Meet the Builders: Peter R | Trail Builder Q&A reboot
Tell us a bit about yourself — what do you do when you’re not on a trail?
When I’m not riding or building I like to enjoy music. I see a lot of shows and play a little with some local garage bands.
How long have you been riding, and when did building enter the picture?
I’ve been riding since the early 90s. I’ve been riding the North Shore since 2001. It’s the reason I moved to North Vancouver. Building just happened organically as we strived to maintain the trails we were riding.
What pulled you in? Was there a moment, a person, a project?
I took a building course with IMBA around 2003 and that really pushed me to build more sustainable trails.
Walk us through a trail day. What does it look, feel, and smell like out there?
I’ll describe a TAP day. Usually I would head to the sea can and grab enough tools for the size of the group. We would meet at the bottom of the trail. I run through a quick orientation and pass out the tools to carry up trail. Once we get to the project, a little bit of instruction and the work begins. It’s great to watch people interact on the trail. The hunt for gold, the jokes and laughs, and the real satisfaction you see from folks when they look back at the fresh tread.
What’s the project or feature you’re most proud of?
Most of my work is maintaining the trail already built by the NSMBA team. I just keep fixing erosion and wear.
What’s your go-to tool, and why does it matter to you?
My boots. They let me kick rocks off the trail, beat shovels into the gold, protect my toes when I drop a rock, and tamp down the fresh gold with a Digger shuffle.
What’s something most riders don’t realize goes into the trails they ride?
Everything underneath that tread on the surface. There’s always drainage, reinforcement, culverts, even bridges that we don’t notice when riding.
Who taught you something important — about building or about being out there?
Digger of course. So many tips and instruction. He’s always willing to share his knowledge.
What does your crew look like on a build day? Who’s usually there?
I do a lot f TAP days, so it’s me and about 5-10 volunteers.
Is there a moment from a trail day that’s stuck with you?
There’s a moment every trail day when the volunteers switch from curious apprehension about how to build into having a good time slinging dirt. That moment is always fun and smiles for everyone.
What’s changed most on the North Shore trail network since you started?
Trails are becoming more standardized. Built the same way even though the grade or features may be unique. They are all built with similar established techniques now.
What are you most excited about for the next few years?
Seeing trails built in new places. There is so much work going on in places adjacent to the Shore and these are great trail systems.
Do you have a trail-building catchphrase or the thing you always say out there?
Think of it as extreme gardening.
What do you want someone to feel the first time they ride something you built?
I just want people to be having fun.
Previous Editions:
Meet the Builders – Sarah and Sean – 2026
Meet the Cypress Crew – 2026
Meet the Builders – Dave – 2018
Meet the Builders – Penny and Martin – 2018