Phillip Barron
The Herald Sun
March 9th, 2006
WAKE COUNTY — The only time it’s fun to play on a see-saw by yourself is when you’re on a mountain bike.
You ride up one side slowly, crest the apex, the board flops down, and you ride down the other side. 
Between the see-saws (known to mountain bikers as teeter-totters), balance beams (called skinnies), ladders, and picnic tables used as stunts these days, some mountain bike trails look and feel more like playgrounds than nature paths.
So why are outdoor enthusiasts building hand-made creations on the trails? Unfortunately, some of the interesting and challenging natural features that exist in mountainous regions just don’t exist locally, says John Whitfield, an officer in the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists. The man made structures [sic] help riders develop the same balance and bike control skills needed to master natural technical features.
Pisgah National Forest, just south of Asheville, is one of the closest regions to offer the highly technical natural terrain, says Whitfield. But, Pisgah is too far for most riders to frequent more than a once or twice a year.
As Lake Crabtree County Park’s Trail Stewarship Coordinator, Whitfield oversees maintenance of the existing trail system and construction of any new trails or features. And to help mountain bikers hone their skills, Whitfield and others have installed two teeters and two skinnies on the new Loop 5 of Lake Crabtree’s popular trail system.
And the stunts are bringing new riders to Lake Crabtree. I can hear the kids and even their parents laughing from my office, says Drew Cade, Park Manager at Lake Crabtree County Park. Cade has seen a 10% increase in ridership of the trails since the stunts were installed last year.
Mountain bikers tend to crave challenge, constantly looking for the next skill to learn. Handmade obstacles add a new challenge to our trails, and mountain bikers always like to try new things, says Cade. The stunts bring new riders and also new volunteers for trail workdays, he says.
Trail designers at Orange and Durham County’s Little River Regional Park have used wooden structures to elevate the trail in places where drainage is an issue. These wooden structures are not only fun to ride, they keep tires from carving ruts into wet soil.
TORC volunteers have recently installed stunts on the Hog Run, the mountain bike trail system at Harris Lake County Park. But the most extensive set of local handmade mountain bike stunts open to the public is at Legend Park in Clayton. Allen Tutt, LegendPark’s Trail Stewardship Coordinator, is known for the long, tireless hours he’s spent making sure that Legend’s Skills Zone is both challenging and safe.
Whitfield adds that man made structures also offer a safer way to learn to ride technical trail features. ‘Fall zones’ that are cleared of other obstacles and padded with mulch reduce the risk of injury. Man made structures also offer more consistency thenatural features.
If you’d like to try riding a teeter-totter or a skinny, TORC offers beginner rider workshops once a month from March through October. Clinics that take place at Lake Crabtree always include a session on the stunts.
To learn more about the next beginner rider workshop visit TORC‘s website. For more information about the Triangle’s local mountain bike trails, visit TriangleMTB.com.
For an example of just how elaborate teeters can get, check out this brief video of a teeter in New England.