The Trail Gnome
Coaster Brake
Posts:11
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| 09/03/2008 3:31 PM |
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The TRAIL GNOME is back and will be taking care of the Wilderness Trail. IT ALL ENDS NOW! I will be adressing the problems of rouge trails and short cuts, not to mention the badly washed out areas do to skidding. Anyone who is intrested in helping please contact Tom Marlatt at The Mountain Bike Depot 502-423-0508....Thanks
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silverback
Granny Gear
Posts:34
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| 09/03/2008 5:12 PM |
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| Dulin told me earlier this summer that a local shop was going to do an adopt-a-trail there. It needs alot of work. I've spent all my time this year on the golf course trail and east side of Cherokee and haven't had any time for the WTL. Glad to hear you're going to take care of it. |
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chuck_clark
Big Ring
Posts:277
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Louisville
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| 09/03/2008 5:36 PM |
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Are you going to bring your pointy hat?
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MEK
Big Ring
Posts:380
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| 09/03/2008 7:52 PM |
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| I'm sure he will if you promise to wear your Bilbo Baggins feet |
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silverback
Granny Gear
Posts:34
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| 09/03/2008 8:42 PM |
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| Tom, are you the guy I met several years back working in a bike shop that built the loop? |
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chuck_clark
Big Ring
Posts:277
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Louisville
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| 09/03/2008 9:08 PM |
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Posted By silverback on 09/03/2008 8:42 PM
Tom, are you the guy I met several years back working in a bike shop that built the loop?
Legend of the Trail Gnome. Not sure who gave him the monicker, but I told many of the legend.....
Before his handiwork, it was the Wilderness Trail which mainly ran along the fenceline that is now the most eroded part of the trail. We used to cross the creek and head back to the trailhead at the tennis courts. Later, the old roadbed was opened up to the current trailhead. This is now one of the rogue trails instead of heading up the switchback as Tom designed. He singlehandedly built much of the swoopy curves and connected much of the existing singletrack into what we now define as the Wilderness Loop.
MEK: That's Mr. Baggins to you! 8^) |
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s0ckeyeus
Big Ring
Posts:165
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| 09/04/2008 9:09 AM |
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I always get confused back in there. I've only really ridden it twice though. The first time I rode it, it felt like I was winding around forever. Just as I would think that I was riding in circles, I'd reach something that I knew I hadn't ridden. The second time I went seemed a lot shorter and I know I missed some stuff. I guess some day I'll have to take a little time to figure it all out, but I usually am only allowed an hour to ride (wife walks the dog around Cherokee and gets bored) so I try to get the whole Cherokee-Seneca loop in.
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jlwallen
Granny Gear
Posts:44
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| 09/04/2008 9:25 AM |
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| yay trail gnome! my favorite memory is coming across trail gnome on his bike taking a cig break. man gets serious kudos for doing that trail single-handedly. |
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The Trail Gnome
Coaster Brake
Posts:11
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| 09/04/2008 2:45 PM |
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| Hello all, I have blocked off the rouge trail at the entrance of the WLT witch now makes riders use the switch backs. I also blocked the other end of that trail plus drug as many sticks, logs ,rocks, etc. through the length of the trail. My plan is to address the trouble spots on the trail I constructed first, then tackle the original trail that runs along the fence line. Please be patient as I am trying to run a bike shop in the process. I will be posting the times I can make it out there. Until then I`ll see you on the trail. |
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s0ckeyeus
Big Ring
Posts:165
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| 09/04/2008 4:58 PM |
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| Cool. Hopefully this will make it less confusing for people like me who don't know how these trails were meant to be ridden. |
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scopes monkey
Little Ring
Posts:96
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| 09/04/2008 5:39 PM |
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| I've ridden the trail many times but still get confused every now and then when some new spur seems to appear overnight. My strategy is, after you get onto the loop, always take the trail to the left. |
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s0ckeyeus
Big Ring
Posts:165
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| 09/05/2008 9:10 AM |
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Posted By scopes monkey on 09/04/2008 5:39 PM
I've ridden the trail many times but still get confused every now and then when some new spur seems to appear overnight. My strategy is, after you get onto the loop, always take the trail to the left. Entering from where?
