What to do about the P1 Creek Crossing? COMBO has looked at this area for years, none of the options through or around the area are terribly appealing. The current route has eroded so much, that the tributary feeding the creek has changed course and is now flowing down the bike route whenever it has even a small amount of water in it.

We have surveyed moving the trail both further up or down the embankment but this land area is so flat, it's just moving the problem not really fixing it. So ideas include another boardwalk, turnpiking the trail by using Geotex, rerouting to another flat area or kicking the can down the road and doing nothing. Well, this year, is the year, we try making a permanent fix to the creek crossing using turnpike building and Geotex. It's our first attempt at this technique that has been used successfully in other areas of the country.

Also new for 2012, COMBO has also decided to rework the most troubled areas of P1. Riders will see significant changes to trail. COMBO is closing down and losing trail length in some areas due to problems or high maintenance requirements. Wherever possible, we are adding new trail length, so the net-net should be close to the same trail distance overall.

If you are out on the trails this winter, please stay off the new routes, they are hardening up; of course, the old routes are open, albeit in really bad shape. Even when the new routes open, nothing we can do will prevent the new sections from becoming bad unless we educate riders to not ride the trails when their too soft. Spring riding is an iffy proposition; it will just depend on Mother Nature. Curb your mountain bike fever with road riding.