Trail EAffect

For episode 211, we've got Willie Bittner, founder of Great Lakes Trail Builders, and current President of the Professional Trail Builders Association. Willie has been trail building nearly his entire life, starting out with Boy Scout projects, then working for various Conservation Corps organizations on, and alongside various trail builders before Founding WisCorps, and Great Lakes Trail Builders. Willie brings some insight and stories not commonly found with other guests here on Trail EAffect.

Topics Include:

How Willie got into Trail Building

Leaving Wisconsin to work for the California Backcountry Program

Getting into hand build stonework in the California Wilderness

Hand built trail vs Machine Built trail

Heading to the East Coast to work for the Vermont Conservation Corps

Transitioning from working with Conservation Corps to working with Peter S Jenson & Associates.

Accessible Trails

Starting Great Lakes Trail Builders and Co-Founding WisCORPS in La Crosse, WI

Meeting Willie for the first time

WisCORPS is and what it was like rebooting a Conservation Corps in WI.

The transition back to running Great Lakes Trail Builders

Going to South Argentina / Patagonia Region to build trails

The challenges of building in this region

Moving his family to Argentina for trail building

Being covered by National Geographic for Trail Building

Trail Building as a legit trade

Reflecting on the past 50 years of the Professional Trail Builders Association

The 2026 PTBA Conference in Boise

Becoming a PTBA member company

Willie becoming president of the PTBA

Training people in traditional stone work

Building in Superior National Forest in Northern MN

Rebuilding stairs out of stone (from wood)

The 2027 International Trail Summit in North Carolina

What Willie looks for in a trail community

Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Great Lakes Trail Builders: https://www.greatlakestrailbuilders.com

National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/trail-builders-perfect-hike

Professional Trail Builders Association: https://www.trailbuilders.org

 

Show Support By:

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/josh

Smith’s Bike Shop – 130 Years of Excellence: www.smithsbikes.com

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

 

Contact Josh at [email protected]

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For episode 210, we've got Berne Broudy and Greg Durso back on for a follow-up conversation about their film, Best Day Ever. Berne and Greg were first on in episode 201 back in October of 2025, and since then they've been rallying hard on the film tour circuit, racking up an impressive 22 awards and showcasing the film in multiple countries. Best Day Ever has been making a real impact on how everyday people in the trail community think about adaptive trails and trails for all. This is a special episode and one worth sharing. If you haven't had the chance to check this film out, it's impressive and will take you through the full rollercoaster of emotions.

Topics Include:

Recap – Banff Film Festival World Tour

Awards

National and International Screenings

Experiences that have come from the film tour in various communities and theaters

What it takes to implement adaptive trails

Guidelines around aMTB Trails

VMBA 3 Park YouTube Series

Drive Range aMTB Trail System

Future Screenings of Best Day Ever

5 Point Film Festival (4/23/2026)

How you can screen the movie in your community for all the community leaders

Best Day Ever and SORBA

aMTB Trails – Not Dumbed Down or made easier

aMTB’s and Bowhead at Sea Otter

Reflecting on all the Traction this film has gotten since it’s gone live

The reception this film has gotten across theaters

Closing Comments

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Best Day Ever Film: https://www.bestdayever.mov/

Best Day Ever on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestdayevermovie

VMBA Adaptive YouTube Series:

            Episode One: https://youtu.be/VLmq9z7hBNc?si=fNUZ5zVlW82Zv7Fj

            Episode Two: https://youtu.be/2n9roXXo3-I?si=WA0790_Xs2jvw0Hz

            Episode Three: https://youtu.be/pWpS2WM9C4Y?si=Pxh03QcnehKkBqMQ

Driving Range Trail System: https://www.richmondmountaintrails.org/the-driving-range

 

Show Support By:

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/josh

Smith’s Bike Shop – 130 Years of Excellence: www.smithsbikes.com

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

 

Contact Josh at [email protected]

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

Evan Walterman & Doc Savage | Black Hills Bike Hub – Rapid City, SD | 209

For episode 209, We have Evan Walterman and Doc Savage representing the Black Hills Bike Hub based in Rapid City, SD. Doc is the current President, and Evan is the Director of Trails. We discuss all things mountain biking and trails in Rapid City which has some very unique trail systems. Rapid City was also just named an IMBA Trail Town, and we discussed that process as well.

