So, this skiing forum that I am part of... Teton Gravity Research, is one of the most unique web forum communities that I have ever seen. It's a very cool group of people from all walks of life, but many are my age and are professionals. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, ski industry people, you name it. We all love skiing, and it doesn't stop there. All topics are welcome, NSFW (not safe for work) posts of hot chicks, Trip Reports, political discussions, etc. It's a good scene.

The best thing though is the sense of community, and the efforts people make to meet and help others out from the forum. I think partly it's because the TGR people have a name for each other. Every member of the forum is lovingly referred to as a "Maggot" (powdermaggot) and we all respond to this title, with a lift-line callout "Got change for a nickel?" It's kind of an arbitrary phrase with poor ski-bum references, but it's ours, and only a Maggot will respond. It's kinda cool.

Why "Maggot?' The TGR forum sprouted from the Powder Magazine forum, which had a domain name of www.powdermag.com. The members there lovingly referred to each other as "Powder Maggots" and the name just stuck, and has been shortened to "mag." I don't really even think of the original meaning of "maggot" anymore because now it means a hardcore skier friend who's in on all my internet jokes and terminology.

So here's my thing: I think we as members of BCP, need a name for ourselves. "Are you on BCP?" is kind lame, as I think it registers as "Are you on birth control pills?" in the minds of most people. Not a good opening line. We need a cool name.

"I'm a BCP'er" - Sounds weird, forced, but this is what we've been using.


Rejected suggestions:
"I'm a B-Cupper" - Better, makes me think of boobies. Strange to say this to a stranger who is potentially totally unaware of BCP.

"I'm a Buttercup" - I could never say this to another man, or ask the same of him.


So what do we call ourselves? What is our secret phrase/handshake?

Perhaps it doesn't work to force it, it's something that needs to evolve on its own. Ok I'm gonna go build a fort now and ride my Schwinn.

I agree---time to check out.....

MTV

You guys are no fun.

Zane,

I agree, jmtgt and mtv are no fun. (of course we already knew that) I'm headed out to Colorado this weekend and I'm going to work on it. If I come up with something good I'll PM you. Note: Whatever we come up with, make sure it doesn't leak out to mtv or jmtgt.

Mark

I have never ever been accused of being "no fun".

"Back Landers" came to my mind first. But then on reflection I started to think we need a single word ... and I don't like being back of anything.. well, one thing
Soooo I pondered it while (OK, 22 1/2 seconds) and Eureka! It came to me!
"Beacon" prenounced: "bee conn" We will need to be careful to make sure the T in country remains silent...
So a typical conversation upon landing at a new airport and talking to the other pilots would be: "Howdy, any beacons on this field?"

How about Yolaw's for
YOu
LAnded
Where?

Hmmm

Back country pilots = hicks in the sticks.

If you fly a plane with a stick then you could be a hick in the sticks with a stick.

Or if the ground is soft you could be a hick in the sticks with a stick that's stuck!!!

If your ole plane is un modified you could be a Hick in the sticks, with a stick, that's stuck 'cause he's stock.

This is just getting worse so I will quit now.

Shane

STOLies?

prop nut
or
propnut

deliverance pilot, squeal like a cleveland!

SLOBS
Slow
Low
Backcountry
Studs (mostly)

Speedbump,

you are cracking me up! thanks for stopping in today, I was starting to feel like a hermit. We'll have to get together and tear up the cub again

speedbump wrote:SLOBS
Slow
Low
Backcountry
Studs (mostly)

I like this one!! The final 'S' could stand for a lot of things:

Suckers
Squires
Simpletons
Saps

and in the off chance one of us was caught not flying low..... well... we'd just be an SOB

It is probably an idea way ahead of it's time, but it would take several glasses of wine to adjust to, and then I would regret it in the morning.

I'm with Lance on this one. No need for the handshake, decoder ring, or code name.

It's not so much a secret handshake as it is a sense of camaraderie for being pilots who are part of the same web community, and know all the same characters and daily BS.

I guess you can't manufacture camaraderie.

Zane,

Let's see if we can't ignore the naysayers and continue on.

I like some Jeff's, especially slobs. It is critical that a term that appears grandiose should not be considered and like maggots, I don't think anyone will think we are putting ourselves on a pedestal if we refer to one another as SLOBS.

I can see it now. Somebody will make a tough approach to a short field greaser and we all concur that the pilot is quite a SLOB. haha

Mark

How about doing a poll with some of the names ???

For what it's worth, and that ain't much, I'm with the naysayers. Things like that don't feel right when they're contrived.