Below is a comment I made in a recently deleted Thread.
I was interested in thoughts from Mathew, Mark and other TAP builders, so I have reposted.
Original post was as follows:
If those with "opposing views"
Mathew
(Sorry for the length, I'm sure most won't read this, hopefully Mathew, Mark and TAP builders will)
I feel I'm somewhere in the middle on this whole issue, not really an "opposing views", i don't think.
I'm not big on super smooth trails, nor any loose blown out trails or mud pits. Gold resurfacing is great, so is cedar, rock faces, skinnies and log rides.
I like slower tech riding, steep chutes and gnar are fun. i don't want to be down the hill in 5mins, not looking for jumps, but do enjoy a fast rip.
Like everyone, just looking to have fun.
My fun is riding up the hill fast, or tech XC climbs and then down trails like bookwus, crippler, UOC, boundary, ladies, LL, skull, dales aftertaste, boogieman, C-Buster. Thats the style i enjoy, all of those have the type of tech i am talking about. And yes, they can all use love and improvements.
But seems when i read other posts i am getting grouped in with these "haters"…
Not everyone will agree 100%, but figure we should try to see the grey between the black and white that this board sometimes makes it look like.
I'm very happy with the amazing progress and hard work that TAP, Mark, Digger, NSMB… have achieved recently.
For some the old school riding styles and structures being pulled out in a few spots, there is legitimate concern when they think that this might be the approach with other trails when they are TAPed.
?UOC, will it be left to rot away or will this trail see its essence and style live on?
I know landowners prefer no structures for liability reasons, and that factors into the rebuild process. Hopefully there is still some room for them.
I hope maintaining optional lines, opposed to ripping them out, might be a solution.
The now dead ramp onto the rock after the 1st long log ridden 7th would be a great optional line to rebuild.
Optional lines allow trails to maintain character and challenges, yet optional. When I was new to the NS, I gravitated to these lines, as benchmarks for improving or aimed to achieve in skill, confidence and adrenaline.
These features are what other riders also enjoy, yet being labeled as "opposing views" or "haters", is unfair.
One area where optional lines have been removed is on Dale's, (in order you ride them) entrance to large log, board walk over muddy area (now awful in wet but fine in dry), long elevated boardwalk that led to teeter has entrance removed, the teeter.
No more teeter, fair enough, but it would be nice to see the other lines get rebuilt down the road when time is available, and yes, i am happy to help.
There may be others, these ones pop into my mind.
Digger's done a great job keeping old style features on Ladies, like Barts bridge. The kind of technical trail I enjoy, not chunder and chaos as some suggest the "minority" enjoy, just a tech line adding to the trail. Another spot on Ladies Digger kept as an optional line and improved the entrance is a little farther down, after a creek crossing with the pipe, there is a new rolly boardwalk, where the old line goes down a root shoot to the left, back right to a skinny and then back on the main trail, I'm sure many new riders to the trail don't even know its there.
NH also provides this approach, ride the tech or ride around, multiple ways for different riders, enjoying the trail based on ability.
Maybe its those little things that other riders enjoy and are scared to see removed, especially if unnecessary. And maybe optional lines are a great way to achieve some balance in this polarizing topic.
And for the people that think TAP is dumbing down, a kudos to the work on Boogieman, testament that the TAP approach is not to change the feel of the trails, maybe riders with concerns can take this as an example of the larger vision of the shore.
We are all aiming to have fun while riding, though everyone might have a different view of what fun is.
I am not big on gap jumps, doesn't mean i want them all pulled out, i am fine with riding around them. Maybe one day i will enjoy the jumps and it'll be there if i am interested.
So hopefully builders who are not big on skinnies will keep in mind some people are, and having them as an"optional" line might be a plus to the trail.
For the people voicing concerns, maybe its not always what has already been taken out, but the fear of what might be removed or left to fall apart…