Build your own 'shore

Build your own 'shore. For anyone whose confused, or not a mountain biker, we're not talking about beaches or seafronts here, we're talking North Shore. Wooden and dirt trails for riding over on mountain bikes. Originaly from the deep dark woods of Canada, first built to cover stretches of bog, now built just for the fun of it!
We've been allowed access to a piece of private woodland so that we can make our very own 'shore, jumps and general MTB mayhem! It helps lots that the land owner (another Tom K) is a keen biker and paddler and general outdoor sportsman, and was just as keen to join in the action as we were!
It was the first time I'd been upto the woods, but Tom and Ewart had already started on the trail building, but this time there was a whole mob of us, Tom, Ewart, Andy, Phil, the other Tom and myself. Plus this time we'd brought power tools with us! So armed with a chainsaw, a hammer and a pocket full of nails I set to work.
Ewart acted as trail boss, having fallen off his bike two days before and badly dislocated his thumb, he set to, telling us what to do to turn his shore vision into a trail reality! Most of the action began with finishing off the wall ride that had been started on previous days. Ewart, rake in one hand, started marking out the rest of the trail, and Andy started trying to clear under growth.

The wall ride takes shape

Ewart his rake and his busted thumb

Trees were cut (only using what had already fallen or was dead), nails were nailed, Berms were dug, and pine needles were raked. The wall ride started to take shape. Tom and Andy made a ladder, for a bit of elevated shore action. This was incorperated into a step-up jump onto the ladder, with a jump off the other end, onto a downwards sloping ladder.
The wall ride was finished and christened. Tom K (the land owner) rode it first, and became its first victim, sliding of the wall half way round! I rode it second, and going a bit slower, managed it all the way round.

The step-up and ladder in the making

The trail then snakes across the hill side, weaving between the trees, before a tight berm spits you out towards the step-up. With a last all hands on deck effort the step-up, ladder, was finished. With the light rapidly fading under the trees there was only one thing to do, RIDE!

Two views of the trail weaving through the woods

Andy hits the wall ride

Andy and power tools, and dangerous combo!

Trying to keep enough speed through the tight berm was daunting, but with a reasonable run out and some gradient there was just enough room to gain the speed for the step-up. After riding it a few times Phil and I realised that with enough speed, you could jump up the step-up, and then launch off the top of the ladder, getting a good bit of air, before just landing on the end of the down ladder.

Phil, air from the top of the ladder

Me, also airing the ladder

Phil steps up

me, landing the step-up

There's still lots more trail to be dug, but what we've got so far rocks! with a few more Sundays spent digging, cutting and nailing we'll soon have some awsome trails!