Ranger Will from LKN State Park is leading a ride from the visitors center at 6pm tomorrow, Wednesday July 12th.  Weather looks good!  More information here on the park's website (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

It's Monbo! Must be some new rangers at the park?

Thanks Will! See you next week for the Nationals!!

Thats great that you made it out to the ride last night!  I'm banged up from some recent crashes and just plain busy so I wasn't able to make it.

Just shooting straight here, as the current "trail coordinator"  I'm feeling super overwhelmed just trying to get the existing trails into good shape.  I'm sure you saw all of the really deep holes on Monbo on the ride yesterday and apparently Laurel is just as bad.  I can't speak from experience because the last three times I've been at the park I've been doing trail work (as opposed to riding) so I haven't covered much of the trails.

With two or so more workdays we can most likely get Wildlife/Fallstown/Fox fixed up to shed water again, and then we can move on to the remaining 22 miles of trail 

Really, we need tripple the amount of people from the community to get involved in maintaining the trails out there before we can even think about adding any more trail.  We've been lucky to have Jason Duckworth getting very involved with trial work which has been a huge help.  Jason's now a "co-coordinator" at the park which means he has the ability to lead group workdays.  We really need at least two more people to step up and take on leadership roles with trail work at the park so we can have more community members that are capable of leading group workdays.  Getting groups out there on the trails is really the only way to make progress and I just simply can't be at every group workday, I'm too busy.  If I had to be at every group workday then we would never get these trails to where they need to be.

Sorry for the long post but all of the above must be done before any new trail discussions can be had.  We need a larger more committed trail building/maintaining community at LKN State Park, who wants to step up????  Mooresville People?? Troutman People??? Statesville People?? Davidson People???  PM me or email at [email protected] if you are interested.

Also, thanks to the other Jason (Saltnpepper11) and all others who have been out to workdays recently!

I know how you feel, Will. Everyone wants to build new trails, but someone has to maintain the trails you have now. I didn't get to ride as much as I wanted to, because of trail maintenance.  Good luck getting lots of volunteers!

See you next week at the Nationals at Snowshoe!

BBM

I would love to help out as well Will. Is ent you an email and we can find a time to meet to talk about coordination and what needs the most attention.  Another area to find help, albeit uneducated on trail maintenance is the schools.  Most of the area schools require community service hours so SIHS and LKNH hopefully have some students that need some hours

Great Ride last night. Everyone is loving the new berm section at the end of Laurel. Next ride is planned for Aug. 9 @ 6 PM.

It's perfect weather up here, but The Ranger has walked the trails throughout the day in hopes they have recovered (brought his bike with him). The trails are still really tacky-- and the low spots are really feeling it. Since he follows the rules-- he has chosen to leave the trails closed. 

Plan to try to ride again Aug 30 at 6 PM.

The (power) Ranger plans to ride again this Wednesday August 30th at 6 PM. He wants to ride the Wildlife Area. He'll be sitting under the 'Murican Flag.

Danger Ranger plans to ride again this Wednesday Sept 6th at 6 PM. He'll wait under the flag and ride anywhere you want to ride. The weatherman is calling for rain-- so watch the Radar. Enjoy this nice weather!

The weather is looking nice for this upcoming week. The Ranger plans to ride sometime around 6 PM on Wednesday Sept 20. He will meet under the 'Murican Flag and then plans to lightly shred whatever trail that is agreed on. He'd prefer to hit some of the newly dusted off Laurel or Wildlife Loops.

10-4. Rangers have photographic proof of its existence. We will try to get to it early this week!

So... there seems to be quite a lack of interest in these Rides with the Ranger? Are they too early? Bad day? Offered too sporadically due to my schedule? No one likes the Ranger?

I have heard the phrase "night rides" mentioned numerous times to me over the past year. I was hoping to gauge interest in night group rides with these evening rides. I felt if I could get participation in the evening rides then I could easily transition that into some night group rides this Fall. But, participation has been slim to none.

I have to request approval to leave the park open past closing hours for night rides to occur-- which also means I have to stay late. Gates close at 6 PM come November. I currently am not sure if I will gain approval since I can't prove it's worth it (no participation in past).

Anywho, I will again plan to ride Wednesday Oct 11 and Oct 25. Same time. Same place. These may be evening/dusk rides. 

(Exchange all 1st person statements with the 3rd person "The Ranger". I am nottheranger)

I live in south charlotte so it is impossible for me but have these rides been posted on facebook by the trailblazers? ( idk since I quit facebook a while ago) Seems there might be more traction on that site?

Day/Time change is always an option! 

Weekends could be an option-- I work most of them. It can be a little overwhelming with crowds here on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon though.

If the ranger want's to ride at WWC I am all in.   

I like LKN trails.. but they are at the other end of the river from me so it's not on my regular. 

I really, really, believe there will be HUGE support for LKN night rides.. someone just needs to say... every X Wednesday we are riding LKN in the dark. 

Planning to leaves Snowshoe next Friday morning (not this week, but next) to visit all my kin folk and ride LNSP on Saturday. See you guys then! Looking forward to it!!

I just hope the trails dry up enough for the ride on Saturday. We will be heading down that way on Friday morning and will see you on Saturday. I look forward to meeting you also and hope we can get a good ride in.

Trails should be open today! Little tacky-- but good. 

The Ranger on the other hand-- has that gnarly cold that is going around. So-- you should ride, but he won't be riding. 

Still plan to ride Saturday at 3 PM. Wish I could ride in the morning, but I gotta work first.

I hate to hear you're under the weather! I hope you feel better by Saturday!
Drdirt and Kevin, I hate you guys won't be around to ride with us. Maybe next time.
That's funny, I'm leave the mountains and you going to the hills. You guys have a good and safe trip!!

BBM

Will, it was nice to meet you Saturday and wish I could've rode the whole loop with you. I haven't been on the bike that much and that thing on my leg started cutting into my skin, so I had to get some relief. Tell Brian to keep up the good work he is doing and I'll try to ride next visit. I sent Amy some deer pictures, so make sure you see them

BBM

Thanks Will!! I don't have anything on my leg anymore. I stopped in the pine forest and made an adjustment on the bag so it wouldn't cut into my leg. I sure did like what Will and the trail gnomes did at the end of Laurel!  Did you see the pictures I sent Amy? Those 10 pointers got into it this morning and the older one ran the other one off.
Have a good one!!

BBM

Will, I can get real close to them. The 8 pointer, I can pet him, rub his antlers and ears. I do watch that he doesn't gore me with his antlers when he hears something. He jerks his head up to see things and I have to be careful.

Every year, state parks across the country lead "First Day Hikes" on January 1st. 

January 1, 2018, I, The Ranger, will be leading a First Day (Bike) Hike. I plan to ride Hawk Loop and Norwood Loop at a slower pace and stop along the way to show participates what they may be missing on a normal ride (beaver dams, trees, animals). 

This could be a good ride for those who are looking to start riding in the new year... or a chance to get husbands, wives, kids out for a fun ride through the woods. 

The ride will begin around 11 AM and we will meet at the Visitor Center under the American Flag.

The Ranger still plans on hitting the trails Monday at 11 AM even in the cold. He is planning on taking Hawk and Norwood at a slow pace. He wants to enjoy all the nature as he rides. 

Meet under the American Flag at 11 AM.

On Saturday, July 28 @ 1000, the Ranger plans to hold a "Kids Ride" at Lake Norman State Park. He plans to ride Hawk & Norwood at a nice and easy pace-- and check out some neat nature along the way. The ride is open to all ages!

Reminder kids ride with the ranger this Saturday at 10 am!