Mamba rears its head - Tokai

[Capricorn]

now if only you would put more effort into making the trails wider and flow better as you did in harming that poor keyboard of yours..

 

[(Deon)]

I'm available tomorrow.

 

What you wanna do, ride and chat?

 

What's that Cap? Me hammering the keys stiil aint nothing on the punishment you were dishing out on your poor bike. I'm sure I heard it screaming "one at a time!" - Come join this weekend and have some input!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

What you wanna do, ride and chat?

 

What's that Cap? Me hammering the keys stiil aint nothing on the punishment you were dishing out on your poor bike. I'm sure I heard it screaming "one at a time!" - Come join this weekend and have some input!

Sounds good. Although I seem to have encountered a bit of laryngitis. So it may be more of a squawk than a talk. Still keen though.

[Capricorn]

What you wanna do, ride and chat?

 

What's that Cap? Me hammering the keys stiil aint nothing on the punishment you were dishing out on your poor bike. I'm sure I heard it screaming "one at a time!" - Come join this weekend and have some input!

 

i think you are suffering from tinnitus. But considering we have the exact same brakes, might just be a severe case of self-delusion as well

 

edit: i now remember: it's whenmyles decided to park in that corner. One at a time wasn't gonna cut it then. was a simple choice of butt crack or brake squeal...

Edited October 2, 2013 by Capricorn

[Guest Omega Man]

Do you go help on trail build days? (genuine question) because i'll be honest, I dont.. but thats why I don't criticize. I think the guys are doing a great job with their Private time and whats available to them

Ja until very recently I did. The monthly volunteer days were my idea. I was the guy putting out facebook notifications and threatening teenagers to come. I've also used my private vehicle to cart laterite, people and poles around the mountain. I've also built in Helderberg, Paarl, Eden, Jonkershoek and the Glen (illegally)

 

I've recently "resigned" to concentrate my energies in Helderberg where we have a motivated land owner and pretty much carte blanch to build as we please. It is of course easier dealing with 1 land owner who will give you a yes or no on the spot than having multiple meetings and approvals etc etc for the simplest little thing. It breaks my heart to no longer be involved in Tokai as my house is 5 minutes away from the forest but I find the complete lack of urgency (my opinion) from Sanparks just too frustrating. I also grew up in the area so Tokai has always been very close to my heart.

 

I still hope Deon succeeds in his vision for Tokai (there's a lot riding on it) and know that potential exists for proper funding of maintenance and new trails. Tokai has the potential to be a true Inner City bike park but for that to happen a quantum shift in Sanpark's attitude towards Mountain bikers needs to take place and a substantial upgrade in trails is required. And Urgently too. Deon is going to have to accomplish both of these feats.

 

I'm of the opinion that the ONLY way Tokai will succeed as a Mountain biking facility given the level of the competition is for Sanparks to give Deon (or whoever fills that role) carte blanche to build as many trails as he wants. Within a specific mandate of course. Unfortunately that will probably never happen.

 

As far as funding goes I'm also of the opinion that the Wildcard system (for Tokai at least) should be scrapped and that riders should pay for every entry in the hope that the extra revenue would make it's way into the trails.

 

I stand by my opinion that The new Mamba lacks flow. I'm no expert but I have ridden some of the best bike parks in Europe where there is no lack of flow. To be fair everyone has an opinion on trails and what they think the trail should be like so who am I to say what is good or bad.

 

I also stand by my opinion that there has been a significant downturn in numbers on the trails due to a lack of trail and better facilities elswhere such as Jonkershoek and Welfanpas (spelling?) I have no evidence of this just the ease with which I'm finding a parking lately.

 

I bear Deon no ill will and Deon and Myles are welcome to join me at Helderberg to come and see what we have been up to there. Hopefully they will be inspired to fight the fight harder with Sanparks.

 

Cheers

 

 

Duane.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Omega Man

[Hairy]

@ Omega

 

"I also stand by my opinion that there has been a significant downturn in numbers on the trails due to a lack of trail and better facilities elswhere such as Jonkershoek and Welfanpas (spelling?)"

 

I live out in Table View .. it takes about 45min on a good day in good traffic to get to Tokai, so I don't often venture out there, in the last year I must have been there maybe twice.

 

What you are saying about potential is true, what you are saying about some serious competition on other trails is also very true.

 

From my house 45min puts me into a choice of the Tygerberg trails, Welvenpas, Jonkers and for a few minutes more the Grabouw trails..... lot's to choose from.

 

Tokai just feels to me at the moment, to not really be worth the while for the drive out there (was there this past Sunday) and it just does not feel like it used to in the "old days" when there were trees

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

@ Omega

 

"I also stand by my opinion that there has been a significant downturn in numbers on the trails due to a lack of trail and better facilities elswhere such as Jonkershoek and Welfanpas (spelling?)"

 

I live out in Table View .. it takes about 45min on a good day in good traffic to get to Tokai, so I don't often venture out there, in the last year I must have been there maybe twice.

