cmc4130

This long-neglected property (can hardly call it a park yet) got renewed attention a few years ago, when the Pecan Springs/Springdale Neighborhood Association did a lot of advocacy and secured grant funding to get a Master Plan developed.  ARR participated in that Master Plan process.   As some of you may know, the existing trails in this Greenbelt are really rough--some are hobo trails, some are old motocross/pit-bike trails, a few are old abandoned jeep roads.   Austin Parks Foundation funded the new entrance and kiosk to the park off Springdale Road.  Neighbors and ARR also worked on a short walking loop up by Springdale, and the neighborhood is actively working with PARD and APF towards a playground up there.   The Master Plan (link below) discusses existing social trails and existing MTB uses.  I, on behalf of ARR, will be advocating for an assessment of the existing trails, closure of some of them due to poor fall-line design, and replacement with well-designed trail. That is an ongoing discussion though, so no promises--we want to stay fully within the goals of the Master Plan and official approval processes.   

Saturday March 5, It's My Park Day, 9am Sign up for T-shirt and to help us show strong turnout: 

https://austinparks.givepulse.com/event/274130-Austin-Ridge-Riders-Area-51-aka-Springdale-and-E.-51st-Little-Walnut-Creek-Greenbelt

Austin Ridge Riders is teaming up with Pecan Springs / Springdale Neighborhood Association to clean up Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt and get some existing social trails more usable and safe.  The neighborhood association will also be leading a crew, so there will likely be two or more work groups.   

https://www.facebook.com/littlewalnutcreekgreenbelt/

https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Planning_and_Development/190108-Little_Walnut_Creek_Greenbelt_MP_FINAL_Small.pdf

It's My Park Day, Saturday March 5. 

We will be teaming up with Pecan Springs/Springdale Neighborhood Association  to clean up Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt and get some existing social trails more usable and safe.  The neighborhood association will also be leading a crew, so there will likely be two or more work groups.   

https://austinparks.givepulse.com/event/274130-Austin-Ridge-Riders-Area-51-aka-Springdale-and-E.-51st-Little-Walnut-Creek-Greenbelt

The ride-around at the future bridge / creek crossing is working pretty well. After the bridge gets built, we may be able to ride under it like at some other spots in the park. 

3 hours ago, Bamwa said:

I have some pictures of the poured bridge columns and the rebar isn't arraigned in any way other than fked up.  Should I show them to someone at the city? May upload here later. And hello again folks! It's been a while.

Yeah, if you upload, I can make Public Works aware of it. 
— Cullen, Austin Ridge Riders

2 hours ago, WatersPark said:

Here's a brochure from an early envisioning of the trail from the 1990s when I worked for the city.

https://milwoodna.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/WC_GreenwayBrochure.pdf

Wow!!! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/343405369128545/user/100013187594883/

Singlespeed rigid 27.5+ ?

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/mountain_bikes/singlespeed-deadeye27plus-mountain-bikes.htm

Up by the pool lot, #242 to #244 is not actually closed. There's fencing, but they left a couple of breaks in the fencing on purpose.  The short section from #244 to where the blue trail drops in to the right is one area that has been suggested to have a dirt trail short cut on the west side of the concrete.

I'll be speaking to Public Works today. If anyone has any comments/concerns, LMK. 

Just south of the lower circle in my diagram above, right next to the creek, was an old existing social trail that took some very minor cleaning up to be a workable temporary walk/ride-around as we discuss further with City. 

Old CLOSED trail

December 17 update from City of Austin Public Works.   (During my meeting with them and the contractor in November, they said they were going to try allow for a crossing point around the #230 point, but now it seems to have shifted to "this whole corridor is closed until late spring" and they shifted the Alternate Route over to Root Drop.  I have requested a meeting about it. 

--Cullen, ARR Walnut Creek Trail Steward

This is what I'm suggesting they do, which is create a break in the security fencing either at #230 (or at the other circled spot--although that spot is close to an elevated bridge area that they are going to build, so it may be harder). 

Austin Ridge Riders Trail Work at Walnut Creek Metro Park

MEET AT LINCOLNSHIRE entrance not Main Pool Lot
12016 Lincolnshire Dr. Austin TX 78758

We will be working on the "Mark's Art" trail

--Cullen, ARR Walnut Creek Trail Steward.

Bring water (hydration pack or bottle). Bring work gloves if you have them. ARR will be providing tools.

The Austin Ridge Riders is YOUR local not-for-profit Mountain Bike Club. ARR builds and maintains the trails we all enjoy.

The vision for Walnut trail work is a combination of routine maintenance stuff (lopping face slappers, fixing erosion/drainage issues, etc.) as well as ADDING FLOW & FUN (berms, rollers, log features) while continuing to recognize the trails' multi-use status (hikers, runners, dogs, etc.).

If you are not yet a member of ARR, SIGN UP TODAY on http://www.austinridgeriders.com

Also, please click here to fill out an online waiver: https://fs27.formsite.com/eINPMl/0xpgcz4ejt/index.html

To get credit for Texas Mountain Bike Racing (TMBRA) Pay Dirt, you need to download and fill out the form, and we can sign it for the hours completed. http://www.tmbra.org

Details

https://m.facebook.com/events/1038051090269300?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22main_list%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%7D&aref=0&paipv=1&av=151239450237&eav=AfYZK5cbOFIshk2Yvh7R6meQ7kvIc_3uP9drj_JDM08bFeCF3FeYAroQJJCVVPSBjOQ&ref=page_internal

A lot of people don’t do this, but it makes a big difference:  Move your brake levers inwards for better index-finger-only braking.  

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/how-to-set-up-your-brake-levers-perfectly/

Especially for manuals, bunnyhops, and jumping, but even just for regular riding, you want to be able to pull up, while keeping your index finger resting on the lever. 
 

2 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

FWIW my company gives us 40 hours a year to volunteer and go do stuff.  I am not one FB nor will I ever be back in it.  
 

If someone is in ARR FB and can cross post here for workdays I’m sure I can get 2-3 of us to go help.  
 

Thanks for all the work leading these efforts!

ok, thanks Antonio!!

. I did used to post trail work in the Trail Work section of this page but did not get any responses or turnout if I remember correctly. 
https://austinmountainbiking.com/index.php?/forum/20-trail-work/

Agree, Woody. 

I went with 60mm rise bars.

On behalf of ARR, I participated in several public meetings and had private meetings with PARD and their contractor regarding a pump track/skills park at Sheffield Northwest District Park:

https://www.facebook.com/AustinRidgeRiders/posts/10159409075345238

Was at 9th Street this morning working on their pump track.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/134585416571747/posts/4718106974886212/

I've also been meeting with City of Cedar Park and KOM Trails LLC about a re-build of Milburn. 

I posted about the main man behind this pump track  here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/austinmountainbiking/posts/1791857637689735/   I've known him since college, and I went out there to help out a bit and consult on behalf of Austin Ridge Riders (and just personally).  

On 10/2/2021 at 4:57 AM, TAF said:

I'm building a skills park in my back yard - I can always use some extra lumber.

pics?

3 hours ago, TAF said:

It’s a great shame that the Austin Ridge Riders seem to have no social media presence whatsoever.

Yeah, Tony, so I don't frequent this page that much, but that doesn't mean "no social media presence whatsoever."  Check out Walnut Creek Mountain Biking Facebook Group, for example.  I'm the ARR Trail Steward for WC and I post all work days, photos from all work days, etc.   We post all work days on Meetup.com and Facebook.

As far as the Travis County, Reimers Ranch Flow Trail news, I declined to do a massive PR announcement because the obvious question is when is going to break ground, and we have no idea when that will be, because it's in the County's hands, not ours, although we're working with them on it.  Yet, I still have been mentioning it online: 

https://www.facebook.com/nandocabanmendez/posts/10163158430215444?comment_id=10165615766840444

https://www.facebook.com/groups/austinmountainbiking/posts/1707939072748259/?comment_id=1707939656081534&reply_comment_id=1707965382745628

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/austinmountainbiking/?multi_permalinks=1794864757389023&comment_id=1797344143807751&notif_id=1633876983471186&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif