This blog shows the progress we've made at Moos trails since December 2008. It was initially for the first trail building competition but I decided to keep it going as a permanent record of the goings on at the trails.
We started Moos in the summer of 2008 when there were just a couple of abandoned jumps. So far we've fixed up the two original jumps and added a few more. Making up team Moos is me,
Geoff and
Adam did some digging too.Took a few photos today to show the starting point for the trail building competition.
Pump lump and third takeoff, plan is to make the pump lump at least twice as big and to redo the third lip as its too mellow.
7th jump in the line, already started, need to finish shaping the lip.
Landing is going about a foot higher and needs to be shaped.
8th jump, not done much yet, need to be built up alot, takeoff to be about 6ft high.
Not sure how far we're going to get by April, should get up to the 8th done. Lots of room after this we should eventually have at least another four jumps.
Update - 21/12/08.Put loads more dirt on the 8th, its about 6ft now and nearly ready for claying.
Update - 27/12/08.Finished the hip landing today.
From the back...
and the front...
Update - 01/01/09Takeoff after the hip nearly finished, didn't finish shaping it because it would get damaged by the frost.
Update - 02/01/09First pump lump finished.
Update - 24/01/09Was a good day today,
reshaped the 3rd lip
Then we made the second pump lump bigger, was so small before you couldn't pump it at all.
Update - 04/02/09Finally finished the hip takeoff, been putting it off for a while now.
Shaping the last bit
Update - 10/02/09The trails made it onto the Dirt magazine website today!
Update - 15/02/098th landing finished today, really pleased with it.
Update - 01/03/09Not much been done recently, been riding in this nice weather. Made a start on the 9th jump, here it is,
Update - 15/03/09Shaped the 8th takeoff, and did loads of work on the 9th but no pic of that, will get one next time, here's the takeoff,
Update - 22/03/09Not alot of building got done this week, was riding them all weekend. First 5 are worn in good the 6th, 7th and 8th have been attempted but still need more riding and drying out. Pics of the riding on my profile and some of how the jumps look after riding them in.
Got a little bit more done on the 9th, half shaped the lip it will be another ft taller when finished.
Update - 05/04/09Had a good building day on Saturday.
We didn't quite have enough speed after going round the 270 berm due to it not being tight enough to pump, we'd never built a berm like that before so didn't know how tight to do it, anyway we decided we would just put a pump lump on the end. Well we rode it today and it works so no pedal after the berm now which makes it so much nicer to ride. Also lengthened the 5th jump by about a foot but no pic of that.
before...
and after...
Update - 21/04/09Lots happened since the last update.
6th lip reshaped was a bit kicky before, also landing widened was sketchy before with the tree so close, now looks like this -
Started new line, will be an option instead of the tech section after the berm, eventually will join up with hip landing.
Major changes done to the 8th jump, lip used to be about 7ft high and was taking to much speed so cut about a ft of takeoff and landing, and landing steeper as well.
Finished the 9th takeoff
Line is now working amazing up to the hip jump, jump after the hip is riding but need some change to the lip which will be done soon.
Update - 12/05/09Done a bit more building no pics though, got a speed jump roughly done after the 9th its got a huge gap and nearly finished the berm for the alternative line.
Been doing loads of riding so here's a pic, not me by the way
Edd one foot table
and jack made a short vid from the weekend, enjoy
Update 16/05/09Went up trails today did a bit of building got some pics of new stuff though.
Speed jump after the 9th, bit rough needs shaping, line is going to split in two after this. On the left we started rollover double and on the right we started a step up which we're digging into the ground will be trick jump and line will end after that.
New berm for other line.
And finally a pic from the last weekend nothing new just an over view of the start of the line.
Update - 11/06/099th landing almost done, just got to clay the other side.
Update - 12/06/09Worked on the step up takeoff today, this is the 11th jump and will be the last for this branch of the line, the other branch is going to go on for a few more.
Update - 17/06/0910th landing shaped.
Update - 19/07/09Weathers been terrible and I went on holiday for two weeks so not much has been happening at the trails.
Some good news I think, the council have approved a plan to make the trails official, and give us some funding. So no more worrying about them being dozed.
There's a jam planned for the 15th August at Clyne jumps and Moos everyone is welcome to come ride, some of the King Of Dirt riders are coming and of course Danny Pace will be there.
We're desperate for some good weather to finish of the end of the line for the jam, just the step up landing to finish, and need to ride in the last three jumps. The landing so far,
Update - 08/08/09Finally got some decent weather and did some riding again, made some progress with the new line:
Update - 29/08/09Got an exciting email today confirming that the council have approved the plan to make all the trails and jumps in the valley official. The council will be providing funding of ₤50,000 for the next financial year and ₤8,000 for the 3 years after that. I have no more details yet about what we will be allowed to do at Moos but we will be getting a share of the funding.
It rained on jam day so we couldn't ride the trails, everyone went to Newport Skate park instead.
Weather is terrible as usual so not much happening at the moment, must be the worst summer I can remember. Started to clear out and plan a new line which will be the main winter project. The run in will start in the same place but this line will take a more direct route down the hill and the jumps are going to be much bigger.
Oh last thing, Dirt magazine put a nice pic of Moos in issue 91 of the mag in their regular Welshside feature. Here's the pic, rider is
Edd Tucker.
Update - 14/09/09Went to the first funding meeting, went really well. Basically allowed to design some new lines and will get volunteers and possibly a digger to build them.
Done some building today as well,
Cleared out from the roller double.
New lip on new line.
