in Middleton Bike Park

I was perusing MTBR's trail reviews and was surprised that Middleton wasn't on there.  Certainly, that would draw some more interest.  Just a thought....

Also, it's interesting to read the varying opinions of the local trails.  Here's one excerpt from Blue Mounds:  "I like to think I am a pretty decent technical rider but those rocks, roots, logs and boulders had me walking every 50 feet or so. some of the uphill climbs were next to impossible with loose rock, gravel and slippery roots sticking out."

First, it sounds like he or she needs to ride with others to get a better gauge of how technical a rider he/she is.  Next, what some find impossible others can do.   8)

D

I was perusing MTBR's trail reviews and was surprised that Middleton wasn't on there.  Certainly, that would draw some more interest.  Just a thought....

Also, it's interesting to read the varying opinions of the local trails.  Here's one excerpt from Blue Mounds:  "I like to think I am a pretty decent technical rider but those rocks, roots, logs and boulders had me walking every 50 feet or so. some of the uphill climbs were next to impossible with loose rock, gravel and slippery roots sticking out."

First, it sounds like he or she needs to ride with others to get a better gauge of how technical a rider he/she is.  Next, what some find impossible others can do.   8)

D

Hi,

I've put in requests in the past with description of pump track, trails, jumps and trials features to spoon feed every skill in the sport.

I made another request today. Some more of us asking???

Thanks.

Hi,

I've put in requests in the past with description of pump track, trails, jumps and trials features to spoon feed every skill in the sport.

I made another request today. Some more of us asking???

Thanks.

In the past, one could create his own entry to a trail; that's why you see duplicates of some trails.  I didn't see if they changed the way users add trails.

D

I stopped using MTBR for trail reviews years ago. The last trail review for Blue Mounds was in 2011. I guess not much has changed since then but the reviews are often inaccurate (e.g. Willow Springs is a ski trail) or done by people I wouldn't trust for their opinion.

The picture for the Blue Mounds review is me (and Walter I believe) riding Rimshot, taken by William. It took like two years to get posted and the resolution they used is so bad you can't even really make anything out.

I stopped using MTBR for trail reviews years ago. The last trail review for Blue Mounds was in 2011. I guess not much has changed since then but the reviews are often inaccurate (e.g. Willow Springs is a ski trail) or done by people I wouldn't trust for their opinion.

The picture for the Blue Mounds review is me (and Walter I believe) riding Rimshot, taken by William. It took like two years to get posted and the resolution they used is so bad you can't even really make anything out.

I use it on rare occasion when I'm looking for trail to ride in an unfamiliar area.  Usually, the locations of the trails are correct, so I use that to get where I'm going.  Oftentimes, I'll create an account on a local forum and request a guided ride of their best stuff.

D

A far better resource going forward regarding local knowledge is the MTB project that is sponsored by IMBA.

http://www.mtbproject.com

Our trails are in the process of getting put on the site.

A far better resource going forward regarding local knowledge is the MTB project that is sponsored by IMBA.

http://www.mtbproject.com

Our trails are in the process of getting put on the site.

Those who do not come to this forum won't necessarily go to that link, and MTBR has been around a long time.  Furthermore, unfortunately, there are IMBA haters and won't use that site.

If Middleton can be accessed by all trail review websites, it will be in a good position.

D

I'm inclined to agree with Dewayne.  I recently checked out the mtbproject site and found it lacking. Some of this is due to the way people create trails and rides, but I think the interface itself isn't very clean and user-friendly.  This is unfortunate because it has the potential to be a great resource, given it has IMBA backing.

Personally, I've had more luck going to a trail's individual website and getting the maps and info from there.  The problem with this is that you do get a lot of variation in terms of type and quality of maps and info.  The Copper Harbor trails, for instance, are all done with TrailGenius and are pretty decent.  When I google any combination of "blue mounds trail map" or similar, I get DNR and mtbr.org sites ahead of ours, and then all I get is our home page.

Also, it's interesting to read the varying opinions of the local trails. 

A guy up in Copper Harbor was staring at the trails and telling my group how John Muir is his usual place and it's the most technical riding he has ever done...

mtbproject is my go to site now that it's getting built out. Otherwise it's a struggle to find the nearby club and dig through their page trying to find a map or trail description. Some club websites are extremely bad. My other method is to search for recent mtb activities on garminconnect within a radius of where I'm at and see what pops up.

I mapped Quarry Ridge and worked through the process of getting it approved. I complained to them about how different sections of the trail can't be named and you have to upload individual sections if you do want them named, or if a system of trail isn't a simple loop and has multiple options with potential repeat sections. All they need is a grouping function to allow grouping a system of trails into a single trail system name and most of the problems would be fixed. They haven't gotten back to me yet about that change.