Tokai Maintenance and Building

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Donate beer for Better trAles

[Guest Omega Man]

So to everyone thinking about coming tomorrow please do. Rain is predicted but it looks like it will stay away till the afternoon.

 

Meet at the entrance gate at 9. If you can't make it at 9 that's fine please still come. you will have to hike up tho. We'll be working on the snake trails and some downhill guys will be cleaning up some landings on DH3 that were supposed to be done at the last build.

 

See u there.

[(Deon)]

and for those who were planning on pitching in later, a shuttle will be waiting at the gate at 1pm, departing 1:15..

 

hey, I coulda been a conductor!

[splat]

Nice work chaps

Thanks for your efforts

[DJR]

Special thanks to John for bringing a cooler full of ice cold ones as well as hot chocolate and very good sarmies

[Guest Omega Man]

Thanks to everyone who showed up. There were some impromptu guys that put their bikes down to pitch in mid ride. that was nice.

 

We made several mods to the existing Snake trails and hope to take those mods all that way down to Rinkals. The bottom snake trail. The idea is to make the trail super flowy so skilled riders will be able to go down there and maintain speed through the corners.

 

To everyone who is thinking about getting involved please do so. The next build is Saturday 1st September. at 1pm. Meet at the gate. You'll see a bakkie or two there. Come and get involved. That's 27 days from now so you've got lots and lots of time to plan. And we will be building on the snake trails so it's not the dh trail.

 

The guys you see building are mountain bikers just like you. They have families, jobs and other responsibilities but still make it out to come build. They use their own bakkies, spades, wheelbarrows and rakes to maintain the trails that you ride. The trails at Tokai are maintained almost exclusively by volunteers at the moment. There are plans afoot to change that but at the moment there is no "they" It's we, you, us, me who maintain those trails.

 

If you want a say in the trails you must have a hand in the trails.

[Iwan Kemp]

I'll be there. We can use my bakkie as well to get gear and people to the top.

[(Deon)]

If any of you have ridden Mamba after the revisions, then depending whether you managed to beat the rain or not, you will have different opinions on how it rides. We managed to time our visit as the rain started, within minutes the water channels were flowing and the soft sand and clay was holding back any flow we thought was added on Saturday.

 

Rebuilding a trail is a lot like heading off for a bit of reconstructive surgery. You don't step out of the hospital with a brand new shiny body ready to show off to the world. No, you duck straight into recovery, letting as few people as possible see the tell-tale signs of an imminent new you!

 

Well, the trails have nowhere to go. Its remodelling is out there in all its glory for everyone to see and ride. Much like your body needs time to heal, the trails needs the same kind of care until it is set and ready.. Rear brakes need to be feathered, feet need to tread lightly and please.. if it is wet, extra care needs to be taken especially in the soft corners.

 

A dry, set trail is not far off.. patience people, patience. Spread the word.

 

(I will monitor the work this week and fix areas needing attention.. and close the shortcut again I'm sure.)

[edkin]

I was at Tokai on Saturday morning and saw the guys assembling for the trail build. I wanted to go over, introduce myself and chat but unfortunately life happens and I had to a pressing engagement to go to. I've been following this thread and have been noting the criticism that sometimes gets posted up here so I want to put my 2 cents worth.

 

I've haven't been riding MTB's for that long. I'm a retreaded roadie and my competency level is between "shouldn't be there" and "Raging novice". However the high intensity of enjoyment and satisfaction I get as I gingerly pick my way down Vasbyt and the other single tracks is enormous and I always feel better after surviving another ride.

 

For this reason, I have to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the guys who regularly give up their free time and own enjoyment to do the track maintenance so that palookas like me can experience the joy of single track. Thanks guys

[(Deon)]

I was at Tokai on Saturday morning and saw the guys assembling for the trail build. I wanted to go over, introduce myself and chat but unfortunately life happens and I had to a pressing engagement to go to. I've been following this thread and have been noting the criticism that sometimes gets posted up here so I want to put my 2 cents worth.

 

I've haven't been riding MTB's for that long. I'm a retreaded roadie and my competency level is between "shouldn't be there" and "Raging novice". However the high intensity of enjoyment and satisfaction I get as I gingerly pick my way down Vasbyt and the other single tracks is enormous and I always feel better after surviving another ride.

 

For this reason, I have to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the guys who regularly give up their free time and own enjoyment to do the track maintenance so that palookas like me can experience the joy of single track. Thanks guys

 

You are most welcome, from all of us. This is the reward, comments like yours.

