just playing devils advocate here, it may have been the park taking out the jumps as to the best of my knowledge they were not authorized to be built in the first place. (anyone who knows better feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken)
Allaire Conditions
- Thread starter Frank
- Start date
rxpete
Member
I can understand them removing jumps but not the tree etc.
Karate Monkey
Well-Known Member
It's known at this point that there is an axe/chainsaw happy person who goes through the park removing stuff.
They aren't affiliated with this board (or if they are, people are keeping mum), the park, or JORBA.
rxpete
Member
🤦🏼♂️
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
If it makes anyone feel better, the trail crew was stopped last maintenance day by someone from another user group who was upset we were trimming the trails. 🤷♂️
As for jumps, these features are not permitted by the Park. I get that these can occur in nature, but more “man made” variations have been occurring in recent years. The Park has clean swept the area of features several times since 1997. In the past, features were off the beaten path but since COVID they seem to be popping up more frequently in well trafficked areas with digging/holes nearby to source soil for said features - this is a big no no. Especially in the main area off Hospital Road. If you want to get the parks attention, the following have historically done the job (I am sure I am missing a few):
- Cause a lot of erosion
- Bring man made objects into the trail (wood/metal/pvc/trash/tools)
- stockpile garbage
- dig holes
There are several amateur arborists that have been an issue - some open the trails to almost get a car through. Someone years ago took all the log overs out as he claimed “his kid told him he needed a better bike so he could get over the logs, he felt it was cheaper to cut the logs out”.
We have had people cut trees down for no other reason than to cut a tree down. We have had them cut them down to block certain types of users from an area.
In the WMA (hunting season is coming so please be aware of the rules) someone was putting in spike strips to give riders flats as well as dead-wooding trails. Then again, someone or a group of people were building rogue trails in this area when they are not permitted. This area is not managed by JORBA or the trail user group (ATUG).
My favorite is still the phantom poop bags - although that seems to have improved.
I keep reminding myself to say that the wooden cycling bridge built along hospital road to keep cyclists/pedestrians safe was struck by a car - pedestrian traffic is now diverted back to hospital road as the bridge is too dangerous and in disrepair 🙃
As for jumps, these features are not permitted by the Park. I get that these can occur in nature, but more “man made” variations have been occurring in recent years. The Park has clean swept the area of features several times since 1997. In the past, features were off the beaten path but since COVID they seem to be popping up more frequently in well trafficked areas with digging/holes nearby to source soil for said features - this is a big no no. Especially in the main area off Hospital Road. If you want to get the parks attention, the following have historically done the job (I am sure I am missing a few):
- Cause a lot of erosion
- Bring man made objects into the trail (wood/metal/pvc/trash/tools)
- stockpile garbage
- dig holes
There are several amateur arborists that have been an issue - some open the trails to almost get a car through. Someone years ago took all the log overs out as he claimed “his kid told him he needed a better bike so he could get over the logs, he felt it was cheaper to cut the logs out”.
We have had people cut trees down for no other reason than to cut a tree down. We have had them cut them down to block certain types of users from an area.
In the WMA (hunting season is coming so please be aware of the rules) someone was putting in spike strips to give riders flats as well as dead-wooding trails. Then again, someone or a group of people were building rogue trails in this area when they are not permitted. This area is not managed by JORBA or the trail user group (ATUG).
My favorite is still the phantom poop bags - although that seems to have improved.
I keep reminding myself to say that the wooden cycling bridge built along hospital road to keep cyclists/pedestrians safe was struck by a car - pedestrian traffic is now diverted back to hospital road as the bridge is too dangerous and in disrepair 🙃
JPark
Well-Known Member
What was their reasoning against trimming the trails?
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
There are a couple of groups with different opinions - I don’t want to single anyone out but I do think this is educational and coincides with other issues presented.
Long before cycling, more specifically before mountain biking became mainstream twenty years or so ago Allaire cyclists were low on the preverbal “totem pole”, hunters and horseback riders had the parks attention. While these groups are not seen as much as they once were, they are still present and welcome. Some of their numbers have dwindled with population shift as well as the buildup of Southern Monmouth County.
Some of the areas frequented by hunters - I.e. those without trails running through them - have been disturbed over the last ten years by rogue trails. In fact, these undisturbed areas are becoming few and far. In my hunting days (none of which was in NJ) setting up shop as a hunter next to or near a trail was a huge no no as the likelihood of accidentally striking a trail user increases vs. off the beaten path (other issues are present as well but this is top of mind). While hunters should be experts with their craft, just like cyclists they crash too.
In my eyes they view building trails through open areas just like we would view closing a trail down. We still need to be sensitive to their needs as it is a multi-use park. Hunters have a large voice in the State/County/Park system, and they should.
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Well put Dude...
As JORBA we only work on sanctioned trails designated by the park as legal.
We cut back those trails as needed during the summer as for closing jumps and rogue trails we only help the park with what they have on their list for removal.
We also do not cut out any roots unless they have been under cut by water and pose a threat to an ankle break for horses.
Yes in the past few years the amount of rouge trails and feature building has gone up a lot and the park has noticed this.
As a side note we will be out Sunday for a TM session if you have any questions as to what and why we do come on out.
I will be there at 07:30 and have no problem explaining things...