In 2010 we were offered the unique opportunity to meet and work with trail communities across Canada. After a chaotic month of preparations we hit the road on June 1 st in Ottawa. The first few months were an adjustment for us, but once we established a system in the car, a system for presentations, and a rhythm to our travels we were cruising.
We believe the biggest perk of this job has been getting the chance to meet people across the country. We want to extend a big THANK YOU to all of our hosts for inviting us into their homes and families and providing us with a place where we could relax and recharge. We have been very fortunate to stay with amazing people everywhere we have been, all who have the same passion and excitement about trails as we do. Our behind the scene adventures have included fun with a potato canon, didgeridoos, pet pigs, bike tossing, Lego building, green fairies, couples night out and countless great conversations.
We started this job with a good grasp of sustainable trailbuilding but nothing prepared us for the amount of knowledge that we have gained over the past six months. At each location we have gained knowledge that has come from the locals, whether it’s about the soil, the trees, the volunteer base or a creative tool. The technical learning will be ongoing but we have discovered the many facets of trail building that we hadn’t considered before. There has also been an aspect of personal growth that neither of us anticipated. We’ve been a couple for ten years now and we’ve learnt a few new things about our relationship being on the road.
The 2010 season has been an incredible ride. We’ve taken some time to reflect back on the good and the bad of our first season on the road. We’re happy to report that we can hardly wait to hit the road again in 2011. We’ll see you on the trails!