Tokai Maintenance and Building

[(Deon)]

Cant really say I find the trails to be as bad as described here. Sure a couple of places need some work but nothing that will prevent me from riding.

 

I am also scratching my head?? I know Cobra and Rinkhals are unridable, but a budget has been set and diverts are already in for approval, but where else? Anyone?

[jimmy hardtail]

Maybe Duane is having Morzine withdrawals! Seriously though if we can't stick together on this then we will never get anything done. Some of the trails are a bit rough but hey its MOUNTAIN biking F F Sakes! But what do I know? I've only been riding tokai since 2002 so its all new to me.

[(Deon)]

ah, I rekon he is just a spoon today, stirring.

 

All good Duane? When should I give you some pointers for flow?

[Guest Omega Man]

Maybe Duane is having Morzine withdrawals! Seriously though if we can't stick together on this then we will never get anything done. Some of the trails are a bit rough but hey its MOUNTAIN biking F F Sakes! But what do I know? I've only been riding tokai since 2002 so its all new to me.

Hahaha. mmmmmmm. Moooorziiiine.

 

Seriously tho. It does have something to do with that. Every time I go up Tokai i'm just so disappointed with what's there. SO much more is possible up there. So much.

 

But according to Deon there's a big reward coming so here's hoping.

[(Deon)]

Did you think I was lying? Did I lie about Quarry access??

[Guest Omega Man]

 

 

 

No. Not stirring. Just keen to ride my bike on some nice trails. That let's not forget we pay to ride. And rather handsomely too especially when you look at it collectively. I'm guessing anything from R1mil-R3mil gets donated to Sanparks annually. How much of that actually goes back in to trail maintenance Deon?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Hahaha. mmmmmmm. Moooorziiiine.

 

Seriously tho. It does have something to do with that. Every time I go up Tokai i'm just so disappointed with what's there. SO much more is possible up there. So much.

 

But according to Deon there's a big reward coming so here's hoping.

 

We all agree there, Duane. And yes, it is slow wrt progress and approvals and so on, but changes (and improvements) have been made. I mean, think of the Tigger Track, DH1 and so on. Then the refurb (in part) of Snake Eyes, as well as preventative maintenance on Faeirie, My Roots, Vasbyt / DH3 and so on.

 

I'm all for improved trails, but we need to adhere to the standards (in terms of approvals processes) set by the owners / caretakers of the land. Heck, if I owned the land I'd probably get as many people on it as possible to build something like in Coastal Crew's vids. But I don't, so I'll go and cry in the corner... or ride my bike.

 

Anyway - yes - we are all there for the same reason. To ride / build perfect (or damn near perfect) trails. Is that here yet? No. Is it coming? Almost certainly yes. It just takes time...

[(Deon)]

Sorry, are you saying you would like Parks to pay.. Yet you say you want nice trails..

 

That kids is a conundrum.

[Guest Omega Man]

Sorry, are you saying you would like Parks to pay.. Yet you say you want nice trails..

 

That kids is a conundrum.

Ha. Touche.

 

I guess the R35 every time we pay to ride there should be seen as a donation much like our tax money, fuel levies, VAT and all of the other things we pay and get nothing in return for in SA.

Edited July 23, 2012 by Omega Man

[(Deon)]

Duane, and all of you. There are debates happening on all sides, some good, some bad. Not everything you see on the ground is indicative of what Tokai is, or will be..

 

In the next 6 months, a panning phase will commence, we have budgeted R100k for the study alone. Who knows the result, we may need to close some trails, we may need to open new trails, the time is not yet right to make it public knowledge..

[jimmy hardtail]

You just made it public knowledge! And Duane if you have an activity card and ride once a week its only 6 bucks a ride. That's not too bad...

[Guest Omega Man]

And Duane if you have an activity card and ride once a week its only 6 bucks a ride. That's not too bad...

I have one but it's gone walkabout so now I'm back to paying until I get the time to go get another AC. It expires at the end of August and the dudes at the gate would just let me in but I'd feel like I'm stealing if I did that.

[Guest Omega Man]

Duane, and all of you. There are debates happening on all sides, some good, some bad. Not everything you see on the ground is indicative of what Tokai is, or will be..

 

In the next 6 months, a panning phase will commence, we have budgeted R100k for the study alone. Who knows the result, we may need to close some trails, we may need to open new trails, the time is not yet right to make it public knowledge..

 

Deon.

