Mattlikesbikes Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 I've not been to CP in years but heard that as CP has seen more Moto focus, the trails are less good when wet. Any feedback on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMentallo Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 A couple of years ago saw some flooding that screwed up the water tables and they haven't been the same since. It used to be the fastest draining place in town, but no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 It is no longer good after rain. Typically takes ~2 days to dry out, 3 if it is humid and overcast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJsnoozer Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 North side of GB Eds is one of the fastest draining and drying areas. CP has had puddles for days from what I can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattlikesbikes Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 So that might be an option. HOL down is usually fine when wet, then one of the routes back up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJsnoozer Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 21 minutes ago, Mattlikesbikes said: So that might be an option. HOL down is usually fine when wet, then one of the routes back up? Oh man, I would ride all over that thing and never touch the HOL. I am not sure if I am allowed to refer to those trails by name. I can send you a strava route or PM you. FYI, I just looked out the window and its raining on the greenbelt, that or an extremely dense fog. Either way, the rocks are slippery today. and will need 1 day of sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 IMO, City Park is already getting ridden by motos when its wet. This, again IMO, is what has led to the growth of large puddles. But this also means that you are not likely to cause any further issues. I'd ride there on a day like today rather than risk the greenbelt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 My point was not about damage to the trail. Over the years it has gotten too rutted and too sketchy. It used to dry out in a few hours but now it is taking a few days. The last time that I rode after rain (about 2 days post rain) the trails were all still wet and doubly sketchy. I almost crashed a few times based on conditions. The motos do tear up the trails after a rain, but technically they were there first, I can't complain. My issue is that for a bike, it is actually more dangerous after a rain because it no longer drains like it used to drain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattlikesbikes Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 It used to be if you had good tires, you could ride IN the rain out there. Sounds like that is no longer the case. Too bad. not a lot of places in the city to even find that much just rock to even build trails to replace CP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Yeah, I've been caught in the rain at CP and finished the lap. Now, I wouldn't even venture onto the trail without 2 days of sunshine. Also, I'm a little older now and less enthusiastic about crashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 My understanding of CP is that the trails were originally built for the much lighter trials bikes, and mostly to access the (now) forbidden trails in the central area. A few years ago, the last motorcycle park in Travis County closed, so those guys headed for CP with their much larger, much heavier motos. Those bikes almost immediately caused the existing damage to the trails - broken chunks of rock, massive divots, etc. It no longer drains like it used to. But, as others have pointed out, it's "their" trail system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motopail Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 16 hours ago, TAF said: My understanding of CP is that the trails were originally built for the much lighter trials bikes, and mostly to access the (now) forbidden trails in the central area. A few years ago, the last motorcycle park in Travis County closed, so those guys headed for CP with their much larger, much heavier motos. Those bikes almost immediately caused the existing damage to the trails - broken chunks of rock, massive divots, etc. It no longer drains like it used to. But, as others have pointed out, it's "their" trail system. Nope.... CP was built by the Capital Cats.... so they could ride in the wet conditions... on dirt bikes....not trials bikes as you stated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) Motopail is right except for one thing - spelling. It was Kapitol Katz. Kapitol Katz was a dirt biking group with few if any trials riders The trials riders quickly adopted the riding area in the 1970's because the terrain suited their type of riding. The trials riders almost NEVER used the trails we ride except to get to the "trials sections" (typically small areas of extremely difficult terrain). The trials sections were so difficult that the decision was made to NOT show them on maps available to non-trials riders. In the mid 1980's Cliff Turner took over as "Trail Steward" ( they called it Volunteer Trail Coordinator at that time). Cliff and his son both rode KDX200's (off-road enduro motorcycles when people still knew what the word "enduro" meant). Just for reference, I rode an RM125 (motocross bike) on that trail in the 1980 before I got a 1993(?) RMX250 enduro bike. I also rode a Nashbar mountain bike on the trail. Several people have spent a lot of time and effort to document the history of the Motorcycle Park at Emma Long. You can find a great summary at - http://www.felmp.org/documents/EmmaLongMotorcyclePark-SummaryAndDefense.pdf A large part of why the trails are in their current condition is because one user group wants to create berms on corners. They pitched fits if anything was done to drain water off the trail. Because most of the trail is solid rock there are only a few places berms can occur. Those would be the places that now hold water on the trail long after a rain. Due to a number of 'discussions', I am only dealing with downed trees on the official trail. Anything on the trail tread is left to others. I don't want to create anymore "wheel chair ramps". Edited September 12, 2018 by cxagent 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamwa Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Those meddling youthworks kids ruin everything! (Sarcasm if you dont know) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobra Kai MTB Guy Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Speaking of Emma Long.... I only do the main loop when I'm out there. Any pointers on other cool spots to hit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuitbreaker Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 There are a couple spots where puddles stand for a while, but i think Emma Long is still one of the faster trails to dry out. Given a day of sunshine, you can ride it no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 21 hours ago, Motopail said: Nope.... CP was built by the Capital Cats.... so they could ride in the wet conditions... on dirt bikes....not trials bikes as you stated. I'm always happy to stand corrected - especially by those fortunate enough to have been around in the day - but I do maintain that the larger motorcycles do cause damage out there. I was out there one Thanksgiving day a few years ago - not something I'd recommend, btw - and it was busy with motos. One guy in particular had a massive 650cc motocross bike. The rider wasn't that skilled, so we kept passing one another. Unlike the lighter motos of yore, he would just ram it into the ledges to climb them. Rock was flying everywhere, and the divots when he cornered were 12 inches deep or more. It's really never been the same since, especially after rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csmceuen Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I used to ride this trail all the time when it rained. I decided I would do the same last night. It certainly does not drain the same as it used too. I would not consider it an all weather trail any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyt Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) el gato seems to drain pretty well, as do other trails in the same area. Edited September 13, 2018 by crazyt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csmceuen Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 1 minute ago, crazyt said: el gato seems to drain pretty well, as do other trails in the same area. Yeah one of those would be my normal choice, but I had not ridden CP in months so I thought I would give it a go. It was not quite a mistake, but it is just so rutted out. There are just too many huge puddles. Also I chose the single speed which was the wrong choice for a trail that is lacking in the traction department... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 20 hours ago, Kobra Kai MTB Guy said: Speaking of Emma Long.... I only do the main loop when I'm out there. Any pointers on other cool spots to hit? Pretty much the Main Loop is the MTB trail. There is also a "two way" trail that connect the east side to the west side of the Main Loop (Katzwalk). There is a "kids loop" south of the parking lot and few short connector trails scattered about. You can see all of the legal trails on the map posted in the kiosk by the picnic shelter. That should be the same map that is at https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/GIS/EmmaLongKioskMap_Motorcycle.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 7 hours ago, TAF said: I'm always happy to stand corrected - especially by those fortunate enough to have been around in the day - but I do maintain that the larger motorcycles do cause damage out there. I was out there one Thanksgiving day a few years ago - not something I'd recommend, btw - and it was busy with motos. One guy in particular had a massive 650cc motocross bike. The rider wasn't that skilled, so we kept passing one another. Unlike the lighter motos of yore, he would just ram it into the ledges to climb them. Rock was flying everywhere, and the divots when he cornered were 12 inches deep or more. It's really never been the same since, especially after rain. I agree with you the "enduro" motorcycles can cause a lot of damage to the trail. The trials motorcycle are probably similar in trail damage to hiking or MTBs. Those motorcycles are very light weight, very low tire pressure (10 - 12 PSI) and almost never spin or skid their tires. And the less skilled the rider of anything, the more damage is likely. Even MTB riders who cannot ride the trail cause damage by creating a bypass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 17 minutes ago, cxagent said: I agree with you the "enduro" motorcycles can cause a lot of damage ... Oh, boy - now we've upset the enduro guys again :-) ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 If someone tries to "redefine" a word that already has a meaning - expect trouble. Maybe I should bring my "enduro bike" to one of those trails. Yeah, the one with a real motor. Not some old crappy quarter of a horsepower thing (me). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.