WC bike path downhill

[Bart]

I was cruising down the semi long downhill section on the Walnut Creek bike path yesterday and was thinking what a rad flowy trail could be made on that hill. Just sayin

[AustinBike]

Talk to the trail steward about that, I'm sure if it is approved by the city he'd love to have your help in building it.

[June Bug]

There are a few social trails here and there -- there are paths taking off into the woods. 

I like the idea of sanctioned paths being built. Cullen McMorrow is now the Trails Program Director for the Austin Ridge Riders and does a lot of work on the Walnut Creek Trails.  From his bio on the ARR Board of Directors page:

Quote

Cullen is a big fan of the "Flow Country" concept of trail building; where flow features and obstacle features are mixed into regular MTB trails, of course, with option lines as necessary. 

Send Cullen a message at the ARR contact page here: http://austinridgeriders.com/contact-us/

[Bart]

2 hours ago, June Bug said:

There are a few social trails here and there -- there are paths taking off into the woods. 

I like the idea of sanctioned paths being built. Cullen McMorrow is now the Trails Program Director for the Austin Ridge Riders and does a lot of work on the Walnut Creek Trails.  From his bio on the ARR Board of Directors page:

Send Cullen a message at the ARR contact page here: http://austinridgeriders.com/contact-us/

Ive been checking out those trails off the WC bike path, some are pretty fun and somebodies been busy building wooden features. Also new trails off 51st and 183 area. We used to ride dirtbikes back there so its pretty rutted on the climbs.

[June Bug]

Were you originally referring to the downhill section on the paved bike path that is between Metric and MoPac?

[circuitbreaker]

8 hours ago, June Bug said:

Were you originally referring to the downhill section on the paved bike path that is between Metric and MoPac?

Sounds like he's talking about he South Walnut Creek Trail on the east side.

[June Bug]

7 hours ago, circuitbreaker said:

Sounds like he's talking about he South Walnut Creek Trail on the east side.

This has been discussed periodically.  Again, Cullen (ARR Trail Steward) is the go-to guy for all things trail on City of Austin property. 

[cxagent]

On 5/30/2020 at 9:01 AM, Bart said:

I was cruising down the semi long downhill section on the Walnut Creek bike path yesterday and was thinking what a rad flowy trail could be made on that hill. Just sayin

I think you mean the Southern Walnut Creek Trail (sidewalk) that runs around the east side of Austin. CharDog submitted a plan about 10 years ago to build trails there. The City considered it until some tennis pro named Andy Roddick said something about building a tennis center on the flat land at the top. PARD put the whole thing on hold while they developed a "Master Plan". We are still waiting. I would not hold your breath on anything happening in my lifetime.

[June Bug]

That's a "thanks for clarifying" thumbs up.  

8 hours ago, cxagent said:

The City considered it until some tennis pro named Andy Roddick said something about building a tennis center on the flat land at the top. PARD put the whole thing on hold while they developed a "Master Plan". We are still waiting. I would not hold your breath on anything happening in my lifetime.

Sigh. 

[mack_turtle]

am I wrong to think that most of the trails in Austin we cut, ridden, maintained, and expanded long before we were given "permission" to ride them? I know there are examples here and there, but how much trail have we actually lost to losing access because we didn't ask permission to use city land? it's a delicate balance, but if trails are already popping up there, I say ride em until there's a conflict. I am usually very cautious about things like this, but so long as trails don't involve trespassing on some individual's property, the most likely scenario is that the trails will be quietly tolerated until the activity is officially sanctioned or officially criminalized. even then, COA has more important things to worry about then people riding bikes in the woods.

[Tree Magnet]

3 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

COA has more important things to worry about then people riding bikes in the woods.

You say this but look at the SATN thread and it's clearly not the case.  Sad but true.

[Bart]

21 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

am I wrong to think that most of the trails in Austin we cut, ridden, maintained, and expanded long before we were given "permission" to ride them? I know there are examples here and there, but how much trail have we actually lost to losing access because we didn't ask permission to use city land? it's a delicate balance, but if trails are already popping up there, I say ride em until there's a conflict. I am usually very cautious about things like this, but so long as trails don't involve trespassing on some individual's property, the most likely scenario is that the trails will be quietly tolerated until the activity is officially sanctioned or officially criminalized. even then, COA has more important things to worry about then people riding bikes in the woods.

As much as I'd like to ask the city permission to build a fun flowy downhill  trail next to the Southern WC bike path, I really don't see that ever getting approved...one can only dream   

[mack_turtle]

that's what I am saying. most likely, if access to such a trail is kept low-key, it will be quietly tolerated by COA. don't build anything that trespasses on private property and don't allow it to interfere with traffic on the paved path and I don't think it will be a problem. that's not the official IMBA response, but it works throughout the city. that's how we got Brushy Creek trails.

[RonSurly]

1st rule of fight club anybody...

[cxagent]

Don't talk about the fight club...

And don't YouTube it.

Or Strava it.

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

 

Only those things seem to be impossible these days.

[Bart]

23 hours ago, Bart said:

As much as I'd like to ask the city permission to build a fun flowy downhill  trail next to the Southern WC bike path, I really don't see that ever getting approved...one can only dream   

 

23 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

that's what I am saying. most likely, if access to such a trail is kept low-key, it will be quietly tolerated by COA. don't build anything that trespasses on private property and don't allow it to interfere with traffic on the paved path and I don't think it will be a problem. that's not the official IMBA response, but it works throughout the city. that's how we got Brushy Creek trails.

Ah geez I know. Growing up in West Houston in the 80's and cutting trail along the Buffalo Bayou it was quite challenging to keep our trails on the down low. Now it's a paved bike path. 

[Bamwa]

On 6/1/2020 at 12:19 AM, cxagent said:

I think you mean the Southern Walnut Creek Trail (sidewalk) that runs around the east side of Austin. CharDog submitted a plan about 10 years ago to build trails there. The City considered it until some tennis pro named Andy Roddick said something about building a tennis center on the flat land at the top. PARD put the whole thing on hold while they developed a "Master Plan". We are still waiting. I would not hold your breath on anything happening in my lifetime.

Ahem, Chardog and Myself. I call that area 7 mile hill. (distance from Bolm trailhead) Made lines on Google Earth, then Char helped me bring ARR clout to the COA parks and meetings. I was the project champion but red tape took the wind out of my sails. The proposal was rebranded from 7 mile hill to Skyline Trails. Char's idea. Anyways first we were told it's a go, since greenbelt land needs no environmental impact studies, or master plan. Then they decided to designate that hill as parkland instead. Boom Crickets.  It was to be the first downhill system in the region, but has very minimal emergency access. I should dig up the google earth files. There were maybe 7 shoots and the paved trail was the climb back up.

[cxagent]

Sorry. I didn't mean to leave you out. I heard about it from Chardog so I assumed it was his baby.