Just a quick progress report from Pete and Ted about the facility at Gallagher Park. Please pass on to all the possible people you may know through forums, clubs etc... the more people are aware what’s going on the more help we will get.
Pete wrote “ we had a great first day yesterday clearing the Red Descent and cutting a machine access corridor. Myself, Ted, his son Angus and two of the Parks' guys, Mike and Malcolm spent the day brashing the existing routes, removing sprags and cut stumps, felling any dead trees near to the tracks, widening parts of the existing 'Red' descent and cutting a new route for the last third of the track.
The re-routed section includes two chicanes where existing, informal walking paths cross and an extended finish which exits next to the drainage ditch at the park boundary. We need another cutting day to clear a modified 'Black' descent and to brash a new push-up path, but I thought it might be sensible to do this work on the first of the excavator days”.
Ted has asked us all to avoid the temptation to use the log piles we have made. These are needed to build new jumps. I’ve also been asked for those who built the original track not to dig any more pits this will make the facility as natural as possible once summer comes.
Next stage... acquire a 5 tonne excavator and to dig out all of the cut stumps on the new routes and bury them. This should take 2 days, one for the Red and one for the Black (it will be cleared by Pete/Ted on the first day). After that there is a need to get mineral soil, surfacing stone (whindust) and slabs/blocks delivered to the trail start point (any contacts / offers will be accepted!!!).
After that we will be ready to build the new berms, jumps and drops and to lay any new sections of track with help from the volunteers... SO GET READY.... YOUR TRAIL NEEDS YOU!
Please note once I find out the dates/times for volunteering I will pass this to all the contacts I have.