Wet, wet, wet...

Winter is well and truly here and most of us are pretty used to checking the weather

forecast for the tell tale reports of rain and cold before heading out. However, along

with the decision of whether or not to wear warmers or take waterproofs, we should

also be considering which trails to ride, too. Not just what is going to provide us with

the ride that is the most fun or hardest workout, but what is going to be suitable for

the trails themselves, given the weather.

It’s simply a fact that there are some trails that are perfectly fine to ride in the dry, but

should be avoided at all costs after a period of sustained wet weather. That epic

section of singletrail, on the southern side of that hill, which swoops and dips its way

down through those trees and, finally, across that creek at the bottom of that valley?

Sure, it’ll still be fun and flowing, but it also sounds like the type of trail that will stay wet

for days; shaded by trees, out of direct sunlight and a natural funnel to a creek? All of

these points suggest a trail that needs all the help it can get once the rain sets in to

not turn into a boggy, muddy mess by being churned up with the passing of

numerous tyres (nor feet - and certainly not hooves - for that matter!) and the slipsliding

around of rubber searching for traction under braking.

Little choices like this may seem over the top or excessively pedantic, but, like it or

not, are all part of the bigger picture when it comes to gaining – and arguably more

importantly, maintaining – access to trails and areas to ride. If we can’t and don’t

display the ability to responsibly look after and take care of the trail networks that we

do have access to, we are only going to create a negative image for ourselves and

fuel the anti-MTB fires, making it even harder to further the calls for access to areas we

are currently restricted from using. Heaped on top of this is the fact that by degrading

what is already there, the trail crews spend time grooming existing trails rather than

doing the fun stuff they’d rather do, such add technical B- ( and even C- ) lines or

when and where possible, cutting entirely new trail. Or even better again, riding trails

rather than having to work on them!

To this end, fireroad and vehicular access tracks – although understandably not as

much fun – are a more sustainable (although by no means perfect) option if you must

get out and ride. In general, they stand up to wet conditions better as they are more

uniform in their surfacing and gradient allowing water to pass over them more easily

and, having been built to hold up to several tonnes of firetruck, logging equipment,

or works ute, they generally show far fewer signs of impact from a few kilograms of

bike and rider than wet trail does.

However, singletrail, doubletrail or fireroad, if it has been wet enough, we are bound

to encounter unavoidable puddles or occasionally running water crossing our path,

where for the remainder of the year we wouldn’t notice a drop. So what to do? Well,

the best thing for it is to follow the trail; yep, straight through the middle of the puddle!

Remember, this is mountain biking – if a bit of mud and the splash of cold spray is offputting

or a problem, maybe you should stay indoors on the turbo or on the couch

watching footy for the winter… But seriously, it is the lesser of the two evils. Try to go

around the puddle and the trail widens. The puddle expands to fill this new part of the

trail, so people go wider still and again the puddle grows. Keep this up until the trail

dries out and suddenly we have a singletrail that suddenly has a boggy section 2

metres wide and 5 metres long rather than a 30cm puddle in need of some TLC. So

for once, don’t act your age – release the inner child and splash through the centre

of the puddle with a grin from ear to ear.

So, when you next check the weather forecast and make decisions for the upcoming

ride, have a thought about the trails you’re going to ride and the impact you’ll have

on them. Whilst riding in the bush is ultimately about fun, enjoyment and having a

laugh, each and all of the above are amplified when the trails are in prime condition

and access to them is unfettered with restrictions – and for that to happen, we all

need to do the little things, like thinking for a moment, before we start to pedal.