Keith Bryant
Gathered in a small, nearly-clear part of the woods, surrounded by verdant leaves, roughly 20 colorfully-clothed riders discussed the exact route they'd take through the Back 40 trail system.
They ultimately agreed to split up, with some taking the main Back 40 loop, an intermediate trail, while others went for The Ledges, the most challenging trail in the system, their navigation aided by a freshly-installed set of cedar posts that shows where each intersection leads and how rough the route is likely to be.
Cassi Lapp, communications manager for Bella Vista, said these signposts, installed by Progressive Trail Design, are designed to convey as much information as quickly and clearly as possible. The idea, she said, is to let a rider see everything they need to without slowing down much, if at all.
The signs, she said, indicate the direction a trail travels, the name of the trail, and its difficulty.
"Every trail has a difficulty rating," said Jason Stouder, director of trail operations with Progressive Trail Design. "It's modeled very much like a ski resort would be."
The ratings include a green circle, he said, which designates an easier, beginner-friendly trail. A blue square is an intermediate, with some slightly more advanced obstacles and rougher terrain. A black diamond, he said, marks a difficult trail, with even trickier terrain. A double black diamond would be an incredibly difficult trail, though there aren't any in this system.
""It has a lot to do with the width of the tail, and with the surface," he said.
Things like rocks and roots, steep climbs or descents, narrow passes and the type of surface -- hard-packed earth or loose dirt and gravel, for instance -- all factor into the rating a trail gets.
"There's some subjectivity there," he said.
Not only is the rating ultimately performed by people who may not always agree, but in some areas, he said, trails might be rated differently. A blue square in some areas with a more seasoned riding population, for instance, might be a black diamond here, he said.
Because the ratings come in the form of both color and shape, he said, the signs can be read easily even if the paint wears off, or if someone has difficulty seeing colors.
The signposts are currently unique to Bella Vista's Back 40 trails, but they will become the standard for the entire Northwest Arkansas area, he said. This system, he said, is going to be a huge improvement over typical mountain bike trail marking.
"A lot of times you just see a sign nailed to a tree," he said. "You'd see some kind of janky, rickety sign with an arrow."
The group that started their ride in that tiny clearing, Ride the Ozarks, is a somewhat informal riding club started by Bella Vista residents Tim and Mandy Stolt.
Tim said they started the group primarily for group rides, with an emphasis on welcoming riders at all skill levels, but they also get together to do trail maintenance projects.
Adrianna Perez, 49, rode with this group. The ride was great, she said, and the signs were a big help.
"It helps you to see where you are," she said, "and memorize where you like to ride."
Another rider in this group, David Neal, 52, owns Mojo Cycling in Bentonville.
Neal said he's ridden numerous parks in the 35 years he's been riding bikes, and the new signposts are truly unique.
"There's nothing like this anywhere," he said.
Even in Moab, Utah, he said, often considered something of a Mecca among off-road drivers and cyclists alike, there is no trail marked like this.
And in a system with numerous rough, rocky trails, deep in the woods, he said, someone could easily get lost if they don't have some way to navigate.
Blowing Springs, he said, doesn't have a very big trail system, but by comparison, it's a lot more confusing and far easier to get lost in.
But the Back 40, he said, avoids this issue with clear markings.
"Whatever skill level and whatever type of riding you want to do," he said, "there's something out here for you."
Community on 08/31/2016