Howdy,

I rode Beatty today for the first time in quite a while.  A couple of years may have passed since my last time, and I've probably only ridden it, at most, twice over the past four or more years.  I expected to find changes based on forum activity here and like how it has evolved.  I was surprised by a couple of wooden TTFs that seem to be higher than four feet.  I recall one being a table with a sloped entrance and sloped exit.  The other has a long, wave-like form with kicker that should have the rider jump over a flat gap to the sloped descent back to the trail.  Has Park & Rec policies changed for man-made TTFs?  Both of these seem to be too tall for what I remember even with the ride around at each location.

-Clay

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Screaming Knees wrote on 08/12/13 at 12:51pm:

He was just asking a question about the height of OTF's on trails.  At one point we had a limit of about 30-36 inches in height for OTF's.  I think it was more P&R going with the max height before something needs a hand rail. (Per IBC/International Building Code).  Let's just say that as long as it has an obvious go around and is sturdy (unlike some of the old stuff I've seen built at BYT) that they're pretty relaxed about it.   

The only restriction we really have is no articulating structures like teeters.  Our liability insurance through IMBA/SORBA specifically prohibits coverage for these so we would do so at our own risk and would not be covered by the insurance policy.


Mark 
In St. Croix

KitJ BBQman wrote on 08/12/13 at 1:13pm:


+1
JR
in Charlotte (you jelly?)

Rocky, unfortunately, now that BYT is an officialy THTB trail, there is a double edge sword involved.  In order to receive the funding from THTB for supplies, BYT (in theory) needs to follow IMBA rules for trail construction.

TTFs are part of it.

I don't think anything back in BYT is out of line, but it's only not a big deal until people start whining about it.
Hence the OP's "concern" of the TTF at Beatty, which seemed to be "out of code" to him... even though he's probably not raised a tool in trail maintenance...

On the off chance that anyone is legitimately concerned, the Otf's(Optional trail features) On the new section at Beatty Were actually built to a more stringent spec than imba requires. This addition was one of the first sections of trail in Charlotte built using specs developed with input from Woody Keen of Trail Dynamics. The starting points were IMBA specifications for a signed Blackdiamond Trail. From there some tweaks were made to add an extra measure of security.

Gravitythief76 wrote on 08/12/13 at 8:06pm:


I can attest to that! The main "tweak" was in my back from carrying in all those *&$%#! 6'x6's

I ride all the TTFs at Beatty and I don't jump any of them. Some are smoother than others but all are roll-able.

JR wrote on 08/12/13 at 6:57pm:

Yes and no.  worker-rider has already done a great job of making what used to be a lot of fall line trail non fall line trail with switch backs and such.  The IMBA guidelines are just that...guidelines.  WR knows what works well at BYT such as drainage and grade.  Each trail is different and has different soil types so what works well at BYT may not work well at Beatty or Fisher or LNSP.  

As far as OTF's, we have earned a lot of trust from all of our land managers (Meck P&R, Davidson P&R, Huntersville P&R, Cornelius P&R and most of all NCDENR (NC Dept of Environmental and Natural Resources)).  So because of BYT and what was there before being legitimized,  we have been given a fair amount of latitude by P&R.

Concerning OTF's, I worked on a set of building standards using IBC (International Building Code) and conversations with Woody Keen from Trail Dynamics and my own experience at Fisher to use for the rest of our trails.  Yes, they do seem to be over kill but they will last for a very long time and they will take not only rider abuse but hopefully tree and limb fall as well.  Money is not the issue because most if not all are being funded by grants.  The issue is people whining about carrying the lumber to the work site!    ( that was just a friendly jab at my trail coordinators. )

Mark
Jelly in St. Croix

Oh, yea. Forgot.


EMF kill....kill...kill....just sayin'.