Robbie wrote:It got cold at about the same time we ran out of motivation!

That hundred or so metres of track is going to be a hoot for the speed demons, and the slow and sensible alike Mission accomplished.

The rest of the track was a blast. Note to self need more tread on tires

No no.
It is far more entertaining watching you slide about

I suggest waiting until the cords are showing through, or next year.

Ill go get one of them slick tires ...lol

Great work you guys - what fun! Sorry we couldn't stop and help but a variety of factors meant we were running way late already by the time we got to where you were doing your sterling work.

In 3 Perfection Process digs we have attacked 4 switchbacks and about 600m of trail.

Only 10 switchies to go, and another 1000m of single track to tinker with. One switchback requires major heart bypass surgery, but many of the others are only slightly unwell.

At this rate, weather permitting, we should be pretty bloody happy in 7 weeks from next Saturday!

Of course there is plenty of other stuff to do, but we are not going to set this track aside "for winter" just yet...



Here be the thread on our web page:

http://makarapeak.org/Default.aspx?pageId=575493

This track is still changing every week, and we will be out there tomorrow, Saturday 3rd April
The feedback has been incredible so far, I have never seen anything like it.
The initial plan for Saturday 3rd is this :

Some rock still needs chipping away from switchback 3, to make the middle line a little nicer in the first half of the corner. From there things are pretty much perfecto through the next switchie and the 50metres afterwards.

We will look at the trail leading up to the next rise and beyond, and then towards switchback 5 which is not far away.

This little critter needs a bit of rock trimmage on the entry (rocks rocks always rocks)and a bit of a lift on the outside edge, which by now should be a piece of cake in comparison to the other stuff that has been tackled!

We will then be improving the trail down to the next switchback, number 6. This corner is a pretty mean bit of earth+rock work, however it probably only needs an adjustment of the inside line. (as in make it a nice turn into the sweeping exit- it is a bit sudden right now)
Which predictably is rock. I suggest motorcross masks, safety glasses and leg armour to avoid the shrapnel.

The weather will be OK and we should get this lot done, along with all the usual enhancements that magically appear with the Perfection Process!

The map shows where the start is, North Face is in RED.

Things were done today and the trail is indeed slightly better

800m of trail has been tinkered with and 4 or 5 switchbacks attacked since the track was made ridable, and the Perfection process was begun.
Only 800m to go, and 9 or 10 switchbacks to improve, which should take another month or two.

Here is a copy of the usual BLOG post at
http://makarapeak.org/northface?mode=Po ... bmi=319680

Today we had about 10 people who worked on a rocky corner, (shown as arrow A in the map below), a roller, switchback 3, improved a large chunk of singletrack by adding nice cambers, bends and rollers ( but you knew I was going to say that!), then down to switchback 5, attacked that, and we even had a chip at switchback 6, which others tinkered lower down, working their way up.

Switchback 3 now has a small helpful gradient on the turn in (chipped out of solid rock), and the outside berm is a lot less rocky with heaps of dirt packed into the surface. It also has a straight line or swervy entry, (arrow B on the map) allowing for passing room or just a choice of lines.

The small rock jump before the next switchback was made rollable and the corner itself still excellent, so some re-cambering and an extra roller or two was done beyond, towards the switchback number 5. This is the one close to Ridgeline, that swings around a Hebe.

The narrow rocky entry was widened, and camber improved and the exit given a long sweeping berm, and a small dip added lower down. (dirt for the berm!)
Work was started on the mean switchback number 6, which is very rocky indeed. If you look up “rocky” in a picture dictionary you will see a photo of this corner.

So next Sunday 11 April we will perhaps tinker with the surface of switchback 5 and then focus on the rocky #6, and once we are happy with that, head off down past the Fluffy Bush across the top of the Valley Of Switchbacks. This section of track needs a lot of perfecting, the consensus is that it is a bit too narrow and awkwardly cambered.
Linky--> http://makarapeak.org/Default.aspx?pageId=575493

Alternate lines appearing into the re-cambered switchback #3:



Here is Jonty riding the wee drop:



The exit of switchback #5. Not a bad view eh.



And from there the track runs down a steep, open area, and disappears around a bend.



The inevitable map:



Meanwhile the lads were keen to burn off their Easter Eggs, so we will be at Smokin (from the top) on Monday at 10am ..not to extend the existing work, but to perfect what has already been done.

