ECMTB Weekly Ride / Trailwork - 28 Aug 2018

This week we are going to pitch in on some trail work at Nine Mile River and then finish with a ride.

Where: Nine Mile River
When: 6:30pm
Difficulty: Easy Intermediate

Notes: requires lights for ride portion.

  • Going, see you there!
  • Wish I could, maybe next time.
  • Maybe, I’ll let you know.

0 voters

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Please pay attention to the trail difficulty posted above.

@Rockhopper, what should we bring / expect?

Really happy that the ECMTB crew is coming!!

General trailwork tools would be great.

  • loppers
  • shovels
  • rakes
  • pick/mattocks
  • axes/pulaskis
  • hammer
  • pry bars (to remove bridge side bumpers and spikes)

Anything portable that you can ride in with would be great.

I’m thinking that a good task for the ECMTB crew would be a board replacement on bridge C33, since the tools needed for that job are quite portable, and you could ride in to get there more quickly than walking. @Andre knows the drill on the task since he helped out on our previous work night. There is a replacement board beside bridge C23 that will need to be carried to C33.

We have a variety of other tasks to be done, including digging drainage channels, clearing foliage from trailside, etc.

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I’ll bring a cordless drill and some 3" screws and my Italian hoe.

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Anything that you can fit in your pack or attach to the outside of it would be good if you are biking in. Carrying in the lengths of wood was the worst of it last time - if everyone bikes in, someone will have to put their bike aside when carrying in that last stick from c23 -> c33. Cant imagine balancing it on a bike, but i am sure someone can prove me wrong on that.

Maybe it goes without saying, but dont forget the bug spray or some other form of pest control. Tempted to say if someone has a machete it may be useful for clearing the foilage encroaching the trail, but loppers are probably safer as an option. I am not sure if I will be able to make it to this one, but I will try to be there.

Lasso?

You could probably tie it to your frame if you wanted to, but a challenge to ride with it attached for someone out there. They were rough cuts of 2x6 or 2x8. Cant remember if they were 8 or 10 foot lengths. rough guess of 20 lbs each plank - didnt mind it at first, but carrying one for 2-3 kms on your shoulder while swatting away deer flies trying to bite was a pain :stuck_out_tongue:

Is the lumber already cut to length or do we need to bring a hand saw?

I have loppers, a folding saw, and a machete. I’ll make sure no one is around before I go full Rambo if there is a need for the machete.

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@Rolls It will need to be cut. @Rockhopper had acquired a battery powered circular saw last time - hopefully he is able to bring it this time, too?

I don’t have the battery powered saw this time. I can bring a hand saw. I think the board is 12’ long, and the board to be replaced is about 10’, but I’m not sure the exact measurements.

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I plan to help out with trail work, probably won’t be riding. Had a nice ride in Gore today.

I think this is a picture of the broken board on bridge c33. The board on the far left.

Won’t make the build session, but have to ask: why the boards are being replaced lengthwise when everyone was in agreement that this was built incorrectly? Seems like setting up for failure and having to do more replacements sooner rather than later.

Making the best of the materials they have I’d say. It would take a lot more work, time and materials to totally rebuild every bridge the way they should have been done in the first place. I’d like to think that’s a ‘some day’ plan though once some more major work is done.

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I’m guessing this is a “patch what you can until money comes for a proper bridge replacement” project.

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Exactly. Our first priority is to try to make the boardwalks safe. There are about fifty boardwalks on the trail. It would be a big project to rebuild them all, and there are many other priorities to address.

I’m interested in helping out with the work before the ride but I’m a bit of a noob when it comes to formal trail maintenance. (30 years of mountain biking should count for something though). I’m also limited on portable tools. I’ve got a folding saw, hatchet and small pry bar but otherwise everything else is full sized (spade, rake)

Also I might be pressed to be there for 6:30 as my wife has the car out of the city today. Either she’ll be back in time and all is good, or she’ll be late and then I’ll be late or if anyone is leaving from West End Halifax and can give me a ride I could be on time.

@Cadence no need to be there right at 6:30, just show up when you can. And don’t worry about trail building experience, it’s pretty basic stuff that needs to be done.