Hartwood Gala Dig Fest November 5th

[Mauriceman]

News flash! JD’s Pub is going to provide some pizza for after the ride. Dirt Rag and Troeg’s will be bringing some malted beverages, yay! And now to repeate....
When: 10am, or show up later if you can. Call my cell if you get lost, 412.302.9070. Any time you spend helping is good. Work till 2pm, ride till 4pm, then celebrate our success! Some Dirt Rag Schwag will be given away!
Where: Mansion parking lot off Saxonburg Blvd.
Who: YOU!
Wear: Sturdy shoes and work gloves.
Bring: Water and a snack. If you have tools (Shovels, McClouds of Pulaskis, no power tools please) feel free to bring them. We will provide additional tools.
Contact: Maurice Tierney (publisher@dirtragmag.com) 412.302.9070

[klevens]

And don't forget;

AGAIN THIS YEAR! 25 PBE POINTS FOR ATTENDING THE NOVEMBER 5TH TRAIL DIG IN HARTWOOD!!!!! BE THERE!!!!!!! 10AM AT THE MANSION.


See you there,
Lee

[bigbadwimp]

Is it in bad taste to ride in Hartwood while trailwork is being done there? My main concerns are:

A. Getting in the trail crew's way.
B. Feeling bad about going for a ride when people are out there busting they're butts.

I wish we had the time to join you but we'd be on a tight schedule and we haven't ridden in a while. Is it best to find somewhere else?

Thanks.

[pratt]

Is it in bad taste to ride in Hartwood while trailwork is being done there?

No. Trail Maintenance is not a requirement.

During the IMBA work at Frick I rode my bike on Saturday, stopped to talk to the masses, threw around a rock or two, then continued to ride. I then went back on Sunday and worked the rest of the trail building session.
Some days you just need to ride.


Especially don't feel bad if you are an active participant in trail building sessions at other times during the year...

[erink]

Trail maintenance is a moral obligation.

Given that you asked, you probably feel this obligation already. So thanks for asking. Of course, Sunday the 5th is not the right time for everyone to do trailwork. I hope there is some other time that will be right for you to work. I hope that you will keep in touch with the trailwork effort and volunteer however you can.

Usually people who ride through the work area are not a problem, as long as it's rideable and they are under control (you might have to stop if someone or something is in the way).

So if you see us, just say thanks and let us know you'll be out another day.

[bigbadwimp]

Okay, thanks for the responses, guys. To be honest, I've never attended a trail maintenance day partly because I've only been mountain biking for a year and partly because I'm pretty timid about meeting new people. There was one up near me in Brady's Run one day that I really wanted to go to (especially since it's so close) but my schedule wouldn't allow it.

What's a trail day like? How would I know what to do? Do you need to know something about something to be useful on those days?

[pratt]

A trail work day is pretty much you show up and work, wearing clothes you don't care about, gloves, trail building tools if you have them. Bring some water and snacks if you think you'll want them....I always do.

Work entails digging, sawing, pruning, moving rocks and trees.

It's actually pretty cool and totally low key.
Just show up at the meeting place, the person(s) running the work day give a brief overview of the area you are working on. You'll hike back to the section and be told what needs to be done. There is always very good guidance about what needs to be completed and how it should be done.

You do not need to know how to do anything.
You'll get a good workout, make some new friends, and really get a say in how a trail gets constructed. Feels great to ride a trail you helped build or maintain.


Trust me it's fun.

ps...bring your bike, there is usually a ride afterwards.

[klevens]

Bigbadwimp wrote;
[What's a trail day like? How would I know what to do? Do you need to know something about something to be useful on those days?]

Maurices PTAG day at Hartwood will be a good time. There will be a ride afterwards (casual) so that we can have some fun enjoying the fruits of our labor.

We meet at 10, have some snacks usually and talk about what is going to be done while the tardy (usually me) filter in.

Everyone will head out to the work area and do some digging, trimming, cutting, moving, etc, under the helpful guidance of those with a bit more experience. Learn by doing and show up. None of it is as hard as brain surgery.

After working, we will probably have a snack and suit up to head out for a pleasent ride together.

Let's not forget about the free pizza that is promised from JD's Pub. (Yes, for those that know me, I will try and restrain myself!)

The people that show up, whether they be equestrians, trail runners, hikers, or mountain bikers, all share a common passion for trails.

Lee

[brungeman]

Let's not forget about the free pizza that is promised from JD's Pub. (Yes, for those that know me, I will try and restrain myself!)

Lee has been known to eat a whole large pizza by himself!

[drumbum]

Regrettably, I too will be at Hartwood around 2 or 3 on Sunday but will not be able to work

Where's the maintenance going to be? Maybe I can stop by for the last few minutes and ogle the work already done?

[klevens]

We're meeting at the mansion lot.
Go down the access road and take a left towards the stables. Take the gravel access road towards the dumpsters. Before the dumpsters there is a blue sculpture on your left. Take the swoopy (sweeper) trail behind the sculpture for about 50-100 yards and look for us on the right before you drop down the hill.

But we will probably be riding by then, in which case meet us at the lot or on the trails.

Lee

[lemonad]

Thanks everyone for another great trail maintenance day! I really appreciate it all: getting the opportunity to build new trails, guided tours by some seriously amazing single speed riders, and then being rewarded with good beer and pizza afterwards!

One thing though - I don't understand why it always have to end with me losing at flipper. That can't be right! Next time, I think Maurice should not be allowed to change the "volume" mid game ;)

Edit: Sorry for having such a short memory - but can someone confirm that the trail we worked on today was called hoover?

jonas from sweden

[Mauriceman]

Actually, the first part of the trail is called Sweeper, named after the turn just after the re-route. The second half of the trail is called Hoover, cuz it goes well with Sweeper, and cuz the last part of the trail is like the long handle of a vacuum cleaner.

[lemonad]

Ah, that explains it, Maurice! Thanks :)

Edit: It would also be fun to know the name of the trail that starts here (maybe it's difficult to see from the photo, I think it's by the statue). We rode it twice Sunday and from my memory it ties into sweeper. Maybe this even *is* the entrance to sweeper?



Thanks again!

jonas

[brungeman]

Ah, that explains it, Maurice! Thanks

Edit: It would also be fun to know the name of the trail that starts here (maybe it's difficult to see from the photo, I think it's by the statue). We rode it twice Sunday and from my memory it ties into sweeper. Maybe this even *is* the entrance to sweeper?



Thanks again!

jonas

jonas, that does look like the entrance to sweeper! If that is where we walked in from the road, then yes it is.

It was a great time yesterday, and good to see you again!

[lemonad]

jonas, that does look like the entrance to sweeper! If that is where we walked in from the road, then yes it is.

It was a great time yesterday, and good to see you again!

Thank you! Entrance to sweeper it is :)

I'm still awestruck by everyones riding skills. Going to hartwood and practice on some of those north shore logrides is definitely on my todo list ;)

[brungeman]

jonas, that does look like the entrance to sweeper! If that is where we walked in from the road, then yes it is.

It was a great time yesterday, and good to see you again!

Thank you! Entrance to sweeper it is

I'm still awestruck by everyones riding skills. Going to hartwood and practice on some of those north shore logrides is definitely on my todo list

you mean the ones those kids were putting in while we were standing around the county truck at the end?