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Excellent article, and fascinating reading. Great work by the diggers!
I've often wondered (whilst out digging) how many trail builders actually get
paid, per country? It can't be that many? I know here in the UK there were
good opportunities when all the publicly funded trail centres were being
built, but this is all dependent on funding and now we are in times of
"austerity"; ironically the trails become more interesting for skilled riders
as the trail fall apart.
I was lucky enough to be involved with a freeride bike park here in the UK for
8 years, first as a volunteer and the final 4 years working in a bike shop
attached to the park. During the off-season, with phone diversion to our cell,
the business owner was forward thinking enough to let us go into the bike park
next door.
We'd easily catch any occasional customers needing help at the store, and huge
amounts of work could be done, often backed up by some great volunteers who we
kept fed/watered and got cost price on any bike stuff they needed from the
shop.
By the time we pulled down the bike park after a change in direction (by the
corporate land owner) we'd put in nearly 5 kilometres of timber / dirt trails
on our 4.5 acre woodland site.
I've visited B.C. in Canada for 3 vacations and ridden many of the legendary
trails and various bike parks - truly enjoyable and privileged to meet Digger
when he was working the new bike park just outside of Vancouver.
Being out in the woods digging is awesome. Being paid to do it is even more
awesome. Great to see the guys in this article doing some great work out
there, and with all the volunteer help which is essential.
These days? Just some off-radar singletrack building and maintenance for my
own benefit (and any runners/hikers coming through)
Nov. 2, 2016, 12:31 a.m. - Robert Cole
#!markdown Excellent article, and fascinating reading. Great work by the diggers! I've often wondered (whilst out digging) how many trail builders actually get paid, per country? It can't be that many? I know here in the UK there were good opportunities when all the publicly funded trail centres were being built, but this is all dependent on funding and now we are in times of "austerity"; ironically the trails become more interesting for skilled riders as the trail fall apart. I was lucky enough to be involved with a freeride bike park here in the UK for 8 years, first as a volunteer and the final 4 years working in a bike shop attached to the park. During the off-season, with phone diversion to our cell, the business owner was forward thinking enough to let us go into the bike park next door. We'd easily catch any occasional customers needing help at the store, and huge amounts of work could be done, often backed up by some great volunteers who we kept fed/watered and got cost price on any bike stuff they needed from the shop. By the time we pulled down the bike park after a change in direction (by the corporate land owner) we'd put in nearly 5 kilometres of timber / dirt trails on our 4.5 acre woodland site. I've visited B.C. in Canada for 3 vacations and ridden many of the legendary trails and various bike parks - truly enjoyable and privileged to meet Digger when he was working the new bike park just outside of Vancouver. Being out in the woods digging is awesome. Being paid to do it is even more awesome. Great to see the guys in this article doing some great work out there, and with all the volunteer help which is essential. These days? Just some off-radar singletrack building and maintenance for my own benefit (and any runners/hikers coming through)