Tygerberg MTB Trails

[Thermophage]

But you hate the TMTBC trails so much.... pray tell why are you then riding Hoogekraal tomorrow ?????? Don't forget the honesty box then as you now " don't part with your money to the TMTBC..."

Odd. I don't recall saying I hate the trails... Ever actually. If you read back a bit, quite the opposite.

You like to imply a lot of things, now most recently that I would not pay to ride a trail. Once again....if you read back I specifically said I'd would rather pay the day permit. Now come on. What threats are you throwing my way on this public forum? I'm intrigued

[V18]

Bod! No man! Read between the rugged lines. Thermopoesiles is just a passionate mtber. He stands for progression. Sure he is uncensored. But I can assure you. There is no ill intent. Him and Patrick get along well IRL. Despite what it may look like on paper. That's just what it is. Too much inferred emotion in what is read. Too much online offendedness.

[Morne Veer]

Evening to all who participate in this thread.

 

I feel like I am about to come out of the closet, but I have caught up on all the comments here, and feel the need to.....I am on the executive committee of the Tygerberg MTB club, and go by the name of Morné Veer (you can imagine what nicknames I had to endure in my school years with this surname). As if confirming my personal details on the hub is not enough, I shall also admit that I ride a Spezialized Epic (with no dropper......yip, I know, the struggle is real !!)

 

I can confirm that to my knowledge, the only person from the executive committee that made a comment on this thread during the last week, is myself, and that was this afternoon, where I confirmed to one hubber that Welvenpas will again be included in our membership offering for 2019. Unless one of my fellow committee members are operating from a Hub-name other than what I would know / recognize, but for now I can with confidence say I am the only one from the committee / leadership to have made a post, this post now being my 2nd and hopefully last.

 

In hindsight, perhaps as one alluded to earlier, it would have been best to share more information with the announcement of our fees. Then again, it was felt that it would be be quite clear that our trail offering has caught up with us, and that any member and user will be well aware of how our trails increased of late, forcing some change in our membership / fee structure.  So lessons learnt here, and noted for the future (hopefully we can keep our trail increase lower for 2020, if all of you take out new memberships come next month  

Although there has been some comments that was undoubtedly made towards the club and its leadership with a harsh undertone, there is surely also merit in some others, and these were duly noted. 

 

I would like to thank each and every passionate member of our club, and visitor to our trail network, who have shared views here - it has not gone unnoticed. I especially liked the comments about the new XCO trail, as that was a project myself and Patrick worked on for at least three years, and I was actively involved in the trail's planning, design and would you believe it, building as well - I could share photos with you of some really bad sunburn, from one day (from at least the 10 I spent on that koppie), where I forgot my sunscreen - believe me, your LCD displays do not have the pixel quality to do it justice - I am actually Afrikaans, but for a week after that regretful day, I was a proper "rooi-nek".

 

It is the end of the year, and believe you me, it has been a very very very long year for us (leadership), with so many projects, and success stories, but we are all human, did I mention voluntary-humans   , and yikes, we can do with some rest now (accept Patrick, as he is already starting his new build on Monday....I kid you not !!).

 

Folks, in closing, this message is intended as a peace-offering to those who are perhaps a little upset, irritated or simply seeing things in a different way : let's put the pitch forks down for a while (except you Patrick, you gotta work my man !!).

 

We know in particular of one of our existing landowners following this thread, who is really disappointed to see the "fighting" among members, or let's just say cyclists here - think you would agree that is has serious risk for all MTB lovers and users, if a landowner gets unhappy / disappointed.  It is also saddening to an extent, for the leadership, who I promise you are all doing their best and really committed to the club's members. I am not saying debates on The Hub is not on, but just asking that we press the mute button on this thread for now, for the reasons mentioned.

 

Okay, I think that is me for the night, I have three kids who have seen very little of their dad this week with no less than two committee meetings, a night ride, and a full morning at our club office today :-)  .......think a McFlurry at McD's should do the trick though !!

 

Yours in dirt !

[PatrickR]

Bod! No man! Read between the rugged lines. Thermopoesiles is just a passionate mtber. He stands for progression. Sure he is uncensored. But I can assure you. There is no ill intent. Him and Patrick get along well IRL. Despite what it may look like on paper. That's just what it is. Too much inferred emotion in what is read. Too much online offendedness.

V18... appreciate what you say bud, but I don't think anyone

can defend Thermophage and his continued criticism of the TMTBC and the way he goes about it. Not constructive,  He has never ever lodged a formal complaint to the TMTBC..... he prefers to attack the club via this forum, behind his keyboard. Thats what pisses me and most of the 7000 members of the club off.

