In our December journal entry we told you about the first annual Trail Docs Torture Test. Well, the test took place on January 3, and so far we’ve had a lot of positive feedback. Get ready for the 2005 version: a full 100-mile course!

Leakey
After working at home in the Warda area for a couple of weeks, we got back on the road Jan. 7 and drove the trusty Subaru to explore future trail opportunities at a gorgeous 7,000-acre-plus ranch in Leakey. This opportunity came about due to an interesting turn of events. During our San Angelo visit a few months ago, we caught up with Dr. Melanie Croy, a kinesiology professor at Angelo State University who teaches a mountain biking course at the local state park. Melanie told us about her interests in therapeutic recreation and her work with Ingram’s Hill Country Youth Ranch, which provides abused and neglected children with schooling, a stable group-living situation, and supervision by house parents. The program has already received donated mountain bikes – now the children just need a place to ride them. Dr. Croy invited the Traildocs to consult on the feasibility of developing multi-use natural surface trails on this recently donated ranch land.

The property in Ingram is very nice, but the new land in Leakey is just phenomenal. The Frio River cuts through the property, dividing it into a 5,000-acre eastern parcel where a school and housing areas have already been built, and a 2,000-acre western parcel that is basically undeveloped except for miles of jeep roads that traverse the property. The land has lots of topography to work with, beautiful views of the Hill Country, and incredible geological formations all along the clear-flowing Frio.

In addition to giving the children at the ranch a way to explore this beautiful jewel, the proposed trail system could also be open to the public on a pay-to-ride basis and provide another source of income for the youth programs. We’re very excited to be involved in this project, and are looking forward to creating a trail system from such a nice blank slate.

Tapatio Springs, Boerne
Speaking of new trail systems, one we’ve mentioned in passing that needs more elaboration are the Tapatio Springs trails. We got involved with Tapatio last fall – after the first section had already been built – because we were pretty concerned about the steepness of several grades. Much of the finished construction seemed unsustainable over the long haul because of design issues. We agreed to work on the remaining course design by flagging out a corridor (and specific tread in some areas) with the understanding – or so we thought – that local volunteer crews would build the trail behind us while we continued to flag ahead.
Upon returning to Tapatio several weeks later, we found a trail totally different from one we had designed – a quick lesson about the challenges of achieving clear communication between groups with different agendas. The Trail Docs were close to walking away from the project, because we didn’t want our name associated with a trail system that we didn’t think was properly done. But after talking with Lisa Nye of Hill Country Bicycle Works, who is very committed to making the trails work, we agreed to take on the challenge of trying to make lemonade out of lemons. Jimmy Dreiss of Flat Rock Ranch – one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet – is also very active in the project; he and Lisa are both looking for volunteers to help build one of the most challenging new race courses in Texas. Call them at (830) 896-6864/(830) 990-2609 for Lisa, or (830) 995-2858 for Jimmy.

Comfort
On January 10, we went with Jimmy to his Flat Rock Ranch in Comfort for some consultation and to help design a few reroutes on his upper trail loop section. With the race season starting up soon, forward-thinking individuals who want to get their Paydirt hours done early will have ample opportunity by working out at Jimmy’s ranch. (Yes, that’s a hint for all you racers out there! Also, Dewayne Buratti in the Austin area is conducting frequent work parties– and Warda can use some help in areas. There are ample Paydirt opportunities at these three locations as well as several others across the state. Please don’t wait until the last minute to try and get your Paydirt volunteer work done!)

Lajitas
On January 13 we pointed the Subie west and drove out to the Lajitas/Terlingua area to work on some new trail for the Feb. 21 Mas O Menos off-road marathon race being hosted by the Desert Sports crew. (For details go to www.desertsportstx.com.) Mike Long and Jeff Renfrow have done a lot of good advocacy work as part of the Big Bend Trails Alliance, and have created more opportunities for trails in Lajitas and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Several locals attended our trail school in the Desert Sports shop, as did three guys who drove in from Austin. We had a very productive session and built a sweet new singletrack descent that included a rock armored turn. On the way back home we visited the Chinati Hot Springs again, always an enjoyable experience.

Our next project was at the Cibolo Nature Preserve, where we taught a trail school to about 25 folks who aren’t cyclists but master naturalists interested in sustainable trail design. We fixed a section of hiking trail down on Cibolo creek that was laid out on a sustainable grade, but the tread hadn’t been bench-cut into the hill. This wouldn’t have been much of a problem on a shallow hillside, but the fall line measured at about a 65% slope, and both Ryan and Susan slipped completely down the hill while trying to dig in the initial bench. It was definitely a good teaching exercise, and all the participants were happy with the finished product. (The new trail also held up nicely to a heavy rainstorm that hit right after the work was done!)

Flat Rock Ranch
On Jan.17 we went back out to Flat Rock Ranch to lead a work day and dig in the nice long bench cut we had designed the previous week. A subset of the volunteers got to work with Ryan on building an experimental rock bermed turn in place of a constructed switchback. Susan got to oversee the bench cutters, walk around with the Smart Tool level, and say “great job—keep digging!” A few folks good-naturedly tried to use a doctor’s note to get out of the digging, but the Level Betty would not be denied.

Tyler State Park
We wrapped up the month by returning to Tyler State Park, where Ranger Steve has done an outstanding job of building all the re-routes we designed last summer. It was incredibly gratifying to see our hard work come to fruition, and the trail was really fun to ride as well. Now that Steve and other TPWD staff have learned the sustainable trail building techniques, we’re comfortable with them revamping the remaining trails.

In February ...
… we go to Houston to speak at the Northwest Cycling Club meeting, and then we’ll do some office work in Austin while our new Subaru is getting the full-body Texas Bicycle Coalition sticker kit applied to it. You won’t be able to miss us on the roads then!

Signed,
Susan and Ryan
The Subaru BikeTexas Trail Doctors
A Project of the Texas Bicycle Coalition