We’re a long way from some of the technical-rich MORC trails systems in the Twin Cities metro, but we’ve been gradually adding optional technical features to our Sechler Park trail in Northfield to keep things interesting for more advanced mountain bikers.
With the spring thaw, the two skinnies created by a chainsaw work crew in late January in the area of the Sechler trail some are calling The Playground are now ready to ride. They’re advanced-level skinnies, not because they’re high but because we haven’t flattened them. They’re both in the early stages of rotting so we opted to just lightly score them, hoping we can get a season or two of use out of them.
The larger of the two skinnies now has a ramp to make it easier to get up onto the log. The other end of the log splits into two branches. You can drop off the log in between them or try your luck on the narrow branches and finish with a wheelie drop off the ends.
The other skinny is a bit tougher not only because it’s smaller and tapers to very small but it’s also bouncy:
We have designs on a third advanced-level skinny nearby, one of three still-living trees that toppled over together towards the river. It’s almost ready to ride. We just need to figure out the entrance. Until then, just pick up your bike, place it on the log, and go:
Also available on other parts of the trail are two logovers that have different levels of challenge depending on where you choose to ride over them: