LukePurdon Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Dear KZN Hubbers, My brother and I live in hilton and have built a new section of the single track in the area (GRAVITY GAMES ON STRAVA), we have been maintaining it and improving it over the last year and hope that it has created some enjoyment for the riders in Hilton. While riding this holiday (we are at varsity in the cape) we have had an idea to create a hilton MTB club (something like the howick and karkloof clubs). The reason for this being that although there are trails in the area, there are only enough for a 15-18km ride on the trails between Grace and Hilton College and we would love to be able to improve the trail network. There are so many forrests and oppertunities for new trails and we would love to build some more trails for the PMB/Hilton riders that do ride the trails. The club would require riders in the area to pay a year pass or a day pass (no idea what to ask for yet) for the maintenance of the trails and for us to build new trail. The Gravity Games section took my brother and I a month or so to build and that included 5+ jumps and a wall ride over a +-1.5km section of flowy single track. That was with donations of pallets from a freinds company and left over wood from a local wood mill. The money from the club would go toward building some EPIC new trail (buy wood if we have to, buy a few tools and pay some labour to help us complete some trail allot quicker). Another idea was that we would make it an upliftment venture where we would employ local underpriveledged people to run the club, admistrate the club and maintain the trails (we have a great man in mind to run the club). We understand that the trails are property of Mondi and we will obviously have to consult them in the proccess of starting the club but for now we are just looking for feedback on the idea and whether it would be a good idea. I will post some pictures of the existing trail we have built so people have an idea of what we are capable of. We understand that people dont like to start paying for something that they have never paid for before but our thinking is that if the club improves the riding experience, is it not worth paying for that? Please be constructive in any critisism you give. Thanks for reading this. We look forward to your advice and critisism. PICS TO FOLLOW SOON
Cookie88 Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Hi Luke, I am living and working down in Cape Town but still call Hilton home. I would suggest trying to approach a couple of the local guys who ride out from the Old Main Brewery on a regular basis. This is quite a big bunch from what I gather and they ride at least once or twice a week out the back of Hilton there. I am not sure if they have are affiliated to a club but it would be a good start chatting to some of them first! Would be great to come up and ride a couple of the sections you guys have been working on - sounds like you have done some good work.
Stretch Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Mondi and Hans Mersensky no as open as Sappi I am afraid. Doubt you will get there approval. Currently they have in place some liability if something happens to someone but that becomes a whole heap more complicated as soon as you start paying for a service through a bike park The grace track is obviously maintained by grace...so that is a seperate issue the other complication is the multiple entrances...upper gates..cedara...rotunda....middle gates...panorama road....its going to be very difficult to monitor Cumberland Nature reserve works on an honesty box system. My suggestion is place information and box at rotunda and old main...and spread the word...making note that the money is to maintain specific sections of track that you have built and any other track you maintain Final note...howick, karkloof, big wheel...have an agreement in place that you can use one membership on all three...I'm not going to spend R300 to R400 for one of those...then an additional R200 for hilton. My suggestion as I said is honesty box with information and use that to maintain what you want....people have been riding hilton trails for 20 years +....personal opinion is that you going to receive a lot of resistance if someone tries to make it a pay to ride area
LukePurdon Posted January 21, 2015 Author Posted January 21, 2015 Hi Cookie, thanks for the advice, we do ride with them (I pressume you are talking about the berg wheelers group). I will have a chat to them on the next ride.
LukePurdon Posted January 21, 2015 Author Posted January 21, 2015 Mondi and Hans Mersensky no as open as Sappi I am afraid. Doubt you will get there approval. Currently they have in place some liability if something happens to someone but that becomes a whole heap more complicated as soon as you start paying for a service through a bike park The grace track is obviously maintained by grace...so that is a seperate issue the other complication is the multiple entrances...upper gates..cedara...rotunda....middle gates...panorama road....its going to be very difficult to monitor Cumberland Nature reserve works on an honesty box system. My suggestion is place information and box at rotunda and old main...and spread the word...making note that the money is to maintain specific sections of track that you have built and any other track you maintain Final note...howick, karkloof, big wheel...have an agreement in place that you can use one membership on all three...I'm not going to spend R300 to R400 for one of those...then an additional R200 for hilton. My suggestion as I said is honesty box with information and use that to maintain what you want....people have been riding hilton trails for 20 years +....personal opinion is that you going to receive a lot of resistance if someone tries to make it a pay to ride areaHi thanks for the advice, ATM none of the tracks are maintained at all except if someone like us decides to get out and do some trail work ourselves, Grace as far as I know, does not maintain anything, it was previously worked on every so often by velo life who have now closed down. As you say I do know about the karkloof/howick/st ives trails combing there tarriff, maybe we could work on having hilton also combined. With regard to payment, we would definately not charge nearly as much as the other much larger trail networks in the area, but would need enough just to maintain and build new track, maybe like R10 per day visit and R80 for a season?? I dont know. As you say, it will be dealing with Mondi that may be our biggest challenge.
Stretch Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Hi thanks for the advice, ATM none of the tracks are maintained at all except if someone like us decides to get out and do some trail work ourselves, Grace as far as I know, does not maintain anything, it was previously worked on every so often by velo life who have now closed down. As you say I do know about the karkloof/howick/st ives trails combing there tarriff, maybe we could work on having hilton also combined. With regard to payment, we would definately not charge nearly as much as the other much larger trail networks in the area, but would need enough just to maintain and build new track, maybe like R10 per day visit and R80 for a season?? I dont know. As you say, it will be dealing with Mondi that may be our biggest challenge. except for at the beginning of the year when the subaru classic is on...which is shortly...and....when the cowan house classic is on. But you are correct there is heaps of track just sitting growing weeds...and a lot of really nice track like the single speed sa champs course.
Mousea Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 I have hauled out a rake and cleaned track in this area before.Difficult to get people envolved with helping, most are keen to ride but not clear. Starting a Club.... I think you are going yo have resistace as many riders are already members of established clubs. And I think "Stretch" summed it up quite well. As for Mondi I say "let sleeping dog lie".
LukePurdon Posted January 23, 2015 Author Posted January 23, 2015 And what about a club that is started but no fee, only an honesty box that people can pay too if they feel the trails have been good?
Stretch Posted January 23, 2015 Posted January 23, 2015 And what about a club that is started but no fee, only an honesty box that people can pay too if they feel the trails have been good? that is what I suggested
JXV Posted January 23, 2015 Posted January 23, 2015 I ride those trails a few times a week...mostly before work in the mornings. Several guys ride out of Garlington and there is a R200 fee for a annual cycle permit in Mount Verde. Lots of cyclists in the area....we should get together and discuss. I already pay too many separate memberships. Need to find a way to unify the whole lot.
Super_mil Posted January 23, 2015 Posted January 23, 2015 Rode the trails out from the Rotanda & around Grace College for the first time yesterday. Lots of fun sections and plenty of work has gone into the area How does one get involved with build days etc???
Orbit Posted January 23, 2015 Posted January 23, 2015 My suggestion is get guys to volunteer for build days as well as material for jumps etc and their time. I don't thing people will start paying for those trails as most guys cant even hit the new gaps that you've built. That being said, the new track is AWESOME, ridden it with a mate these whole holidays and been great for the skills.I'd be willing to help build but don't see myself paying (would rather hit Cascades) if it comes to that.
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