June 24, 2006

We are stuck.

We’ve a nice single track trail going all the way along South B. Vista Road, ending just after a triple junction. With a steep descent, a drain to cross and a small hill to climb with not much place to cut a trail through.

With RenHao, Max, Ling, Chi, Alvin and 7 strong labour force, alot can be done today.

we get the material transport going, shuttling granite chips in one by one, bag by bag.

While 3 of them doing granite pathing on the external trail along the road, without much monitoring.

BAD BAD idea. We ended with a thick layer of granite, that can’t be ridden over.

Max, Alvin, and Moneru start to do recce and trail pathing so to get us across the obstacles, while Ren Hao mark the line for the long descent from the ‘triple junction’.

Ling and Me rode anti trail direction towards the ‘snake slope’ to finish the final drainage needed there. With barely enough material and just a mallet, we secure the place, rearrange fallen branches to line the waterline and trail.

With the cangkul and parang finally available, and Ren Hao free of task at the rear end of the trail, we are able to cut fallen trunks into the exact size for the drainage, and granite chips to fill the area.

This used to be a 6in-1ft deep mud pool. soggy and wet.

Well I got to leave early. while the rest managed to find the trail needed to complete the loop.

I got to see the result the week after. Indeed is simply awesome trail exit, big fallen trunk above head, crossing 2 drainage which looks like natural creek, green moss everywhere. Nice descent and dropoff just before the 3rd ‘river’ crossing.

The scene reminds me of the trees of Hurtgen Forest in ‘When Trumpet Fade‘

35 manhours – granite chips and material transportation

8 manhours – ‘snake slope’ last drainage

18 manhours – trail recce and clearing