Tokai and Silvermine to remain closed to the public

[Shebeen]

Seems my work is not done yet. Just got instruction from SANParks to start planning the preventative measures needed to keep riders out of the out-of-bounds areas. Sounds like a lot of work judging the pic above.

 

Will be meeting with various managers on Thursday morning.. 

Happy to show you where I've seen tyre tracks.

 

Because if i've seen tyre tracks, the rangers definitely have. Saw the other day that they have pulled a whole bunch of branches across the one hiking trail that is being used by bikers.

[Lefty V]

Seems my work is not done yet. Just got instruction from SANParks to start planning the preventative measures needed to keep riders out of the out-of-bounds areas. Sounds like a lot of work judging the pic above.

 

Will be meeting with various managers on Thursday morning.. 

Good Luck Deon - and thanks again.

 

The best way to keep riders out of areas that they should not be is to provide them with alternatives - opening up sections should help a great deal.

[Jewbacca]

Ran into a few sets of tracks last weekend on the hiking trail branching off the dam loop clearly marked 'no bikes beyond this point'.. The tracks went all the way from the main loop just below the Noordhoek peak lookout all the way past Bokkop and back over the concrete bridge to Ou Kaapse..... 

 

Guys taking huge chances... I hope they get caught... Clowns

[(Deon)]

Happy to show you where I've seen tyre tracks.

 

Because if i've seen tyre tracks, the rangers definitely have. Saw the other day that they have pulled a whole bunch of branches across the one hiking trail that is being used by bikers.

I don't know how many names are on that rogue rider database yet but I can tell you that there will be three (that I know of) names added to the list quite soon.

 

The S'mine East issue of rogue riding has been mentioned before, every meeting is usually preceded with a moan. The new Senior Section Ranger will certainly not take it lightly. She is now in charge of Silvermine and Tokai and having come from law enforcement, nowhere in her job description or the EMP does it say she needs to make life easy for us. I'll eventually stop defending people's behaviour if their actions threaten to make life difficult for those abiding by the rules. With al the new trails coming online, it'll be hard to find excuses.

[(Deon)]

Good Luck Deon - and thanks again.

 

The best way to keep riders out of areas that they should not be is to provide them with alternatives - opening up sections should help a great deal.

I'll be sure to pass on your encouragement to all involved. Thanks!

[Surv0MTB]

That sounds like positive progress!! Good luck and cannot wait for the final outcome.

 

My excuse of riding more often when TokaI opens again is wearing thin.

[dirtypot]

For now I would be super happy with a link from Silvermine to Tokai.

Went for a ride yesterday up Ou Wapad, down Ou Kaapse, all the greenbelts to Rhodes Drive, back up Ou Kaapse, around Noordhoek Peak and Ou Wapad down.  All great except Ou Kaapse.  Going down isn't too bad as you're pretty much at traffic speed, but going up sucks.  Really really sucks.  A nice off road link would really make it a good ride.

[KingZA]

Seems my work is not done yet. Just got instruction from SANParks to start planning the preventative measures needed to keep riders out of the out-of-bounds areas. Sounds like a lot of work judging the pic above.

 

Will be meeting with various managers on Thursday morning.. 

 

How about a hefty fine and having your bike impounded for 6 months. No bike = no more repeat offenses.

[(Deon)]

For now I would be super happy with a link from Silvermine to Tokai.

Went for a ride yesterday up Ou Wapad, down Ou Kaapse, all the greenbelts to Rhodes Drive, back up Ou Kaapse, around Noordhoek Peak and Ou Wapad down.  All great except Ou Kaapse.  Going down isn't too bad as you're pretty much at traffic speed, but going up sucks.  Really really sucks.  A nice off road link would really make it a good ride.

Ummm. That is going to be a problem... The link may need to stay closed for some time longer until Parks can get the trees above level 5 cleared. Working for Water (EPWP labour) are having *national* issues and as such, the high altitude teams have stopped working until the problems can be resolved.

 

A few guys who wrote out their own permission slips went riding the route recently and discovered just before receiving fines that the BS was in fact not BS, there really are trees there and they really are falling. They pondered the issue amongst themselves and came up with the "brilliant" idea that the public should pay for the tree removal estimated to be around 150-180k.

 

Of course this does not make any sense, making the public pay such a large amount for a reward of nothing more than 5 months access, so I have suggested that the level 4 and 5 remain closed until the full opening/or until the trees are removed. Tokai management agrees that any money raised should be directed to the trails directly, and there will be a project coming up very shortly where we need to raise a similar amount to pay for a very nice process. 

 

Just to be clear.. TokaiMTB does not take fundraising lightly. It is for this reason that we have limited public support to the absolute essentials over the years, saving funding drives to when we have a confirmed and worthy cause where we can finally improve the network of trails from a Park's approved plan. In short, we don't want to waste anyone's money on fluff.

 

Sorry about the Silvermine access thing.. we really have looked at all options.

[dirtypot]

Ummm. That is going to be a problem... The link may need to stay closed for some time longer until Parks can get the trees above level 5 cleared. 

Worst news ever

 

 

Tokai management agrees that any money raised should be directed to the trails directly, and there will be a project coming up very shortly where we need to raise a similar amount to pay for a very nice process. 

Great news!  "very shortly" for a regular person or "very shortly" from a national parks board perspective?  These are two very different things!  

 

 

Sorry about the Silvermine access thing.. we really have looked at all options.

 

Just missing my mountain 

[Shebeen]

Ran into a few sets of tracks last weekend on the hiking trail branching off the dam loop clearly marked 'no bikes beyond this point'.. The tracks went all the way from the main loop just below the Noordhoek peak lookout all the way past Bokkop and back over the concrete bridge to Ou Kaapse..... 

 

Guys taking huge chances... I hope they get caught... Clowns

that's one of them. that would actually make sense to be a mtb track. it's a link from the dam to ou wapad, and isn't used that much by hikers. currently the option is to go onto the tar road (or down the river trail which is used a lot by hikers- ja seen tracks there too, not rideable in most places).

 

BUT since it's clearly marked No Cycling riding it diminishes any chance of actually getting it open.

[popcorn_skollie]

Just missing my mountain 

 

You and me both buddy.

[Shebeen]

You and me both buddy.

aren't we all. but it obviously requires us all to toe the line until things are ready. Then, I think we can really start campaigning to MAKE TOKAI GREAT AGAIN.

[Eddy Gordo]

Just an idea

 

There are plenty farms around the area, even along constantia nek. Do anyone know if any of those farms on the nice steep mountain sections would like to have a MTB trail?

[(Deon)]

Just an idea

 

There are plenty farms around the area, even along constantia nek. Do anyone know if any of those farms on the nice steep mountain sections would like to have a MTB trail?

Nope. Small issue of mountain bikers having a stigma of.. well, just look above.

[Bloukrans]

That sounds like positive progress!! Good luck and cannot wait for the final outcome.

 

My excuse of riding more often when TokaI opens again is wearing thin.

Indeed good progress!

 

To Deon and the team - thanks a lot for all the hard work!