. I have moved a lot of the loose-sand with a spade and also made the course fairly bumpy... the horses also add a stack of holes in the trail at soft-sections. I seem to be making some progress - perhaps a combination of riding the trail, more people riding the trail, the horses compacting the trail etc,.... usage and patience will probably deliver the result. AND, the moles - I reckon they think it's real cute to pop-up their mounds at strategic locations on the path. - How to get rid of the loose river sand. I am guessing that this is the 'holy-grail' of MTB trail builders. Essentially, the river overflows from time to time and deposits a stack of river sand on the open area... I have dug the trail down to the hard-pack soil. However, the riversand seems to fall back from the sides back into the trail....even after widening to 1m. Any bright ideas in this regard would be great. We have a long time until the next flood. - Long Term project - how to cross the river without building a bridge or weir. Sounds a little strange. I do not want to build a bridge too much pedestrian traffic and building a weir sounds like a huge mission (not too mention a contravention of environmental / municipal laws. The river is less than knee deep during usual conditions - but, the riversand is too soft to ride over - you can hardly walk through it. Any ideas?