[(Deon)]

I heard there was an article in the weekend paper. Anyone see something with much ado about Tokai and, dare I say it, the state of the trails? Free publicity I say! Unfortunately I assume most of the article would have been aimed at SANParks as so many people have a beef with them. I can take a guess that a lot of it was centred on the fee and accountability for the trails; Cobra and Rinkhals.

 

I feel for TMNP, they are taking a hammering from all sides. - Just to be clear, we as the trail builders for Tokai have never had this much support from the new landowner for improving the facilities. The whole Tokai precinct is going through a much needed refurbishment. It was bound to happen sometime. I firmly believe that the article proves we are at the point of change, most battles become messy right at the point of change. This too was bound to happen sometime.

[Kranswurm]

I was at Tokai on Saturday morning and saw the guys assembling for the trail build. I wanted to go over, introduce myself and chat but unfortunately life happens and I had to a pressing engagement to go to. I've been following this thread and have been noting the criticism that sometimes gets posted up here so I want to put my 2 cents worth.

 

I've haven't been riding MTB's for that long. I'm a retreaded roadie and my competency level is between "shouldn't be there" and "Raging novice". However the high intensity of enjoyment and satisfaction I get as I gingerly pick my way down Vasbyt and the other single tracks is enormous and I always feel better after surviving another ride.

 

For this reason, I have to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the guys who regularly give up their free time and own enjoyment to do the track maintenance so that palookas like me can experience the joy of single track. Thanks guys

 

Hear hear!!!

[ossum]

I'd also like to thank all the guys doing work on the trails. I was there on Saturday afternoon and it looked amazing.

 

I was a little concerned as to whether we were supposed to be riding the trail yet or not, because there was a log at the entrance which looked like it might have been blocking the way at one point, but since everyone else was doing it I did too (I can hear my mother saying "if all your friends jumped in off a bridge..."). Tried to avoid any soft lips and berms and dragging the brakes.

 

Anyways, just a thought, if you guys are going to be working every Saturday, I'm sure there will be times when you need to close a trail, so it would probably be worth having a written sign or something, because I wouldn't want to undo anyone's hard work.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'd also like to thank all the guys doing work on the trails. I was there on Saturday afternoon and it looked amazing.

 

I was a little concerned as to whether we were supposed to be riding the trail yet or not, because there was a log at the entrance which looked like it might have been blocking the way at one point, but since everyone else was doing it I did too (I can hear my mother saying "if all your friends jumped in off a bridge..."). Tried to avoid any soft lips and berms and dragging the brakes.

 

Anyways, just a thought, if you guys are going to be working every Saturday, I'm sure there will be times when you need to close a trail, so it would probably be worth having a written sign or something, because I wouldn't want to undo anyone's hard work.

 

That is coming, Ossum.

 

Unfortunately, as has been proven recently (and not so recently) a sign is nothing to someone who willingly flouts the laws and regulations, not to mention safety restrictions, on any trail system. Close a trail, it's re-opened 3 hours later. Put a sign up, it's ignored. Close an illegal divert, it's open that afternoon.

 

We can do as much as we want to close the trails, but the majority of okes who ride those closed trails are the same guys who think nothing of gaining illegal entry to the area, forging new, illegal and inefficiently "built" trails and riding up the DH only sections. These guys will always be there.

 

Having said that, signage is on its way. How long it will take to get here is another story altogether, but it is in the process of being put together. And then we shall have cake.

[Guest Omega Man]

most battles become messy right at the point of change. This too was bound to happen sometime.

 

True. Change is painful.

 

@ Ossum and edkin. You are most welcome to join the next build day on September the 1st. There's a real sense of acomplishment when you ride a berm you helped build or hit a jump that you had a hand in. There's a real sense of cameradirie that is shared between the guys that put their time in to the trails. They are riders just like you.

 

On Saturday there were cold beers and ham sandwiches enjoyed by all too. Can't argue with that.

[Guest Omega Man]

 

Anyways, just a thought, if you guys are going to be working every Saturday, I'm sure there will be times when you need to close a trail, so it would probably be worth having a written sign or something, because I wouldn't want to undo anyone's hard work.

Good point. We've got 2 signs for while we are busy building but maybe there is a call for closing trails while they heal. The problem is that there are so many people that ride tokai and people don't like to be told what to do.