patches Posted May 22, 2011 Share it's not often that I rant... generally I'm easy going and either post advice, humour, or a thumbs up when someone has a cool pic/story. ...but this time I'm gonna say something. So as many of the riders who enjoy the spruit may know (or probably don't know), there are some "black diamond" parts to the trails. For the most part these have been built out of the way from the general traffic... ie. the DHL and Hurlingham jump lines. One or two are right next to the main trail like the Scout Hall dirt jumps, or the 'Bomb-hole'. My rant is concerning the bomb-hole specifically. This is that drop in and launch near the waterfall and old-parktonian sports ground. The issue... myself and friends have put in hours of manual labour to build something there, and yesterday I saw part of it torn down. I'm talking specifically about the little ledge we dug to create a drop-off. The reason we did this is to discourage riders from riding the bomb-hole the wrong way. Why, you may ask... cos when a jump line is ridden the wrong way it destroys the lips of the jumps. If we'd build a drop off like and jump like that on the main line, with no alternative, forcing riders to risk it or walk... then I'd understand it being torn down... but it's not on the main line... it's a detour, and can be safely avoided. Also, believe it or not, that drop off was put there as a caution... for "safety reasons". The jump at the exit of the line has a bigger lip now, and will kick a rider 2-3m in the air with no effort. If a rider has hesitations about the little drop... then the jump is gonna leave them with skid-marks in their pants. I'm not going to discriminate between XCers, DHers, dirt jumpers or even roadies. If you have the skill to ride the line, irrespective of preferred discipline... then enjoy it! If you don't... then leave t be and take the main line around it. Don't trash our efforts cos you can't handle a little drop off. Quite a few of us have spent many hours with shovels in hand, whilst I bet whoever kicked down our work has never lifted a finger to maintain the trails on the spruit. Besides (and on a less scathing note).. that drop off was only temporary until we could make time to build a tamer route through the bomb-hole, avoiding the kicker-of-a-jump, cos we realize that those who prefer their wheels on the ground, also enjoy a nice drop-in or two. So again... that drop off lip was to caution of the jump ahead. It was the least of a riders worries if they found themselves bombing down that path... a safer option in will be provided once we make a safer option round the jump. Please guys... don't tear down the gnarly parts of the spruit... if they disappear, then we may as well ride on the road (sorry for the slight roadie discrimination ) Edited May 22, 2011 by patches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capricorn Posted May 22, 2011 Share omw.. it's spreading. i bet person that did it came from cape town and frequents Tokai.. Do us the favor and keep him there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 22, 2011 Share omw.. it's spreading. i bet person that did it came from cape town and frequents Tokai.. Do us the favor and keep him there.. No thanks Cap... you can have them back... haha! But yeah, I read about the issues you guys are having on the downhills in Tokai... some seriously unsafe attitudes being displayed... not cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted May 22, 2011 Share Not cool Patches. Couldn't they just stop and admire the view, and dream about the potential plentitude of butterflies & fairies pummelling their guts as they fly through the air, waiting for the tire to hit the dirt again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King_Crispy Posted May 22, 2011 Share I'll bring my spade next weekend and help you dig a hole to bury the B@ST@RDS that did this to your patch of fun. We have enough fun just watching you maniacs do what you do, and this is seriously disturbing hearing of cr@p like this. Riders, if you don't like it, don't do it. Go around the jumps. Don't be a dick and break it coz it's not your cup of tea Rant over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted May 22, 2011 Share Ditto to King_Crispy... Although I'd only fly up if someone's willing to pay my airfare. Not flying up from CT just to dig a new drop into existence... Suggestion though - Logs / Loffels? If possible, that is? They could be moved easily when you've redirected the flow and no longer need them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmaccelari Posted May 23, 2011 Share Maybe it's just cluelessness? As a roadie who does a little MTB what you said about the lips is news to me*. Maybe these guys thought they were "helping"? Good to hear you are actually helping on upgrading the Spruit - well done! *It also means it wasn't me. Do all you offroad guys keep a spade in your Camelbaks? Edited May 23, 2011 by jmaccelari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed Posted May 23, 2011 Share patches, with all the effort you guys put in, maybe some one-way signage at your jumps may help more than a thread here. I doubt the majority of Spruit riders are members of this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 23, 2011 Share patches, with all the effort you guys put in, maybe some one-way signage at your jumps may help more than a thread here. I doubt the majority of Spruit riders are members of this forum. yeah, signs are a good idea. We thought about that when we were building. I just haven't gotten round to a Builders Warehouse to buy some. Was thinking a "Caution" and "Oneway" sign for the top, and another "Caution" together with a "No Entry" for the bottom. I thought I'd just post it here too... mostly to vent a little, haha! It is the Rant 'n Rave section after all... but also cos I figured whoever tore down that drop off wasn't a casual "sunday rider", ambling along the spruit with wife, kids and dogs. Nope, such riders would have seen the drop, and stuck to the main path. I reckon those involved were the type that think they have some technical skills (but obviously not enough to negotiate a little drop off), and so they modified it to their skill level... ...and since almost ALL of us here on the hub think we have some sort of technical skills (myself included) hahaha ... I figured it was a hubber, hahaha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappa Bear Posted May 23, 2011 Share Do all you offroad guys keep a spade in your Camelbaks? No, we actually go there when not cycling and put a couple of hours labour in...... we do this to make our track more fun. When still riding DH, We used to work on the track for about 2 hours every weekend before starting to ride..... we somethimes went on the saturday, build for the whole day and then on the sunday tried the new lines and drops..... So guess what the trail features do not magically appear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markgc Posted May 23, 2011 Share havent ridden the Spruit for a while...has the grass been cut from William Nicol northwards ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_mil Posted May 23, 2011 Share Personally I would not put any 'danger' or 'caution' signs if I were building. The last time those were around it ended in a court case (or is that still happening?). Perhaps just a board with a black diamond or scour the interwebs to see what the international norms are and apply those. Thanks for all your hard work , I saw how (some of) it had been undone yesterday morning . I saw a guy on a XC bike very nearly eat it at the Bombhole on Wednesday. He landed on his front tyre and just seem to stay there for a while... It was like watching a horror film. Edited May 23, 2011 by Super_mil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 23, 2011 Share Personally I would not put any 'danger' or 'caution' signs if I were building. The last time those were around it ended in a court case (or is that still happening?). Perhaps just a board with a black diamond or scour the interwebs to see what the international norms are and apply those. Thanks for all your hard work , I saw how (some of) it had been undone yesterday morning . I saw a guy on a XC bike very nearly eat it at the Bombhole on Wednesday. He landed on his front tyre and just seem to stay there for a while... It was like watching a horror film. true super_mil... one may not want to advertise that the route is hazardous... I'll look into a sinage option with less negative conotations. As for the bombhole... that jump kicks quite a bit now, hey?! hahaha! Now just to build a landing to suit the launch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Keep Pedaling Posted May 23, 2011 Share Black Diamonds: isn't that what the BEE dudes call themselves? Edit: how about Making a jump out of dried cow dung and calling it "the Julius"? Edited May 23, 2011 by Just Keep Pedaling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 23, 2011 Share Black Diamonds: isn't that what the BEE dudes call themselves? Edit: how about Making a jump out of dried cow dung and calling it "the Julius"? hahaha! there are things worse than cow dung in the spruit mud... that said, it is awesome for building, haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capricorn Posted May 23, 2011 Share Patches: bit OT, but you got some snaps pref vids of the stuff u talking about? always stoked to see what fellow riders are doing out there, and riding. Besides, it's my mini-recon effort going here.. might bring the M9 for some intense action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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