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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Infrequent Trail Status Updates (Read 4762 times)
Robert C.
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Infrequent Trail Status Updates
02/26/21 at 1:35am
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Given the majority of the riding public hits any trail they want that do not have a gate,  regardless of trail status on this board,  it does beg the question- Why post trail status here particularly when it's updated inconsistently?

There are multiple trails on the homepage that have not had a status change in weeks / months.  Dashboard are great...when they are maintained regularly.  Sure, a few trails are off line due to construction.

Suggest killing RYG status without context, and let the riders report status based on their first hand accounts - all 10 of us that actually post here.  Wink



  
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Puckett
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #1 - 02/26/21 at 9:36am
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I am grateful for the trail status page and find the updates to be timely and useful.

Example - Rocky River recently updated their status to "open" on 2/23 at 6:38 pm.  I checked the trail status that evening and made plans to ride Rocky River the following morning (thank you Steve).

That ride would not have happened if I was relying on random forum posts for information about trail open/closed status.
  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #2 - 02/26/21 at 11:00am
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Puckett wrote on 02/26/21 at 9:36am:
I am grateful for the trail status page and find the updates to be timely and useful.

Example - Rocky River recently updated their status to "open" on 2/23 at 6:38 pm.  I checked the trail status that evening and made plans to ride Rocky River the following morning (thank you Steve).

That ride would not have happened if I was relying on random forum posts for information about trail open/closed status.


I agree. Allowed me to ride Purser Hulsey and Sherman this week. Appreciate the feature.
  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #3 - 02/26/21 at 1:01pm
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Counter point...the trail status has not changed because, wait for it, the conditions have not change due to, wait for it again....Rain, Rain, more rain, freeze, thaw, cold, no evaporation, rain, repeat, rain again, 1 nice day, rain, rain, freeze, rain, cold, cold, cold, dry, trail open a day, rain again....

See a pattern? This time of year sucks, especially with the amount of rain but there are about 20 of us constantly monitoring trail status so if nothing changes its not because of inactivity on the site, but because conditions have not changed at the trail. 

So do what i have been doing for the past three months.,..suck it up, ride a trainer, ride the road, and if lucky get a trail ride in every other week when conditions permit.
  

I'm glad that this is an environment where you feel free to fail.
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Merc
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #4 - 02/26/21 at 3:47pm
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I agree with the OP.  Some status's are from 2020.  Throughout last year i'd go on hikes with the kiddos when the trails were listed as closed but i couldn't find any reason why.  It'd be useful to publish how their status's change (who's responsible for it) as well as date last checked.  Having said all this, there are plenty of people using the trails that have no idea what Tarheel Trailblazers is and are just following the parks no riding 24h of rain rule (and there are some who just dont care and will ride in a downpour). 

I too have been sucking it up and riding the trainer.   

  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #5 - 02/26/21 at 4:08pm
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The general policy is, the trail status is left to the discretion of the trail coordinator. So if you reach out to the trail coordinator, offer to volunteer, and ask what requirements they have to open and close, that is the best resource. Occasionally if a large rain event occurs we blanket close everything and then each trail coordinator can open them back up as they see fit.   

Regarding "Trails Closed since 2020": There are four. Harrisburg half got plowed over due to construction, North Meck is closed due to creek restoration project, Jetton and Signal Hill I have no idea. Other than those three everything else has recent openings and closing status updates. Even USNWC has been closed since 1/25... 

For my part, Renni has been closed since 1/26 because every time I go to open it, it rains again and the connector trail is a muddy disaster which this summer will get a board walk.
  

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bdotson
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #6 - 02/27/21 at 10:20am
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Really?  24 trails listed and 4 say “2020” with 2 of those having clear reasons for the date. At worst that leaves less than 10% in question and there may be valid reasons for them for all we know. So somebody is seriously suggesting to toss the whole thing for something that small? This isn’t even a case of “glass half full/empty”! It’s more like glass 92% full.  Cool

Speaking for myself, I find it a highly useful feature and doesn't seem so inconsistent to me. My $0.02 worth. 
« Last Edit: 02/27/21 at 10:28am by bdotson »  

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NC_Pyga
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #7 - 02/27/21 at 10:50am
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Wears my bike wrote on 02/26/21 at 4:08pm:
The general policy is, the trail status is left to the discretion of the trail coordinator. So if you reach out to the trail coordinator, offer to volunteer, and ask what requirements they have to open and close, that is the best resource. Occasionally if a large rain event occurs we blanket close everything and then each trail coordinator can open them back up as they see fit.  

What does the Caution status mean? Is the trail open for riding but expect muddy spots or not open to ride?

Also, unless I'm missing it, is there a list of TCs and the trails they manage somewhere so we know who to reach out to? 

Maybe create a sticky with the list of TCs on the forum so we can PM the TC if we have any specific questions.

This has got to be one of the worst (wettest) winters I've seen in CLT in the last 5 years. One or two dry days followed by 3 days of rain, rinse and repeat.
  
