Kickapoo Down and Blue Mound

[jimithng23]

Hey everybody, I am really pleased to announce that we've finally completed repairing and installing some much-needed trails and reroutes!

On Blue Mound, right after the skinny-bridge take an immediate right. Instead of having to gear down and grunt straight up into a 90deg left turn, take a wide right turn, climb gradually to the top of the ridge and around the huge tree, and bomb back down to the new skinny over the nasty wet area (thank you to Russhole for the temporary band-aid!). This should give you some nice momentum to go up and over the log pile we put in last year, as well as a bit of speed to tackle the climb right after.

Kickapoo Down...ahhh...Kickapoo Down. I've received feedback, some good and some bad, about rerouting the already *awesome* Kickapoo Down trail. I would like to take a second and explain why - I wanted to see if there was a way to avoid the gorilla-brake left corner. Other than getting abused by brake induced skids, this corner sucked up the rider's "mo". So...with the help of a few seasoned "trail vets" I set out to build a trail that would take a rider from the green loop down to the parking lot with the goal of minimal braking, great flow, and of course sustainability. Well, the first two criteria have been met. the sustainability will remain to be seen...but I think we took the necessary precautions.

Ray and myself put in nearly 20 miles since Sunday on Kickapoo loops alone, and I'm here to tell you...it's a friggin *gas*! Ray made the analogy "it's like when you were a kid and you just built a fort - you just *have* to play in it!"

If you are so inclined, brakes are not needed the entire way down the trail until you reach the exit. There is a drop in the trail, near the top, that is soooooo smooth you'll barely even know you left the trail. However, if you're not feeling like hitting the drop we put in a nice smooth route directly to the left of the drop. From there you've got a nice sweeping banked right turn over a drainage tile we put in today. This shoots you down to the end of the ridge for a sweeping left hand turn. You then descend down onto the "old" Kickapoo Down and continue towards the exit. Today, we widened the corner at the end, right after the roots that used to launch you into a brake induced skid. Now, bank to the left and you will bleed your speed until the exit.

I really hope you all enjoy this "new" Kickapoo Down. If you're like me, the "old" Kickapoo Down was one of your favorite trails at Sunderbruch. The last thing I wanted to do was kill the fun factor by rerouting the trail. However, once you get out and ride it I think you will share in my excitement that we've still got a really sweet downhill that takes us right back to the parking lot where friends are waiting...as well as the *beer*

Get out and ride, the trails are dusty and need tires! When was the last time we had *dusty* trails in April? Wow!
Enjoy!

[Bexter]

I took Wednesday afternoon off because it's supposed to be 70 and I just have not had enough trail time. I plan to get plenty of ride time in on Kickapoo, Blue, etc tomorrow. THANKS for all your hard work... thanks to everyone who spends their time, labor and money for our riding pleasure. YOU ROCK!

[DH001]

Sounds awesome guys. I can't wait to ride it. Hopefully tomorrow...

[Bexter]

OMG, nice work at SBP! The Kickapoo reroutes, the ladder bridge, the drop -- all really cool! And, nice work on the repairs, courderoy patches, etc elsewhere throughout the park. Thank you for all your hard work! The trails were just awesome today! I rode 26 miles today! I felt like the Energizer Bunny!

[dru_b]

i too must say that the work done out there is sweet. the new loop on blue mound seriously needs to be ridden........

i only got in 10.57 miles today before i had to leave to get to the park to play with my son and his friends. i did get a battle wound while there today though.

can you say "tree love"?????? i hip checked a tree on a ess section on rock cut i think.....??? nothing broken or unbearable but i have a good size strawberry and inner bruising adorning my hip fat now. i took a pic but left the camera at the shop. they'll follow tomorrow maybe.

[DH001]

Rode it today and I really liked the Kickapoo climb reroute. The down was also good. That trail will be smoking fast when compacted. A berm at that last left hand corner out to the paved trail would be amazing. I haven't ridden there since you put in the large tree skinny on Blue Mound. I remember seeing photos of it but that didn't do it justice. I didn't expect it to be that big! There was a large low camleback catching tree limb hanging above the trail on the upper section of Blue after the notched/ramped log over. Also some big tree decided to fall and rip out a good sized chunk of trail tread not far away. Great work on the improvements.