Have at it.
Trail building and advocacy introduction thread
- Thread starter johnbryanpeters
- Start date
Thank you john.
I'll start by introducing myself. I'm a newb to Ridemonkey but not a newb to biking or trail building. I live on Vancouver Island in BC, Canada and I describe myself as a trail builder who also rides bikes. My preferred method of building is by hand (Pulaski, Mcleod, shovel & rake.) I build low environmental impact singletrack, XC DH and some freeride. Dirt Jumps aren't my thing but I respect and appreciate the work and skill involved.
I have personally built over 50 miles of singletrack, most of which is still in use. I have a vast network of both professional and amateur trail builders who I consider to be friends. Between my own experiences and theirs, we have run across almost any situation you could think of.
I'd like to meet other trail builders on Ridemonkey to share experiences and ideas. I've been told that if there's enough interest, Ridemonkey will start a Building and Advocacy forum.
Trail Ninja
I'll start by introducing myself. I'm a newb to Ridemonkey but not a newb to biking or trail building. I live on Vancouver Island in BC, Canada and I describe myself as a trail builder who also rides bikes. My preferred method of building is by hand (Pulaski, Mcleod, shovel & rake.) I build low environmental impact singletrack, XC DH and some freeride. Dirt Jumps aren't my thing but I respect and appreciate the work and skill involved.
I have personally built over 50 miles of singletrack, most of which is still in use. I have a vast network of both professional and amateur trail builders who I consider to be friends. Between my own experiences and theirs, we have run across almost any situation you could think of.
I'd like to meet other trail builders on Ridemonkey to share experiences and ideas. I've been told that if there's enough interest, Ridemonkey will start a Building and Advocacy forum.
Trail Ninja
I build and maintain trail in Vermont, although I can't claim anything like fifty miles. I'm an advocate of minimal disturbance of the land when building trails.
i've built all sorts of stuff on and off over the years. some good, some bad. some big. some crazy. haven't built anything lately, but will be buying a house this spring, hoping to get at least an acre so i can make a pump track.
These kids are responsible for me building 20 of the 50 miles of trails I built. The whole 50 miles has taken 49 years and cost me thousands of dollars, 1 wife and several girlfriends. If I had the chance, I'd do it all over again exactly the same way.
Here in Yakima, WA myself and a few others have started a non-profit organization dedicated to trails. We have the 501c3 filed but not approved yet. Name is Single Track Alliance of Yakima (STAY). We have a trailhead (Rocky Top) and have put down some 10 miles so far. Alot of other cool stuff I will talk publicly about once things start falling into place.
Personally I've been building dirt jumps/pump tracks/singletrack for 14 years now and probably dig more than I ride. I'd like to get back into the jump lines and DJ's but the last two years I've been working on mostly XC stuff plus a pump track on the family farm.
Here's our janky webpage http://about.me/stay.org (Yes thats me with the mcleod in hand)
My building style (generally) is to let the bike pick the lines and then I ride it in. Once the speed picks up and corners start to blow out I'll bring in the tools and make the sketchy sections faster with more flow. It gets addicting!
Personally I've been building dirt jumps/pump tracks/singletrack for 14 years now and probably dig more than I ride. I'd like to get back into the jump lines and DJ's but the last two years I've been working on mostly XC stuff plus a pump track on the family farm.
Here's our janky webpage http://about.me/stay.org (Yes thats me with the mcleod in hand)
My building style (generally) is to let the bike pick the lines and then I ride it in. Once the speed picks up and corners start to blow out I'll bring in the tools and make the sketchy sections faster with more flow. It gets addicting!
Great mission statement on your site boostin. I've always wanted to build in wide open terrain like that. It's worlds away from coastal trails.
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I'm also a ridemonkey newb, but I love building. I live in a small town in Nevada, with only 1 small hill within abour 45 mins of my house, so it's all I can build at. I like freeride and downhill mostly, but do build dirtjumps when I can. Heres some of the stuff I've built in my hometown. None of it is spectacular, but I do enjoy putting a shovel in the dirt, almost as much as riding.
Theres a 7 foot drop leading into this 12 foot canal gap (12 feet(ish) out, and about 3 or 4 feet down)
Heres part of a DH trail me and a friend made
and a fun little rock wallride we incorporated into a trail
Heres the dirtjump me and a friend built at his house
Theres a 7 foot drop leading into this 12 foot canal gap (12 feet(ish) out, and about 3 or 4 feet down)
Heres part of a DH trail me and a friend made
and a fun little rock wallride we incorporated into a trail
Heres the dirtjump me and a friend built at his house
Wow Moosey, you've come a long way since your Smurf days. I'm impressed.
by our house a couple springs ago
^^ Got more pics? I'd like to see the finished product. Maybe a thread for that would be a good idea.
Yo yo, I'm a professional trailbuilder. Every day at work is like a dream!
Howdie folks! I build & maintain trails in Upstate NY with my husband and am a board member for our local bike club. I too prefer the rocks and roots that litter the trails in the northeast. When building, we try to follow the flow and features of the land and minimize the impact on the land while incorporating lots of great rock ridges, etc. that we have to work with.