 

He has never requested a meeting with either the committee or the trail trail builder to air his grievances, he just keeps on mouthing his grievances toxicably on this forum.

 

Another shout out to him.....  Thermophage... please contact the club.... They would love to listen to you!!

[Eddy Gordo]

I cant understand the calls for the mute button to be pressed. This is a forum that has healthy discussions on various topics and just like face to face there will be arguments. What happened to freedom of speech?

Maybe I sound like I am trolling, but its good for people to discuss these matters. Maybe one day soon because of threads like this, masses will address issues with government as well.

[Thermophage]

V18... appreciate what you say bud, but I don't think anyone

can defend Thermophage and his continued criticism of the TMTBC and the way he goes about it. Not constructive,  He has never ever lodged a formal complaint to the TMTBC..... he prefers to attack the club via this forum, behind his keyboard. Thats what pisses me and most of the 7000 members of the club off.

 

He has never requested a meeting with either the committee or the trail trail builder to air his grievances, he just keeps on mouthing his grievances toxicably on this forum.

 

Another shout out to him.....  Thermophage... please contact the club.... They would love to listen to you!!

Please Sean...enough now. If that's really you.

No I have never lodged a "formal" complaint. Clearly you are ON the committee or closely associated to it, given your ability to search through the website records. Would that be the only manner in which to lodge a complaint then?

If so, once again, I tried many years ago, had the page/form crash and gave up. Subsequently I have been engaging verbally with people whom I know are on the committee and who are marshals.

Anyway as for the landowner following this thread. What's wrong with that? Nobody can expect there to be complete agreement all the time. 

As Eddy said above, open public discussion is great, and this is the only forum which we have available to us.

Often people do not want to criticize/discuss/etc until someone else has opened a discussion thread. Anyway, once again...the trails as they are are great, the club has been great.

But I still think there is room for small changes to have a dramatic effect on how they allow riders to progress and how to make the trails a little safer at the same time.

So what now Sean, must I send a trail request to the club via the website to talk to them in person? Or maybe you can arrange it with your fellow committee members/spouse/partner/bff?

[Morne Veer]

I cant understand the calls for the mute button to be pressed. This is a forum that has healthy discussions on various topics and just like face to face there will be arguments. What happened to freedom of speech?

Maybe I sound like I am trolling, but its good for people to discuss these matters. Maybe one day soon because of threads like this, masses will address issues with government as well.

 

Okay, I was perhaps too optimistic thinking I'll be let off the hook that easy with thinking I'll make a 2nd and hopefully last comment.

 

Just want to point out that "pressing the mute button" was used in a figurative context. I mentioned that debate and conversations has its place. In my post I made, I was not asking for the thread to be deleted, as I have given it much thought and have spoken to fairly high ranking official in the world of online media, and there is positives to be taken from threads / topic discussions.

 

As for not seeing why the request was made - I have given the reasons why, and again confirm I was asking just for folk to "chill" for a while, again, for the reasons I mentioned. 

 

Okay, here is hoping that this was in fact now my last post 

['Dale]

Thanx for the transparency there @TheCaptain

 

You rock ????????

 

I know enough to appreciate that myself, as a dirt roadie member, only see a small tip of the iceberg of effort that makes the vision and ideas of the Tyger’ Trails and its strategic partners possible. Keep on going! ????????????

Edited November 16, 2018 by 'Dale

[V18]

Let's all take a turn to say something positive about the club. I'll go first. I love it. Probably the reason I haven't moved back to Somerset West. Also. Thermophage looks great in his tight little neon orange pant.

[Capricorn]

Let's all take a turn to say something positive about the club. I'll go first. I love it. Probably the reason I haven't moved back to Somerset West. Also. Thermophage looks great in his tight little neon orange pant.

that earlier long post did nothing to shake the feeling I have that it's only acceptable to say good things about the club. outsider comments contrary to clubkumbaya  are noted as existentially negative, taken personally, and then asked to chill, while club members, or defenders of the club, no matter how offcolor and tone-deaf their comments, are silently supported.

Worse still, Thermophage's actual suggestion has been completely glossed over with strawman arguments and blatant trolling. It was, and still is a very good basis for healthy, mature discussion. But we got's to mute that stuff. Not kumbaya.

[V18]

that earlier long post did nothing to shake the feeling I have that it's only acceptable to say good things about the club. outsider comments contrary to clubkumbaya are noted as existentially negative, taken personally, and then asked to chill, while club members, or defenders of the club, no matter how offcolor and tone-deaf their comments, are silently supported.