Topics Include:

How Evan got into Mountain Biking and Trails

How Doc got into Mountain Biking and Trails

The Dakota 5-0 and the impact on the region

Project Echelon

The Black Hills Region

Remembering Kevin Forrester – K4 Trails

Rapid City and the backstory of trail systems in Rapid City Proper

Hansen-Larsen Memorial Park

Skyline Wilderness Area

Creating / Rebooting the Black Hills Bike Hub

The All-American Trail

Community Support of Trails and Mountain Biking

Becoming an IMBA Trail Town

IMBA Trail Care Workshop

What Doc looks for in a Trail Community

What Evan looks for in a Trail Community

Closing Comments

 

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Black Hills Bike Hub: https://www.blackhillsbikehub.org/

K4 Trails: https://k4trails.com/

Hansen-Larsen Memorial Park: https://www.hlmprc.com/

IMBA Trail Towns: https://www.imba.com/trail-towns

 

Show Support By:

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/josh

Smith’s Bike Shop – 130 Years of Excellence: www.smithsbikes.com

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

 

Contact Josh at [email protected]

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For episode 208, we have Ethan Edman, the Director of Trail Construction and Maintenance at the OZ Trails Bike Park. If you want a real understanding of how one of the most anticipated bike parks in the country is coming together, this conversation delivers.

Topics Include:

Ethan on Gravity Based Bike Parks

Ethan on his role as the Director of Trail Construction and Maintenance

Bike parks he’d visited, and the experiences Ethan has learned about them

Angel Fire Bike Park

Spirit Mountain Bike Park

Highland Bike Park

The value gained from riding and experiencing many different places

The Chairlift at the OZ Trails Bike Park, and the experience it will provide

Discussing different uplift experiences

Details on the 30 trails that the OZ Trails Bike Park will be opening with

Maximizing the 280’ of elevation at the Bike Park

The importance of Diverse Trail Experiences that will be offered

Anticipated Opening of the OZ Trails Bike Park

Dialing in operations ahead of opening and training staff.

Unique characteristics of having a truly blank canvas to create this bike park

Gravity Logic as the main contractor for the bike park, both for building trails and dialing in operations of the bike park as a business

Hours of Operation

Other amenities at the OZ Trails Bike Park

Rental Bikes

Skills Coaching / Lessons

How this bike park will cater to new riders from a skills perspective

Mena, AR Bike Park

What Ethan knows about the bike park in Mena, AR

How the OZ Trails Bike Park will complement a much larger bike park in Mena

The scale of the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas

Closing Comments and Thank You’s

Trail EAffect Show Links:

OZ Trails Bike Park: https://www.oztrails.com/oz-trails-bike-park/

 

Show Support By:

Outdoor Marketing Bootcamp: https://www.outdoormarketingbootcamp.com/

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/josh

Smith’s Bike Shop – 130 Years of Excellence: www.smithsbikes.com

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

 

Contact Josh at [email protected]

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services

For episode 207, Phil Waidner is our guest – Now if you read the title, it says West Virginia Mountain Biking and the Arrowhead Bike Farm – This is where Phil Lives and what Phil does, but how he got here is a whole lot of different stories. Phil took us from Indiana to Ashville, to China to Bolivia, to Vail Colorado and finally to Fayetteville, WV. He’s had a lot of different roles in the mountain bike community that span from Tour Guide / Instructor to Leading Teen Trail Corps for NICA and a ton more. There’s so much to unpack about this conversation that an intro just won’t do it justice.

Topics Include:

Phil Waidner Back Story

Heading to China to guide for climbing and mountain biking

Getting a job as a mountain bike guide in Bolivia

Transitioning back to the U.S. as a ski instructor in Vail, CO.

Moving to West Virginia to take a role as the Wheels Program Manager

at the Summit Bechtel Reserve Boy Scout Camp

Getting the keys to a brand new 35-mile trail system at the Summit Bechtel Reserve

The importance of Trail Maintenance

Hired by NICA to run the Teen Trail Corps – Nationwide

The success of NICA Teen Trail Corps

Coming onboard at the Arrowhead Bike Farm in Fayetteville, WV

Arrowhead Bike Farm Backstory

What the Arrowhead Bike Farm is and what they do there (lots!)

Mountain Biking in the New River Gorge Region

The uniqueness of West Virginia

Events and Festivals in the region

What Phil looks for in trail communities

Closing Comments

Bonus Bolivia Content

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Arrowhead Bike Farm: https://arrowheadbikefarm.com/

West Virginia Mountain Bike Association: https://wvmba.com/

Summit Bechtel Reserve: https://www.summitbsa.org/

Gravity Bolivia: https://www.gravitybolivia.com/

 

Show Support By:

Outdoor Marketing Bootcamp: https://www.outdoormarketingbootcamp.com/

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/josh

Smith’s Bike Shop – 130 Years of Excellence: www.smithsbikes.com

Trail EAffect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

 

Contact Josh at [email protected]

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services