in Group Rides, Bike Trips, and Events

All

I figured I would start the discussion here.  No hating or tell me wrong spot.

Quarry park needs some love,  most of use it here and there and there is a crew that is doing lots of work (well for jumps that is).

Why is it NOT a CORP trail?
A trail day needs to happen for 3 things-  Clean up garbage,  trim (easy) and chainsaw work.  The winter did more damage than I have ever seen,  down trees that is.

So who out there is building out there?  OR anyone know who is?   I want to get in touch to schedule a one day,  super low key trail clean up day.   Get some who is certified to saw down trees,  clean some garbage (from fire pits..) and then general trail trim.  I have been doing the general trim on rides.

OK lets have it people,  fire away and make things happen,  well I will just need some help.

And I will say this Quarry park is a lot of fun on a bike,  I miss it

I am not sure of the political history, but I think QPs being a City of Madison Park has something to do with it not being a CORP trail.  But that does impact who can use a chainsaw there; it might be as easy as calling Parks and having them send someone out.

There is a Friends of QP group that is predominantly neighborhood birders and dog walkers, but they are happy to share with us.  I am not sure how active they have been; I haven't heard much this year.  But they would likely be thrilled if I told them that a handful of us wanted to do a clean up day and could use some more help.  Throw out some dates; I will dig through my old e-mails and see if I can find a contact for them.

Jon

I'm quite sure I know who ddacko11 is. Glad to see you here and willing to help.

It is years ago now, but the last time I recall CORP members worked with the city it came down to the place not really fitting the normal standards of a Madison park, not the budget or priority to make it a normal park, and nobody (individual or group) stepping up with the sort of commitment trail stewards need to make.

Some still associated with CORP have made efforts to keep it a bike place and do clean up and fix up. The best seemed to be the years we organized a work day of sorts. It kept the riding going, cleaned things up and didn't rock any boat that made it a scenario of only a bike or only a dog walking property. That for the most part was getting key to the gate and getting tools in, trash out. Fun was had too.

This need for people to step up is serious no matter what area property, and it would be sweet if somebody would for Quarry Park. I am sure the individual or group would get support.

Historically this is a tough time of year to get help and that usually improves a little when school is back in session. It would seem to me the city and friends group would welcome some clean up at minimum and might be good partners for the help that's always hard to get.

Please keep in touch with CORP leadership. Especially relative to any scheduling. We have a few must get done jobs and would feel bad if those wouldn't allow any of us to help.

Thanks again for joining here and the concern.

Well put William. From my understanding, there just has not been any coherent effort to make Quarry Park an organized biking area. It has languished along with the status quo seeming to satisfy those that ride, and the city has not pushed for changes either. I think with someone willing to step up and take the Trail Steward lead role, it could certainly happen. And I think it would be welcomed by most. Of course there will always be some push-back from some who think of it as their personal playground and never want anyone to tell them what they can or can't do, so be a little prepared for that as well.

I've probed a few times about making Quarry Park a CORP managed trail and have seen resistance from both sides of the fence and I think both sides have valid points. More than one person on the CORP leadership side have balked at the idea of associating the club with a park that has such a rogue reputation, and the riders don't want to suddenly be subjected to rules for building and maintenance when the organic building has been successful for longer than any of the other trails in the area have even existed.

CORP could do a lot of good for the park by working on the specific things that Dan has brought up (trash, trimming, sawing), but the ad-hoc development of trails has been working very well at QP for decades just doesn't fit in with the ethos of the club. If CORP gets involved there could be an enormous amount of friction with the riders/builders who are used to being able to experiment without having to develop a formal plan for every feature.

It may be the redheaded stepchild of mountain bike trails in the area but it is accessible, fun, challenging, and has a unique social vibe that you don't get at any other park.  That little green space has been the first love of many local riders including some that have grown into very active club members (shout out to Tom Holaday) and it deserves some respect for that. Yea, some sketch things get built from time to time but they usually fade away and there is a weird natural balance that seems to keep the system in check; that doesn't line up with the authoritarian approach that CORP uses on it's trails, which is completely appropriate when the reputation of the club is on the line, but it's been working at QP for a long time and the freedom of those trials is arguably the reason they attract so many young riders.