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scopes monkey
Little Ring
Posts:96
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| 09/05/2008 9:32 AM |
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From the bottom. Once you go up the switchbacks and reach the sign, if you stay to the right you go around the loop counterclockwise. From there I tend to stay to the left whenever I hit a decision point until the top of the loop @ the 4-way intersection. From there you can go left down the hill to complete the loop or right to head towards the golf course trail.
Although someone that actually knows the WL, should probably chime in to confirm. |
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chuck_clark
Big Ring
Posts:277
Registered Users
Louisville
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| 09/05/2008 11:13 AM |
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Scopes, you are pretty much right on. There are only a few places you can get lost here.
Here's the detailed version:
Climb the switchbacks from the trailhead. Tom has apparently blocked the rogue trail on the right near the entrance, but no telling if that will last.
After the switchback, you have a choice right or left. Used to be a sign there, but I can't remember if it's still there or not. In any event hang a right. As you are going down there is one section of trail that gets very close to another and it looks like people have started taking a short cut here. Avoid it.
As you are moving into the woods, you will have to cross a small log. Soon after that and another swooping curve, you will have a choice of turning left or right. The original trail goes to the left and immediately over a log pile. Someone has opened up and connected old sections of the trail to the right. I think this section is where most people get lost as they continue straight on without the required turn to the left to stay on the trail. They simply end up back at the trailhead. This "exit" here is the same place that Tom has blocked off as he and I noted previously.
After you have made the left turn here as you are supposed to, you will end up at the logpile.
From there, the only place you can get off the correct path is near the intersection of the creek and the fenceline of the interstate. The old, old, old trail used to cross the creek here whereby we would head back to the tennis court area.
You will, of course, turn uphill and parallel the fence. When you reach a clearing, either turn a sharp left and continue on the Wilderness Loop to the trailhead or continue straight along the fenceline to eventually reach the golf course loop.
There are two spots in the latter section where you can go awry. One is turn from the clearing noted above into an open grassy area to the left. You can certainly get out there, but why bother when you are missing lots of good trail? The other is a trail to the left as you start to descend along the fencline. This is the most recent "rogue" trail to pop up and sends you into clearings, as well as, some bush/briars before it dumps you back near the trailhead.
Hoep that is helpful! |
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s0ckeyeus
Big Ring
Posts:165
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| 09/05/2008 11:20 AM |
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Yeah, thanks. That sounds a lot like what I did the first time through (the right way). The second time I must have fallen for a rogue trail. I didn't really get to some of the fun stuff I had done the first time.
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GeraldZ
Granny Gear
Posts:45
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| 09/07/2008 3:04 PM |
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Trail Gnome has already made a difference. The WTL already flows much better with the cut arounds blocked off.
Thanks Tom |
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The Trail Gnome
Coaster Brake
Posts:11
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| 09/13/2008 4:38 PM |
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| I just want the mtb community to know,DO NOT OPEN THE ROUGE SPURS I SPENT SO MANY HOURS TRYING TO CLOSE ON THE WILDERNESS TRAIL! .......This time I will do a better job ( JUST SHORT OF PUTTING LAND MINES ON THE ROUGE SECTION!) Thanks....The Trail Gnome |
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silverback
Granny Gear
Posts:34
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| 09/13/2008 6:33 PM |
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| Welcome to the "New Wilderness Loop "- several of us blocked these off many times and they're always reopened. Maybe you can get some of the "Trail Closed" signs from Olmstead that were removed from Cherokee. Good Luck!! Give Dulin a call - he can probably help. |
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chuck_clark
Big Ring
Posts:277
Registered Users
Louisville
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| 09/13/2008 6:53 PM |
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| Rode there today and the entrance to the rogue trail near the trailhead is indeed closed. However, I couldn't tell if Tom had tried to close the trail prior to the first log crossing or not. |
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The Trail Gnome
Coaster Brake
Posts:11
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| 09/13/2008 7:24 PM |
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| The section before the first log crossing was closed last week, it will be taken care of tomorrow again. It is not a sustainable section of trail, and it will lead to the other rouge section of trail opening back up, It must remain closed. |
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