Tryon and Bay Park West Trail Maps

Here's the latest trail map for Tryon Park:


And for Bay Park West:


These were made by the county.

Another Afternoon Ride

Since rain is forecast for the next few days, I took a few hours off from work this afternoon and rode again at Whiting and Webster Park.
I felt like I was still recovering a bit from my ride a few days ago, but I was still stronger. Though maybe not as strong as I have been. I'm a bit amazed that I once rode three six mile laps there once.

Muni at Whiting and Webster Park - 2011-05-12

More Tryon Trail Work

Tonight was another Tryon trail work night. I worked with the crew to bench some sections of a new trail that will replace an existing unsustainable one.

Benching means we cut the trail into a hillside. Here's an illustration:


Hopefully this new trail will be fun for me. But there are some significant climbs throughout it, at least on a unicycle. I think I could climb them if I was rested, but at Tryon one hill comes after the other. So I'm always winded unless I actually stop for a rest, which I never like to do.

Afternoon Muni at Whiting

I took a few hours off from work and rode at Whiting and Webster Park today.
It's my first muni ride since being sick for weeks. I felt pretty good, but a little out of shape.

I did my usual 6 mile loop, and decided to try some more. But about 10 minutes into it I started to feel pretty weak. Being in the middle of the orange trail, I pushed on, but ended up stopping for a rest. I ate a Power Bar and chilled for about five minutes. I also ran out of water there. I should have filled my CamelBak more, but I tend to try to bring only what I'll need to avoid carrying the extra weight. I felt better after the rest and moved on. My attempts to climb the two remaining hills were pathetic. My legs just didn't want to work, but I made it to the car without any real problems.

I really enjoyed my Schlumpf hub today. I was really hauling through some areas. Downshifting is still causing me more problems than upshifting. I may adjust that shift button to stick out a bit more.

It was a good start to the real riding season!

I rode about 8 miles. According to my cycle computer, my average speed was 5.7 mph, and max speed was 11.3.

Muni at Whiting and Webster Park - 2011-05-11

Whiting Trail Work

This morning I worked for three hours at the Whiting Road trails with the Friends of Webster Trails. The group worked on a variety of tasks throughout Whiting and in the Webster Park corridor to the Midnight Trail.

Most of the work had something to do with addressing water issues. That's very understandable considering how much rain we've gotten so far this spring.

I worked on the blue trail and some of the yellow trying to allow areas of standing water to drain off. Some of the sustainable trail methods I've learned from the Tryon and Bay Park West work days helped me. But some muddy places on the trail didn't seem to have a quick fix. If both sides of the trail are at the same level as the trail itself, where do you direct any water? In cases like that, it seems the trail was simply built in the wrong place. Maybe a bridge or a dry well could be used in the future, but for now, the sun will have to dry it up.

One of the other projects was starting to develop a new trail off the red trail. That sounds cool.

I didn't get a chance to see much of the work that was done, other than my own. I look forward to seeing it all next time I ride there.

After this weekend of no rain (fingers crossed), I hope the trails will all be dry enough to ride.

Tryon Trail Work

Tonight I attended the Tryon Park Wednesday night trail work meeting.

We spend about an hour and a half walking the trails and breaking down berms on the low side of trails, where water tends to collect. The water creates mud, and when hikers and bikers walk through it, berms are inevitably created on the low side of the trail. More water can then collect and the problem grows.


We broke down the berms and creating a channel or knick for the water to flow out.


It was good to get out after being sick for a while. Now if it will just stop raining!

Sick and Rainy

Two weeks ago I became sick with bronchitis. After a week or so, it mostly went away, but the tight irritated feeling in my upper chest still lingers. And I still have an annoying dry cough.

Aside from a bit of hopping in the driveway on Saturday, I haven't been out riding.
But even if I wanted to ride the trails, we've had so much rain it would undoubtedly be a muddy mess.

I guess it's good that my bronchitis overlaps the crappy weather. But the whole situation is frustrating. I wanted to get stronger early in the season. Instead I feel like I'm getting weaker.

It sounds like the persistent lung irritation left from bronchitis is common, and it can last many weeks. Hopefully I will be done with it soon. And hopefully by then the trails will be dry and ready to ride.