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Stillwater 500
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motoman426 View Drop Down
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Posts: 59 		  Quote motoman426 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Stillwater 500
    Posted: 21 Sep 2008 at 9:14pm
Went to Stillwater 500 yesterday.  It was my first time there, I had been wanting to go since I moved to Oklahoma about 2 years ago and my only regret was waiting 2 years.  The track was HORRIBLE but the trails were SOOOO SWEET! Big%20smile  No ruts, no holes, no grass growing over all the trails, no low hanging trees ready to rip your head off.  The trails flowed so smoothly and the jumps on the trails were a very welcomed change to my usual Draper riding.  Don't get me wrong, I like Draper and Charlie & Greg, if you're reading this, I really appreciate all your work out there getting the trails to where they are but I'm confused...and this will likely cause some friction with the CRA and ODR but it's not intentional....My membership at Stillwater was $25/year split 50/50 with another guy + 2 more riders under 16.  For arguments sake lets just say we split it 50/50 with 2 people making eachother's share $12.50 for a year.  For this $12.50 I got a years access to well maintained trails, awesome elevation changes and cool jumps thoughout, What is Oklahoma City doing with my $60.00 per year at Draper?????Confused  If there is someone here that can help me understand this I'd appreciate it. 
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jturmel View Drop Down
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Posts: 146 		  Quote jturmel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2008 at 7:35am
Bureaucratic log jams... :)
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Phoenix View Drop Down
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Posts: 81 		  Quote Phoenix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2008 at 9:06pm
Strictly speaking, isn't Stillwater $25/person/year? 

The 500 is definitely the best trail system within an hour of OKC (in my opinion).  I've never been a huge fan of Draper.
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Posts: 24 		  Quote streetndirt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2008 at 9:20pm
I've never been to Stillwater and would love to go sometime. I ride at Draper (Crosstimbers) and really like it but a change of pace is always nice too. Post up here when someone is going, I'd love to go spend a day up there and get to know the place.

Are the trails directional or do you have to worry about the dreaded head on collision?
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Danger View Drop Down
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Posts: 31 		  Quote Danger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2008 at 5:19pm
I have fun a Crosstimbers and it's a close place to ride to keep up your stamina.  When you buy an Okla. City fishing license it's good for 1 year from the date of purchase.  Why can't they do that with the riding permit?
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campNride View Drop Down
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Posts: 64 		  Quote campNride Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2008 at 6:48pm
Now that would make sinceLOL  The trails are directional so you don't have to much to worry about. There were a couple spots where someone could get turned around but not bad at all. It was a nice change of pace from going out to draper all the time. The ATV trail was in really good condition and has a great flow. The MC only trail was way to tight for my taste and overgrown. Some of the hills were pretty challenging. Definately planning on heading back up that way some time soon.
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reddirtjoe43 View Drop Down
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Posts: 207 		  Quote reddirtjoe43 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2008 at 4:40am

I live about 30 minutes from Stillwater. I am not that fast of a rider,  but would ride with someone if they give enough notice.                                                                                   The 25.00 is supposed to be for you and family member( husband and wife  or dad and son type thing)                                                                                                                               I buy a permit for myself and a seperate one for the wife and step kids.  It isnt much but it helps to keep the place open.

Most of the trails at Stillwater have been there a long time (broken in), Draper is failrly new trails.  To me,  that explains roots etc.   
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Posts: 340 		  Quote Durtrider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2008 at 11:18pm

Draper is 3 or 4 square miles. Stillwater is 500 acres. There is a difference.

Stillwater has a club, and they schedule work days.
Draper has something like 50 miles of trail. That is a lot of trimming and clearing.
We have had work days, and there are some folks that show up.
But there are a buttload that don't... and that is always the ones who seem to bitch the loudest.
 
Sorry Jamie. You said this might cause some friction.
 
 But this is my riding area too.
 I'd much rather have a place to ride as not. So I get a bit protective of it.
 
Nobody in their right mind is going to do trail maintenance in the summer. At the old Draper we used to do everything in the fall right before an Enduro, and that way it stayed trimmed until the next summer. But that was done within the ODR's and I don't know if they have the numbers to do that anymore, as I haven't been a member for awhile.
 
