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Manly Dam Downhill ruined
Guys,
Went for a whip around the dam today but when I arrived at the fire trail downhill much to my dismay the fire trail has been ruined.
When I say ruined I mean the fire trail is in the midst of bring re-graded.
Be careful at the moment it is very loose and dangerous.
So pissed off.
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Haven't ridden that section for months. The sweet singletrack on the other side of the parkway is too hard to resist!
Really dangerous I rode it myself this afternoon and hit the changed section with quiet a bit of speed not realising.
Its terrible.
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BAH !! I saw it closed when I was about to do my lunch time ride.
Turned around and did the extended loop instead. Bugger are they turning it into a "highway" ?
People have short memories Rob.
is in the description "fire trail"
Thanks for the heads up Burt.
It's been in need of some love for a while. Grading it is just a reset.
Sure, it's not as "interesting" to ride after being graded, but this section of trail serves another purpose. As slowpup mentioned the hint is in the name "fire trail".
Given how many amateur trail fairies the Dam seems to attract and how much it changes from day to day from their "help" and the weather, the first time around should be treated as a familiarisation lap anyway.
This section receives a higher number of complaints from the blue rinse brigade about cyclist speeds and council has it in mind to change the routing in the medium term.
Coming hot into corners with restricted sight lines where walkers are more common probably isn't a good idea.
What we really need is to garner as many complaints as possible about the vomit hill with the obvious solution a sweet single track climb through the adjacent bush.
no need to do the vomit hill if you do the extended loop
Are there any details on this anywhere?
Thanks
Driving past the entrance to the Dam on the Parkway this-morning, there seems to be sign erected with a picture of a camera on it. Possibly something to do with staying off it and if you ride it you'll get caught?
Anyone else seen it?
Caught a better glimpse of the sign as i drove past at lunch. It says that section is closed for maintenance. I also noticed a few pallets of sandstone pavers sitting on the side of the road at the start of the sniggle that leads up to the firetrail and the Parkway entrance. I wonder what that's for?
http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/play/manly-dam-m... top right corner "Status"
http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/your-council/cur...
Manly Dam Mountain Bike Track Upgrade
WHERE:Track Section 3 Adjacent to Wakehurst Parkway, Allambie Heights
WHEN: October - November
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU: Improved track drainage to reduce erosion and track widening and to enable the track to recover quicker after rain. Improved track surface to enhance rider safety whilst retaining technical features. Installing corrals to reduce track footprint and to keep riders on the track to minimise track widening. Riders please note that diversions will be in place and some sections may be closed during this time.
Thanks ingsyboy.
I think that the extended loop is the go until they have finished this section.
This is a fantastic point.
Sydney's most ridden trail could easily be converted to Sydney's best trail.
FYI...I also agree with your reset comment. After riding again today there are already new line starting to be formed.
The downhill was last graded in Nov 2006 from memory. It was like a highway for a while but within 6 months had become pretty rough and rocky. Don't worry, after next autumn's rains it will start to return to it's normal rocky best. Unless of course, the rain mitigation works actually hold up this time.
I went round the "traditional" loop this morning. As you exit the cobblestones and join the fire trail, near where people park cars on the Parkway, it looks like there is the beginnings of a single trail being created. i.e. rather than turning right to join the fire trail you'd keep going straight parallel to the Parkway but without crossing it. It's currently roped off. Could this be an extended single trail avoiding the fire trail?
Further along the Fire Trail I spoke with the team doing the grading and lopping trees. There was a guy walking his dog who said they are trying to encourage people to park at the Aquatic Centre and instead of on the Parkway so maybe joining up the trail. Probably means the end of Heartbreak Hill too?
Not sure if there are any facts in this storey?
Intriging. Could this mean the end of the traditional loop?
Could explain all the sandstone I saw (mentioned in my post above).
Noticed a new section heading south from the pipeline track close to the road last weekend. It seems fairly straight. Hopefully the remaining sections will have a bit more wiggle built into them like the Possum trail on the other side of the road, which is wearing in nicely to becoming a lovely bit of flowy fun.
My understanding is that is for the single track from the golf course rock to the cobblestones, clearing the Dutch ladders etc and making it weather proof. similar to what they did before the golf course rock.
I'd take a bit of a wild guess that this new straight track might serve to link the new bantry bay trails with manly dam. Make people use the overpass bridge rather than crossing the road near the trig point as we do now.
Gave the rangers a quick call, I'm meeting with them next Mon or Tues for the full scoop and will post any extra info then.
in brief:
SCS are doing the work on the fire trails on behalf of the RFS and this work is in line with RFS requirements (not sure exactly what this is just now) and so the work will follow those guidelines. Curl Curl Ck trail will be graded all the way from the Parkway to the Tennis courts at Allambie, I think this might also include Eva's track?. There'll be some rock work to, all of this is designed to arrest the water flow and prevent silt from washing into the Curl Curl Ck. This is exactly the same as the work we've seen over the years on this trail and other tracks such as Perimeter/Long trails at Terry Hills and more recently at Red Hill. Yes it makes the trail 'heavy' for a few weeks until it rains and the line starts to wear in but it does inject some change and new interest into the ride.
The sandstone flagging is for the short climbing section just before the beginning of the trig track which is the straight section of single track immediately before you join Curl Curl Ck fire trail. The flagging will be used to replace the dutch ladder on this section.
more next week...