Your community is already composed of dedicated individuals who occupy a variety of important roles. Without realizing it yet, these individuals already hold one or more unique status included in the Dig It Trailbuilders’ own slang.
This slang names and characterizes various potentially active and already engaged actors in your community, allowing anyone to better understand our trailbuilding ecosystem. Furthermore, it helps anyone involved in trailbuilding-related activities to better understand their unique status and feel concerned by the Alliance’s actions. We may have missed some terms because we are only starting to expand our community network…
ADOPTER : A Teammate who adopts-a-trail and assures it’s perennity. A Teammate who is in charge of a specific trail (an Adopter can adopt more than one trail / a crew can adopt a trail).
ASSOCIATE : Chapter Operation’s fellow active member, who runs the board of administrators of the Chapter (see Fullpatch).
BARISTA : A Teammate or Hangaround tasked with coffee duties during morning sessions (often underestimated, this pivotal role significantly enhances troop productivity, help create smooth vibe and fight against Hangover symptoms).
BREWMASTER: Someone who brews home beer and shares liquid gold with fellow Teammates (see Jimbeer).
BUILDER : Someone who builds trails (see Digger, Trailbuilder or Shaper).
CAPTAIN : An experienced trailbuilder who is giving advices and helping others. Often identified with a Orange cap’tain cap (Cap’tain Cap can’t be bought : they are exclusively donated by the Chapter Operator).
CARPENTER : An experienced volunteer who excels at erecting wooden structures.
CEREBRO : A Trailbuilder who usually teams up with the same tighter group of Teammates who organize ‘private’ or off-the-radar trailbuilding sessions.
CHAPTER : A town, a cycling club or a crew that organized trailbuilding in it’s community.
CHAPTER OPERATOR : The one guy who runs the show in a specific town (can be called Chap Op). A Chapter may have 2 Chapter Operators, or can be run by a board of Fullpatchs and/or Associates.
CREATOR : Someone who built a entire trail (from scratch, mostly by himself _ see Father).
CONFERENCE : An union of differents Chapters who are working together (conferences are bigger than divisions). Example : Evergreen MTB Alliance, Washington States, USA or VMBA in Vermont, USA.
DIGGER : Someone who builds trails (see Builder, Trailbuilder or Shaper).
DIVISION : An union of differents Chapters who are working together (divisions are smaller than conferences). Example: QVDM (5 tightly-knit resorts surrounding Québec City that support each other, but keep their own identity).
FATHER : Someone who built a entire trail (from scratch, mostly by himself _ see Creator).
FLAGGER : An experienced Trailbuilder who designs future trail pathways.
FOUNDER : A Leader who initiates the opening of an official Chapter with the Dig It Trailbuilders Alliance, or who had already established an official trailbuilding-related organization within their community.
FRENCHIE : A Green Trailbuilder who is new to mountain biking and modifies the original pathway of trails, creating smoother, easier, or more flowy lines, often avoiding obstacles or technical features. This individual may be referred to as a ‘Frenchliner’, a ‘Noob’, a ‘Newbie’, or a ‘New Biker on the Block’.”
FULLPATCH : Chapter Operation’s fellow active member, who runs the board of administrators of the Chapter (see Associate).
GARDENER/CLEANER : Someone who cleans the surrounding of the trailway.
GODFATHER : Local legend. Someone who is around a Chapter for decades (see OG).
GREEN : An emerging Teammate, who start doing positive contributions within the community (antithesis of a Newbie).
HANGAROUND : Someone who supports the organisation, but doesn’t volunteer in trailbuilding operations.
HUB : A place where volunteer Trailbuilders are welcomed/recognized and receive some sort of discount (see Spot).
JIMBEER: Someone who brews home beer and shares it with fellow Teammates (see Brewmaster).
KIDKODAK : This specialized hangaround is the real deal. He is a must-have for every community, as he always gets the “money shot” that will be used later on social media.
LEADER : A well-established or experienced Teammate who organizes and leads trailbuilding events in their community, following approval from the Chapter Operator. Often identified with a Orange Cap’tain cap (Cap’tain Cap can’t be bought : they are exclusively donated by the Chapter Operator).
