Mid-State: Sleepy Hollow

[owosso bob]

Rvd if you ride it will you give some feedback to Mike or I as we need all of the advice we can get on the trail . Owosso Bob

[DNR Sleepy Hollow]

I think it was just to the west of marker 3 that was flooded, so 3-6.

Should be wet coming up to the boat launch road as well. Might wanna just jump onto the multiuse trail there. And I think there is a mud hole on the east side of the boat launch road.

Bob I rode the south portion tonight. Pretty darn fun. Took me 1/2 hour in work boots, work pants, no helmet or glasses. I was on the brakes for the downhills. Wow they were cool. And you were right about the portion after the big downhill being a good climb.

What is the best way to take those grassy areas and make them into dirt single track?


Dave

[jacked]

What is the best way to take those grassy areas and make them into dirt single track?

At Bennett I have a short section of grass, that I used the weed wacker to cut a trail in with. Depending on your rider volume, that may be all you need to do.

[rvd]

This morning I went out for a ride\; my first time here not in winter. It had rained a bit, but gambled it would be ok and stay dry for my ride. I expected the trail to be wet, but it was in pretty good condition for the most part; better than I had expected anyway! I had fun until a big thorn ended my ride; had to walk back out... (ride log)

Rvd if you ride it will you give some feedback to Mike or I as we need all of the advice we can get on the trail . Owosso Bob

Here we go; I will be following the numbering from the trail map and signposts:

16-15: parking to trail

15-2-3: good condition; a few wet/soft spots but nothing bad.

3-4-5-7: (I decided to go this direction to avoid flooded southern option between posts 3 and 6).
- 3-4: after a steep climb and fun descent it gets downhill in the figurative sense. After the intersection with the horse trail by the bridge the trail gets pretty muddy; worst bit of everything I saw today; also one (pine) tree down.
- 4-5: One big puddle on the trail that has a good ride-around. This segment had some excellent flowy, fast trail. One of the best areas in the park?
- 5-7: Nothing shocking here that I noticed (or remember), good or bad.

7-9: In the grassy sections without a cut-in trail, you need to work hard for your miles, especially in the section that loops around the little maple river; a little bridge to cut this loop out would be sooo nice.

9-10-priceroad: This has been mowed and rides pretty good, but there are quite a lot of branches that could use some trimming. Just before the (new?) Anglers night entrance I ran into an unpassable swamp. A temporary reroute sign to direct bikers onto the old night entrance gravel road would be helpful.

priceroad-11-12: This is looking good. Thanks for all your hard work getting these culverts in. I ran into a thorn about half a mile before 12, so did not see anything from 12 onward...

[raptorTC]

Glad to hear its fairly dry out there, I'll definitely be heading over there at some point this week.

[owosso bob]

Rvd thank you ! I am going out to ride the trail in the morning . We have talked to DNR Dave about that reroute around the night fishing area , hopefully we can get a sign up this week . We are hoping to eliminate that part of the trail . We wish that a bridge could be built over the river but the ranger is saying no bridges right now . The 3 of us have been concentrating on the south side of Price Rd. to get that as water free as we can and then move onto the north side . We are kind of operating on a shoestring right now , but I think we might have donor for 6 more 10 inch culverts and then we can set up a work day for the north side . Thanks again for the nice summary of the trail . Owosso Bob

[rvd]

I'm going to ride in the morning again too; ~9:30 am from the lot at post #16. Join in if you like. Hoping to complete a full loop this time

[owosso bob]

I can not get there until a little after 10:00 maybe see you there .

[rvd]

Owosso Bob and I rode the full loop counterclockwise and a small loop past the campground clockwise for 15 miles this morning (log). Bob was shouting all sorts of superlatives over the fact that he never saw the trail so dry at this time of year (and that means something considering he has been riding here since '88 apparently). If you want/need to get some miles in you could do much worse than Sleepy Hollow!

[owosso bob]

Rvd thanks for the ride today . Also good to put a face to the handle . I would tell anyone riding the trail to go from 3 straight to 6 and bypass 4 and 5 for a few more days . There is some wet spots but most are rideable . Also there is a short section by the new boat launch that can be bypassed by using the road and I think it will be signed this week . I wish we could use the suggestion Jacked gave us but we have a lot of grassy areas and it wouild take a long time but I am going to try . And lastly we need RIDERS RIDERS and more RIDERS to help break this trail in .

[raptorTC]

I headed over and took a loop around Sleepy Hollow tonight. Log here, http://app.strava.com/rides/9579809 . I even managed to grab a KOM, although I'm sure that will be temporary. The trail was relatively dry except for one huge puddle, but it was in the section where I should have hopped on the road. I just wish there weren't so many sections of grass. The culverts were really nice and I'm still in love with that downhill that rips down into the ravine and right back up. Reminds me of the one at Hopkins Lake.

The sections of dirt were excellent, but all of the grass parts made me feel like I was "field biking" rather than mountain biking at times. I agree with Owosso Bob that getting more people to ride out there would really help it out.

[owosso bob]

Tyler I sent you an e-mail . And I promise you we will get a groove in the grassy areas somehow and then you will be flying around there . We are making progress but it comes slowly . When I am by myself I ride that ravine back and forth as it is a gas . By the way got 25 mph on the one in Hopkins today . Still trying to break 30 on it again .

[owosso bob]

First off can I say what a treat it is to have DNR Dave to work with on this trail , now I know why Island Lake liked him so much . Mike and I rode the whole trail counter clockwise and am so surprised at how dry it is , there 3 large trees down between 3 and 4 markers so be careful . Also at marker 13 turn left and follow the trail back to 14 as it is wet going to the right . I think we can solve the grassy problem as Dave said we could use grass killer down the center of the trail but once again it would be a major cost . Granted I know it is a workout riding across the grassy sections but the more riders the quicker it will get broke in . It is starting to get a little better each time I ride out here now .

[DNR Sleepy Hollow]

The guys went out this morning and cleared trees on the northern part of the trail. I think it is all clear.

Let me know.

Dave

[ted1969]

was out at Sleepy Hollow yesterday morning with my daughter.. trails were in great condition.. thanks for all everyone has done..