Ground Effect Weekend a Resounding Success
New "Duck Down" trail under construction.
Each year Ground Effect organises a trail building weekend, usually in Canterbury. However this year the MTB Trails Trust was fortunate to attract them to St Arnaud for what turned out to be an amazing and rewarding weekend.
If you were put off coming on the Saturday by the weather you really missed out. With the rain pelting down Saturday morning we unsuccessfully tried delaying tactics to keep a roof over our heads, but there was no holding back 45 McLeod and grubber wielding trailbuilders vying to dig the first divot on the new Duck Down track at Teetotal Flat. In our wildest expectations we hoped to complete most of the first 400 metres up to a rocky lookout on a ridge from where the going gets really easy.
Wow! By lunchtime they were up to the lookout. A quick lunch and the crew were back on the job, some refining the morning's effort whilst others blasted on up the ridge chasing Chris and Bryce on their chainsaws. Saturday evening we all had a magnificent buffet courtesy of the Alpine Lodge before turning in early.
Sunday burst fine and clear, so some of the crew set off to explore local tracks on their bikes, but others couldn't be held back from the trail building. One of the steepest sections was realigned through some tricky terrain that features a squeeze between a couple of big rocks.
In all 800 metres of track is now close to completion, another 90 metres is cleared and there is still another1380 metres to go to link in to the top of the Rocky Horror Show.
Ground Effect took care of all the food and accommodation and the organisation was outstanding. No matter where the crew head next year, don't miss out, make sure you register. We sure will. More photos from the weekend here and on the Ground Effect blog here.
The pink part of Duck Down was completed over the weekend. The red part has just received
approval from DOC so we hope to do some work on it over the holiday period.
Magenta lines are completed and existing trails.
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