LIQUIDATOR : A Teammate or Hangaround who ensures there is a sufficient supply of juices, RedBull, water, or cold beers. An old legend reports that a ice-cold beer can, hidden in a frozen creek near a trail, could save an exhausted Teammate or rejuvenate a tired soul.
LOCAL : Someone who knows a specific network of trails and share his knowledge (or not).
LOOSE CANNON : A trailbuilder who alters initial trail features or pathways, who builds without permission and/or supervision, and who makes weird or unwanted changes in various locations.
NEWBIE : Someone who is new to trailbuilding, potentially claiming ‘bragging rights’ about their knowledge, despite limited experience. May be written as ‘Noob’ or ‘NewB’ or ‘New Builder on the Block’ (referring to the unwanted 90s boy band named ‘New Kids on the Block‘).
OG : Local legend. Someone who is around a Chapter for decades (see Godfather).
PARTNER : Industry brands or local businesses that contribute to the mission of protecting the trails for future generations, by becoming a Dig It Official Spot or a Dig It Official Partner.
PITMASTER : A Teammate or Hangaround recognized for their BBQ skills (who sometimes grills in the forest or after trailbuilding events).
PROFILE : A Teammate personnal account on Dig It.
SOLDIER: A Teammate who always shows up to events, regardless of the weather, or who is always ready for any project.
SHAPER : Someone who excels at building nice jumps and transitions, or at shaping smooth berms.
STATUS : The official title attributed to a trailbuilder by the Chapter Operator (can change over the years).
STRIKER : Someone who executes a strike (leads a project from beginning to end). Projects can be diversified, as approved by the CHapter Operator (erect a bridge, create a trail name sign, manage social medias…).
SPOT : A place where DTA Teammate are welcomed/recognized and receive some sort of discount.
SUBZERO : Not as fierce as the 90′ MK fighter, this friendly and well-organized Teammate always brings ice-cold Mr. Freezes or Popsicles in the woods, on the warmest and most humid sunny days. His helpful contribution always surprises fellow Teammates and boosts exhausted trailbuilders’ motivation for the second half of the chore.
TEAMMATE : An active volunteer trailbuilder who has created a profile on Dig It Trailbuilders Alliance. A Teammate must work on trails that are accessible to the public (for free or with a day/season pass).
TIMBERMAN : Someone who opens up a flagged pathway (future trail).
TOOLMASTER : A highly skilled Teammate who excels at using and maintaining a variety of tools. A Teammate responsible for storing, repairing, and sharpening tools.
TRAILBUILDER : Someone who builds trails (see Digger, Builder or Shaper).
TRAILHEAD : A place where trails start (parking lot/official trail center).
TRAIL HEAD : Someone who think about trails all the time. Someone who digs often. A real passionate trailbuilder.
UNDERCOVER / ROGUE BUILDER : Someone who is digging on prohibited lands or without permission, posing a potential threat to your organization or the entire Dig It Alliance. This “pirate” can’t be named a Teammate, as he is not part of the Team.
VOLUNTEER : Someone who is actively involved in his community, someone who believe that everyone’s involvement will make things better for future generations. A volunteer is called a Teammate if he is working on trails that are accessible to the public (for free or with a day/season pass).
WEEDMAN : A.K.A. Greenman or Pothead, this Teammate embraces the 4:20 vibe and specializes in creating smoke signals to get rid of attacking flies or to attract fellow Trailbuilders.
WINCHER : A Teammate who specializes in skillfully managing a portable winch/pulleys/ropes to move heavy rocks, then build rock-armored section of trail that will last forever.
In that regard, we don’t pretend to know everything about trailbuilding. We are just a group of like-minded individuals who share a common passion for trails and want to unite Teammates together, whatever their origin, experience or background. Dig It Trailbuilders believe that everyone knows their own geological region better than anoyone else.
By sharing our knowledge, we will all become better at organizing our actions, shaping dirt and building rock-armored ground, contributing to better trailbuilding, sustainability, and community organization.
Feel free to contact us to suggest slang word that better represents individuals in your community, or to propose new contents for the Ressources tab of this website.
Look for the DIG IT / Support Your Local Trailbuilder sticker on business door.