In my mind it would be great if there could be a middle ground where QP gets a formal work day or two throughout the year but maybe wouldn't be 'owned' by CORP or at least subjected to the full rulebook that the rest of the trails have to adhere to.

All that said above...lets get a workday together for some basic trimming and cleanup. QP is a small area and it does not take very long to cover the whole park, with half a dozen people we could get it knocked out in an evening session. Could anyone join in next Tues 6/18 at 5pm? Once we pin down a time I can hang a sign at the park entrance to announce it and a few riders or friendly neighbors will probably join in to help out.

Has anyone worked with the city in the past about running a chain saw?  Motorized would be ideal, but a even few handsaws will quickly make a dent in the downed trees. I may still have a key to the gate so we could get a vehicle up there to get the tools and trash removal centralized.

I was not thinking of the CORP trail rules,  so with that it would need to be a middle ground and NON-offical CORP trail.  That said with support that I know all of us can lend we should be able to make things work.  I am willing,  I took a hiatus from Quarry but years ago I and a small clan were the stuarts of the park and got lots of city support,  thus is how some have keys!  Quarry has a special place in most of our riding,  taught me how to go big and ride tech and I know it is still that place for a lot of others.

Rich Tues 6/18 works great.  I can make it and lets pass the word.  THing is there are 3 huge trees down that NEED a motorized saw,  I have hand sawed a lot and there is still more but there are a few that need a motor or a big 2 person saw.   I will contact the city to see what can be done, I know all users will appreciate that.  I will also see if we can get a new key.....

Thanks for the help,  the underground crew that is building out there now is doing a good job but right now the FLOW of the trail is hard with all the down trees.

OK pass the word,  Tues 6/18!!!!! 

Sounds good.

I know some of the neighbors so I sent an email their way to help recruit folks from the neighborhood.  I'll try to hang up a couple signs at lunch tomorrow.

I have the certification and safety gear required for chainsaw use as well as some other power tools that will make clean up fast work.

There is a problem where 6/18 steps on a scheduled and badly needed CORP work day. Please respect that and try to schedule when I can bring the tools mentioned.

Good to see this getting lined up. And it seems an appropriate position for CORP unless the status quo stops working.
Glad to see CORP can still be involved as the tool to facilitate making things happen. There could easily be a regular thread started for Quarry Park under "Other Wisconsin Trail" as well.

On second thought, and trying to be respectful to everyone involved, is there a reason this needs to be on Tuesday? Checking the events calendar Middleton Bike Park Work and Ride is already there. And I am sure a few of the same folks use both of these facilities. No reason to not make an effort to work together.

I will start something in the "Other Trails" section for Quarry.

Rich proposed Tues 6/18 and as we wanted this to be lower key and not drag others away from more needed projects/events we thought it would fit.     I did not realize tool facilitators wanted to come out and help,  not that we do not want help.     I have a call into the city and let me see what they have to say and we can change based on that.  If the city can help we can can have 2 events on the same day.....

And no we do not want to take away from anything else.

I want to say Thanks all for finding the middle ground on this one.

STAY TUNED

Sorry I didn't realize Tues already had something scheduled, it's not clear where that information is published, there's nothing on the front page or calendar about it that I can see.  What is going on that day?

Same issue I had BUT once I dug I found out there is a regular Tuesday night get together/Ride at Middleton bike park,  not to be a dick but it does not state its a work day or work will be done on a regular basis.....  Being honest.  If this site is the resource for all to get to know what is going on,  place it on the calendar.....

But again I am going to wait for the city to see what they say.   We wont need many tools for Quarry and there is one more person that is certified for sawing,  I will get in touch with them

Same issue I had BUT once I dug I found out there is a regular Tuesday night get together/Ride at Middleton bike park,  not to be a dick but it does not state its a work day or work will be done on a regular basis.....  Being honest.  If this site is the resource for all to get to know what is going on,  place it on the calendar.....

But again I am going to wait for the city to see what they say.   We wont need many tools for Quarry and there is one more person that is certified for sawing,  I will get in touch with them

Tuesdays were on the old calendar and the sessions are mentioned in a few places. It's damned if you do or don't. I can't make every Tuesday and people don't always step up so I've also been griped at when nobody's there.

It looks like we have commitments for more than one person to be an ambassador each week starting next week.