Change

I rode Kitsuma today, for the first time since the improvements.  I try not to complain about things in life unless I have a solution to the problem.  I don't have a solution,.  As I sit here typing this, I am still very disappointed  at what I saw today.   I have read the reviews on MTBR, but still headed to the trail with an open mind.  What I found slashed my hope like a new development going into a ridge top.

The trail was totally sanitized,  even the spots that had absolutely no erosion issues, read: rock and gravel with good drainage, that could be ridden in a deluge with no trace that a bike had passed,  was sanitized and will be a mudfest next time it rains.

Kistuma is indeed changed.  I am proud that I got to ride the trail as it was.  


 Below is a picture of a sanitized switchback.  The picture does not show everything but I believe that after a severe rain, erosion will be very apparent.  On top of that, half rotten logs were used to support the tread.  Give it a year and a hurricane and this will look different.

 Farther down the trail, I could not believe how wide the tread was, and how loose the soil was on the uphill side of the trail.  With almost no effort, I stuck my foot into the side of the hill.  Where will all of this sediment end up when it rains? 

 Again, the picture does not show very well: 2 things:
on both sides of the tread is a ditch, a couple of inches deep.  Kind of like the gutter at a bowling alley.  I imagine that water will gather in these gulleys, traveling downhill , eroding the tread, until it hits the undulation in the upper middle portion of the picture.  Said undulations are less undulations and more dips that threaten to stop a 29" wheel in it's tracks.  There were numerous "rough undulations".  Not smooth at all, and not effective.  Again, I imagine that the water will run downhill, hit these extreme undulations and erode them away, causing them to collapse on themselves.

From what I understand, the extreme undulations were intended to "slow you guys down".   Guess what?  I made it down the length of the trail 5 minutes faster than my personal record.  The extreme undulations will gradually get worn down from people dragging their brakes over them in addition to the rain that is bound to wash it down.

I am not one who could clean this entire trail,  but today, save for one spot where I dabbed due to my shock at what had been done, I cleaned the entire trail.  But I didn't feel any glory.  I had not conquered Kitsuma,  not the Kitsuma that I have been trying to conquer for 4 yrs.  I conquered Ingles Field at Bent Creek,  that's what it felt like anyway.

Kitsuma of the past always made me feel like I was in the middle of nowhere, even though I was only 3 miles from pavement.  Kitsuma of the past always had a respect from me, a fear that if I did not respect her, she would deliver severe consequences.  Kitsuma of old was always draining mentally as much as physically.

Today when I rode her,  it was easy and brainless..... what to do?

I'm not sure I have a solution for this one.  I'm not sure what to do.  MTBR folks listed some suggestions.  I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I am sure I don't like what happened......

While the trail is not utterly destroyed, it still has potential.   The super deep and ridiculously steep undulations need to be more rounded on top.   After it rains, the trail will show where work needs to be done.  Hopefully, the forest will reclaim the trail and bring back the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere.

Have a great day.