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Manly Dam event notice - December 2
Hi all
The Manly Dam rangers have given us notice about a trial running event on December 2.
Please take extra care on this date and help everyone out.
"Hello Simon, a quick email re a fun run that will take place on Sunday Dec 2nd between 8.00am and 10.00am. This run will use the walk tracks along the lake but will also use the firetrail from the Curl Curl Creek walk track exit to the point where the walk track branches off from the firetrail below Allambie Hts.
It is imperative that the safety of all users be paramount here and the organisers will station marshals and signage at these (and other) points so that all users are aware. The mix of riders and runners here requires extra vigilance re safety and for the duration of the event riders must give way to runners.
I toyed with the idea of closing the track to riders for the morning of Dec 2nd but that would not realistically keep some cyclists off the track as some use would still occur.
This means we could not state with confidence that runners would have sole use of the track for that two hour time period. It is (I believe) safer to maintain dual/shared use of the firetrail segment so that all users anticipate the other users via signage and verbal indicators.
This event is a trial as two more such events are planned early in 2013, and we will learn something from this first event at Manly Dam.
"Please note that the slice of fire trail to be shared on that day by runners and bikes is from the Lutheran (retirement) Homes track to the "walk track branch- off" below Allambie Hts shops area. There is however a crossing of runners across the fire trail at that point on Curl Curl Creek where the lakeside walk track emerges and feeds into the Curl Curl Track. They will not run on the firetrrail from that point but will rejoin it as stated further down where the retirement village track joins the firetrail.
Regards
Manly Dam Rangers"
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Not from the point of view we couldn't ride it for a couple of hours but that it remains open for all.
Isn't this what we tell the kids? "It's good to share" and while I'm not a runner, more than happy to be a bit more vigilant than normal and if there will be a few marshals out on track then even better.
Funny that they have openly said that Manly Dam will never host a mtn bike race, but they are fine to have a running one.
Double standards?
Just saying...
can of worms open...
I wouldnt even go there jedi.
The trail doesnt belong to us, nor the runners, and to start arguments like this is just silly.
The Dam is run by the Rangers how they see fit and if they have success with a running even they may very well look at having some sort of MTB event there also.
Would i hold my breathe, no i wouldnt, but i certainly wouldnt open that can of works either
Note that the running event in itself is only trial.
It is also a bit less controversial than mulitple bikes hauling arse racing down the firetrails and technical sections. They would also definitely need to close the track for other users.
For now let's watch with interest and see how this event goes and where it may lead.
We've indicated we'd like a conversation, assuming the trial is successful. Lets see where it leads. It could be good for us.
I note the Rangers have said it's a Fun Run - not a race. So really it's just a larger group of runners. Yes - some will "race" - just as some MTB riders do Hot Laps.
Let's show how well we can all work together!
except there are prizes for the first 20 place getters, and fastest lap etc. sure sounds like a race but I have no problem with that. It will still be a leap to go from them allowing a foot race to a MTB event.
A foot race or "fun run" uses single trail away from the roads that the mtb's use to do a full lap of the Dam so there would be less liability and road closure issues compared to an Mtb race that would have to use the usual road sections to join the trails.
Unless they opened up the singletrack to us lot???
That's part of the conversation we want to have, too: get the trail off the road and footpath sections.
If it was fully off road!
And while they're changing things, singletrack swithbacks next to the downhill firetrail from the parkway wouldn't go a miss??
Wouldn't closing the trail and granting exclusive access be far better? You wouldn't run something like city to surf with out closing the roads to cars.
Sure closing the trail wont keep every one out but it will at least show you tried and send a message that you are not suppose to be on the trail therefore if someone does ride and collide they are clearly in the wrong.
In the past I've been granted the chance to run a MTb event on a public trail but wasn't allowed to close it to other users. I didn't think the risk was worth it and canned the idea.
IMO trying to run an event whilst allowing shared access is asking for trouble
The overlapping areas are limited to fire trail and one section where a walking trail crosses the fire road descent to the creek.
There will be marshals at the crossing points.
If it was going to be on a City to Surf scale then we'd have an issue. But I doubt we'll see 80,000 people turn up for this one
website: http://www.mountainsports.com.au/
Map of the course: http://www.mountainsports.com.au/wp-content/uplo...
Information pdf: http://www.mountainsports.com.au/wp-content/uplo...
Interestingly their information sheet makes no mention or warning regarding other users of the shared section of trail!
It's for 2 hours one morning. Surely if you can cope with the technical aspects of a lap of the dam you can cope with a bit of foot company up heartbreak/john's vomit hill.
I think leaving it open to all users was a smart thing. Would this not put the onus on the people on the trail and not on the organisers?
If you tell the runners there are mtb'ers on the trail and to be careful they then cant complain if they get hit can they. They have been warned.
I know in a perfect world it would be safer to close it down totally, but there are just too many ways a cyclist could get out on the trail to make this a viable option
It wil be interesting to see where this goes though.
My question is, if you were to have some sort of MTB race, where would you find the room to start it from that doesnt put a stop to traffic or interupt the locals too much?
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