RAW RAW RAW - Nass, 9/18/09

Met up with Woodcore at the 'new' parking spot around 5:15 this evening. Probably got rolling by 5:30. It was a nice evening for a ride. We did truck trail then out to cross by reservoir rd, up to the cemetery twisties via the up and over trail, cemetery backwards to Scoville, jug to hinman, up to JC climb, down through the orchard, sandy pelican, scoville twisties to some bushwhacking to the WC bypass and back to the cars. We finished right at 7:00, just as the last of the light was falling.

Not much of note for me on the ride. I made some stuff that sometimes gives me trouble, and didn't make some other stuff. Almost crashed into a couple dudes head on in Jug when I was hammering it and just about got impaled by a branch. We noticed some damage on the johnny cake climb and the orchard DH that looked like it could have been cause by hessians, which is a major disappointment. I hope it doesn't get worse...

Anyway, great ride tonight Woodcore, thanks for waiting up for me.

Great riding with you this evening Bvibert! Pretty sure we picked the optimum route to roll considering our time frame w/o lights. Anyway we managed 6.9 miles and 950 feet of climbing in around 1.5 hours!

I'm also a little concerned about the Hessians ripping up the Nass ST, lets just hope it doesn't continue...

WoodCore said:

I'm also a little concerned about the Hessians ripping up the Nass ST, lets just hope it doesn't continue...

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the nearve of those guys trespassing and riding on illegally cut trails

MR. evil said:

the nearve of those guys trespassing and riding on illegally cut trails

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Riding on them is one thing but what these Hessians did was in my book, way over the line!

WoodCore said:

Riding on them is one thing but what these Hessians did was in my book, way over the line!

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I hate those guys ripping up trails, but how is what they did any different than a bunch of mountain bikers illegally cutting trails on private property?

MR. evil said:

I hate those guys ripping up trails, but how is what they did any different than a bunch of mountain bikers illegally cutting trails on private property?

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you've got a point Tim...but, the fact of the matter is that many trails that most of us like to ride at several areas around CT were built w/o permission (so they in fact are illegal). Look at the stuff at Nepaug...no way anybody signed off on ANY of that stuff...and until recently, the state dep didn't really want anyway riding on blue trails either...they have since loosened their policy on that...hoping to have multi-use access. There are some areas that are posted "no bikes" at several riding spots where there is blue trail. If you hit Penwood and run into rangers, they have been known to give mtbikers a talkin to about riding certain trails too. It's happened at Nepaug for riding the blue too. They warn with the threat of a ticket. So, in the end, tread lightly and be respectful of where you are treading..we've all been on trails that are technically "illegal"...and some riders are on these "illegal trails" and have no idea that they are "illegal".

I agree Scott, and am vary familair with the points you bring up. I was simply bringing light to the hypocracy to the 'hessian' statements. Those guys ripping up the trails really sucks. But until such time that Nass trails, or any other illegal trails we ride are legal. Those guys are no more in the wronge than we are. Do you think a land owner see's a difference between mountain bikers cutting trails on their land vs Mx's tearing those trails up? No, it's just two different groups f'g with their land.

you are right... sometimes, it's the people who build the trails who are giving the hessians access to more trails. There are no shortage of renegade trail builders at Nass. that's for sure. I personally feel that there are enough trails there...I have aired my opinion to some trail builders that we should be more of the mindset of maintaning existing routes, rather than building new ones. Over the past couple years, we've found several old trails that were out of circulation because of lack of use...with a little TLC, they were back to normal. Some of these builders say they are trying to create something that will be hidden from the hessians...unfortunately, if the mxers are out there enough, they are gonna find everything...

MR. evil said:

I hate those guys ripping up trails, but how is what they did any different than a bunch of mountain bikers illegally cutting trails on private property?

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I hear you Tim and agree to a point. Regardless (at least IMHO) there's a big difference between a trail builder carefully planning and cutting a trail for MTB use and a joker riding his ATV randomly through the woods, running over and up rooting trees, spinning tires for no reason, etc.