Trees across the trail...

[McDuff]

I leave them unless they're over 18" or so. I can't bunny hop very high, but a wheelie then a pull up on the pedals works almost every time.
This one is on a seldom ridden trial, and is on a downhill so momentum helps you roll over. I hope nobody decides to take it out, it's one of the highlights of this short section.

[Cove_HJ]

Well said, McDuff for president!

I agree with you, it seems like a lot more people are clearing logs that would have been the highlight of a trail a while back. Leave them all I say!

[wannabee]

BUT.......
if the trail is also used by skiers, as in a multiuser trail, the log that high must go!

[Longshanks]

Agreed, McDuff. If anyone (someone) can do it, then leave it. It goes back to the oft-mentioned senitment of "if you can't do it, walk it" (rather than removing it or creating a new line around it).

Your front tire looks a little sketchy in the first pic, lol.

[Superbman]

Depends on the trails and the Trail builders! If it's a trail we built to be flowy-fast-we cut out all recent deadfall. If it's a slower technical trail-we consider leaving the log (but by and large our trails are technical due to terrain and that logs tend to be superfluous).

either way-it's up the the guys and gals who do all the trail maintaining on the singletrack in question-do the work, make the call-one small bonus for giving up huge chunks of your free time to the woods.

Liam

[MTBME]

Seems like we've had this conversation before. If the tree wasn't part of the original design of the trail, then I would look to get rid of it. I believe it was mentioned that it is now on a downhill section of that trail which could interrupt the flow of the trail in a way never intended. That's why we have trail maintenance days. Otherwise lets just let everything stay where it falls and see what the trail looks like in 10 years.

[Cove_HJ]

I've always said, if there are chainring/ring guard marks on the log, someone is having fun on it, and therefore it (or even a part of it) should stay. I have been on more than one trail where the only option around a big log would have been on fragile soil and because most people would rather ride around than get off and walk, it made sense to cut half of the log across the trail. This solution leaves the fun for some, and offers an easier way around (without diverting the trail) for others. I guess that is the best solution. If the log is elevated above the ground, and cutting half of it wouldn't work, then yeah I suppose it should be up to the trail builder or the way the trail was designed, but I still think people these days are a little over zealous with cutting deadfall away from the trail.

-Matt

[Slappy]

:rad:

http://www.bustedspoke.com/Photos/bs7452.jpg

[Aging Wannabee]

Sweet. I'd call that "enhancement" as opposed to "sterylization" Where is it?

[splat]

that would be the slappy shuttle run

[Slappy]

If ya can't beat em, jump em! :)

Splat knows all trails :rad: - that pic's from a little backyard shuttle run we have near Leominster Ma. Can't really get away with making stuff like that on public land, but it's sure fun to ride. The rest of the trail's a hoot too; come check it out some time.
We've also got new XC loop in the neighborhood (and a brewery).

On topic, I like a nice challenging log crossing too. BITD I put a lotta effort into learning how to get over them and now I take kinda take pride in being able to get over some pretty good sized ones, even a bit over 2' if it's in a good spot. But sometimes even a little 6" log in the wrong place (say, 8' before the second jump in the pic I posted) totally screws up the flow. You really have to take the whole character and rythm of the particular trail into consideration.

[Springer]

how can we find more trails in leominister.. we ride mainly the single tracks off of rocky rd and wolf neck as well as fenton..where are all the others and are there plans to mark them

[Slappy]

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/Leominster.gif

[Springer]

what are some of the better singletracks in leominster

[Slappy]

They're all pretty good IMO. Best thing to do - go ride them all a few times in each direction then pick your favorites. Might wanna start a seperate thread in the Mass. section of the trailboard; probably more people with info will respond there than in a thread about logs across the trail. Also, try doing a search - there's been other threads about Leo where people posted GPS maps etc, and there are regular rides out there listed in Singletracks (NEMBA 'zine).