Here is a copy of the latest North Face Blog, from our website at
http://makarapeak.org/northface?mode=Po ... bmi=394144

Wider, stronger and faster.

Today started with an ominous weather forecast, however this did not dim the enthusiasm enough to stop a bunch of people heading up to the top end of North Face.

Thanks to Bryan, Jono, Ian, Rob and Don!!

The recent gravelling has sealed the first 150m or so of the trail, and this will only improve as it packs down and one day dries out. In that magical point in space and time not called Winter.

We used rocks to widen bits of the trail, harden some edges and fill in some puddles. By using rocks I mean to say that rocks were prized from nearby ground and then hammered into the surface, using subtle techniques with sledgehammers.

A few barberry were demolished, because they were, some gravel redistributed, drains made more drainey. All normal winter stuff on a new track!.
A few hardy people rode by in the morning accusing us of madness. Hello Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle

The weather got wetter and dramatically windier, ( to a point where it was not too hard to be blown over the side) and the riders no longer wandered by, and fog closed in. This did not stop a few of the gang attacking the “sharp ridge” corner again. Give some people sharp tools and a rock face and they become possessed. Even when numb with cold, and soaking wet.
This is the very rocky almost switchback, which is now wider than ever, and there is now a large pile of rocks on the outside edge will become a berm. The middle of the corner will be raised (using rocks from above) to help the corner drain before and after, rather than in the middle. Meanwhile it may puddle, but it is sold rock and so should not get muddy. All this is pretty obvious as you approach the corner.

Meanwhile the corner is quite rocky so please take care!



Lower down, the track is getting a few braking bumps before the right-hander into the roller coaster, and thinking was done on how to avoid this occurring in future, but that is a job for another (not so wet) day.

Next week the WCC will be out there with more gravel, so once again the track may be closed or impassable until that work is done.

Please be nice to our new gravel and enjoy your ride!!

Cheers,

Rob

Makara Peak Tracks!!

This coming SUNDAY we will be up on North Face, perfecting the masterpiece.

Depending on whether more gravel has been laid this week, we could be working on the run down to the "rollercoaster" and beyond- which is about 250m down from the start.

See you at our garage on St Albans Ave at 9.50 or up the top from 10!

And the weather looks... peaceful!

Here is a copy of the blog from our own website:
http://makarapeak.org/northface?mode=Po ... bmi=403024

Hardpack and Fog

The recent rock armouring and gravelling of the top 200m of North Face has transformed the track surface!

We now have a nice hard track that will pack down even more over time. Next week the PD people will be back for a day to do some more. The WCC "cake mix" is really good stuff indeed.

Today we raised the middle of a sharp rocky corner (to remove the sudden cold bath effect) and rebuilt some solid berms on it as well.
We created a couple of drainage points before the corner, by making a long gradual wave. Made from rocks and a little dirt, with packing down, packing down, and some more packing.

Puddles and bits with a narrow riding line were armoured down the hill from there, (more rock crushing and packing..) and then we spent some time on the steep section of track just before the right hander into the Roller Coaster.

A couple of drain points were made, and another roller. This one is not such a long smooth wave but more in keeping with the undulations nearby. A corner was armored, and the right hander into the Roller Coaster was benched on the inside to provide a sight-line to an otherwise blind corner.
The edge as also built up a little: Hopefully not so many people will be falling off and scaring the poor Manuka on the exit now

Cheers to Jono, Bryan, Rob and Matt for working in the spooky fog today, it was also nice to see quite a few riders on the trail after lunchtime.

Next week, we will be up there on Saturday, working from the bottom up..removing puddles, improving drainage, and making the track more fun to ride whenever we can

Cheers

Rob

Makara Peak Tracks

Yep, this coming Saturday...

The gravelling work at the top will continue next week, and this has been super successful, so this time we will be working from the bottom up..removing puddles, improving drainage,
and making the track more fun to ride whenever we can

Catch up at the St Alban's Avenue garage at 9:45, or see us working from the lower end upwards from 10am!

