For Episode 178 We’ve got Mischa and Edoardo the two masterminds behind the International Trail Rating System. Mischa is based in Switzerland, and Edoardo is based in Italy. Both have a strong understanding about the nuance that goes into dissecting and rating a trail. While there is a lot that can go into how or why a trail is rated a certain way, this system is the most comprehensive approach I’ve seen for rating trails yet.

Topics Include:

• How Mischa got into mountain biking
• How Edoardo got into mountain biking
• The International Trail Rating System and why
• The Survey about Trail Rating
• Four different Categories for Rating Trails
• Where the ITRS is Rooted – Safety and Decision Making
• Trail Builders take on Trail Ratings and the ITRS
• The width of a trail and how trail width factors in to how a trail is rated
• Becoming a Certified Trail Rater
• Implementation of ITRS
• Trailforks
• Having a 3rd Party rate trails
• What Mischa looks for in a good trail community
• What Edoardo looks for in a good trail community
• Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

International Trail Rating System: https://itrs.bike/

Certified Trail Rater Training: https://itrs.bike/announcing-the-next-training-course-and-exam-to-become-a-certified-trail-rater/

Swiss Bike Park: https://www.swissbikepark.ch/

ITRS and IMBA Europe: https://www.imba-europe.org/knowledge-hub/international-trail-rating-system-itrs/

ITRS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-trail-rating-system/

Trail Therapy: https://en.trailtherapy.ch/

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For Episode 177 we have Emily Brown. Emily is a Co-Founder of the newly created Spearfish Trails Coalition based in Spearfish, SD. If you haven’t been to the Black Hills in South Dakota, this place is truly remarkable. Spearfish has a history of trails and mountain biking that runs parallel with the history of mountain biking itself. Emily discusses the importance of this new coalition and why it is being formed now. Emily is also a Field Guide for SRAM, and SRAM happens to have an office in Spearfish, this means SRAM is also investing in trails and trail advocacy in their backyard.

Topics Include:

• The Emily Brown Backstory
  • Women in Mountain Biking
• Field Guide for SRAM
  • Women Specific Aspects of Emily’s Role
• The Spearfish Recreation Path
• Black Hills Region / Black Hills National Forest
• Trails in Spearfish
• The Spearfish Trails Coalition
  • Founding this and why
  • The importance of having a plan
• Paying Respect to those who built trails before the STC in Spearfish
• Traveling to other communities as a SRAM Field Guide
• Joining the IMBA Local Program
• Working with local government and the Parks Department
• The goal to diversify trail experiences in Spearfish, SD
• The riding culture in Spearfish, SD
• SRAM Investing in their backyard
  • How SRAM has invested in Spearfish
• Sturdy Dirty Women’s Enduro
• Emily’s Take on the ideal Trail Community
• Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Spearfish Trails Coalition: https://spearfishtrails.org/

Dakota 5-0: https://www.dakotafiveo.com/

IMBA Local: https://www.imba.com/local-partners

Sturdy Dirty: https://www.sturdydirty.com/

SRAM – Our Responsibilities: https://www.sram.com/en/company/campaigns/our-responsibilities

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For Episode 176 we have Mike Gehard, Mike is the current president of SORBA Chattanooga. If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ve heard several guests talk about Walden’s Ridge in Chattanooga, now you’ll get the full story on mountain biking in Chattanooga along with the fact that SORBA Chattanooga is currently looking to hire their first Executive Director. Mike Also provides a bunch of insight he has learned through volunteering and working with organizations.

Topics Include:

• Why Chattanooga, TN
• How Mike found Chattanooga
• Why Mike got involved with SORBA Chattanooga
• 2024 PTBA Conference as a presenter and an attendee
• Walden’s Ridge
• Shuttles and not the kind that you find at Bike Parks
• Building features on public trails and how many feature rich trails should be built on public lands
• Other Chattanooga Trail Systems
• IMBA – Trail Accelerator Grants
• SORBA Chattanooga is hiring and Executive Director and Why
• The benefits of being a SORBA Member Organization
• Giving back to your local trail organization
• What Mike looks for in a Trail Community
• Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

SORBA Chattanooga: https://www.sorbachattanooga.org/

Walden’s Ridge: https://www.waldensridgepark.com/

SORBA Main: https://sorba.org/

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For Episode 175 we have Glen Jacobs back for Round 2 on Trail EAffect. Glen first appeared on episode 125, if you haven’t listened to the first conversation with Glen, I highly recommend it as, episode 125 will provide some context for this conversation.

