MCMBA: Milford

[Farmer_John]

The trail is not bad at all . I rode it at 11:30. There are a few greasy spots in the first 1 mile. It is typical of a new trail ......... You are not damaging this trail, it needs to be ridden in. Highland is in the same shape, rode it afterwards. We are riding Milford Trail at 11:30 on Christmas day come and join us.. Hope to see ya. Bill and Sam the Trail Dog....... Builders and Trail Coordinators of the Milford Trail.

Yeah, but at the same time you can't fault him for having the thought of mind that he COULD be hurting things and opting out.

Our user group could use more like him.

[hopsbag]

The trail is not bad at all . I rode it at 11:30. There are a few greasy spots in the first 1 mile. It is typical of a new trail ......... You are not damaging this trail, it needs to be ridden in. Bill and Sam the Trail Dog....... Builders and Trail Coordinators of the Milford Trail.

Bill, you'll note I qualified my statement as a "less than learned opinion". What do I need to look for as an indicator that a trail should not be ridden? I want to practice good trail stewardship. I've followed the posts in this forum and elsewhere on the topic of trail damage caused by riding in muddy conditions. My rear wheel was slewing sideways on those off-camber climbs, displacing great gobs of soil. It sure seemed like trail damage to me, so I chose to bail. You've built a great trail and the last thing I want to do is damage it. Please let me know when you plan the next trail day, and I'll do my best to be there!

[Builder-Bill]

Sorry Hopsbag.. The trail is new. There will be a few greasy spots. It is typical of most new sections of trail. Didn't mean to jump on you. Hope you accept my appology. Come out and ride. Bill

[KokoRider]

Five of us rode the trail for the first time this a.m. and had a blast! Trail starts out relatively mild, building into a challenging and fun ride - a bit more than than the newby in our group was ready for . Great use of the available terrain and man-made features, with some interesting nature vistas thrown in for good measure.

Kudos and thanks go out to Builder-Bill and anyone else involved in designing and constructing this trail The government officials who authorized construction deserve recognition as well.

[bh357]

Just a quick question. How far south does the trail go when you hit the long clearcut which looks like it's for an underground pipeline or something? The one where the golf course is on your right. I rode a little ways along this clearing before it looked like the trail was starting to disappear and then turned around and found the return trail. Just making sure that I didn't miss anything too fun.

[Builder-Bill]

bh357

Just a quick question. How far south does the trail go when you hit the long clearcut which looks like it's for an underground pipeline or something? The one where the golf course is on your right. I rode a little ways along this clearing before it looked like the trail was starting to disappear and then turned around and found the return trail. Just making sure that I didn't miss anything too fun.

Did you miss the roller coaster section,along the water? ( Four Bridges in a row ). Builder-Bill

[hopsbag]

Just a quick question. How far south does the trail go when you hit the long clearcut which looks like it's for an underground pipeline or something? The one where the golf course is on your right. I rode a little ways along this clearing before it looked like the trail was starting to disappear and then turned around and found the return trail. Just making sure that I didn't miss anything too fun.

I used to get lost here too. Were you all the way down by the concrete piles and the new free-ride structure? Bill has mown the weeds down here, so if you follow the mower path, you're on the trail. This part still need a lot of riding in to help define the trail. Depending on where you picked up the return trail, you might have missed a lot. It's possible to bail from the single track and ride the double track all the way out from that pipeline cut. There are some pretty challenging (at least for me) steep switchback sections along the banks of the pond, plus the new wood bridges Bill mentioned.

[hopsbag]

Bill, one thing I've noticed on my rides of the Milford trail is the number of small, stubby stumps that are left in the single track, from where saplings and shrubs have been cleared. My trail riding experience is very limited, just four trails to date (Milford, Island Lake, Novi, & Commerce), so forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question. And please don't misconstrue this as criticism. Are these stumps an acceptable trail hazard, like rocks, roots, and logs? They kind of freak me out a little bit, because they hide so well under leaves and snow. I'm always afraid I'll hit one and get a pinch flat or worse, fall on one. If I'm being a p**sy, go ahead and tell me. I'll suck it up and quit whining and learn to ride like a big boy. Otherwise, I'd be happy to come out some time and help remove them.

[hockeydaddy]

Bill, one thing I've noticed on my rides of the Milford trail is the number of small, stubby stumps that are left in the single track, from where saplings and shrubs have been cleared. My trail riding experience is very limited, just four trails to date (Milford, Island Lake, Novi, & Commerce), so forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question. And please don't misconstrue this as criticism. Are these stumps an acceptable trail hazard, like rocks, roots, and logs? They kind of freak me out a little bit, because they hide so well under leaves and snow. I'm always afraid I'll hit one and get a pinch flat or worse, fall on one. If I'm being a p**sy, go ahead and tell me. I'll suck it up and quit whining and learn to ride like a big boy. Otherwise, I'd be happy to come out some time and help remove them.