Thread for that fun event is here---> http://makarapeak.org/Default.aspx?pageId=601464

Cheers

Rob
Makara Peak Tracks

Smokin trail today

Read all about it here ---> http://makarapeak.org/Default.aspx?pageId=601464


YUSS!, long sunny periods today, and 200m of benched trail to perfect.

Here is a copy of the blog posted about today's expoits ( http://makarapeak.org/northface)

Creating a tremendous trail @ Smokin’

Cheers to Don, Jono, Bryan, Jonty, Patrick, Josh, Rob and Ian for working this fine and sunny Easter Monday !
This is quite a busy track in the manner of all of North Face, however with increasingly bermed switchbacks, (there are 4), it can be ridden at a great rate by The Skilful Ones. Some truly excellent drifting was done, however the corners are also really nice to ride sedately, as confirmed by The Sedate Ones.
We had no plans to work further along the trail today, just to Perfect what had been done and WOW what a (huge) difference a day makes. A painful song for some, but the track does make up for it.
Helped by an abundance of local small and large rocks, wheelbarrows of this stuff was transported to the corners to make quite solid foundations for berms. Much dirt was packed into them and they became smooth corners.
The top of the berms will of course settle with rain when that happens, because at the moment a lot of the local soil is like talcum powder.

If you are going for a blast down this trail (until the trail peters out near ridgeline extension) please do not ride anywhere near the tops of the berms !!

Rollers were also constructed, and I suspect a couple more of those creations will appear before everybody is done.
Shortly after Easter some corporate volunteer days will be clearing from the bottom end upwards, so it may only be a month or two until the whole trail is ridable- we shall see.

This track will be about 375m long, and finish up right by AMP Connector and Ridgeline Extension- this is the lowest section of the North Face project.
The second lowest part (called JFK for the moment) will in all probability be started when daylight savings time is back in October.

Here are quite a few blurry pictures, thanks Josh for being the riding talent..

The entrance from the 4wd track



Another view of the start:




The first switchback, on the way around:



And the exit:



A pause to photograph Jono contemplating technical issues with a wheelbarrow full of rocks:



Josh steaming out of the second switchie:



And out of the third one:



Towards the fourth:



Photos of the 4th switchback were rubbish.. so here is a bit of a corner further on, where the trail dives towards Ridgeline extension.



Rather than crashing into that track, it turns left and goes downhill, but that part is not complete yet.


Next Sunday, April 11, we are back on the main North Face trail, just over half way down.

Please looky here --> http://www.makarapeak.org/Default.aspx?pageId=575493

Our mission is to make this rather imposing switchback #6 as nice as we can for all skill levels (it might only need a bit of in-sloping, (many heads will be scratched and decisions made) and then we will work our way past the Fluffy Bush to travel across the top of The Valley of 6 Switchbacks. The first left hander has been worked on, but it might need more hands on deck, then onwards and downwards we go.

The work is progrressing well, but as always more hands do make a difference, so if you would like to help even for a short while, please stop by.

Its that hard tail grom again !

I tell you what, you are going to L O V E this trail

lol@ grom, he is old as now.

Robbie wrote:I tell you what, you are going to L O V E this trail

The deal on my hardtail didnt fall through ...So im waiting till i get the next one i bid on
I cant wait...

Robbie wrote: lol@ grom, he is old as now.

The Smokin track is going to be an absolute ripper

The North Face Perfection Process, day 5.

Sunday 11 April

there is plenty waiting for a group of discerning trail builders to do.......
and the track is still changing every week.

The feedback has been incredible so far, I have never seen anything like it :-)

The initial plan for Sunday April 11 is this :

We will perhaps tinker with the surface of switchback 5 and then focus on the rocky #6, and once we are happy with that, head off down past the Fluffy Bush across the top of the Valley Of Switchbacks. This section of track needs a lot of perfecting, the consensus is that it is a bit too narrow and awkwardly cambered.

If the weather is half OK we should get this lot done, along with all the usual enhancements that magically appear with the Perfection Process!
The map shows where the start is, North Face is in RED.



Lunch, tools and hilarious behaviour are all provided free of charge, and we will unpacking at top end at 10...(if you would like a lift up please be at the St Albans Road gate by our storage garage at 9.45, so we can sort out some car space).

Bring your bike !

Cheers,

Rob

Rode this for the first time today and loved it

Being a hardtail grom of, lets face it, decidedly average skills it's nice to have a trail down from the top that suits my level of ability.

My compliments to those involved in building it. Top stuff