We have had workdays, and 10 or 15 guys show up. And we do what we can. The rest is done by volunteers thoughout the winter. About 2 or 3 of them.
 
As far as the money, it goes to a lot of things. I could list some here, but probably the best way to find out where the money goes is to go by Ajax and ask Denny. He'll be glad to tell you, and you will be suprised at what all it has taken for Draper to come to what it is today. There is almost 10 grand in rock and gravel alone, not to mention all the tin-horns you never see, the fence, gates, signs, yearly permits, studys of everyfrickinkind you can think of that had to be paid for, parking lot maintenance, weedeaters, chainsaws, mowing, yada yada...
 
 
So yeah. This is a rant. 60 bucks a year to have a place to ride, as opposed to not spending anything to not have a place?
 
I guess we could always drive up to Stillwater.
 
Rant off...
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motoman426 View Drop Down
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Posts: 59 		  Quote motoman426 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 2008 at 3:22pm
First let me say the $60/year is not my deal....I think that's WAY more than a fair price and I'd pay more for the amount of trails that Draper has, but the last few times I've been out there the trails were so rough I went throug fork seals after 3 rides!  
 
I do realize there is a lot of money for things like the parking lot (that SW500 doesn't have), getting the trails going, building more trails etc, my confusion was, and still is, how SW500 can keep their trails so nice and why Draper doesn't...money aside.  They were great last year but this year it seems that there has been a big drop in the maintnance.  Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you and everyone else that I spend a lot of time helping with the trails...I don't.  I have helped several times though and I do know it takes a lot of work.  Ouch 
 
I started this post to get people thinking...not bitching, thinking about what changes need to be made.  You're right, I too am just happy to have a place to ride.  BUT, if the trails continue to go down hill and people stop riding because of it, then what will we have?  This will be the "new 'old' Draper trails".  We need to rethink how the trails are done, how ODR and CRA manage what we have entrusted in them as anual members of Crosstimber.  Do they need to hire it done?  Do they need to make volunteering part of your membership? Do they need to hold more work parties but do cook outs or something to get people there?  I'm not saying I have all the answers....again, this post was to get people thinking.  I'm willing to help and I think there are a lot of people are.  It can't be just Charlie or Greg or you...there's too much work to be done.  But I think we have a great start on what could be a national attraction for places to ride, it just needs to be managed right.
 
I got your PM and no worries, I know you're not directing at me any more than I'm directing at you.  I'm coming from a stance that I don't want Draper to go away either....I want it to grow.  
 
So everybody reading this post....change gears from bitching to thinking....what can WE....all of us....do to contribute and help Draper grow....start posting your ideas and not your complaints.
 
 
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Posts: 40 		  Quote cpeters Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 2008 at 5:32pm
Let me start by saying that I appreciate all the input on the different trail riding areas. It would help if some of this would get to Denny's attention. I like to visit other areas and see how they maintain their trails. I never thought much about trail maintenance until I started helping. I just bitched about the lack of maintenance, but appreciated having an area to ride.
 
When I go to Crossbar, I see a an area with great potential, but will keep going downhill unless someone steps up to start maintaining their trails. The ODR guys layed it out and cut the trails. No one has done anything in the last couple of years.
 
The old draper never got any maintenance except just before the annual enduro. We hope Crosstimbers will be different. It is going to take someone working full time to keep the 50+ miles of trails in good condition.
 
Last year I worked on the trails an average of 3 days a week from late Jun. until the ice
storm. This summer, I have not had the money to spend that much time on the trails.  After the ice storm a couple of us spent 5 days a week clearing trails. Then we had to layout and cut the Black trail. This has caused the red and green trail to receive no maintenance except one mowing and a couple of limb trimming days.
 
Denny needs to hear about the rough eroded trails. He doesnt ride anymore, so it is up to us to tell him what needs attention. Maybe he can get a work day scheduled. Even though one day will not fix much, but it will help with trimming. It is going to take some good equipment to fix the trails and then install water diversion dams to prevent further erosion.
 
Just my two cents worth.
Lets go ride.
 
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