MAD trail building day at Slade valley - will you be there?
Howdy all
Slade Valley seems to hold a special attraction for the MAD crowd, and still has plenty of development potential for race/spin circuit.
With this in mind, we are thinking of clearing a new section of trail (keenly spotted by Alan Ayling, trail finder/designer extraordinaire) up in Slade
This will serve several purposes:
1- Avoiding the c-sik section which is presently impassable (we may revive this section at some stage)
2- Adding an additional trail which could be further developed once the present felling pattern is completed
3- Reducing the amount of work needed next year if we decide to use Slade as a (NPS?) race venue
4- Enabling a complete circuit/loop for weekend or night spins
Alan has advised a section up near the aerials (see section below for description) which has development potential for a fast/flowy section.
We’ll also possibly be cleaning-up some existing sections that have gotten fairly messy over the past few months
With a reasonable amount of effort – we may be able to get this all done in the one day, which would be a great achievement.
We’d REALLY like to see as many beginners get involved as possible as you get a chance to help shape build a track that you and fellow riders
will likely be using quite often – thus when you hear other bikers praising the great trails up in Slade, you can proudly boast “hey, I helped build that!”.
OK – so when are we going to do this?
We’re thinking Saturday 25th Nov, with a 9am sharp start for an all-day session (or as long as you can spare), we’ll work til people have to head off
Bearing in mind we will very likely be having our MAD Club Champs the following weekend (2nd of Dec) according to the latest polls,
then that means we would have another option for a venue to hold our club champs.
There were some planks of wood/timber up there last week (also logs) which we may be able to use to ramp/bridge a certain section
So let me know if you can make Sat 25th – if you can only spare a few hours, or can only drop-by to throw a pack of jaffa cakes at us then no problem at all – ANY/ALL help would be much appreciated!!
In terms of tools required – here’s a list of options:
Loppers / shears, saw, rake, shovel/spade, mattock, hammer, hatchet
Most important tool are probably gonna be a rake and spade for clearing ground – if you have a mattock then that would be excellent
Don’t forget gardening gloves, boots, warm clothing and lunch and energy drink
Thanks a lot lads & ladies!!
The plan I had in mind was to use the section of open land to the north of the masts.
There is a sort of old vehicle track (double track type thing) heading roughly north across the open land, I reckon this dates from the time the trees in this area were felled a few years ago. With minimal clearance, this could be turned into a fast flowy mtb trail. About 2/3 of the way to the present tree-line you cross a sort of old ditch/bank type affair - the plan is to build a bit of a berm here to facilitate a 90 degree turn to the right - this would bring you back on a similar old track to a point on the sort of north/south path that pretty much divides the forest in two (turning R then past a fallen tree and then L would bring you onto the way down off the hill used by both MAD & IMBRC races this year).
What I’d like to do though, is cross the ditch & bank (bridge or ramp or something required) and keep going straight - this would link up with Damo Duggan’s “Area 51″ jumps trail. The latter option would take a bit more work, but not that much - a few lads for a few hours should see it done.
November 8th, 2006 at 11:38 am
Hi there,
I would certaintly be keen to help with any clearing of Slade. I have to confess I love it out there!
That date is fine for me. I should be able to bring the basics in terms of tools (spade and rake), purely because I have no idea what the others tools are!!
If I could get a lift out for that day too (as always) that would be fantastic!
Hope to see you all there!!
November 8th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
i would be up for more trail building up in slade that day would be fine
November 8th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
cool, keep those positive replies rolling in!
November 8th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
Count me in! I can bring most of the tools as well as spare gloves for all. (free in the job!)I can give lifts as well, i will be coming from lusk.
November 8th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Count me in too. I’ll be there trying to shake off my beginner status and I’m also interested in seeing this tool fetish that some members have. Can give a like to anybody, from Carlow upwards…
November 8th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
that should read give a lift from Carlow…
November 9th, 2006 at 10:28 am
nice one Kenny - all the way from Carlow huh? you must like Slade a lot…
Conor - spare gloves would be great - I had a few pairs but they’re now scattered across Slade valley, never to be seen again…
November 9th, 2006 at 11:47 am
can’t make that day i’m afraid .. will be down in limerick rioting and looting and other such limerick type of passtimes
November 9th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
i’ll be there fjkilken..might even make some ramps!!
November 9th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
good man Tom - where would I source cheapo nails or screws? might need a bag of them if we are bayting lumps of wood togther…
Also may need a powerful cordless drill - if anyone has one…?
Paddy, I’m telling MBUL what you said about their lovely city……
November 9th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
drill i got and 2 batterys
November 9th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
“What I’d like to do though, is cross the ditch & bank (bridge or ramp or something required) and keep going straight “
if i am thinking of the same place there is already bridge there.
i’ll probobly give you a hand
November 9th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
cheers Gar, if we have time/material we might put a bit of woodwork together re; jumps etc..
November 9th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
materials wise i’m not too good, i have a handsaw and a hammer….i’ll find some nails somwhere…
November 9th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Sounds good lads. I can get us some nails. Noticed a big bag full in the shed there…
November 10th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
Count me in for this Fergal lad should be able to make it, i’ve got a spade, fork, rake, cordless screwdriver thingy and a bag of nails/screws bought for DIY but never opened…..and all my dubious 3rd year woodworkin skills
November 10th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
nice one Mr Bob the Builder - you can do it!! we may be able to build a clubhouse with any wood and nails left over - I’m thinking a quaint log-cabin, having 2 windows with little cutains to stop the bears nosing-in, a yellow door and stone chimney, then a big ramp up onto the roof to drop into the 40ft deep bombhole at the back o’ the cabin, man & bike at one with nature…
November 10th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
ggggrrrrrrr thats what i’m talkin about, need a big open fire to roast our meat on….ahem…….
November 15th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
will be there to lend a hand!
November 19th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
So, can a nice sole give me a lift? i gotta do some building this time
November 20th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
we’ll get you there Nigel, and we will also whip you if you do not work hard enough, harr harr!!!!!
It will be a chain-gang-type set-up, ye will be wearing blue and white striped pyjama overalls, myself and Alan Ayling will be sitting on big horses with shotguns and big shades saying “git yo head down thur and dig boy!” and such like…you get the idea
November 25th, 2006 at 5:27 pm
Savage amount of work done today. That’s going to be some trail!! Even as it is, it’s brilliant! The jump and bridge are real higlights to it. Will let someone better do the report but thanks all for coming out. Many hands really do make light work!
November 25th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Yeah its going to be deadly, it looks pretty fast!..cant wait:)..well done fergal for having the initiative to get us all out there and planning it out with alan,.. and it was great to see everyone out there with their tools,materials,food etc; all getting stuck in..it’ll be really cool riding a section we’ve been involved in building, i would definitely like to do something similar on a reg basis if needed, go MAD!!