Worse still, Thermophage's actual suggestion has been completely glossed over with strawman arguments and blatant trolling. It was, and still is a very good basis for healthy, mature discussion. But we got's to mute that stuff. Not kumbaya.

All I read was "kumbaya". Perfect!

[Christofison]

Guys, it's really quite simple:

We all refuse to sign up for 2019 'on principle'. Not because we can't afford the extra couple hundred, but just to prove a point and make sure TBMTBC realises that they shouldn't be so ambitious with whatever they need the extra cash for. The fees may have increased by 18%, it when they lose 36% of their expected growth then they will realise they have made a mistake. The whole reason the club is so huge is because it has always been the best value for money. If they realise that they can impose whatever increase they like and people keep signing up then guess what, next year the fee is going to be R1100, and the following year R1500. Let's just think of 2019 as the year of new experiences. More Jonkers, more Tokai, more Table Mountain. Sure, taking the travel into account it's going to cost more than R780, but it will be fun and worth it in the long run. Or, pick up a spade. Its pretty much free. Do you even know how to construct these awesome trails that you ride? No dig, no ride. There is free land out there and you get to sculpt your future (pun intended).

[Bloukrans]

And let not forget the regrettable and totally unjustified verbal abuse that Thermophage has spewed forth upon the TMTBC on this forum for the past few years....

 

Stop worrying about who I am.... rather start worrying about the garbage that you post. Rather start thinking about it,,,,, carefully!

Dear Bod, dont post when you emotional.

 

Threatening other people not ok.

 

I cant ever recall Thermo verbally abusing the club or posting garbage. Expressing a view about the trail is not verbal abuse.

 

Take it easy and dont be so aggressive.

 

Lekker weekend

[Rapunzel]

Guys, it's really quite simple:

We all refuse to sign up for 2019 'on principle'. Not because we can't afford the extra couple hundred, but just to prove a point and make sure TBMTBC realises that they shouldn't be so ambitious with whatever they need the extra cash for. The fees may have increased by 18%, it when they lose 36% of their expected growth then they will realise they have made a mistake. The whole reason the club is so huge is because it has always been the best value for money. If they realise that they can impose whatever increase they like and people keep signing up then guess what, next year the fee is going to be R1100, and the following year R1500. Let's just think of 2019 as the year of new experiences. More Jonkers, more Tokai, more Table Mountain. Sure, taking the travel into account it's going to cost more than R780, but it will be fun and worth it in the long run. Or, pick up a spade. Its pretty much free. Do you even know how to construct these awesome trails that you ride? No dig, no ride. There is free land out there and you get to sculpt your future (pun intended).

It really could have been so much more constructive if you had come to the SGM and had your say on the appropriate platform.

As a fellow committee member, we deliberated long and hard with the decision to raise fees above inflation. The general feedback we've had from members is that the decision to further expand the trail network albeit with a higher membership fee is a good one and the SGM voting didn't indicate otherwise.

We cannot equate comments on a forum such as the hub to the general sentiment amongst members. Please do attend general meetings if you feel the committee is not aligned with your interests. We don't promise to get everything right but we aim to please as many as we can, as often as possible.

[billygoat0523]

whoa, this thread really took off while i was snoozing.

 

i'm very happy with the feedback that i received via e-mail and i'm very excited about the new trail that's coming along.

 

thank you to the committee members who have replied to the thread and for engaging with us.

[Thor Buttox]

I still receive the MTB newsletter as I miss 'our' trails muchly. I see Patrick has also dipped his toe into this discussion.

 

Am I the only one who thinks all sides of this discussion are at fault for approaching this from the wrong angle?

 

1) I think the Club should have explained the increase when announcing the new rates. Treat your clients with respect and not as if they are boundless bank vaults.

 

2) The ad hominem attacks by Bod et al on Thermophage are uncalled for because he might just have some valid points, but see 3) below. Stupid, unquestioning support of an entity AND dissing the 'enemy' at the same time is more a sign of an inability to formulate an argument than a sign of correctness.

 

3) Thermophage's approach (and I have previously engaged with him on a very similar topic a while ago, he can appear to be a fan of scratched vinyl) may have valid opinion in it. But it is just an opinion, which others do share. But it seems he hasn't followed the right path and even Patrick is not a fan, it seems.

You know the Club now has attention on this forum - put up a poll and get some ACTUAL data on current members who want different trails. When I smashed my pelvis it was on the most benign part of Meerendal because of my own stupidity, so I actually do agree with you about the danger thing. Just get some evidence and you won t need the pointless arguments?

 

Of the three the Club seems to have sorted out their side... My 2 Aussie cents (which are worth more)

Edited November 16, 2018 by Thor Buttox