To those of you who tirelessly give of your free time to help build and maintain trails, this is not directed at you and I and all the other trail coordinators are forever grateful for your sacrifice!   

To those that don't...what are your reasons for not volunteering to build and/or maintain local trails?  I'm looking for incite to find ways to increase volunteer participation.  If we could just increase the participation by 2X we would finish in half the time and get to ride more on more trail.

Shoot....

Ill be honest I've been telling Wes that I will be coming out to help at BLS for a bit now. With race season just getting into full swing it has meant a lot of extra hours and some weekends, so when I get Sunday off the last thing I want to do is hop out of bed early or a lot of times I just over sleep... Ok i am just lazy   

I try and make up for it by clearing the trails as I ride em but I need to get better helping on construction as well. As stated in another thread about FF I think some evening work would be beneficial for some as well as maybe some occasional meetings later in the morning maybe starting at 10am ish may help at least on my end. 

Just trying to get the discussion rolling~!

I appreciate all you guys do!

I have trouble getting out on sat to do trail work because of the kids.  If there was some way to safely occupy the young ones while we worked... Might get a few more parents to turn out.

mayford wrote on 03/07/16 at 3:20pm:


You may be on to something here.  I have helped a handful of times at a couple trails but trying to commit to a big chunk of a Saturday or Sunday when you have kids (and a wife) that don't embrace you grooming bike trails as a worthy charitable deed can make it even harder to get out there. 

People are selfish with their free time too.  We are already away from our families when riding so trail work is adding insult to injury as far as family time is concerned.  My wife is actually pretty supportive with my riding because she knows with my job it's a good way to decompress.  I would bring my kids out there to play in the woods while we worked though.  Maybe the they could help with grooming while others did the harder work.  Or, maybe the Trailblazers and Divas could host a trail riding clinic for the kids while dad did some trail work?  That way mom gets the morning off assuming she is not a rider.  I'm not saying it's fair but making it seem less like work and more like something you could enjoy with the family on a weekend morning may draw more people out.  AND THANK YOU to those of you that unfairly shoulder the workload despite all of this...

Quote:


+1.  

I try to make up for it my being a paying member of THTB and pick up stuff on the trails when I ride.

Sunday is daylight savings time, Lets coordinate a weekday after work crew. Non-riding days, trail wet days during the week we can knock some trail work out. We have how many social riding days? Lets organize a weekly social trail work day then get food/beer afterward and further discuss trail work planning!

I like to work solo and on my own time since it is limited....I like chainsaw strike missions.....I'm not super social so having a TC text me with a specific need is my preference...ID be happy to share my number with any trail boss....

PM'ed you Enoch

I know some people like myself work on weekends so it's hard to make trail workdays that are on those days.  I've helped Enoch several times at SB/RRT (when i use to live in the area) and it was through text message or a phone call because we knew each other from riding the trail and I know Enoch likes to do work on rainy days when the trail is closed and I've been lucky enough to be off those days or I try to make it after work.

In saying all that I am moving back to the area and will be living a hop, skip and jump from NMP so the trail coordinator can pm me and I will be glad to help out when I can.  And i will still help out Enoch at Sherman when time allows since I've rode 100s of miles there and still plan on doing! 

I very much agree with the points given.  I fall in to many of the same reasons...

   Home - Family - Child -  Wife really fill up Saturday obligations... . If I am able to get a little bike action  - its difficult to know - where to go Help and volunteer vs going out to actually just ride for a few hours.
   Sure this forum has postings for opportunities to work. But the threads are confusing for exactly when / where / and what to try to look at for a short notice of when to help, it takes effort to dig thru threads.... when i could aready have bike in car - on my way...
   
If I show up at a trail to possibly help late or off time - How do I know where to go? 
Perhaps Including  a   "THTB  Trail Work underway notice" = and a notice of where about on the trail would be cool- THEN! What if someone or random came to a trail to ride - saw that  and said....hey - instead of Mileage - Ill put in some help working. just have to find the group! 

With this - many trails locally have info stands = that us exactly where trail work info should be posted,  Post the plans - What does the trail coordinator want to work on -- When and Where!! ... If you see it - its harder to ignore!   

What if our local bike shops were encouraged to help keep a posting of 'local trail work opportunities posted -  in your face to get those bike riding customers thinking about helping out. I don't go to the bike shop often - but ive never seen much affiliation with it! 


Saturdays -- TO ME  - - They are the most packed with life... 
       What about - Sunday Afternoons? I never see MUCH sanctioned trail work offered outside of Saturday mornings .Looking now- there are a few fisher sunday offerings. 
      ..But by Sunday Afternoon you're kicking around the house - already done your weekend Bed Bath and Beyond trips - and completed your duties for the weekend give an option by offering a different TIME outside of Prime time Saturday weekend morning time to offer help.