CRAMBA: Bloomer

[Todd Scott]

Post trail conditions and problem reports for the trails at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills

[Phresh]

Rode midday, Sunday 3/21. Temps mid to upper 30's. Cold and breezy the night before. The trails along the river's edge were very firm and ridable as was the main double track and the rail to trail portions. There are still a handful of soupy spots in low lying areas, which definitely should be avoided or walked around. Pizza cut tracks evident in those locations. The area needs a bit more time before wide spread use is recommended.

[RideOrDieDAN]

I was out there on saturday doing trail work. the trail was not fit for riding.

[Blumrdude]

Bloomer Trails should be avoided for another eight to ten days, especially if we get all the rain that is predicted for this week. The ground is extremely mushy about two inches down in places.

[Blumrdude]

Bloomer is rideable as of noon, Sat, 3/27/04.....just try to avoid any water holes/mud holes....some of the downhill sections will still be slippery.....areas that are normally swampy until summer are that way presently.....

[WICCMB]

Art,
how did the trail heal (either naturally or "assisted") since the last PB race?

[Blumrdude]

Still working on it, Jon.....and will be for some time to come.....it hasn't helped that the park rangers have driven around in their vehicles prior to complete thaw......I have to speak to them about that......special thanks to RideordieDan and Shawn Murphy for helping me for three hours this morning......

[RideOrDieDAN]

I had fun. I am thinking about changing my screen name to "Dantherockhunter"

[Trek930]

I had fun. I am thinking about changing my screen name to "Dantherockhunter"

Not a bad idea. Once you started you didn't want to stop! I had a good time. See you out there again sometime.

[MountainMike]

Went out today for awhile and the trails were in great shape. I rode the main trails, the ridge trails and the two track and all were bone dry.

[Blumrdude]

A very old trail, circa 1992, has just been "resurrected" and newly opened. You can access it down in the valley just west of the sledding hill. Despite starting out easy it becomes very physically demanding the further you go. Lots of narrow and off-camber sections and one port-a-bike section through the muck (which I will soon build a bridge over or make a rock garden through). You can access the north end of the loop towards the lower end of the small switchbacks on the east side of the "Horseshoe".....

[Blumrdude]

General Information for new riders to Bloomer: The ridge trails are directional, the top ridge trail goes east originating from the top of the big switchbacks, and the bottom ridge trail goes west ending at the bottom of the big switchbacks. The only time anyone should ride these trails in reverse is at night with lights so a rider can see someone coming from the opposite direction. Thanks.....

[Blumrdude]

There is some flooding, soft mucky areas, and standing water along the south side double-track near the cider mill area. Also, some low over-hanging limbs and trees in some single-track in that area: Be cautious, esp. at night. Currently I am in the process of re-seeding grass in many areas of the park and have almost finished raking/smoothing the Paul Bunyon winter race course that many people thought was a disaster area. Weeds are starting to grow like gang-busters on all single-track areas and will have to be mowed or whipped down in the near future. The marshy areas are becoming quite populated with mosquitoes so try to avoid stopping in those areas. All trails currently need to be raked free of debris at the present time. Please stop and pick up any large branches or limbs you may come across while riding.

[Blumrdude]

Bloomer currently is very muddy, slick, and mucky.....On Sat morning 5/15/04 between the hours of 9:00 - 1:00 there is a "walk-a-thon" scheduled which will put numerous hikers on the trail system....Please avoid riding during this time....Also, on Sat morning 5/22/04 there will be another "walk-a-thon" and a combined 5 K walk or run being done as a fund raiser between 7:30 and 12:30....Again, please avoid the area.

[Blumrdude]

As of today Bloomer is rideable with a few water holes and some mucky areas.....the switcbacks are still slick and the low area near the cider mill is flooded.....some of the single-track is becoming very narrow due to growth of weeds which I can't keep up with so some trails are weed-whacked and some aren't.....