GPFHA ride at Frady branch

[Boyd R]

Sunday March the 5th. We will meet at 11am.

I am also taking an interested newbie to Pasos for a ride an Saturday to test ride a few if you have one for sale or would like to ride along COME ON. Will probably ride near my house at Tribble Mill park.

[Pasogirlz]

Cool. 8-) Let us know how the newbie likes the Paso ride. ;-)

[SandyMM]

One word.... Bronce... ;-)

[baileyholc]

Almost done with Basketball Yall. I am looking forward to catchen up on all my riding. Have a game friday night and a game on saterday then we go to conferance in Myrtal Beach for the weekend on March 17 - 19. Then NO MORE BASKETBALL. Just the Girl Scout left. But that will not be a problem. I can work around that one. :D Yall have fun this weekend.

[motorgypsy]

Directions please Boyd!!! Sounds like fun!

[Mellifluous]

Here is some trail information and maps

http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/rec/fow/20041228-fow.shtml
http://www.lrwma.com/trails/id15.htm
http://www.sorbachattanooga.org/trails/trails.php?state=3&trail=242

The only bad thing with the trailhead is that is was not built like the plans called for, so it can get a bit cramped if there are lots of trailers. Best to get there early and get a good spot.

[Got Brio?]

get Pictures!

[SandyMM]

From the SORBA (Southern Offroard Bike Association) website - this comment about the conditions on the Frady Bunch trails about a week after a group of cyclists and horsemen worked side-by-side in a joint effort to groom the trails....
Posted on 01/16/2006 by Anonymous
Road Sunday, 1/15/06 late afternoon. Trail is used by many equestrians so much has been compromised. It had been two days of fairly sunny and very high winds and trails were basically rideable except for the significantly damaged areas from horses. These trails are worth riding and worth rescuing...
This is our 'competition' for trail riding... and while SORBA has many good members and works hand-in-hand with the equestrian community to get/keep/maintain trails for bikes and horses, comments like these can be very damaging. Trail riders need to be mindful that any damage done by the horses is noted by the cyclists. And vice versa.... Greg is in the bike business and in the 'back when', we both did a lot of mountain biking. It is easy for us to see both sides of the agenda, but not as easy for those invloved in only one activity on the trails.

We all need to remember to be good stewards on any trails we ride...

[Boyd R]

here is what I have been given and they are haviving a workday on Saturday but I do not know when.

Frady Branch Paso Fino trail ride Sunday March 4th 11 AM.

Bring a lunch for the ride. We will stop on the trail at the water fall and
have lunch

TO GET THERE:
From Atlanta: Take I-85 north past Commerce to exit 154, Ga. Hwy 63 (Martin
Bridge Road). Turn left (north) until it becomes Hwy 184 and follow towards
Toccoa. Turn right at 'T' intersection and stay on 184. About six miles from the
intersection with Hwy 105 and just past mile-marker 3, look for the trailhead on
FS-389 to the left.

From Gainesville: I-985/GA 365 northeast from Gainesville. At approx.mile marker
52 take exit to right (still GA 365) towards Toccoa. After approximately 5 miles
turn right at first stoplight. Go 1/4 mile and turn left on GA 184. Go 3.5 miles
to Frady Branch Road on right and trailhead parking area.

[Mellifluous]

*drags her soapbox over and stands on it*

IMHO - there are two main reasons that horses are blamed for wanton trail destruction.

#1 - Riding during or right after a rain before the trails have had a chance to dry up.

#2 - Poorly designed trails...really a problem on the Chatt-Oconee. Most of the trail system follows user created trails that were adopted or old road beds. Neither make a good sustainable horse trail. Frady branch is a good example of this.

Put these two things together and you get TONS of other users whining about how horses are ruing the trails. These people get the attention of Land Managers and BAM, no more horse trails.

I still would love to form a group that advocates good trail stewardship and works with the Land Management Agencies to get better trails on the ground!

I could drone on and on, but I will spare all of you!

[Mellifluous]

Is the ride on Saturday or Sunday? I have seen dates for both days!

[SandyMM]

#1 - Riding during or right after a rain before the trails have had a chance to dry up.
The same is true for cyclists - I'm sure you've seen the drainage 'trenches' a mtn bike wheel creates in mud... but - if you get caught out in the rain - and we've been caught in some _torrential_ downpours miles from our vehicles.... walking is just about not an option... LOL - we came back from one such ride and used the power sprayer at the car wash to get most of the red clay out of our clothes before we ever even considered putting them in the washing machine!

[Boyd R]

It is Sunday Mel.

And the GHC is trying its best to advocate good trail design and installation and it is getting noticed,

[Mellifluous]

It is Sunday Mel.

And the GHC is trying its best to advocate good trail design and installation and it is getting noticed,

Thanks Boyd - I am blonde and do get easily confused. ;-)

Yup, the GHC is one of the groups that has good credibility. The trick is not to get defensive and get in a Peeing contest with the forest about wishes vs. realities. That happened with another group and the whole thing is a huge mess. It is a shame too because a good project went down the tubes.

I thought the trails conference with the Mark Ritter workshop was a wonderful step forward. Two of us FS folks went and took what we learned back with us. The Forest Supervisor wants to make a session with him mandatory for all personnel that deal with trails. Bravo-

The trick is to get them to actually put some stuff on the ground. With tight rec budget and user surveys that show only 17% of Forest Users are equestrians, it willl be a long uphill battle. You know, the FS is considering outsourcing 2/3 of the workforce! I wonder what that will do for the trails program????