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Pivot Dig School was created with the intention to provide Roamie Homies* with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required for trail building and maintenance.
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BUILDING OUR OWN TRAILS!

Welcome to Pivot Dig School, where our goal is to break down barriers to getting involved in trail advocacy, while equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to make trail building more diverse and enjoyable. Additionally, we strive to create more opportunities for femme-led leadership, fostering an inclusive and dynamic community
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Have you been curious how those wonderful ribbons of dirt get scratched into the ground and kept in good shape over the years? Interested in getting involved in your local trails organization but don’t know where to begin? Want to pick up a shovel and help create? – If the answer to these questions is yes, then these four sessions will help you achieve your goals.
session 1

INTRO TO TRAIL BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

In this first session, we will give you a general overview of the principles of trail planning, construction, and maintenance, including a brief discussion of how trails go from inception to execution. We will talk specifically about maintaining those trails, how to identify maintenance issues, and why local volunteers are so integral to the quality of your backyard riding. We will also cover some basics of construction of new trail, sharing frequently used terminology and what it means in terms of the build.
Designed especially for those itching to get their hands dirty but lacking experience, Part 1 will give you the broad picture and provide the basis for our additional sessions.
session 2

LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY BUILDING & LAND MANAGERS

In Session 2, we’ll discuss the importance of building a community for trail building. We’ll talk about the benefits of having a strong club/advocacy organization, resources for creating a new one, and how to gather community support for trail projects. We’ll also cover who trails benefit, landowners/managers, types of land managers, and how to identify and work with them. Additionally, we’ll discuss other community stakeholders, such as city/county officials, developers, and elected officials.
Finally, we’ll talk about ways to get involved, plan successful trail work days, participate in public discussions/comments, and make trail building seem cool, professional, and fun.
session 3

TOOLS, EQUIPMENT & CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

In Session 3, we will focus on tools for trail construction and maintenance. We will explain how to use each tool safely and properly, and highlight the differences between them. You will learn about the McCloud and rake, flat shovel and spade shovel, as well as how to use a rock sling safely. We will also explain how to carry your tools safely to avoid injury.
The Tool Talk section of a trail day can take up a lot of time, but this session will give you a head start before the Roam Fest Pivot Dig Day, where you can start getting your hands dirty. Our goal is to make sure you understand how to use the tools safely and correctly.
session 4

TRAIL BUILDING DIG DAY AT ROAM FEST

Session 4 is LIVE! We will host a trail-building/maintenance at Roam Fest Fruita on September 22nd.
We’re kicking off the day with coffee to fuel up for some serious digging action and with snacks and water on hand, we’ll hit the trails, collaborating with local land managers to give back to the trails that make this event possible.
it’s a chance to strengthen our community ties and show our appreciation for the beautiful landscapes we get to shred. Let’s dig in and make a positive impact together!

Access for all our homies!

Given that all our homies are spread out all over the country, we’ve decided to kick off the first three sessions of Pivot Dig School online! This way, no matter where you are, you can join in on the fun!
If you’re ready to learn about trail building, maintenance principles, tools, community building, and leadership, be sure to register today.
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Roamie Homies!

Roamie Homies are the humans who make Roam, well Roam. They might be staff, volunteers, partners, participants, or you… whatever role and whatever relationship, Roamies are WHY, the reason we can do what we do, and the dang heart beat of our community.
– Roam Fest
Pivot Dig School sessions are designed for attendees to participate in all four sessions, but we understand if you can’t make it to all of them; we still love to see you at the ones you can.
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Registration will be hosted in EventCreate, a third-party website where you will be able to register for each session. If you have any questions or concerns, please email dig@pivotcycles.com
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