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Running Wild at Knapsack
Every time i ride Knapsack lately there are new trails cut through. A majority of these can be attributed to the various running groups and events they hold, the latest is 'Running Wild'.
Whats the go with local council, it took us 2 years to lobby for trail maintainability and these groups come along and do as they please.
I want to know what the councils stance is on this? Before to long they are going to screw it up for all of us.
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Not to mention the yellow tree markings. I'm sure they appear whenever a running race is to be held.
The schools hold their cross country races at Knapsack too and have painted the tree in the same manner.
Get me some more info and I will discuss with council. I'm sure the attitude for many out there is that this is only feet not bikes. Result is of course the same.
Looking at the gpx of the Running Wild course its all on track, I guess just a large number of people cut corners or get lost and new tracks get worn in.
So any pics and locations woudl be good.
I'm onto it. There is a new shortcut track that was not there three weeks ago. For the minority of MTB that ride in there we are far lesser impact than the runners.
Maybe this could be an opportunity to work with the conservation groups
I have spoken with Michael from council and pointed out the affected areas.
There's a letter in this weeks Gazette from GW demanding whoever put the arrows on the trees to remove them. They better do it or else!
I'm not surprised that someone has written in to the Gazette. I gently rubbed off the first one I saw when it happened over Christmas as it really annoyed, problem was they were everywhere as I continued to ride.
The same thing happened about two or three years ago. At the time I worked out who had done it. Next year they rang me by chance as Council had given them my name to use the Soccer clubhouse, I politely told them if it was to happen again I would get "GEW" on to them. It was okay up until now.
Okay so the yellow markings are nothing to do with us, are we going to have our own trail marking system (like SCUM has near Nowra, and probably many others)? I have only ever ridden here by myself and regularly feel like I'm getting lost in the web. I have no idea if I'm on a 'sanctioned' track or not. I never create my own tracks (why bother, there is already a million) and find it hard to translate tracks on this site to reality on the ground.
Some may suggest I ride with regulars, and while this is a good idea, especially for locals, it doesn't suit everyone.
Your problem isn't the lack of signage Kevin, it's a lack of regular riding at Knapsack.
Council is working on signage, there's just a few things to finalise first.
Just read the letter in the Gazette. Thanks Gaye!!
If the yellow arrows aren't cleaned up soon, we should talk with Council to see how we can assist.
In some ways the plan is to make the trail so well defined and obvious that the rider goes on it rather than any little shortcut track that appears. This way only basic signage is needed at junctions and the starts.
Currently its a tangled mess of small little bush tracks that doesn't present a defined line and by implication promotes "alternate routes" to appear.
Unfortunately council can't really move to make more opportunities happen to do work on these trails such that they could be made more defined and sustainable and allow for more shortcut type trails to be closed! Our opposition are also keeping staff busy with small operational details, such that any work becomes a massive challenge to get through.
So while this continues there isn't going to be a clear defined trail that entices to keep people on the trail and the mess that is Knapsack will continue as that is seemingly what our opposition wants.
Can soneone scan the letter for me? Being a Penrith resident I don't recieve the Gazzette.
Its only short and is reproduced entirely below...
"To whoever is painting ugly, big yellow arrows on the trees at Knapsack Reserve, cut it out and clean up the mess. Thanks. Gaye Wingett, Springwood."
Short and sweat. Tim you need to move up the hill!
Does anyone in BMORC have suspicions of who the culprits could be?