MAMA

[scat silvurz]

on a new trail, when the fresh ground gets compacted by riders, those little stumplets make their appearance.....they get removed eventually...

[hopsbag]

Bill, one thing I've noticed on my rides of the Milford trail is the number of small, stubby stumps that are left in the single track, from where saplings and shrubs have been cleared. My trail riding experience is very limited, just four trails to date (Milford, Island Lake, Novi, & Commerce), so forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question. And please don't misconstrue this as criticism. Are these stumps an acceptable trail hazard, like rocks, roots, and logs? They kind of freak me out a little bit, because they hide so well under leaves and snow. I'm always afraid I'll hit one and get a pinch flat or worse, fall on one. If I'm being a p**sy, go ahead and tell me. I'll suck it up and quit whining and learn to ride like a big boy. Otherwise, I'd be happy to come out some time and help remove them.

MAMA

...And next week I get my training wheels off!

[bh357]

Just a quick question. How far south does the trail go when you hit the long clearcut which looks like it's for an underground pipeline or something? The one where the golf course is on your right. I rode a little ways along this clearing before it looked like the trail was starting to disappear and then turned around and found the return trail. Just making sure that I didn't miss anything too fun.

I used to get lost here too. Were you all the way down by the concrete piles and the new free-ride structure? Bill has mown the weeds down here, so if you follow the mower path, you're on the trail. This part still need a lot of riding in to help define the trail. Depending on where you picked up the return trail, you might have missed a lot. It's possible to bail from the single track and ride the double track all the way out from that pipeline cut. There are some pretty challenging (at least for me) steep switchback sections along the banks of the pond, plus the new wood bridges Bill mentioned.

Did you miss the roller coaster section,along the water? ( Four Bridges in a row ). Builder-Bill

I don't recall 4 bridges in a row, but I do recall a number of bridges, so I could've ridden the ones in question and forgotten about them. The day I rode Milford, I also rode the Hick and Novi Tree Farm (also for the first time), so sections of trail from that day are a bit of a blur.
I was on the clearcut, with the lake on my left and the golf course on my right, when the trail started going faint and I turned around. I picked up the trail again where it headed east, looped around a bunch, looped around a small pond, and eventually returned to the ball diamonds.
If there is any trail off in the woods further south on this clearcut, then I missed it.

[bh357]

Bill, one thing I've noticed on my rides of the Milford trail is the number of small, stubby stumps that are left in the single track, from where saplings and shrubs have been cleared. My trail riding experience is very limited, just four trails to date (Milford, Island Lake, Novi, & Commerce), so forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question. And please don't misconstrue this as criticism. Are these stumps an acceptable trail hazard, like rocks, roots, and logs? They kind of freak me out a little bit, because they hide so well under leaves and snow. I'm always afraid I'll hit one and get a pinch flat or worse, fall on one. If I'm being a p**sy, go ahead and tell me. I'll suck it up and quit whining and learn to ride like a big boy. Otherwise, I'd be happy to come out some time and help remove them.

You want small stubby stumps??? Go ride Gruber's Grinder . That trail is loaded with them. Yes, I've hit 'em . Yes, I've pinch flatted on 'em . Yes, I've crashed because of 'em . I do think that some do (and should) eventually get removed, but I've come to accept them as a trail hazard.

[Builder-Bill]

hopsbag wrote:

Bill, one thing I've noticed on my rides of the Milford trail is the number of small, stubby stumps that are left in the single track, from where saplings and shrubs have been cleared. My trail riding experience is very limited, just four trails to date (Milford, Island Lake, Novi, & Commerce), so forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question. And please don't misconstrue this as criticism. Are these stumps an acceptable trail hazard, like rocks, roots, and logs? They kind of freak me out a little bit, because they hide so well under leaves and snow. I'm always afraid I'll hit one and get a pinch flat or worse, fall on one. If I'm being a p**sy, go ahead and tell me. I'll suck it up and quit whining and learn to ride like a big boy. Otherwise, I'd be happy to come out some time and help remove them.

[ The trail is getting packed down and stumps are coming up. I have been trying to cut some of them out ,when I get time. ....... Been busy cutting and laying out a new area...... Two more Bridges and some more climbing Bill and Sam The Trail Dog

[Builder-Bill]

Milford trail: 1/3/2007 The trail is in great shape, other then alone the pipeline area.... I Found DTE clear cutting today , alone there pipeline easement , which they have the right to do. They did get a little over zealots and cut some trees out of there easement and on our trail .... I will try to clean it up by the weekend. See Ya Bill