This Sunday we'll be putting the finishing touches on the Redwood Loop at McGouns. There's a little bit of shingling to do and some mesh to go on two of the boardwalks then the loop is pretty much complete. If we've got any time left over we'll tidy up a little bit of the PD dug track.Click Here for information about the trail

We had another good session last Sunday. We reshaped the 3rd switchback corner down to the creek then did a bit of tidying around the little footbridge on the shared track that heads back to Wakari Rd. Have put some pictures in the Image Gallery

When:
Sunday 4th July, 10am - 12noon (or longer if you feel like it)

Meet:
Corner of Wakari and Polwarth Roads (down the bottom of Wakari Rd just before the dip through the trees).

Bring:
Bring a grubber, shovel, wheelbarrow, rake. We'll have a few tools there as well.

Contact:
Hamish 027 442 6474
workparty@mountainbikingotago.co.nz

Check the trail building forum on the MBO website if the weather is dodgy. Cancellations will be posted there.

If you know anyone who may be interested in helping out, please forward them this email and ask them to Sign up to the MBO work party mailing list

Mountainbiking Otago

Last Sunday ended up being a bit of a maintenance session. Tim, Hayden and Lindsay come out and we moved around 5 ton of shingle - Tim with the dumper and Lindsay with a wheel barrow.

Most of it went on patching up the soft and bald spots on the track that climbs up from Wakari Rd. We also shingled a bit more of the track just below Wakari Rd. We ran the plate compactor over it but it's probably going to be a little soft for a while as the shingle is finer then what we've used in the past (this half-truckload was donated by City Forests). Over time it will pack down tho.

Only have a little bit more shingling to do and all of the loop will be done, then we'll make a start on tidying up the track that PD have been digging.

This Sunday we'll do some more work at McGouns. We'll be going over the track that PD have been digging - smoothing bumps and widening corners. There's 500m of new track that needs to be tweaked before we can start shingling it, so any help would be appreciated. It will be fairly light work (not like carting shingle!). Click Here for information about the trail

Last Sunday ended up being a bit of a maintenance session. Tim, Hayden and Lindsay come out and we moved around 5 ton of shingle - Tim with the dumper and Lindsay with a wheel barrow. Most of it went on patching up the soft and bald spots on the track that climbs up from Wakari Rd. We also shingled a bit more of the track just below Wakari Rd. We ran the plate compactor over it but it's probably going to be a little soft for a while as the shingle is finer then what we've used in the past (this half-truckload was donated by City Forests). Over time it will pack down tho. Tim and Hayden also put wire mesh on the rest of the bridges.

When:
Sunday 11th July, 10am - 12noon (or longer if you feel like it)

Meet:
Corner of Wakari and Polwarth Roads (down the bottom of Wakari Rd just before the dip through the trees).

Bring:
Bring a grubber, shovel, rake. We'll have a few tools there as well.

Contact:
Hamish 027 442 6474
workparty@mountainbikingotago.co.nz

Check the trail building forum on the MBO website if the weather is dodgy. Cancellations will be posted there.

If you know anyone who may be interested in helping out, please forward them this email and ask them to Sign up to the MBO work party mailing list

Mountainbiking Otago

We had a really productive session on Sunday. 8 people turned up - Spencer (just arrived from the states), Lindsay, Ben, Alan, Tim, Steve, Mat and myself.

Tim, Alan and Steve got stuck into the 4m high gorse that covers the area where we're going to build the carpark. The rest of us groomed 400m of the track that drops down Wakari Creek. This included reshaping 5 switchback corners, removing bumps and roots, and filling in holes.

This will make it a lot nicer to ride, and it's now all set to shingle. It's fairly tight and twisty if you're riding down it, but it designed as an uphill track and rides nicely going uphill. The descending track that we'll build on the other side of the creek will have lots of fun stuff built into it...

Have put some more pictures in the Image Gallery

This Sunday we'll do some more work at McGouns. If the weather is good and the moons align we'll be dragging in some power poles for a bridge down the bottom of Wakari Creek. Failing that we'll tidy up some more of the PD dug track and dig a couple of small unfinished bits. Note that we'll be meeting at the bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd - just above Ross Creek. Click Here for information about the trail

We had a really productive session last Sunday. 8 people turned up - Spencer (just arrived from the states), Lindsay, Ben, Alan, Tim, Steve, Mat and myself. Tim, Alan and Steve got stuck into the 4m high gorse that covers the area where we're going to build the carpark. The rest of us groomed 400m of the track that drops down Wakari Creek. This included reshaping 5 switchback corners, removing bumps and roots, and filling in holes. This will make it a lot nicer to ride, and it's now all set to shingle. It's fairly tight and twisty if you're riding down it, but it designed as an uphill track and rides nicely going uphill. The descending track that we'll build on the other side of the creek will have lots of fun stuff built into it....


When:
Sunday 18th July, 10am - 12noon (or longer if you feel like it)

Meet:
The bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd, just above Ross Creek. Look for the track on the McGouns side of the road.

Bring:
Bring a grubber, shovel, rake. We'll have a few tools there as well.

Contact:
Hamish 027 442 6474
workparty@mountainbikingotago.co.nz

Check the trail building forum on the MBO website if the weather is dodgy. Cancellations will be posted there.

If you know anyone who may be interested in helping out, please forward them this email and ask them to Sign up to the MBO work party mailing list

Mountainbiking Otago

We had a mixed morning working on the trail last Sunday. We had a crack at moving one of the power poles but the tracked dumper didn't have enough grip to drag it along the ground. Was pretty muddy and the dumper didn't have a load on it so not surprising really. Chris's 4WD was able to drag one up the road a little tho! Will have another go next weekend with a loaded dumper, hand winches or possibly hire a small excavator to tow them in.

