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2006 A look Back
Our First year of Operations was a huge success. January started out with a challenge. Rabbit hill Snow Resort in Edmonton got serious about opening Alberta's 2nd lift accessed bike park and brought TCDC under contract for the design and consultation of construction of their new bike park. They wanted to be open by mid-June which didn't leave us much time to develop a system of sustainable trails with intricate trail features that would satisfy customers' needs. TCDC was up to the challenge. By late January, we were in the City of Champions, hanging out in the trees of the North Saskatchewan River, flagging four different trails through the frosted forest. After five days and who knows how many trips up and down the ski hill a variety of lines had been laid out. A machine built green run, a blue, a black and what would become a downhill race track were established. We headed south knowing that the crew at Rabbit hill was going to be very busy over the spring months if they were going to have a bike park functioning for the estimated opening date. They did not disappoint. They were able to use their time wisely and by the time we came back most of the trails had been logged and were ready to be cut and features constructed.
March finished off as it does every year with the Calgary Outdoor Adventure Show. This event was different this year than it was in the past. No dual course for contestants to shred, no dirt jump track for riders to play on. The show was forced to cut back space due to rising show room costs. We were asked to provide a demo track with a few cool features to entertain all types of riders so that bike shops could allow customers to test ride bikes. Twenty truck loads of material (dirt), twelve hours of skid steer time and approximately three hundred pounds of wood were put into the demo track. A number of shops dropped off a selection of bikes and we were ready for the show. Over the entire weekend nearly six hundred waivers were signed, and it wasn't just kids. Moms and dads were taking part on the course too. We even had to ask one mom to share the ride and let some of the other kids have a turn.
April was the first month of trail construction for the 2007 season. Near the middle of the month the ground at Rabbit Hill had lost its frost and was ready to be torn up. The crew had previously cleared most of the single track trails and the mini excavator was already a good distance into the trees excavating the green run before we arrived. To the trees we went. Teaching and showing how to cut switchback into the hills, drainage in the berms and bench on straight-aways. Over the two days we walked along the lines we flagged, explaining our visions to the crew who was responsible for making our conception into reality. Again we left Rabbit Hill talking about how much work was necessary to get these trails into the ground and rideable before the opening date. But once again the crew prevailed.
By May, TCDC was in full construction mode. We spent eight straight days at Rabbit Hill with the crew erecting wooden features. The weather agreed with us for the most part and allowed the crew to construct five different wooden features of varying difficulty. We also spent some time helping with some of the tricky ground sections. Over fifty post holes were dug by the dedicated crew a huge pile of pressure treated 4x4's were used up and two pallets of 2x6 rough cut pine was trucked up the hill to slat the newly constructed features. The mini excavator had almost made it to half way point on the green trail but had to give up because it was about to get into a wet area of the hill. The focus was shifted to the dirt jump area and began sculpting the three different lines. After an exhausting eight days of building, we were again on the road south to Calgary. We left a ling list of things that needed to be done before the opening day which was only a few weeks away.
June came quick and Rabbit Hill was slated to open on the 17th. The weekend before opening we made another treck north to the City of Champions. We spent one more weekend hiking up and down the now ride-able runs, going through what needed to be fixed up, fluffed and polished for opening weekend. One more wooden feature had to be constructed, actually probably our favorite to build. Not because it was easy, more because it was an up ramp, the first up ramp that accessed all the trails. And we may say so, it looked good when it was done. The Rabbit Hill crew was stoked on what had been built and were test riding trails every day. Opening day was a go and we all knew it. After seventeen days of TCDC being on site and countless hours from the Rabbit hill crew and volunteers the park was now Alberta's second lift access mountain Bike Park. Our first contract had been completed, on time and to the complete satisfaction of the management at Rabbit Hill. This time the drive to Calgary was relaxing, and the beers sure flowed once we got back to town.
July and August marked the part of the season where it was time to ride bikes. After a trip to whistler for the World Mountain Bike Conference we spent the rest of the summer hanging with friends across western Canada, building bush trails close to home so we have a local hangout and riding our faces off. The end of the month brought a jump jam at Rabbit Hill so we made the trek to check it out. We had a blast drinking beers, talking with people about the hill and hearing nothing but good things from management, riders and parents.
Fall gave way to a new mission. A good buddy bought some property just outside Calgary. Four and a half acres nestled in the foothills of Alberta. Gord and Mo were expecting any time and so the rush was on to create a backyard bike park for the Rinke's. Being the resourcefull dude that Gord is, he manages to get a bobcat and loads of golden clay with little to no trouble at all. After Gord had spent the time figuring out his line we spent all our spare time hanging in the Pridis trees helping make Gord's trail dreams come true. No sooner did we finish the first line did little Teagan decide it was time for her to cast off the confinements of the womb and enter the real world. Little does she know what kind of a playground she'll have to grow up in but she's bout to be a little shredder in a few short years. Welcome to the world baby T.
The early winter gave us time to focus on our plans for 2007. Organizing our marketing materials, getting in touch with potential clients and spreading the word of what we're all about. The mountain bike gospel will engulf every city, town, village and hamlet on the globe when we're through. 2006 marked a great year for Trail Crew Design; we can only imagine how much more riding will open up come 2007!
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