There are some Danny MacAskill-sized holes forming on academy/thread at the powerline r-o-w.   I noticed yesterday after 5pm the wwc turned into a ghost town after the beer sales stopped.  Keep those taps flowing until sundown!  I had 2 growlers to fill.

I found out the hard way yesterday the old downhill line is, um, out of service and totally overgrown.

As for some of the semi permanent mudholes on Needle, I think that is a factor of a high water table in that area that can only be corrected with more bridges or a reroute.

I agree some of the trails need work.  With over 30 miles it's a pretty significant undertaking to keep all in top shape.

I think the WWC is by far the best system around. Lots of variety out there. The massive mileage is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately its a lot to take care of. Too bad they have turned their noses up to allowing anyone to help maintain the place. Even when it was offered for free.  

Many Thanks to ALL the peeps who VOLUNTEER their Time to maintain all of the other trails in the greater Charlotte/Concrod/Gaston area.

Enoch wrote on 05/04/20 at 5:12pm:


THIS

For these reasons I'll always be bitter about the BS parking fee that was supposed to be earmarked for the trails.  I'd bet they pull in 6 big digits daily in parking.

It's like Jeff wants to adopt more kids. Which is a great thing.  But only if you take care of the kids you already have. Some of those older children are in some serious need of medical attention! And not to make them 'flowy and faster' - just to make them safe and sustainable. Small problems don't become big problems if they are properly addressed. And big problems just get bigger - as 'most' riders will ride around the problem.
Simple things like cutting back the overgrowth allows sunlight and better air circulation to dry out spots. Cutting out 'some' roots which years ago were fine, but since 'have become' exposed and are either hindrances to proper water drainage or pose potential safety issues. Mudholes and or depressions can either be rerouted a few feet or filled in. Uphill lines or switchbacks that have become direct water drainage can be 'carpeted' (BTW - that 'carpet' on the Carpet trail is TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD this year and is in as good a shape today as the day I put it in!)  A little TLC for the existing kids just doesn't seem like a lot to expect.   

Specialist wrote on 05/05/20 at 2:25pm:



Just a heads up I rode the trail two days in a row, tree was gone next day.  They are on top of a lot.

[quote author=455B4D4C4451280 link=1588596736/12#12  I really wish they would give it more attention, but they don't make any "extra" money from the MTB trails other than the few people that splurge for the upsell rental MTB's. [/quote]

I have to call you out on that one...I'd say MTB folks help support the Beer sales..And that and food are what keep that place going...

I now live adjacent to the WWC trail system and have established a relationship with their trail crew leader (Tim).  He has asked for my feedback every time I see a trouble spot on the trail, and usually addresses them very quickly (1-2 days).

IMO, they are doing a great job building new trails and working hard to repair or re-route trouble areas.  You may notice East had a major re-route installed in last 1-2 weeks that took a lot of work.  You may also notice several small new bridges on Lake and Tortuga over perpetual mud holes.  Tributary now has a reroute in progress to avoid a wet area, there are lots of examples of them doing needed trail work.   

BTW, they also continue to buy more land and plan to build more trails.

Keep up the good work WWC, well worth the cost of parking and an occasional beer!

anyone have an idea of the Catawba trail conditions today? per WWC website, they are open, but they were open Saturday too, and it was way too muddy...IMO.

indadirt wrote on 05/06/20 at 12:33pm:




I have to say the trail crew does a great job with the limited support and resources they are given and continued direction by the person who pays them to build more trail. At this point, I have resigned myself to the fact that Jeff is going to do what is in Jeff's best interests in a manner meeting Jeff's personal goals and views. Which I hate to admit is his right. His goals, vision, and idea of mountain biking is getting on the bike for hours on end and riding single track with limited variation. 

I personally was in a meeting with him and Gary Vernon (Bentonville fame) where Jeff can be quoted as saying "everyone just wants to get on their bike and ride for hours and don't need anything else" (um no). In the same meeting where Jeff had an opportunity to learn from one of the best fundraisers, trail builders, marketing and experienced veterans of the industry; Jeff made his vision clear that he only cared about more trails, getting people to WWC to hang our after their ride for beer and food to put money in his pocket and did not give a &^&^ about the cycling community as a whole. Another fun quote was "I have a trail facility to build and the THTB can fiddle around with the little stuff".  We talked about the greater network, connections to Thread Trail, Gaston Counties Cycling initiatives, bike specific flow trails and features, etc and again....Deaf ears. 

All of this left me with a few impressions. 1) Jeff still doesn't get it, never will, but its within his right as he as a business to grow and run. But personally I am going to stop trying. 2) The cycling community (enduro, xc, roadie, dirt jumpers, NICA, Cycolcross,etc) need to stop infighting and work together for the greater good. which is more trails, more parks, more bike lanes, more dirt jumps, more anything cycling related infrastructure together. The more we can grow, the more influence we will have, the more things we can get, repeat adnassium.  3) THTB needs to elevate is stature and visibility in the community. 

To the later end, the Board has been putting a lot of work into elevating our game. There will be a lot of new things happening over the next year all of which stemmed from our survey last year and addressing the issues identified by the cycling community. More to come, but I am excited for the things coming soon from THTB as I am not one to sit in a meeting like Jeff like I did and let him disparage 30 years of great THTB history without response.