Cheers

Here is a copy of the news from our NORTH FACE/JFK/SMOKIN Blog

http://makarapeak.org/northface?mode=Po ... bmi=406382

Hardening and widening: and remaking switchback number 14.

It was fine and sunny today, this really was news!

North Face had the muddy bits drained and armoured from the bottom end upwards today. (translation: smashing rocks into the surface to create a solid riding surface).

So if you find yourself rumbling over a rocky bit- that section of the track used to be slimy mud or a rut, but no more!

Part of the track that sidles the rock face is now about 50% wider and switchback 14 has had a major facelift.

We did say we would make North Face more fun wherever possible, so who are we do just leave an awkward corner alone?

This is the last switchback on North Face, a right hander that used to drop almost 2 metres and then squeeze through some trees, to exit over (or around) a rock feature poking out of the ground.

The entry to the corner was lowered about half a metre, so the gradient on the way in is much more friendly, and the middle and exit of the corner now boast a reasonably handy berm. People rode this with many and various lines, and it seems to be nice and stable.

Made of heaps of rock and minimal dirt in the Smokin tradition, this should stay very solid. Some other riders absolutely blasted through, looking very flash indeed.

Only three people crashed.

The rock on the exit of the corner was claiming chain rings (and probably riders) so this feature was converted into a roller. Nothing more rocks and dirt could not fix.

This part of the trail should now be a lot more flowy, have far fewer skidding ruts forming over time, be nicer to ride slowly or quickly, and just be more fun to ride!

Here is a pic of the armouring along the last 70m of the track. Observe the darker areas and rocks. Astonishing.

By the afternoon this was dry as.



And here are some pics of the remade switchback #14.

The entry bit:



The next turning bit:



The bit after that:



And then the exit:



Here is a pic of the roller where the jagged rock used to be. It has a long gentle down slope so people will not get accidental airtime.



Heaps of drainage and armouring work was done elsewhere, and now this mega track is coming through it's first winter at last.


Many thanks to the 8 people who gave up an excellent riding day to make the North Face trail just that bit better

You covered that rock after the switchback with a roller? I would have never thought of that Good job

Jono started it, he had to leave mid afternoon, so others finished it yarr

Watching people ride through it seems to fit quite well with the twisties that follow.

And it helped to provide a decent drain area at the exit of the berm, which was something we had to ensure was in place

What's this??

A weekend off!! A most unusual occurrence for a place that currently runs 75 work parties per year.

This Sunday Makara Peak is hosting a round of the PnP series.

So a Big Decision was made to have saturday off, so people can do other stuff.

We will be back in business the weekend after, more details real soon

Cheers

Rob

MAKARA PEAK TRACKS


p.s. if you really REALLY want to do something on Saturday, email me on robscave@gmail.com or leave a message here!

This Sunday September 5: gravelling the slightly uphill part of North Face !

Recent armouring and gravelling has transformed the top 200m of North face from a boggy mess into a nice solid singletrack.
Cheers to the Supporters for their work, and the WCC for the gravel and the PD working days

This Sunday we need to use the existing gravel so more can be delivered. We are aiming to gravel the slight uphill section which tends to stay wettish.
Ideally we will be armoring the track then packing down lots of the lovely WCC cake mix gravel, which is a great thing indeed.

The gang will be setting off from the St Albans garage at 9:45, and be working from the gravel pile at the start of North Face from 10am.

If you can help for half an hour or all day, (or anything in between) please do: every pair of hands does make a huge difference.
Lunch, gloves, tools, safety gear etc all supplied, along with heaps of laughs. You are also provided with a great view and a chance to watch others wobble down the track.



Cheers,

Rob

MAKARA PEAK TRACKS

Newsflash:
the PD group have dispersed the gravel so we can move onto other things.

Such as.. working our way up the switchbacks, improving drainage, armouring any soft bits, MAKING BERMS and that kind of thing.

Did I mention MAKING BERMS?

Probably from the bottom end, more news soon

See you there!!

But just don't make them too easy...






Just joking

use no brakes

Good advice

We will be..somewhere near .. "here"