Since we had lots of people keen to get their hands dirty we spent a bit of time tidying up the track just above the bridge site. Alec re-cut one of the switchback corners so it will ride a lot better. While he did that Alan and Steve dug a drainage ditch around the next corner down where we'd hit a bit of a spring. Was amazing how much water came out of it. All going well the corner will dry out now.

Ben and Emma dug a huge pit on one side of the creek where the bridge beams are going to go. Then we all cleared a bit more track. Mat came along late (as usual) so Alan and I stuck around and we cut the bottom hub where all the trails will come together. Tim spent a bit more time clearing gorse from the carpark area, and hopefully we'll get taskforce green to get rid of it for us.

Have put some more photos in the Image Gallery

I'm going to be at Wakari Creek (McGouns) on Saturday clearing track with the chainsaw and marking it out, so if anyone is keen to lend a hand please let me know. It's really good to have a couple of people to drag all the dead trees aside as I do the chopping. Provided it isn't too wet I'll be there from 10am through to 4 or 5. Will be working on the descending line which is on the true left of Wakari Creek. Best to park at the bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd and walk into the bottom hub then take the uphill track (ie don't cross the creek). Click Here for information about the trail

We won't organise an 'official' session on Sunday as Tim can't make it and I'm not sure if I'll be able to be there, but if you feel like a dig then please don't let that stop you. There will be heaps of track marked out ready to dig after Saturday's effort. Flick me a txt on 027 442 6474 if you do end up going out. Basically:
- The poles mark the uphill side of the track
- Start by stripping back all vegetation / organics - clear about 1m from the poles
- Cut into the dirt to bench in the track. Don't put dirt on top of leaves etc as it tends to go mushy.
- Please disturb as little as possible outside the line of the track (ie don't remove any more trees / ferns).

We had a mixed morning working on the trail last Sunday. We had a crack at moving one of the power poles but the tracked dumper didn't have enough grip to drag it along the ground. Was pretty muddy and the dumper didn't have a load on it so not surprising really. Chris's 4WD was able to drag one up the road a little tho! Will have another at it with a loaded dumper, hand winches or possibly hire a small excavator to tow them in. Since we had lots of people keen to get their hands dirty we spent a bit of time tidying up the track just above the bridge site. Alec re-cut one of the switchback corners so it will ride a lot better. While he did that Alan and Steve dug a drainage ditch around the next corner down where we'd hit a bit of a spring. Was amazing how much water came out of it. All going well the corner will dry out now. Ben and Emma dug a huge pit on one side of the creek where the bridge beams are going to go. Then we all cleared a bit more track. Mat came along late (as usual) so Alan and I stuck around and we cut the bottom hub where all the trails will come together. Tim spent a bit more time clearing gorse from the carpark area, and hopefully we'll get taskforce green to get rid of it for us.

When:
Saturday 24th July, 10am onwards (or longer if you feel like it)

Meet:
The bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd, just above Ross Creek. Look for the track on the high side of the road.

Bring:
Bring a grubber, shovel, rake. We'll have a few tools there as well.

Contact:
Hamish 027 442 6474
workparty@mountainbikingotago.co.nz

Check the trail building forum on the MBO website if the weather is dodgy. Cancellations will be posted there.

If you know anyone who may be interested in helping out, please forward them this email and ask them to Sign up to the MBO work party mailing list

Mountainbiking Otago

We'll be running another work party at Wakari Creek this Sunday. What we get up to will depend on the weather a bit. We'll either tidy up some of the PD dug track down the bottom of the creek, remove the fence from where the carpark is going to go, or tidy up the shingle on a couple of bits of track. Best to meet at the track entrance off Wakari Rd. If you come late and no one is there, pop down to the bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd. If you walk in from the bottom, go up the track without crossing the creek and we won't be too far away. Click Here for information about the trail

When:
Sunday 1st August, 10am-12pm (or longer if you feel like it)

Meet:
Wakari Road near the noticeboard. If we're not there we'll be down the bottom of the dip in Wakari Rd, just above Ross Creek.

Bring:
Bring a grubber, shovel, rake. We'll have a few tools there as well.

Contact:
Hamish 027 442 6474
workparty@mountainbikingotago.co.nz

Check the trail building forum on the MBO website if the weather is dodgy. Cancellations will be posted there.

If you know anyone who may be interested in helping out, please forward them this email and ask them to Sign up to the MBO work party mailing list

Mountainbiking Otago

Last weekend we did some work on the area where we're going to put the carpark (just above the track). Tim finished off cutting down the gorse which was taken away the following week by Taskforce Green.

We removed the fence along the edge of the road as it will have to come out when we level the carpark. Lindsey rolled up most of the wire while Mat and Alan pulled the posts out of the ground (by hand!).

The corner post on the boundary fence didn't have a strainer post so Mat and I put one in and straightened the post. We then put a culvert on the shared track to get ride of a muddy spot.

Click on the following link for some photos of the session

I'm going to be away for the next month so we'll be taking a break from work parties at Wakari Creek. Scotty and Glyn will be organising some Sunday sessions at Forrester Park / Bethunes Gulley starting from the 15th August. They'll be doing maintenance on the tracks to get them well sorted for this summer. They might also do some work on the new tracks on the bank to the north of Forrester.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to send out work party emails, so best keep an eye on the website. We'll start back at Wakari Creek on the 12th or 19th Sept.