This came through the MORE list.
Wakefield - Big things are a happening
By now, some or most of you have heard that there are major happenings going on at our favorite Fairfax County Park Authority Park (FCPA). Hopefully in the next paragraph or so, I can give you all a quick synopsis.
Basically, due to a chain of events, the Park Authority decided that a redesign of the existing multi-use trail network was needed to facilitate a more sustainable trail system while taking into account historical and environmental issues. The bottom line goal was to modify the existing trails or to create new trails that could stand up to all types of weather while addressing specific concerns from conversationalists and historians. Realizing early on that this would be a HUGE undertaking, the management of Wakefield Park enlisted the aid of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). Several months ago IMBA made a quick assessment of the park and agreed to take the job.
This last week a representative from IMBA made the first pass at a trail assessment. Today, representatives from FCPA Headquarters, Wakefield Park, the FCPA Historian and the FCPA Naturalist received a presentation from IMBA followed by a walk through that overviewed the proposed changes. I am happy to report that almost 100% of everything that IMBA recommended was approved. Tomorrow and the next couple of days after the holiday will be spent cataloguing the existing trail network into a GIS system. The proposed new network of trails will also be entered. IMBA's strategy is to replace our existing riding experience with one that is equal to or superior to what we currently have.
Before anybody panics, we are not losing riding at Wakefield. Yes, many of our existing trails are going to change, be modified or replaced with new ones. I've personally walked every inch of the race course section of Wakefield. Although all of the re-routes are not yet set in stone, I've seen what the proposed network will look like. After tomorrow's GPS cataloguing is finished I'll know for sure, but it is my personal belief that usable mileage will increase - NOT decrease. Rolling contour trails full of climbing turns and switch backs will replace the fall line trails that are currently rutted and water damaged. Does anybody remember the downhill nick named "Elevator Shaft". Shear excitement to ride when it was new. A death trap theses days. It's now identical to two trails on either side of it. Soon to be identical to the 2 new ones we found while surveying. The proposed new trails are not going to beginner level either. There will be challenging climbs, slalom like down hills, rolling boardwalks, and armored contour trails.
This effort will actually take several seasons to complete. In the next two weeks it is expected that the construction on the race course section of the Wakefield Hill will start and finish. The next effort will concentrate on establishing a worthwhile trail network across the Powerline property. In under 2 seasons we will hopefully go from a spider web of crisscrossing trails to a highly sustainable trail network that hopefully will only need touch-ups year to year.
Saturday, February 27th is the official start of construction. There will be a combined IMBA/MORE/PVC/Cranky Monkey/FCPA volunteer trail day. In addition to trail construction, IMBA plans to give short clinics on building bridges and board walk structures as well as lessons on bench cutting and building switch backs. They want to train a new generation of crew leaders. Construction will continue through out that week with another big effort planned for Saturday, March 6th. Although the times are not confirmed, there will probably be 2 shifts on each of those Saturdays. There will also be construction Monday through Friday. If you have the day off, need to burn some leave or just plain have some free time let us know. This will a fantastic learning experience. If you've never seen some of this mechanized gear in action your in for a treat. There will also be terrain that will need some good old fashioned hand cutting.
If you have any questions, concerns or just some plain ole comments - now is the time to let it out.
More info here
Wakefield - Big things are a happening
By now, some or most of you have heard that there are major happenings going on at our favorite Fairfax County Park Authority Park (FCPA). Hopefully in the next paragraph or so, I can give you all a quick synopsis.
Basically, due to a chain of events, the Park Authority decided that a redesign of the existing multi-use trail network was needed to facilitate a more sustainable trail system while taking into account historical and environmental issues. The bottom line goal was to modify the existing trails or to create new trails that could stand up to all types of weather while addressing specific concerns from conversationalists and historians. Realizing early on that this would be a HUGE undertaking, the management of Wakefield Park enlisted the aid of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). Several months ago IMBA made a quick assessment of the park and agreed to take the job.
This last week a representative from IMBA made the first pass at a trail assessment. Today, representatives from FCPA Headquarters, Wakefield Park, the FCPA Historian and the FCPA Naturalist received a presentation from IMBA followed by a walk through that overviewed the proposed changes. I am happy to report that almost 100% of everything that IMBA recommended was approved. Tomorrow and the next couple of days after the holiday will be spent cataloguing the existing trail network into a GIS system. The proposed new network of trails will also be entered. IMBA's strategy is to replace our existing riding experience with one that is equal to or superior to what we currently have.
Before anybody panics, we are not losing riding at Wakefield. Yes, many of our existing trails are going to change, be modified or replaced with new ones. I've personally walked every inch of the race course section of Wakefield. Although all of the re-routes are not yet set in stone, I've seen what the proposed network will look like. After tomorrow's GPS cataloguing is finished I'll know for sure, but it is my personal belief that usable mileage will increase - NOT decrease. Rolling contour trails full of climbing turns and switch backs will replace the fall line trails that are currently rutted and water damaged. Does anybody remember the downhill nick named "Elevator Shaft". Shear excitement to ride when it was new. A death trap theses days. It's now identical to two trails on either side of it. Soon to be identical to the 2 new ones we found while surveying. The proposed new trails are not going to beginner level either. There will be challenging climbs, slalom like down hills, rolling boardwalks, and armored contour trails.
This effort will actually take several seasons to complete. In the next two weeks it is expected that the construction on the race course section of the Wakefield Hill will start and finish. The next effort will concentrate on establishing a worthwhile trail network across the Powerline property. In under 2 seasons we will hopefully go from a spider web of crisscrossing trails to a highly sustainable trail network that hopefully will only need touch-ups year to year.
Saturday, February 27th is the official start of construction. There will be a combined IMBA/MORE/PVC/Cranky Monkey/FCPA volunteer trail day. In addition to trail construction, IMBA plans to give short clinics on building bridges and board walk structures as well as lessons on bench cutting and building switch backs. They want to train a new generation of crew leaders. Construction will continue through out that week with another big effort planned for Saturday, March 6th. Although the times are not confirmed, there will probably be 2 shifts on each of those Saturdays. There will also be construction Monday through Friday. If you have the day off, need to burn some leave or just plain have some free time let us know. This will a fantastic learning experience. If you've never seen some of this mechanized gear in action your in for a treat. There will also be terrain that will need some good old fashioned hand cutting.
If you have any questions, concerns or just some plain ole comments - now is the time to let it out.
More info here