Glen is easily one of the most prolific visionaries in Trail Building. Glen Co-founded WorldTrail with Dylan Jeffries 20 years ago. They have since gone on to plan, design and build some of best mountain bike destinations on the Planet.

The overarching theme to this conversation is Glen’s desire to share the knowledge that he, and his team have learned over many years.

This conversation goes quite a bit longer than normal and I need to point out that mid conversation Glen lost power at his place so he pivoted from his computer to his phone to continue the conversation, then back to his computer once the power was restored. Glen is truly a world class human, and we are all very fortunate to have Glen as a professional in our trail community!

Topics Include:

• 2024 PTBA Conference
  • Key Note Speaker and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
• 2023 Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
  • Shaun Palmer and Rob Warner
• Specialized Soil Searching
  • The progression of Mountain Bikes
• The Quark Knuckle
  • How Many Quark Knuckles have been put on one trail?
  • Many Shapes and Sizes of the Quark Knuckle
• Blue Derby Tasmania and why it’s so popular and successful
• Mountain Biking is just beginning
• Listener Question from Mike Gehard – President of SORBA Chattanooga – When Creating Trail Communities, the Top 3 Things for including everybody into Trails
• More Quark Knuckle Talk
• The need to verbalize and share knowledge
• Losing Power mid conversation…
• From the 90’s (Mountain Biking)
• Validating Trail Builders / Standards for Building and Trails
• The importance of Trail Design and the details that WorldTrail Employs during Trail Design
• The ARM – Adjustable Rock Matting
• WorldTrail Tools
• The size of WorldTrail
• Sharing Knowledge and Training Staff within WorldTrail
• Building World Class Trail Destinations
• Future Trail Conferences
• Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

WorldTrail: https://world-trail.com/

Specialized Soil Searching with Glen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxlm5dorLU

Blue Derby: https://ridebluederby.com.au/

Glen Jacobs – The Elder Statesman of Trails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF9-vwN3sPQ

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

Daniel Sapp – President of Pisgah Area SORBA / Trail Advocacy 174

For Episode 174 we have Daniel Sapp, Daniel is the current president of Pisgah Area SORBA, co-founder of The Backslope as well as colleague to the infamous Seth Alvo of Berm Peak. Prior to this Daniel was a journalist for Pinkbike, among other publications and Daniel has spent most his adult in various roles in the trail and mountain bike world. Ultimately Daniel provides his take on the importance of Mountain Bike Trail Advocacy.

Stay tuned to the end as we close this one out with a Mike Levy story involving a bad decision!

Topics Include:

• How Daniel got into Mountain Biking
• Daniel and Higher Education
• Traveling and landing jobs within the mountain bike world
• Not being afraid to walk your bike…
• The transition from Pinkbike into Advocacy
• Starting The Backslope
• 2023 North Carolina and the Year of the Trail Campaign
• Rails to Trails Trails and their role in the trail world
• Pisgah Area SORBA, and where Daniel started getting involved there
  • The growth of Pisgah Area SORBA
  • Hiring Staff
  • Cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service
  • Backcountry Horsemen of Pisgah
  • Rebuilding Trails in Pisgah National Forest
• A deep dive on infighting within mountain bikers (a discussion that had to happen at some point)
• The Butter Gap reroute / rebuild
• The Article – Without Trails we don’t need Mountain Bikes
• How can we bring more positive awareness around trail advocacy?
• What are the ingredients that Daniel thinks make a great trail community
• Getting involved with your local trail organization
• Bike Parks
• Closing Comments
• Bonus Content – Mike Levy…
• And a whole lot more!

Trail EAffect Show Links:

The Backslope: https://www.thebackslope.com/

Pisgah Area SORBA: https://www.pisgahareasorba.org/

Year of the Trail / The Great Trails State NC: https://greattrailsnc.com/

Backcountry Horsemen of Pisgah Movie https://youtu.be/3qPsMTQwW1E?si=RDFvxXQnfwt4KQB4

Without Trails We Don’t Need Mountain Bikes: https://bermpeak.substack.com/p/without-trails-we-dont-need-mountain

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

Steve Ford - Bike Park Manager of the Luiseño Bike Park in San Diego, California – 173

For Episode 173 we have Steve Ford – Steve is the Gravity Bike Park Manager at the Luiseño Bike Park located in San Diego County California on the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indian Tribal Lands. We covered all things Gravity Bike Parks from Steve’s experience and how this Gravity Bike Park has huge potential for Southern California!

