donking wrote on 12/05/13 at 3:42pm:
I haven't been to those location but we are looking for another Charlotte venue for the Charlotte Youth Mountain Bike League.
Thoughts?
Is there a good size parking lot?
Would this be a good place for kids to race?
The entire trail is a lolipop layout with the handle, beginning at the parking lot, being 2 way. The intersection of the handle and the "pop" is a bit awkward for continuous loops - you need to do an awkward turn to start the next lap. However, an addition of a 30' "connector" would easily remedy that issue. I've always thought that should be done to make multiple laps easier. Depending on your distance for a race, you could start kids out right after the bridge near the entrance where it's double track, and then they could sort out and separate a bit for approx. 1/4 mile before they hit the singletrack. I think it would be a great track for kids - if its long enough. Not a lot of elevation, very good flow and a pretty piece of woods. Also, having kids race there would be a good way to re-intoduce the trail to locals and local kids who the trail was built for. (The Divas initially had planned to donate several of their Project Angel bikes to the center so local kids could check them out and ride the trail. That fell through either cause of storage space, or overall logistics of maintaining a share a bike program with ongoing sign-outs/ ins for the bikes, etc...)
Parking should be adequate unless there is a big function at the community center. Then it might get a bit tight with a race. Never seen the lot near full.
Mark, I'm pretty sure bOb cut all that trail - I helped track his progress and hours. Ben did the pump track and mini trail in the Lakewood neighborhood. (Funny, I ran into Ben in Park City. He and his girl, now wife, living one valley over and he's still trail building. He's also drinking good wiskey ...

)