Dec 12 2015- URE trail run and Rendezvous Meeting

[chuzie]

Well? Let's hear it!

[nhopman]

The short answers.
Kodak = never again :crying:

Daniel = If it doesn't get some major work this winter it will be closed. This will be the main concentration during winter workdays.

Dutch John = in the next couple of years, re-route to eliminate the hillclimb, another re-route to stay away from the creek, rest is looking good, we need to block off a few new spider trails, but for the most part we are squared away.

****ey Bell = couple of re-routes as well. No more rocky hill climb, another re-route to go around more arch sites.

Lakeview Trail = new trail hopes to be open in a couple of years :chili:.

Wolf's Den = Fix the areas/water bars that create problems when muddy.

Rest of the trails just need some regular maintenance and minor fixes.

Other long term goals these are not forest ranger goals but FOU goals:
Hope to construct a rock garden, looking at a couple of spots.
Maybe a new section of Daniel (using mostly older previously shut down trails) to make it a circle
Looking at a possible way to open up an new area for motorcycles and atv's only to get them off of the current OHV trails

That's pretty much the news about the trails. Charles, please feel free to add anything I forgot.

[chuzie]

So getting rid of the fun stuff at ure. Got it.

Sent from my GS3 on Cyanogenmod with the older / better version of Tapatalk!

[broncosbybart]

URE 2015 final run- a verbal pictorial:

- man, there's A LOT of rigs here at the outpost

- I wish the weather during the Nov run was like this

- If this is global warming, I'm good with it

- What's the plan?

- response: Let's go Sawmill to Falls Dam to ****ey Bell and work our way to Dutch.

- hmm, this is the first time I've seen a dually with a four wheeler in the bed going up Falls Dam

- response: maybe he realized his buddies were parked at Art Lilley...

- I would have thought ****ey Bell would have been a parking lot

- 'Hey nice Broncos'

- we've got a lot of riding in. I'm going to bet we will run into a lot more traffic soon.

- All the work we've been doing really seems to be helping things

- Woman hanging onto a running board of an FJ Cruiser to her husband: IT'S TEETERING!!!!

- Nick H under his breath: its only got about 30 more degrees to go before it flops

- What are you guys doing putting rocks in that creek?

- response: we have adopted this trail and volunteer working on it, besides, we can't go anywhere right now

- we had better get going while there's opportunity

- Nice Broncos!

- chatting with a mud devils member: you don't kind of know stump. You either are sure you have met him or you never have. He said he's going to retire but I asked him from what, as he's never worked. He's on a trawler in the Caribbean or something right now.

- to a guy on an ATV: Where's your helmet? it is required!

-reply: its ok, I parked back there. (rides off)

-Nick and I to each other: Huh?????

- This weather is awesome. Trails are perfect!

- Nick on a small rock: Take my picture! (sarcasm font)

- 'Hey, nice Broncos!'

- Good Lord, I guess if one jeep gets a flat the whole group has to stop and block the trail. Guess we can't get them to move as no one is near their rig

- How did we catch up to this group? We've been picking up trash and going really slow...

- Did you paint that Bronco? It looks really nice!

- What's the plan now? Let's go whichever way this goup DOESN'T go. Sounds like a great idea to me

- 'Hey, nice Broncos!'

[broncosbybart]

More to the point:

- day went great.

- meeting was informative.

- our limited efforts seem to be getting noticed, but probably not much

- Daniel is on very thin ice. The winter workdays will be almost entirely focused on it.

- There will be a work weekend March 19-20. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE!!!

- The trails can't be closed due to rain like a private park does, no reason given.

- The USFS is trying to get a fee increase passed along with fees for the horses, mtn bikes.

- We need to get more people/clubs involved.

- Dutch John will be adopted by us again for 2016.

- it was stressed that the most important thing anyone can do is send a handwritten letter expressing why you like the ORV trails to the USFS. Typed letters are looked at as form letters

Address is:

789 NC HWY 24/27 East, Troy, NC 27371

[broncosbybart]

A quick vid of stump, if you don't know him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrHSbFIHioo

[wepuckett]

Thanks for the updates guys, sorry I couldn't make it been under the weather, will try to make the next one, although over the next few weeks I will be finally looking for a machining job so will see how that plays out.

[chuzie]

I don't want to be the Debbie downer here, but should we be looking for other opportunities elsewhere? I just don't see the attraction of URE with the direction it is going. I understand these decisions are necessary to preserve the park and keep it open, but I can ride level 1 trails here in Florida. I drive to NC to have fun.

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[nhopman]

Sounds bad I know, but if we can save Daniel the only real loss will be the hill climb on Di_key Bell. I never considered the hill climb on Dutch as much of obstacle anyways, it's just a dirt hill that's near impossible to run when wet, and easy when it's dry, so a re-route there to me is not a big deal.

I understand the frustration and the desire to find other places to go if all it is going to be is a network of easy trails especially for the ones that drive so far to get here. Like I said it is going to take a couple years at least for this to happen so we may as well enjoy what we have while we have it.
Plus, I personally feel I have put too much effort and work into the trails to just walk away from them now.

Now, all that being said this is kind of a teaser but it was mentioned that the January Workday (Jan. 16) will involve pulling guardrail down that was installed on Kodak to use on Daniel.
What that means it that it might very well be the last time anyone has access to the area and I for one plan on spending some quality time playing on the rocks while I'm there. So if you want to see Kodak one last time January is it, and if you can't make it we'll be sure to post a few pics and some video of us having fun.

Nick

[chuzie]

Damn. I am tempted to see Kodak again! Wish we had known that in November before I drove the Bronco back to Tampa.

What happened to the official process of presenting an environment impact report and bringing the closure suggestion to a public forum for input? I feel like the process that was described to me by the forest service is being bypassed.

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