Oak Valley Fail

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

I think they must use bulk sms to notify, one is 99,9% guaranteed to get that notification as opposed to other media. I do hope they do that, it would be crap to travel that way for nothing. I do agree on the trail closure. 

[Albatross]

Riding on any trail after serious downpours is a bad idea, rather hit the road or gym for a day, the muddy puddles will still be there in a few days time if that's what you're looking for ...

[Patchelicious]

I would never ride a trail after rain. Not that I care about the trail, but I might get dirty!!

[BenReaper]

I would never ride a trail after rain. Not that I care about the trail, but I might get dirty!!

Spoken like a true roadie. [emoji6]

 

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[Shebeen]

Helll. .....I don't do Facebook, would be most upset if I had to drive from table view to there and got told the trails are closed....but that is just my opinion

but you do do the Internet right?

 

Don't need a face book account to read an open face book page, just like Twitter

 

Here is the oak Valley announcement, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1370460062969609&id=312234775458815

 

Whatever your chosen form of communication is, it needs to be known and accurate. Seems like they got the first lacking

[KingTJ]

My wife wants to know why you didn't just go to Cluver or Lebanon? Too technical for you?

 

She is being a bit of a bitch, being pregnant and all, but she has a point.

and you are being her bitch for posting it....dont be a d$$s

[RocknRolla]

What happens when you are on the trail and it starts to rain. Does one summarily stop riding, and carry one's bike on the side of the trail to avoid damage?

[lerouc]

What happens when you are on the trail and it starts to rain. Does one summarily stop riding, and carry one's bike on the side of the trail to avoid damage?

 

First remove shoes and only walk in your socks to avoid shoes causing damage.

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

not whatssap?

as I understand, Whatssap runs with data, and you could just forget to top up or something like that and you would miss the Whatssap. With sms, so long your phone is on, you will get it, irrespective of whether you have data/airtime.

 

I'm on a prepaid and sometimes when I realise I'm getting no whatsap then I only realise I ran out of data

[akneethling]

There are some interesting comments regarding the closure. This us my gripe.

 

For the past few years I've been riding Oak Valley and this has never happened. Anyone who knows the trail will know that there are sections that don't drain well. This, in my opinion constitutes less than 10% of the route. And even when you ride it a week after rains, it's still quite muddy.

 

Over the years, allowing the trail to be ridden the day after rainfall has not significantly damaged the surface. Anyone who rides there would know this.

 

One of my issues with this was the attitude I got. I was told "you save so much money with our permit, I don't see the issue with going to ride somewhere else and buy a day permit".

[NicoBoshoff]

There are some interesting comments regarding the closure. This us my gripe.

 

For the past few years I've been riding Oak Valley and this has never happened. Anyone who knows the trail will know that there are sections that don't drain well. This, in my opinion constitutes less than 10% of the route. And even when you ride it a week after rains, it's still quite muddy.

 

Over the years, allowing the trail to be ridden the day after rainfall has not significantly damaged the surface. Anyone who rides there would know this.

 

One of my issues with this was the attitude I got. I was told "you save so much money with our permit, I don't see the issue with going to ride somewhere else and buy a day permit".

Seems more like you think you should be able to ride there when it's wet because of a year permit. 

 

I reckon if you pay for the maintenance then you're good to go.  If not, well, you could always go build your own trails on your own land.

 

Why not just go an explore some other options?  Variety being the spice of life and all that...

[rohannvdmerwe]

Hey guys,

 

We were at Oak Valley yesterday and one can see what damage was caused on the trail by the wind and rain.  There was a few places on the single tracks that was very dangerous that had stumps and stuff in the way but we cleared them as we went a long.

 

When we do the far out places we always phone ahead to find out the status of the trail just to be sure it is open.

 

Oak Valley is awesome but very very dangerous when it is very wet so I understand why the guy said it was closed.

[Patchelicious]

There are some interesting comments regarding the closure. This us my gripe.

 

For the past few years I've been riding Oak Valley and this has never happened. Anyone who knows the trail will know that there are sections that don't drain well. This, in my opinion constitutes less than 10% of the route. And even when you ride it a week after rains, it's still quite muddy.

 

Over the years, allowing the trail to be ridden the day after rainfall has not significantly damaged the surface. Anyone who rides there would know this.

 

One of my issues with this was the attitude I got. I was told "you save so much money with our permit, I don't see the issue with going to ride somewhere else and buy a day permit".

Ok, feelings got hurt, this happens, dwelling on emotional experiences rarely helps. Let's move forward.

[PhilipV]

There are some interesting comments regarding the closure. This us my gripe.

 

For the past few years I've been riding Oak Valley and this has never happened. Anyone who knows the trail will know that there are sections that don't drain well. This, in my opinion constitutes less than 10% of the route. And even when you ride it a week after rains, it's still quite muddy.

 

Over the years, allowing the trail to be ridden the day after rainfall has not significantly damaged the surface. Anyone who rides there would know this.

 

One of my issues with this was the attitude I got. I was told "you save so much money with our permit, I don't see the issue with going to ride somewhere else and buy a day permit".

I get that the attitude over the phone call is miff. I agree with you. A simple "I'm sorry, but that is how it works now" would have been better.

 

Oak Valley's trails have been declining since Vissie passed away, with some sections being in a very sorry state, and with the new person taking charge you can see regular maintenance being done for the first time in ages, and the trail is in a much better condition for it.

Just because we used to be able to ride it after and during rain, doesn't mean we should still be able to ride after rain.

And even though we pay for a year permit, it still is a privilege (albeit at a cost) to ride on a working farm. We have to respect their rules. Even if we don't agree with it.

 

I ride in Grabouw a lot, and after rain I avoid OV and Cluver. Bitchy comments about technicality aside, but when wet the soil base for OV and Cluver becomes like snot, making the alternative trails that drain well a lot more attractive. And while it only comprises a portion of the trails, it is the most expensive to maintain.

[KarlvN]

I have seen that Tygerberg MTB would also prefer that the trails are given a skip when it has rained / is raining, as this means less time spent repairing existing trail, and more time building new trail.

I agree with that sentiment myself. I would anyway not want to expose the costly bits on my mtb to snotty mud if I can help it, as the LBS keeps reminding me that mud and bike parts are less compatible than one thinks.

[Headshot]

This is perhaps the problem with overly "built" trails. Make them smooth and berm filled and then they get trashed when it rains hard? As i see it, its actually the flowing water that damages the trails the most - its obvious in the area I ride regularly. The bikes are the least of the problem. I can't imagine Oak Valley sees hundreds of riders like Tokai and Jonkers did/do making me doubt the reasoning behind the trail managers actions.

 

The Red Phoenix trail at JH  - it is quite fresh and has seen a lot of traffic  when very dry i.e before the surface hardened up leading to trail damage. Too much good weather caused the problems there actually. Its great to ride at the moment and has got more interesting as its aged. Should we close trails when its too dry and dusty?

 

The Lebanon trails are quite washed out and full of exposed rocks and lekker deep ruts in places, but this just makes them better IMO and I hope they get left like that within reason. More like proper MTB than those terrible smooth things at Cluver. 

 

This is mountain biking not golf after all.  That said there are so many great options in that part of the world. Wish i has that much closer to where I live.