pdm - get it right, dude!
The trails are eroded due to the goof balls in Friends of Forest Hill. The have done an excellent job of preventing us from coming in to FHP to fix the trails of the previous designers - ALL WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RA-MORE!

pdm - I don’t know who you are but you are certainly a joke!

This will be my last post on this idiotic pursuit!

Now I truly believe that we in this generation must come to terms with nature, and I think we’re challenged, as mankind has never been challenged before, to prove our maturity and our mastery, not of nature but of ourselves.

That’s the attitude I’m talking about!

FYI, I’ve been in the site engineering business for over twenty years…funny thing is, you need guys like me, but you can’t take it when someone tells you when you’re doing something wrong. I don’t have time to waste on people who’s egos always seem to get in the way of of good sense.

Pat

Thanks for the credit - sounds like we’re better off without you! Whoever you are - pdm!

Just had an LOL moment here…it registered just who Bill Swann is. Thanks Bill…you can take partial credit for my distancing myself from RA MORE. I decided it was probably best for me to not align myself with your group after witnessing just how y’all go about your business.

Riding the Capitol Trail again this weekend: will I see you there?

Then why do RA MORE members take credit for creating the trail system in FHP? It was done in 2004-2005 (after Hurricane Isabel)...which is before the IMBA trail class of 2006.

BTW, I do use the city trail systems, and you would know that if you had actually read through my earlier comments. I’ve been using them for years, and observed how some trails have been ruined by some uses, and other, more recent additions, are well designed.

Ra More did not design and build the trails in Forest Hill Park.

The trails in Forest Hill Park, as well as Buttermilk, were built by individuals no longer associated with the trails, 8 to 10 years ago. Those trails were built for use by all people for access to the tranquilty of the river and the woods - within the center of the city. Naive, yes - but good intentioned.
Since then, the trails have grown - and yes, originally in the same, naive and altruistic vein. However, as we (RA-MORE) have stepped out into the larger world of trail riding and building, we have learned that there is much we can do to maintain sustaible trails.
pdm asks if we have ever taken an IMBA class…not only have all trail liasons taken them, but I personally worked with the Va.State DCR and Richmond Parks and Recs as well as IMBA & RA-MORE to host a trail class here in Richmond in December 2006.
All trail construction is led by IMBA instructed workers; all individuals have had many hours of classroom and field experience.
It will take a while for us to completely fix the trails according to IMBA standards but we’ve put a pretty big dent in it already…you should know this unless you spend most of your time on the couch looking out the window. I would invite you to actually experience the wonderful trails the JRP and FHP have to offer rather than sitting around wringing your hands and complaining. On second thought…and this may be a stretch - come out and spend some time building the trails with us.
As for the house that the tree fell on - you have my sincerest sympathies. As for the cause, maybe it WAS the trails…along with the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny!

Northtrail Bill

In reply to Jason:

The Friends group members that I’ve spoken to aren’t opposed to mountain biking in the Park at all, but they do have serious (and valid, IMHO) concerns about the sustainability of the trails.

Did anyone notice this statement under the recreation link that states “The park is open from sunrise to sunset.  Park gates are locked at sunset.  Visitors will find hiking and biking trails throughout the park.“

Seems the Friends of Forest Hill Park are slightly confused

The salient point here is this: RA MORE members designed and built the trails in Forest Hill Park (that comes straight from my RA MORE pals), and they did so BEFORE they received any training from the IMBA “guru”.

If RA MORE had done things properly from the outset, these controversies and problems may never have arisen. Now that the trails’ problems are exposed, RA MORE seems to prefer to lay the blame at the feet of the citizens who tried to prevent problems from arising in the first place.

BTW have you ever taken an IMBA class? They focus on good, sustainable design and believe that proper design can pretty much obviate the need for maintenance, and minimize erosion to a point of non-existence. Too bad RA MORE didn’t follow IMBA guidelines while they were building the trails in Forest Hill Park.

RA MORE needs to grow up.

I actually never said “RA MORE did a poor job designing the trails.“ What I said was “Richmond MORE hasn’t been in Forest Hill Park in close to a year to work on the trails, some of which are eroding, because the city parks and rec hasn’t signed a “memorandum of understanding” that would give them the right to do so.“

There’s a big difference. The trail bosses at Richmond MORE and the trail boss for the city have taken classes with IMBA trail-building guru Rich Edwards. They know what they’re doing. Trails are eroding in FHP because all trails erode. Any area of ground not covered by vegetation will erode. Had MORE been allowed in the park they’d have been working on the areas that are eroding, making them more sustainable.

The most salient fact here is that the trail section and tree in question were not touching. You can’t blame a trail for weakening a tree’s root system when the trail doesn’t touch the root system.

You are right in saying that properly built trails are designed to minimize erosion, and you deserve points for admitting that RA MORE did a poor job designing the trails in Forest Hill Park…after all, that’s why they are badly eroded.

Kudos to you for your candor…now if only you would stop deflecting criticism and laying blame on a stewardship group!

I don’t think that Friends of Forest Hill Park has anything to do with the whole “Memorandum of Understanding” thing at all at this stage, and based on what I’ve been told by them and Parks staff, they aren’t opposed to Mt. biking in the Park. Do you have facts to back up your assertions?

Great post Andy, and I have to say, right on.  I love FHP as both a park-lover and mountain-biker.  I can’t wait for the lake to be fixed up.  Thank goodness for the trail-builders that helped revitalize not only that park, but improve the impressions people have on the entire surroundings and neighborhoods.