Western: Robinette's

[gtrowbridge]

Kris, Shoe, thanks for the offer to escort me on a ride out there. :-) Understand I don't like giving any negative reviews, but I try to approach every trail that is new to me as a total outsider...from out of town, or even out of state, that is not a member and doesn't have access to these forums. Like someone hearing about the trail from non riders when they are up here on vacation (Think "Pure Michigan"?) that just shows up to a trail head uninformed. I don't think either one of you guys can escort everybody who could show up at the trail head.

I understand the trail should be challenging. I rode Edwards Creek in Greenville two days prior to doing Robinette's and that is certainly an advanced ride and I loved it, even though I bounced off a few trees now and then. That's part of mountain biking. The trails being a little wet being a little wet didn't bother me that much. Its just something to be prepared for that you have to make sure you carry your speed down hill to the top of the next hill.
The "spear" I mentioned is just downright dangerous. I like dangerous obstacles that I could break a bone on or something, but being speared in the gut by a broken branch or tree just isn't right. If I'm back out there walking, I'll take a saw and cut the spear into a nice blunt end so it will only break a bone not pierce internal organs. :-)

I have my own private 2 mile trail system to maintain on my property which gets overgrown and requires mowing a few times a year to keep the pricker bushes from tearing up my ankles. Luckily there were none of those at Robinette's. And don't get me started about how many trees I have to clear off my trail every spring....plus the flooding...and obstacles that just "move" every winter. Its also taken me about 3 years to get the signage right on my trail as many loops double back on themselves to add distance and to ride obstacles backwards. So I feel for anybody trying to maintain a MTB trail. Its not easy and takes a lot of time.

[paydirt_07]

Gtrowbridge - Robinette is a fun little trail with some good challenges, but it has a history of sporadic trail maintenance. I've ridden it when it was not well maintained & when it has been. Big difference.
Kudos to Shoe, Kris & others who have stepped up to do maintenance!
Last year i helped out the Motion Initiative group, on their trail day, and the trail was in great shape, except the low swamp section by the creek. However, most trails get that spring/ early summer growth spurt, where things can turn into a jungle real fast; especially if a trail doesn't get very many, if any trail days.
From what I noticed on the trail guide, Robinette doesn't have a TC. Or is that out-of-date info? True, it doesn't get the attention that CSGA, CSA, or Luton gets, but there are only so many volunteers and we all want to ride. :-)

[shoe]

Robinette's update:
A dozen more arrows (all we had) have been put into place. Could use a couple more but you absolutely can find your way around the route. The 'spear' has been removed. Robinette's crews got back in there today with a brush hog and a crew with hand machetes and cleared out literally all of the undergrowth.

We have a trail day planned in August (date to be determined) and so much work was done in there today that we will be able to use that day to re-open some trail on the north end of the property that has not been used for a few years and that the Robinette family has given us permission to re-open.

Edit: While I am not associated with Robinettes I do live nearby and am willing to escort any rider for a familiarization lap, schedule permitting. The trail is considered an intermediate-to-advanced level.

[kms662]

Rode Robinettes tonight (and yes I put my $3 in the tube). Could tell someone has been working out there cutting, were clippings all over the place including the trail. FYI, the first part of the loop into the woods has several trees down over the trail. A couple are about 5 feet off the ground with a number of broken branch nubs just waiting to skewer someone. Oh, and thanks for the arrows! Finally found out you're supposed to hide down that huge gully, not up it! It's pretty soft & rutted from the rain, almost did an endo about 2/3rds of the way down!

[shoe]

I'll get the trees out this week. In the meantime it is passable, duck under a couple and hop over a couple.
Re: "almost did an endo about 2/3rds of the way down!" -Ain't it great! : )

[Bigtymer]

I rode this trail three times last week and I didn't see a single tree down.... Btw the guys that are claiming this trail is advanced are completely right! This trail rules! It blows luton park, sga, and the ski area away. If you want to ride a rippin trail go to Robinette's and tear it up. Thank you to those who added the yellow arrows:) Very nice to have.

[Bigtymer]

I left my front wheel in the robinette's parking lot around 530pm today. If someone found it please let me know. As I won't be able to ride the rest of the summer if I don't get it back:( I have no know money for a new front wheel.

[shoe]

Robinettes crew has removed the downed trees. All good to go.

[Bigtymer]

The guys at Robinette's had my front tire. Thanks a lot guys you saved my season!!

[shoe]

New trail addition at Robinettes!
Come and join us on August 22 to cut in additional trail. It will be ribboned and marked and ready to go for a very productive trail day. Hope to see you. 9am to 12:30 and then let's ride it!

[trout_smith]

New trail addition at Robinettes!
Come and join us on August 22 to cut in additional trail. It will be ribboned and marked and ready to go for a very productive trail day. Hope to see you. 9am to 12:30 and then let's ride it!

Thanks for posting this up. I dropped the ball. We might be bringing some of the kids from The Motion Initiative to help out with general trail cleanup too.

If we have enough people show up, we can clean up (rake and maybe lopping some limbs) and cut in the new trail at the same time.

I have ridden this trail recently. It's fun and technical and a clear run right now. With a little work, it'll be in great shape.

[RickPlite]

I posted it on the Volunteers Needed page too.

Join Glenn and crew for a trail day at Robinette's Orchard Aug 22nd from 9am-12:30pm. We plan to re-claim the north section of trail lost due to some property sales that never came to fruition. Bring rakes, loppers and chain saws

[tesuzuki2002]

Anyone with some experience at Robinette's up for riding this Saturday?? Say around 11:30 ish. I am running the homerun 5k in the morning and was planning to head straght there afterwards. I was out there a couple years ago in the fall.. it was a blast.. had no clue abour directions and trails.. just went in .. and eventually found my way out.

[shoe]

I can ride Saturday morning. PM sent. Open invite to anyone else as well.

[shoe]

The trail day and new trail project at Robinettes is ready to go forward on Saturday 8/22. A combination of new and reclaimed trail has been "scouted" and chainsaw-cleared and we will be able to have a very productive morning. Trailday volunteers should be able to ride the new section in the afternoon already.
If you want to help the volunteer effort, come on out 9am Saturday morning for a morning of volunteer work and afternoon of riding.