 

I respect your efforts and you clearly believe in what you are doing. I'm also thankful for the DH track. I also respect the efforts being put in on getting real money in there etc etc. But.

 

The erosion problems on the trails are not going to wait for EMP's, 6 month planning phases, "the process" and your calls for patience.

 

You cannot honestly go up there and call the trails maintenance anything but an utter failure.

 

* That top trail that sort of links with the top snake trail is almost totally unrideable

* The top snake trail has massive erosion

* The bottom snake trail is basically a ditch

* the ladder bridge section on Vasbyt is so badly eroded you have to uncleate to get on to the ladder

* the My roots section is BADLY eroded

* There's a tree across Your Roots

* The entrance to DH one looks like a dry river bed.

 

The ONLY success on that mountain in recent years is the DH trail.

 

Trail maintenance success?

 

I've asked you multiple times that we get a decidated monthly build day going. If we had a monthly build day on the first Saturday or Sunday of the month we would NOT be in the situation we are in now. How is it that uneducated wood cutters are up there on a daily basis with bakkies and chainsaws and we can't get ONE BUILD DAY A MONTH organised?

 

When we got back from France last year we all got together at Vince's place to watch helmet cams and discuss the trails. Remember that? At Vince's house i asked you for signeage on the trails. You nodded and said it was already happening. Months went by and I subsequently asked you MULTIPLE times for signs to be put up at trail entrances and exits. Even offering to pay for them. At one point you told me that the signs were lying in Botes's office waiting to be put up. More than a year later and there's 1 sign at the upward divert on Vasbyt. Another little sign has been nailed to an existing pole on vasbyt and there's a new sign at the ruins.

 

I have other examples of assurances given by you only to find that those assurances were untrue if you would like me to list them.

 

I want to assure you of 2 things.

 

My discontent is NOT isolated. There is a groundswell of anger around the state of the trails at Tokai and you are the guy in the spotlight. If need be I will rally that groundswell into action.

 

Also. I am NOT going away. If things do not change drastically soon (Not months of calls for patience and meetings and talk of EMP's and bullsh!t) I will make every effort to have you removed as the trail rep at Tokai.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Omega Man

[Danger Dassie]

My discontent is NOT isolated. There is a groundswell of anger around the state of the trails at Tokai and you are the guy in the spotlight. If need be I will rally that groundswell into action.

 

Also. I am NOT going away. If things do not change drastically soon (Not months of calls for patience and meetings and talk of EMP's and bullsh!t) I will make every effort to have you removed as the trail rep at Tokai.

 

More than anything that comes across as vindictive, hope as much effort goes into creating a viable solution?

[(Deon)]

DD, there is a viable solution, in fact we are in the best place we could hope to be but no words are going to appease this attitude - we see the same thoughtless rants in the youth league.

 

On Friday I spent 2.5 hours around a table discussing all the things that affect Tokai. I have just asked myself why I am doing this..

 

Duane does not seem to realise that every year, Tokai gets beaten by the weather, and every year we get a party together to repair the damage. He has only been involved with volunteer builds for a year or so.. I certainly have not seen him at any build days before the DH track became his last point of anger. WHere have you been over the last 8 years? How long have you been riding the other trails anyway?

 

How feeble to come out in public and start stomping your feet, you are acting like a spoilt brat.

[(Deon)]

Here fool. This is a screenshot to back up what I said yesterday.. Some of the trails you base all your facts on are costed, mapped and submitted for approval. I am still not lying about anything I have said..

 

The trails that are in disrepair have proved very useful to make our point as to why diverts are needed. You don't understand?? It is called sustainability and the designs of the trails from so many years ago were fine while we had trees. Could this be why the trails are looking so beaten??.. Because all the places you mention are felled blocks, without tree cover that are exposed to sun and rain.. They need to be diverted to continue to exist..

 

Can you start to see the differences between Jonkerhoek and Tokai yet?? There are so many ranging.. management, vegetation, users, change in in precinct function. Tell me when any of this starts to make sense.. see, you choose what you want to understand and if you don't know it, to you it is not happening.

 

The Cobra trail (the one at the top Duane..) is ready for it to be specced by the new section ranger, who is now ready to start attending to my requests.

 

 

This is the divert detail that has been submitted..

 

 

Omega Man, if you continue your tirade of misinformation caused by your general lack of understanding. You might be the one responsible for unravelling all the progress to date - AND by progress, I do not mean what you can see on the trail.

 

I am not ging to humour your list above... The rain has caused the damage and repairs are scheduled.. not by your doing!