First of all let me say that I have been there 4 times so far, including the "pre-opening" hubber invite, and will definitely be going back again in the future. I have also been to Logwood, Giba Gorge, Whistler, Seymour and Cyprus, and many smaller local parks so while I am by no means a worldly travelled pro, I think I can objectively comment. Listed below, in no particular order or sentence structure are my "points".
It rains in Summer on the highveld. Did nobody remember this when building the trails or BMX track? If the rain has done so much damage this early in the season what's it going to look like by March?
I'm not sure you could build a smaller pump-track if you tried. While fun for a few moments, the L shape definetly doesn't lend itself to picking up much speed (unless your a midget on a circus bike).
Did anybody think to get advice on what type of wood to use for bridges? I did mention using scrap wood in another forum but that was for FREE areas indoors, not ones I'm paying R50 to get into that sit in the rain. Whoever made that choice would be laughed off the Shore and should pay personally for the next lawsuit when a plank splits in half.
Why the uphill? I know there's not too much vertical to work with but why can't there be just one trail that has a trailhead at the top and ends at the bottom WITHOUT doubling back uphill? Granted it's not as bad as Logwood but there's something about railing a berm only to turn the corner and look up another hill that's just no fun.
I don't trust the signs. The pre-ride night there were no trail signs - now they're everywhere - I'm not sure you could put many more ONE-WAY signs out there. Many of them are just pointless - like the ones at drop-zone. Warn me that there's a drop, what's the size, and move on.
The Black trails DON'T beserve the rating. Space Junk, Black 4 - you must be joking! other than having switchbacks that are absurdly steep that most people seem to walk up, I don't really see why it gets the rating.
I would go thru each trail and mention the little things that annoy me but that's more personal preference - oh and I don't have a MAP so I can't remember which trail is which. How the hell can you open a park and not at least put up a map of the trails?
What exactly is the point of the big ladder bridge? It's wide enough to drive a Mini up it and there's no trail on the other side? More for show from the highway maybe?
When I passed the park prior to opening, there seemed to be tons of progress being made but now that it's open and clients are "paying the bills" nothing seems to be happening except repairing the BMX course again and again, the additional trails on the other side of the highway...
NO Shore stuff? put some bridges, tetter totters, and ramp jumps near the coffee shop and you'll have a great spectator section.
I know this is SA and security is important but what IDIOT decided to line the perimiter trails with razor-wire fencing and not put a buffer of chainlink or something? That's an accident waiting to happen.
The kind of park that MTN is does not exist many places overseas and that's the problem for me. It is not World Class because we are paying someone for a location that, in many parts of the US and Canada, is provided by the local parks service and local associations (think IMBA, NSMBA, etc) for free with a little labor. I was hoping the park would actually be a "Free-ride" park but with less vertical. So I guess what I'm saying is that while I am sorely dissapointed in the build-quality and what the park has provided for a rider like me, it has perfectly catered to the XC weekend warrior and possibly the family crowd (though I won't be bringing my daughter till the razor fences are covered).
If you've read this far thank you, if you skipped to the bottom you're just lazy.
So let the flaming begin
