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UPDATE: Tokai will open on Saturday the 10th of December, jump to the post. Sorry for the copy/paste from Facebook but this pretty much captures the progress from the last few weeks and why #Volunteering is so important. The tweet that seems to have grabbed a lot of people's attention.. can't say we blame them, some of the trails in Tokai are really starting to take shape again! https://twitter.com/CraigRH_10/status/760491199996264449 Reto Mani (from Blackhill fame) has been working pretty hard on the Tokai Downhill track for the last week. With financial assistance from the Pedal Power Association, TokaiMTB has contracted two trail builders to help prepare the trails for December's official reopening. Not to say they will be doing all the work, there is still a lot happening behind the scenes with volunteers pitching in to prepare the base track for the contractors. Debris, branches and erosion all need to be cleared, cut away and filled. Tons of soil and rock need to be moved from our stockpile sites to where it can be carted onto the trail and moved into place. Skill graded trail signage and safety measures to keep people from straying into dangerous areas still have to be installed.. There is a lot of work still ahead but the promise of good trails back on our doorstep is the drive and motivation to get it all done. Join us for our regular Volunteer Trail Build days supported by the Devil's Peak Brewing Company. Dates as follows: - Saturday, 13 August, 2016 (next build) - Saturday, 27 August, 2016 - Saturday, 03 September, 2016 - Saturday, 17 September, 2016 Registration for each build day opens at the start of each week leading up to that event. The notice and registration link is shared on TokaiMTB twitter, TokaiMTB Facebook and here on Bike Hub under the TokaiMTB hosted forum. Thanks for the tweet Craig Rhodes-Harrison, VIVA STOKE! (twitter photo credit: Reto Mani)

It's official! Logging contractors will be done by the 29th Dec and Tokai can reopen 7 days per week... The gate times are now the same for Tokai as they are in summer and winter in Silvermine. SANParks have added an extra hour throughout the year around exit times. Basically, last entry is an hour before you are required to exit (this will be quite strictly enforced but don't fear, discussions have moved onto times now. It will help if there are no "incidences" while we continue negotiate on your behalf). WINTER HOURS: Open - 8amLast entry - 5pmExit by - 6pm SUMMER HOURS: Open - 7amLast entry - 6pmExit by - 7pm Taken from the press release.. "UPPER TOKAI WEEKDAY OPENING The Upper Tokai section of the Table Mountain National Park will re-open on weekdays from 29 December 2017 and not just on weekends as per the current status quo. Despite there still being some restrictions in place, Table Mountain National Park Management has decided that the area can be re-opened 7 days per week from the above date. It was in the interest of public safety and the protection of environmental integrity that the Upper Tokai section of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) was closed following the devastating fire that swept through the plantation and arboretum in March 2015. The area remained closed to the public for safety reasons whilst the remaining burnt plantation and dangerous burnt trees were removed and for rehabilitation reasons as measures were put in place to secure the exposed slopes from erosion. SANParks engaged with various stakeholders during the course of the closure resulting in the successful reopening of Upper Tokai on 10 December 2016 over weekends only. Local mountain biking stakeholder and volunteer non-profit group, TokaiMTB, has played a crucial role in facilitating access for users by means of an access indemnity through their local International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) representative, Amarider. In terms of this indemnity TokaiMTB employed marshals to ensure users did not stray into the remaining hazardous areas and to monitor compliance. TokaiMTB have also invested a further R350 000.00 in addition to the R145 000.00 from the Pedal Power Association towards the post fire rehabilitation of the mountain biking tracks as part of the community’s contribution to cycling in the park. Upper Tokai access limitations: • At the time of reopening on 29 December 2017, the Arboretum and Elephants Eye trail will offer access only up to level three while rehabilitation of the rest of this hiking trail continues. • Parking in designated parking sites will remain in the Tokai picnic area as per the current arrangement. This is however dependant on parking space and availability. • Limited vehicular access will be allowed, at a cost of R27.00 per vehicle for parking. • No dogs allowed • No after hour activities allowed • Enter at your own risk... " Read more at the link.. https://www.facebook.com/tokaimtb/posts/734797850047299

In preparation for Tokai's reopening, TokaiMTB will be meeting with Park management on Thursday (26th) to discuss restoration of the existing approved trails, as well as rider routing avoiding areas that are still being clear felled should the early trial access proposal be approved. The official timeline around reopening is still set for December 2016 but we remain optimistic that an earlier entry is possible with the various measures proposed. Look out for trail updates and a plan of action later this week. Twitter: @ama_tokaimtb Facebook: facebook.com/tokaimtb

So much happening all at once. Material, permits, safety, gates, keys, contractors, planning, motivations, poles, chains, money, labour, signage, marshals, meetings, emails, sponsors, donations, progress reports.. more planning. I think I might sleep this weekend.. after the build and after my beer that is! What do you say Mark, join me for a beer at 12:01? Ok, you were looking for the link to the next TokaiMTB volunteer build day supported by Devil's Peak Brewery (have a look at their range of beers, seriously some of the best artwork out there). Register here: Cape Town will be glad you did! - - - If you cannot make it to one of the builds but want to support the rebuilding of Tokai's mountain bike trails, please consider making a donation to help the group working behind the scenes to make it possible. Amarider have graciously provided a donation portal to hep direct the funds to where it is needed most..