Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

Yeha, but then you have proper written contracts in place, so that is slightly different. You CAN kick off a contractor, can't you? Or you can ask him to stop for a moment given a new detail / concept in the design. Same sorta thing, except in this case all that is needed is a call and an agreement. The discussions and politics behind the scenes are what made it really possible.

Wasn't a meeting, it was a t/c

No, it wasn't. It was said over a telephone conversation between 2 parties. One being Meurant. The other being a member of the "aggrieved party" Someone asked who requested the moratorium. I obliged. Meurant was not the requestor - he was the granter of said moratorium.

No. Meurant agreed to it - he did not call it. That was done by the "aggrieved party" There was something along the lines of "if there's any more building in Tokai before the 18th then there'll be trouble"

Great initiative, Rika. These guys need the income more than most.

I hear ya Hairy. In your position I'd probably do the same. Coming from your side is a R 100 journey before you even pay for entry, so you need to do some seriaaaaas thinking before you come through. As for the entry price & allocations to us, we're fighting that battle all the time. Discussions are coming up (correct me if I'm wrong, Deon) but the likelihood of us getting any large portion of that entry fee (daily or annual) is not that great. But that's a whole different argument.

Because of a "moratorium" requested by the "aggrieved party" We were due to make a divert on vasbyt this past weekend, but were prevented by doing so as a result of this moratorium on ALL trail work.

I left that typo in there purposefully. It IS true after all. Funds = fun... More money for trails. More money for consultations with proper builders for the big (non maintenance) stuff. Fun Raisers...

ROFL. I think that same thing whenever I look at my old hardtail. Slam the seat and put a 100mm Circus Expert on the front. Awesome.

Yo Tim, unfortunately when it comes to the bit in Bold - it's pretty much a case of damned if we do and damned if we don't. If the lines had just been there without any sort of form to them, or without any sort of additional features then there would have been even more uproar. And we couldn't have left them closed - that would have left the pressure fiirmly on the DH trails. Which isn't great at all. As for the "chance to make Tokai great" - yeah, sure - but that was always on the cards once the EMP and trail rationalisation had been completed. And I think that's where everyone is getting so upset, 'cos we have no control over that process, and until that is completed we have to make do with what we have - a set of trails that (may be) of average quality (yet approved by the main detractors) and are at best a temporary measure. At the end, we all want great trails in Tokai. Nobody can dispute that (and if they do I'll be first in line to show them exactly what's been happening behind the scenes and what we have for inspiration, who we have on board for future projects and so on) But this whole process was going to happen anyway. That the whole thing was "forced" due to the action of a few "interested parties" is to completely ignore any and all work that Deon has done behind the scenes with Parks, stakeholders, professional trail builders, fun raisers and so on. And if that is being called into doubt, would you not yourself be insulted, and have the same attitude that Deon has at the moment? EDIT: Spelling and omission of trail rationalisation...

ROFL. True. One of my best mates works for Boeing in Amsterdam. Flies all over setting up shared cost centres for Boeing and other companies. His business c/card allows him to use air miles for personal flights. So there's been a few times when he's flown over here first class on air miles alone. Heck, he bought his mom a return ticket, then she missed the flight, and he phoned up his travel agent and said "i need a flight tomorrow". All they had was first class. "that's fine - charge it to my air miles" He's an accountant by trade, but managed to get himself stuck on the Interstate in Detroit (I think) while on a road trip in a rented Camaro, running out of money 'cos the loan he applied for got declined. LOL.

Damn. Still wish I could go on this one. Budget has been SUPER tight these last 2 years. Only just getting out of it - so, I may hazard a guess that maybe, just MAYBE, 2015 is the year for me. If not, then definitely 2016. It's a ways away, but it is SO worth it from what I have heard (and read) Duane - damn you for speaking that F word so many times on those build days (when you still came along)...

And that, people, is how to go about getting approval on City Land. If ONLY it was that easy when it came to Parks!!!

Also another little known fact - if you have a credit card / VISA / MC of suitable "level" then you get X amount of complimentary access vouchers to some of the lounges. FNB = BA Slow Lounge and so on.

Can't remember the name of the company offhand (gastro brain) but the EIA is effectively the rationalisation, which is being done at the moment, afaik

Cool. I'm fine with that

I'm afraid I can't make Wednesday or Thursday... work commitments that were made a while back...

Yeah, it should be.

What you're talking about is the trail rationalisation. That goes hand in hand with the EMP and is currently being formulated by an external body. We cannot rush that process, as the trail conditions need to be observed over real time to determine the actual impact that riding / running / horse riding has on the Trails themselves together with the surrounding weather patterns, plant cover, soil type and so on (yes it doesn't just include us mtbers) To now come and say that there needs to be an additional trail management agreement separate to the emp is to completely misunderstand SAN PARKS requirements for trail of any kind within tokai. If this is what you are basing part of your anger on, or is what you are being told is possible, your anger is sorely misplaced.

Covered in quite a few posts already - I for one would want a professional to do the initial work and layout, volunteers to do maintenance and general upkeep. Yes that costs money, but if the will is there we can get the funds. I will personally contribute and work at fundraising along with all other interested parties. @ Rika - this was actually the plan once the EMP had been finalised. The snake being open as they are now was an interim measure until the burn and the emp had been conducted...

They probably already are. One of the higher ups is an anonymous member.

John'o - one thing there. What would you say these more "constructive conditions" are?

Shot Tony!

Not today (got a massive bug to thank for that) but Thursday's post work ride. Top of Cobra trail in tokai

Route? Need to go up there for sure.