NOHVCC ride in Montana

[thumper-darryl]

Just back from 5 days in Great Falls attending the NOHVCC conference as the Alberta motorcycle representative to NOHVCC. The first two days were dedicated to riding examples of NOHVCc designed single track and watching demonstrations of both quad width and single track trail building equipment at work. ASORM arranged for bikes that were graciously supplied by Dave at A@E racing in Brookes, that I hauled down for the representatives from Nova-Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. Since I ride in the area we were at regularly I was asked to be a trail leader and guide groups on rides. The tricky single track through rocks, and more rocks proved to be a challenge for many of the participants, and the afternoon rides had fewer riders than the morning rides. When we headed out on the Thursday afternoon ride it was 106 F in the shade. All the off-road provinces were present for the conference so we had lots of time to work on planning for the future of off-road riding in Canada. The three days of meetings were very educational as well as we can learn a ton from our U.S friends who are decades ahead of us on trail building and land advocacy. I brought back a number of the famous NOHVCC manuals as well and some DVDs called Introduction to Mechanized Trail Equipment. If anyone is interested in info on anything we learned in Montana, or would like NOHVCC books or a DVD contact me at darryl@asorm.ca.

[Dobi]

Man that machine looks cool.
http://singletracktools.com/?sec=home
there is some great footage on their website showing it in use. What was the cost on that thing? I see there is a MTB club in BCthat owns/has access to one.

We are showing a chapter of the NOHVCC trail design/building DVD at the meeting tomorrow night. I would love to get my hands on the latest NOHVCC DVD on mechanized trail equipment.

[crazy2wheeler]

Good info, Darryl!

And cool pics too.

D.

[Hendrix13]

I think that's the machine Aaron was drooling over earlier this year. Too much $$$

BTW...how many "presidents" are there on the RMDRA forum
I think Dobi should atleast get the bigger font

[thumper-darryl]

I have a bunch more photos that I will post when I have time. That trail building machine uses remote control. The control unit in the operators lap hangs on to the operator witha shoulder harness, so when in unsafe terrain the operator just gets off of the machine and operates it from 10-20 ft away. About $80,000. In the talks about trail building it was interesting that in rocky terrain is is more cost effective to use contractors with picks and shovels rather than machines. The machine we saw in use was powered by a gas engine, but their new ones will be coming with a more powerfull Kubota diesel.
PRESIDENT- ALBERTA SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION

[Hendrix13]

OMG that's too funny. I'm not the president of anything

(on a more serious note)...that's interesting that it's cheaper to use a pick and shovel in some places. We're looking at fixing up our trailblazer Aaron found for us and it's going to take a ton of cash. I wonder how usefull it would be for the rocky terrain around here. I heard Barwell was built with it and it doesn't get much rockier then that

[markvfr]

Man that machine looks cool.
http://singletracktools.com/?sec=home
there is some great footage on their website showing it in use. What was the cost on that thing?

Really cool. Its a pretty slow moving rig eh?


President - Polish Dirt Riders Association - Calgary SW Chapter

[Spinalguy]

i've got nothing....

President and CEO of Spinalguy Chiropractic

[thumper-darryl]

What the U.S. forest people discovered that the machine moves actually fairly quickly over the terrain it leaves such a mess that you have to have people with hand tools to go over it and 'fine tune' the trail while on very rocky terrain just the same crew digs out the entire trail. Depends on the trail. For wider trails the machines are deffinately better, but for narrow single track a work crew builds trail pretty quick due to the fact that you do not have to move much material for a narrow trail. We are talking less than 20in wide. We saw trails built by both methods.

[Dobi]

It's okay gang. we all know it is not the size of your Presidency that matters, it is what you are capable of doing with it.....

but for the record

[350scott]

If you would like to refer to me by title: Vice President, McLeod Family

[Quebecrider]

I was part of the ride in Montana and trails are very different than what we get in Quebec. Montana trails are very hard and dry, Quebec trail mixed of rocks and very wet and soft terrain. I would like to thanks Darryl Copithorne from ASORM for bringing me this wonderful Husaberg 450 supplied by Dave at A & E Racing and marine Box 584 Brookes AB T1R 1B2.

A lot of souvenirs in my memory from Montana

Thanks again Darryl

[Dobi]

Agreed Quebecrider. the trails here are WAY different than the stuff out East. I rode in Quebec last fall and did not overly enjoy the terrain out there