Topics Include:

• Steve Ford Back Story
• How the Bike Park fits into the La Jolla Adventure Park
• Proximity to the San Diego Metro Area
• Bike Park Details and how it functions
• E-Bikes at Luiseño Bike Park
• The Build and Maintenance Crew
• Future Expansion Talk
• Chair Lift in the future?
• How this bike park fits into the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians
• Events
• Operation Details (Days / Hours) – Year-Round!
• Current Shuttle Details
• And a whole lot more!

Trail EAffect Show Links:

La Jolla Adventure Park: https://lajollaindiancampground.com/

Luiseño Bike Park: https://lajollaindiancampground.com/bike-park-pass/

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Loam Pass Affiliate Link: https://www.loampass.com?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=track&utm_campaign=traileaffect

Loam Pass – Free Pass Protection Code: TAPOD

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

Jeremy Poore from Old Fort, NC / McDowell Tech Trail School / Mountain Top Shuttles #172

For Episode 172 we have Jeremy Poore – who is based in Old Fort, NC which is not too far east of the Infamous Ashville, NC. Old Fort is ramping up to be the next community to embrace the benefits of trails and outdoor recreation. We covered all things Old Fort, Trail Building School through McDowell Tech, Jeremy’s thoughts on the 2024 PTBA Conference, along with his thoughts on the 2024 SORBA Spring Summit. There’s a ton going on in the conversation so kick back and enjoy the show.

Topics Include:

• 2024 PTBA Sustainable Trails Conference
• 2024 SORBA Spring Summit
• How Jeremy found trail building
• Moving to Old Fort, NC
• Starting Mountain Top Shuttle Service and why
• Creating the Trail Building Program / Higher Education at McDowell Technical College in Old Fort, NC
• The best attempt at smart growth for the community of Old Fort
• The opening of what might be the longest descent on the east coast
• Wood Fired Pizza
• Pottery
• Quark Knuckle’s
• And a whole lot more!

Trail EAffect Show Links:

McDowell Tech Trail School www.traileducation.com

Mountain Top Shuttles www.mountaintopshuttles.com

G5 Trail Collective & Old Fort Trails Project www.g5trailcollective.org

Watershed Bike Park, Old Fort www.facebook.com/foothillswatershed/

Old Fort Bike Shop www.oldfortbikeshop.com

Hey Old Friend, MTB AirBnB www.instagram.com/heyoldfriend2023

Davis Country Store and Cafe www.facebook.com/thedaviscountrystore/

Seeker Coffee (Shuttle pickup location) www.seekercoffeenc.com

SORBA Main www.sorba.org

(ah-BYOH-koh) Wood Fired Pizza https://www.abbiocconc.com/

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

Amanda Carey – President of NICA – National Interscholastic Cycling Association – Talking Trails, Youth Development, Leadership and Non-Profits – 171

For Episode 171 we have Amanda Carey as our guest. Amanda is the president of NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. Amanda worked for 5 other Outdoor and Trail Based non-profits leading up to her current role at NICA, including a role as the Executive Director for Mountain Bike the Tetons. We talked all things trails, the role that NICA is playing with youth sports, more broadly mountain biking, and we close with a story that takes this conversation to a place you might not all expect.

Topics Include:

• How Amanda got into mountain biking
• The numerous Non-Profit organizations that Amanda worked for leading up to NICA
• Programs within NICA such as the Teen Trail Corps. And GRiT (Girls Riding Together)
• And a pretty crazy story at the end!

Trail EAffect Show Links:

NICA: https://nationalmtb.org/

Mountain Bike the Tetons: https://www.mountainbiketetons.org/

Episode Sponsor - Coulee Creative: www.dudejustsendit.com https://www.couleecreative.com/

Trail One Components 20% off Coupon Code: trailpod

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/?ref=XavfBrRJfk4VOh

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services