I'm not much for stirring things up... at least not in public... but I just wanted to make sure that the Powers that Be are aware that there are some Shortcuts and New Stuff and More Easierness being promoted at Statesville's finest technical paradise, and a couple of decent re-routes.  Normally I'm good with re-routes... but some of these seem a little weird.  And it's really annoying that they aren't signed... especially the logs that are across the trail on the top end right after you go by the pump track (not the rock garden part, but the part after the old bridges and the fast straight section followed by a hairpin right... right after the skinny that used to be long but is now one short one that is easy and then what's left of the long one that I could never clear but really wanted to keep trying and now can't).  Hauling Ass Fast and then OH CRAP BIG LOG ACROSS TRAIL HIT THE BRAKES!!!!!!! Another log down right after teepee wood bridge by the shed... that one was a doozie... usually haul ass through there too and SURPRISE another big ass log across the trail!!!  Bunch of new direction signs out there also.  Then there is a shortcut right before you get back to the parking lot... trail used to go to the left of a couple trees over some roots... fun if you hit it fast enough to use the first root to roll the second... but looks like we're being pushed to the right of the trees now, which is smooth and boring.  If you can handle the rest of that trail you can handle those roots... and don't say anything about required ride-arounds because some of the bridges at that place that don't have ride-arounds are wayyyyy tougher and more dangerous if you screw up.  There is also a shortcut growing on Circuit City... launch down the wood feature and past the sliding board, right turn, back up the hill and hard left, down the hill again and banked left turn... then up the hill and right turn with some root challenges... there is now a shortcut around the roots.  Someone already killed one fun part on the climb out of circuit city... why not kill them all I guess.

Sorry I'm ranting now.  Mark, if you don't know about this stuff, and it's not approved, I'll start putting shrubbery over the re-routes while I ride, and move logs, etc to put the fun/challenging stuff back in line and hopefully prevent trail reroute migration.  If this is the direction SH is going, that's fine too, but kind of sad.  It's a lot of fun, but getting less fun, like the ugly chick who is good in bed, isn't so good in bed anymore.  I remember seeing signs somewhere that say "if it's too tough, get off and walk, sissypants... don't change the trail to suit your current skills" or something to that effect... that would be a good MO at signal hill also.  Always happy to help at trail work days at SH, but never see anything advertised in forum.

Ride on.  Rant off.  Cheers to those that maintain trails.  Let's work together and make them better.

I ride there several times a week before work and have no idea what you're complaining about.  The new trail after the skinny by the pump track has been there for probably a year.  Somebody is finally getting around to closing off the old trail. The logs after the teepee is to keep people from blasting straight across right there. The trail turns right.  There's even signs pointing to the right.   I noticed the race track that was being created there by people taking the shortcut and was glad to see the logs piled up.  The only thing I agree on is the part near the end of the trail where people are going to the right of the tree.  I still take the proper line to the left.  Doesn't cheapen my riding experience at all to know people are cheating themselves