Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !
Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !
Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !
Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !
Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !
Why do the builders/designers of Irish MTB trails insist in putting these so called "trail anchors" on all trails ?
Why put very large boulders all along the side/run off of a trail so anyone who gets a little out of control or has an off will probably either go headfirst into one, land on one, or get high sided by one !!!
All ready there have been a number of incidences on 3 rock where the Emergency Services have had to put people on spinal boards and take them to a hospital because they have hit these "Trail Anchors" ! Where if they had not been in the way they might have gotten off a lot lighter for all we know.
There must be a better way, I do not recall see these in Glentress and any of the other Scottish trail centers I have been to. Equally I have never come across them in European trail centers/ resorts so why here ?
They just seam like a stupid idea to me... But what would I know !
I hear you Dave, I have the exact same opinion.
I'll bring it up at our (MBI) next meeting with Coillte and see what they say.
Meantime - if I could get specifics from anyone that has been injured as a result of hitting one of these boulders - please email me full details at: fergal.kilkenny@gmail.com
While they are dangerous do they not do what it says on the tin, keep you anchored to the trail?
I suspect like most things here our trails were built on a budget, with low maintenance part of the criteria. Ride the edges of the trail and soon it would be in tatters, and we all know how fond some people are of shortcuts. I agree they are dangerous and some are very poorly placed (that should be addressed), but suspect they may be a necessary evil to stop the trails getting destroyed in no time.
true Don, but, over in Wales in various trail centres we were at this year, they use anchored logs instead of monster boulders which are just as effective at keeping you on track
I was taken out by one in Bally H last year, got high sided exiting a fast drifty corner an nearly killed my self. Also was involved in removing a lad off 3 rock last Sunday.. he went head first into a boulder about 1mt in diameter, it moved a couple of inches with the impact.. You have a point Don but there has to be a safer way.. looking at the avg sise of the boulders used you would think they are trying to stop people moving onto trails with temporary dwellings not keep people on the trails..
the trails built on 3 rock by MAD etc are far superior to the "professionally" built builders rubble trails on 3 rock, I think the answer is they haven't a clue, and they had plenty of money to build them. But still, they are a good winter trail and should save the decent stuff from abuse in bad weather, if the trail was good enough and flowed properly there wouldn't be a need to try to keep people on them, as for the boulders I can only think it was an easy way to get rid of the rubble, can't see any point in them and I can't see how they anchor anything as most aren't burried. I say give the money to MAD and let them build the next lot.
Can the giant marshmallows not be placed where the boulders are?
Seriously though, the placement of some of those anchors is terrible, especially on the outside of the corners. Same in ballinastoe, the number of those pedal clipping traps is unreal.
I got bailed out of it by one on the back trail. My own fault really though. The left hander corner before the right hand hairpin, and after the jump-to-berm that you come leggin it into. Ran out of skills trying to carry my speed through, went wide, hit boulder, got dumped. Learned my lesson. Next time down. Jump to berm, turn in, get the lean on, knee out for balance. Whack knee on rock on the inside of the corner this time, lose line, go wide, hit different boulder, get dumped.
This sport is called mountain biking, I expect to see rocks on mountains. I know every time I go out on the bike I am 100% focused and looking well ahead. The only issue I see on 3 rock is the amount of people up there who are clueless and have no concept of the dangers associated with the sport. They end up binning themselves and wasting the time of the emergency services. Would be interesting to see how many calls the emergency services received in say 2008 V's 2011 to help peole who have injured themselves on a bike on 3rock.
I'd say most of them are snotting themselves taking shortcuts..soon there will be a straight line in the muck all the way from the top to the bottom.
Damos right..the amount of completely clueless people up there is shocking.
Most people cannot ride a normal bike on the road and now they are piling into this trail completely skillless !