 

What you are saying about potential is true, what you are saying about some serious competition on other trails is also very true.

 

From my house 45min puts me into a choice of the Tygerberg trails, Welvenpas, Jonkers and for a few minutes more the Grabouw trails..... lot's to choose from.

 

Tokai just feels to me at the moment, to not really be worth the while for the drive out there (was there this past Sunday) and it just does not feel like it used to in the "old days" when there were trees

 

Yep. Just not enough trail at the moment. Although yesterday I got talking with one of the "old faithful" - Deon, you'll know him - red & blue Giant NRS that you asked him if he was someone or other - and he gave great complements.

 

As for others saying it's too much pedalling - taken under advisement, but remember - you're riding a bicycle. It's been built to be pedalled. And that trail is NOT a gravity trail. Never was.

[Hairy]

If I recall correctly this is what the trail looked like in the "good old days"?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yep yep.

 

Treeeeees....

[Hairy]

.

[Hairy]

There are days I really miss that old Shova!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Except this one

 

 

This was Boomslang, the one below it. That was a wicked little droppy thing. Could hit it at mega speed.

[Hairy]

Except this one

 

 

This was Boomslang, the one below it. That was a wicked little droppy thing. Could hit it at mega speed.

To be honest I would have no idea ... like I said I go there so rarely that I have no idea RE the trail names or where they lead to.

[porqui]

What Tokai lacks is people with enough will - time - and effort to turn it into a great riding venue.

Only a handfull of volunteers but plenty of users and critics

 

To the few that give - Thanx!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Oh - would just like to mention this.

 

Deon and I rode & walked the trail yesterday. Well, I wheezed my way around as I had (and still have) some laryngitis. Horrible stuff.

 

Anyway.

 

What was discussed was the following:

 

- How to get more distance out of the trail.

 

It's my opinion that even though it's actually physically longer than the old Mamba, that it feels shorter. This is mainly due to the tree cover being lost. But there are plans afoot to provide alternative lines that WILL increase distance…

 

 

- How to get more speed out of the top section.

 

Even though all that's happened is that the pedally section has been moved from mid-trail to upper-trail, there have been complaints of it being "too pedally" - one rider's response yesterday when asked if they felt the same "I'm riding a BICYCLE. I'm fkn supposed to pedal" - this has been taken under advisement and a plan of action is afoot to address said "pedalliness" and get a bit more momentum in there. Bottom pedally sections are in line with the purpose of the trail, which is supposed to be an AM / technical XC trail.

 

- How to get more FLOW out of the trail.

 

A couple of the corners are too sharp at the moment. Apexes either in the wrong place, or something similar. Off camber corners needing a catchment berm. One jump in the wrong spot and places where free vertical (progressive drops) can be put in to inject more speed and flow into the trail. Trail to take a new route in one or 2 areas where previous trail direction was compromised by action of Puff Adders. On the whole though, the more you ride it the better it gets. There are still a few more tweaks and changes that need to go in before it can be called "complete"

 

- Burning.

 

How to prevent trail degradation once the burn starts. It will be a quick burn, so much of the clay should bake in place, protecting the trail in places. But that is preventing us from putting in any sort of wooden structure for the moment. It's predominately rock and clay at the moment. Not a bad thing, as rock doesn't burn, but still - it's a slower method of construction.

 

 

Other things that were discussed were trail linkages and how to get a totally immersive riding experience, while staying on Singletrack The.Whole.Time. That is another eventual goal, but it will require a lot of work.

 

As for the worksheet. Sheesh.

 

Let's start here.

 

Rinkhals WILL be closed (if it wasn't yesterday afternoon) - it's just too badly damaged to be left open.

Boomslang will be re-done (probably next)

Snake Eyes will be touched up

Rinkhals will be re-routed (plans still need final approval, but tacit approval has been granted)

Cobra needs a full gutting of all the flora & fauna in the trail. We did it earlier this year, but the regrowth has been epic in its speed and we need to remove that growth properly.

 

As for the switchbacks - those are staying closed for the future, until such time as an independent, licensed contractor can come in and assess the slope itself. It needs reinforcement in a number of places, and that can only really be done by using gables and hordes of rock. Once that is done, it will be re-blazed, and put back in action.

 

But that WILL take time.

 

As for Mamba - not yet finished, but the burns are happening end of May iirc. We have until then to get the basic outline of Mamba, Boomslang, Rinkhals & Snake Eyes sorted out - as well as Cobra revitalised and a couple of other lekker little additions we're sure you'll like.

 

Remember - if you want to have input on the trails, be at the build day. Every first saturday of the month, 1pm at the gate. It's the only way you'll be able to ride something and say "I built that" much like Duane is doing at Helderberg. Except it's closer. And you'll probably ride it more often.

Edited October 3, 2013 by cpt armpies mayhem

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

To be honest I would have no idea ... like I said I go there so rarely that I have no idea RE the trail names or where they lead to.

 

No worries dude - understood! It was the one with the ruins in, if that helps...