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Merc
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #8 - 02/28/21 at 4:10pm
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I guess in my views, it would be nice if they were more frequently updated so that we know people are looking into it more visibly.  Rather then seeing something that has been listed as closed for weeks, it would be nice to see that it was checked on.  Also: agree with above poster regarding the info for who's responsible.
  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #9 - 02/28/21 at 8:36pm
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Merc wrote on 02/28/21 at 4:10pm:
I guess in my views, it would be nice if they were more frequently updated so that we know people are looking into it more visibly.  Rather then seeing something that has been listed as closed for weeks, it would be nice to see that it was checked on.  Also: agree with above poster regarding the info for who's responsible. 

Well that would require every trail coordinator to open and then close each trail every evening or every other evening to post an updated date.  That seems a bit much to ask when every TC works a full time job on top of having a family.  We/they want to ride just as badly if not more so than most riders. Remember we sacrifice our ride time to build and maintain the trails. Wink

Posting names and contact information is also a matter of privacy.  If there's a TC you'd like to reach out to I'm more than happy to forward your message/info to them.

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Robert C.
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #10 - 02/28/21 at 9:30pm
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To an outsider, infrequent updates = amateur club.

  
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Merc
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #11 - 02/28/21 at 10:24pm
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I’m not saying they should be checking every 4 hours, just that there should be an update when checked.  Also regarding contact info it could be as simple as a tarheeltrailblzer email address for the trails, that could be transferred as coordinators change.
  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #12 - 03/01/21 at 11:49am
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Robert C. wrote on 02/28/21 at 9:30pm:
To an outsider, infrequent updates = amateur club.


No. That's just you trolling the club like you have for the past 20 years. Wink
  

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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #13 - 03/01/21 at 11:51am
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Merc wrote on 02/28/21 at 10:24pm:
I’m not saying they should be checking every 4 hours, just that there should be an update when checked.  Also regarding contact info it could be as simple as a tarheeltrailblzer email address for the trails, that could be transferred as coordinators change. 


That's what this is.  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) Smiley

There's also an email link at the bottom of every page except the forums.
« Last Edit: 03/01/21 at 11:58am by The Cycle Path »  

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Merc
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #14 - 03/01/21 at 12:56pm
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How about francisbetty@.......   then there is no need for privacy regarding the trail coordinators?
  
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Yellowduck
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #15 - 03/01/21 at 3:13pm
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Merc wrote on 03/01/21 at 12:56pm:
How about francisbetty@.......   then there is no need for privacy regarding the trail coordinators?


What information are you trying to obtain from emailing the trail coordinators?  I sure they are not going to want to answer 100 emails is Sherman going to be open tomorrow.
  

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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #16 - 03/01/21 at 4:16pm
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Merc wrote on 03/01/21 at 12:56pm:
How about francisbetty@.......   then there is no need for privacy regarding the trail coordinators?


Or you can just use (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) and get the same thing. I am the trails committee chair and have direct contact with each trail coordinator. We're not making unique individual email addresses for every trail nor are we posting every trail coordinators email address.   Beatty has a FB page you can peruse.  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
  

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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #17 - 03/01/21 at 4:41pm
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The Cycle Path wrote on 02/28/21 at 8:36pm:


Posting names and contact information is also a matter of privacy.  If there's a TC you'd like to reach out to I'm more than happy to forward your message/info to them.


I wasn't really expecting to have all the TC email addresses. I respect their privacy. I was thinking more along the lines of a stickied thread listing them with a link to their profile page so we can PM them through this forum.

I can see that you wouldn't want 100's of members asking TCs when a trail will open but there really aren't that many left that frequent this forum anymore. And for us that do, it would be nice to be able to reach out to a TC with a specific query regarding a trail rather than having to go through a 3rd party. Just my 2c.
  
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Robert C.
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #18 - 03/04/21 at 10:55pm
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The Cycle Path wrote on 03/01/21 at 11:49am:

No. That's just you trolling the club like you have for the past 20 years. Wink


No, I actually rode BYT today (closed status still) and it was a desert compared to the muddy &^&^ show that was PH last week, or Springs the last several when they were listed as open.  Cool to see the Marion D side getting some love.  Overall, it was a great time out and the bike was way cleaner compared to the last few rides on "open" trails.

Either the TCs are over zealous, not checking the trails ( it's a thankless volunteer job after all), or the website has problems.  Regardless, there is a disconnect.  

Dashboards are only good when they are updated regularly, even if the status is unchanged from the last report.

It's been spectacular the last few days.  There is no reason for any trail not off line due to construction / upgrades to be have a closed status on a dashboard future paying members may see.  Cool







« Last Edit: 03/04/21 at 11:01pm by Robert C. »  
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Re: Infrequent Trail Status Updates
Reply #19 - 03/05/21 at 10:30am
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Robert, are you even a member? 

Also, BYT is open. The trail coordinator lives with the trails in his backyard. So he keeps a pretty close eye on things. If you watch for a pattern he typically opens Park Road Park first followed a few days later by BYT. 

But glad you are taking the initiative to continue being a____ and providing no productive help on anything.
  

I'm glad that this is an environment where you feel free to fail.
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