And also started riding the 9th,
Update - 27/09/09First update since the start of the new trail building comp.
Amazing day at the trails today, Danny Pace came up and went nuts, and jumps were riding sweet.
Rode the 10th in the main line and the jump in the new line for the first time, both worked well.
Got the landing shaped on the new jump on new line, here's a pic,
Update - 10/10/09No riding this last week, put all the tarps on for winter.
Shaped the 10th lip today, and started planning out the new lines to show the council.
Update - 18/10/09Trails riding good this weekend, might be the last ride this year looks like rain next week.
Did some work on the 1st in the new big line will get some pics next time.
Update - 25/10/09Looks like we won't be riding the trails now until next spring, anyway at least it means we'll get some proper building done.
Some pics of what we did this weekend
Got the rough shape for the set up jump, needs claying now.
Dug out the top soil after the landing and started on the 2nd lip.
Update - 01/11/09Did a bit on Saturday, been pretty wet this week. Got the 2nd lip in the big line done roughly, will eventually be covered in clay.
Update - 16/11/09Its been very wet last couple of weeks, managed to get two days of building done on the 2nd landing on the big line. Its going to be huge and its a split landing as well so its taking a while, will get a pic when we get the rough shape done.
Update - 22/11/09Been wet and windy all week, went up to check that all the tarps were still on and that the trails were ok, and surprisingly everything was fine. Did a few more hours work on the 2nd landing on the big line, here's a pic
Also I bought a new camera this weekend so next summer I will get some proper pics and vids.
Update - 29/11/09Got bored of building the big line so I started on a bermed pump lump on the other line, its looking pretty rad will get a pic next time.
Update - 30/11/09Here is a rough sketch of our future plans, just got to see what the council say now.
So far we have got up to the 10th done on the main line, that the one that start at the top left at no. 1 and goes around the 270 berm all the way down to the step up, no. 11. We started the step up and will get this done by summer.
For the line that starts in the same place but goes round the other berm, we've done up to the jump after the roller double.
And we've started the first two on the big line, the one that starts on it own on the left.
Update - 08/12/09Not getting much done at the moment due to the weather and I got exams, so don't have much spare time. Managed to do a few very wet hours of digging and finished of this berm/pump thing, shaping it was hell.
Update - 24/12/09Been working on the step up landing, getting there slowly got it half shaped will be going about another foot higher.
Update - 28/12/09A bit more shaping done on the step up...
Update - 29/12/09There's a couple of short clips of the trails in this sweet Danny Pace edit by thatdontmeanjack.
Update - 02/01/10Done a bit more on the step up landing, seems to be taking forever but it's just me building at the moment. Not quite as tall as I wanted but couldn't be bothered to make it any bigger we'll have to wait and see how it rides.
Update - 09/01/10Been doing a bit of work on one of the lines branching off the main line going to be so rad, jump to split landing one straight, one hipped The hip going into a huge berm then new lip and landing into the hip landing on main line.
Also Gusset have used a pic of Moos in there advert which is in this months MBUK magazine. Rider is local Danny Pace, pic taken by
Sam Davies.
Update - 13/01/10Thanks to Pinkbike for putting my other blog on the main page. Lots of good news. The trails got loads of exposure, a few of the other trails sites posted up pics after seeing the blog, and Dirt magazine are interested in putting it in their magazine.
Lots of local riders saw the blog and have offered to come and dig and ride, so I will be organising some dig days when the weather gets better.
rhyssutton made this awesome vid of the trails which I didn't know existed until he posted the link on the blog. Here it is...
Update - 20/02/10Haven't had much time to get up the trails recently, went on holiday and then had to do some building at a new bike park that's being built locally.
Did a few hours work today and built a new pump in between the 9th and 10th looking pretty good. Can't wait to ride again, won't be long now.
Update - 02/03/10Had a meeting with the council last week, showed them my plans they seemed ok with them, just got to measure the area with GPS. Just got to sort a few things out and hopefully will have the diggers in some time in April.
Did a super long day of digging on Sunday with Geoff, finished of the new pump lump, and did a bit more on the berm after the big roller double. Berms gonna be huge when we finish digging out the inside.
Weathers looking good this week, maybe take the tarps of and ride again this weekend can't wait.
Update - 09/03/10First ride of the season on the weekend, was a bit slow and damp but still pretty stoked to be riding dirt again.
Loads of crashes on Sunday was so funny, all the locals came down, Pace went in the pond first run, Ash went over the bars on the 2nd and Roider Phil crashed twice on the 1st and went in the second gap.
Pace and Adam went mad as usual, Pace got the new line running looked like hard work but should be good when it dries out a bit. Adam flipped the hip and landed it, first person to do it, and I missed the shot which sucks.
Pace on the 6th.
Adam on the hip
MOVED THE BLOG TO HEREhttp://www.moostrails.blogspot.com/
i gotta find a new spot to dig as my trails are getting flattened
thanks for the motivation, i would go dig if i had somewhere to build
How many people have you got digging?
you guys have worked hard, and now reaping your rewards.
:P Totally loving it man.
Big line is coming on really nice
When are you going to take the camera down the trails for some super sweet pics then??? lol
exams???
Ive only got GCSEs:P
I want to do media, in mountain biking, and move to aptos... lol
Accountant and a DJer...they fit well!!!
I expect you will be doing allot of building during the winter?
and that plans looks awesome... is it for really or Imaginary?
edit: nevermind. i see from your comments that it is just good clay
nice work keep it up
but if u put a cover over the jump it should be ok right? O.o
was planning a taking a trip up but the weather has been awful