How the hell do you make that your job??? DO WANT
Get good at it? Take some risk? We have at least two builders in our area who have turned pro and have not yet starved to death...
wtf. it's that "risk" part when you've got a fam that depends on the insurance this monkey surfing job provides... but I might be getting close... I pretty much hate it here.
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Awesome thanks!
Freelance? With a company? Do tell.
I've done both & a brief stint at a bike park.
You've got more avid builders per square mile where you are, so jump on anything that catches your eye.
I just moved to medium sized (?) town in rural PA. We moved in December, but there doesn't seem to much of a mountain bike scene here. Its more of a hunting and atv type of scene. However, there is a hill just outside of town with a little over 1000 ft of vert. I'll have to do some exploring in the spring.
While I approve (rep given) the yellow font is kind of hard to read. Or maybe I'm just getting old.
I had to select the text to read it.
Agreed. Yellow text is failing. Change it to...black? The "STAY" in yellow can stay though.
I don't and haven't built trails but have a real big desire to. I have the drive and opportunity to build my own bandit but lack the knowledge on how to make it sustainable and fun. More importantly, really, really challenging. It's been tough trying to get the gnomes around here to help me learn too. I have a chance to learn in a few weekend though and will be doing just that to the fullest.
I don't and haven't built trails but have a real big desire to. I have the drive and opportunity to build my own bandit but lack the knowledge on how to make it sustainable and fun. More importantly, really, really challenging. It's been tough trying to get the gnomes around here to help me learn too. I have a chance to learn in a few weekend though and will be doing just that to the fullest.
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Best time to explore is winter if you can get out, or early spring before the leaves come in. In winter you can really see the possible lines with the snow on the ground. In spring it's the best time to see where water erosion might be a problem.
Yea, that font is pretty terrible. I have to highlight it in order to read it. Once the 501c3 is ironed out we can start digging in and lay a solid foundation.
Also, once the feet of snow melt off the trails we are 2 miles shy of finishing a 10+ mile loop that has an 800ft descent! It's pretty awesome considering these are the first legal-built legit MTB trails in the greater area.
Also, once the feet of snow melt off the trails we are 2 miles shy of finishing a 10+ mile loop that has an 800ft descent! It's pretty awesome considering these are the first legal-built legit MTB trails in the greater area.
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When I get back out west, maybe I'll come down for a little digging and riding? I have my own tools.
Ninja, I envy your life. Just putting it out there.
Over Winter break I went back to Nevada, and got up to Reno a few times to help Jim 'Hacksaw' Severt dig at his dirt jump spot. Can't post pics or details, but man... that place is heaven on earth. There's so many lines and options, I could spend all day there, and still not hit every option.
Also, this summer while I'm back in NV, I might get to help Jim build some stuff up at Sky Tavern (a new lift accessed park near Reno). By the sounds of it, the two6 crew (Cam Zink and party) are going to be building a trail up there, and a dual slalom course is already built. If Jims in charge of this place it will be awesome! I'll keep you guys posted when I build some stuff up there.
I really enjoy building, I don't know how to explain it, but it's fun to hit a feature, or watch someone else hit a feature you built, and you can stand back and say "yeah, I built that..." It's a really rewarding feeling.
Also, this summer while I'm back in NV, I might get to help Jim build some stuff up at Sky Tavern (a new lift accessed park near Reno). By the sounds of it, the two6 crew (Cam Zink and party) are going to be building a trail up there, and a dual slalom course is already built. If Jims in charge of this place it will be awesome! I'll keep you guys posted when I build some stuff up there.
I really enjoy building, I don't know how to explain it, but it's fun to hit a feature, or watch someone else hit a feature you built, and you can stand back and say "yeah, I built that..." It's a really rewarding feeling.
All three actually. I split my time between working for Trail Dynamics (out of Brevard, NC), doing smaller projects under my own company and also a collaboration on developing a bike park (Beech Mountain Resort, host of the 2011 and 2012 US national champs). I was involved in 11 different projects in 2012 (that I can remember) ranging from XC trails, USFS trail relocations, dirt jumps, jump trails, pumptracks, downhill trails, etc. Really don't like talking about myself a lot so I'll keep it at that. Life is good!
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I'm thinking I've had discussions with someone from Trail Dynamics on MTBR. I looked through their site and I know I've seen some of the pictures in the gallery before. You have a life that many would envy.All three actually. I split my time between working for Trail Dynamics (out of Brevard, NC), doing smaller projects under my own company and also a collaboration on developing a bike park (Beech Mountain Resort, host of the 2011 and 2012 US national champs). I was involved in 11 different projects in 2012 (that I can remember) ranging from XC trails, USFS trail relocations, dirt jumps, jump trails, pumptracks, downhill trails, etc. Really don't like talking about myself a lot so I'll keep it at that. Life is good!
That. Then you walk it, think some, repeat too many times, and finally start to work it.
Yeah,
We knew Moose would make it!
it's really cool to watch someone advance
Still miss the janky jumps
