2003 IMBA Annual Report

A few words from IMBA President Hill Abell...

From any perspective IMBA had a very successful 2003 and is poised for exciting new achievements in 2004. With the support of individual members, clubs, foundations, sponsors and bicycle industry supporters we have expanded our contacts and improved our effectiveness at every level of mountain bike advocacy.

A short list of this year's achievements include:

• Leading more than 60 Trailbuilding Schools and helping support almost one million hours of volunteer trailwork.
• Developing an exciting new partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will result in new trails on Corps properties across the country.
• The successful launch of IMBA Trail Solutions, a professional trailbuilding business that helped build new trails in eight states and will be in high demand in 2004.
• A growing presence in Washington, D.C. as IMBA's advocacy staff works closely with two respected law firms to build our presence on Capitol Hill and in federal agencies.
• The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crews continue to make a positive impact on land managers and volunteer trail builders as they spread the gospel of sustainable trailbuilding techniques.

There is a long list of challenges facing the mountain bike community that will require extra effort on the part of IMBA's staff and our fellow advocates nationwide in order to develop strategies to overcome them. Wilderness proposals in California that would close existing mountain bike trails, land manager concerns tied to unauthorized trailbuilding as well as budget constraints at the state and federal levels for trailbuilding and maintenance are some of the complex issues IMBA faces this year.

In the book "Good to Great" Jim Collins writes of a phenomenon called the Flywheel Effect, explaining that tremendous power exists in the fact of continuous improvement and the delivery of results, however incremental. As the list of IMBA's tangible accomplishments grows there is a buildup of momentum and as the momentum builds breakthroughs inevitably occur. No single breakthrough results in ultimate success but the cumulative effect of many small pushes to the flywheel will inevitably result in ongoing success. IMBA has been pushing the flywheel of mountain bike trail access for 15 years and is focused on sustaining, and building, momentum where it counts.

IMBA continues to build our trail advocacy toolkit and to help our fellow advocates become better representatives for responsible mountain biking. I hope you'll take the time to read in this issue of IMBA Trail News about some of our 2004 initiatives, which include:

• A national IMBA advocacy summit that will include a lobbying day in Washington, D.C.
• Our efforts to develop new freeriding areas and sustainable freeride trailbuilding techniques.

Thanks for your continued support, comments and critiques. We remain committed to providing high-quality, environmentally responsible mountain biking opportunities for everyone and appreciate you joining us for the ride.

Hill Abell
IMBA President
Austin, Texas

2003 IMBA Accomplishments

Here's a snapshot of IMBA's biggest accomplishments in 2003.

Improved Representation in Washington, D.C.

IMBA is working with two prominent D.C. firms to increase our clout in the U.S. capital. Smith, Dawson & Andrews and Hogan & Hartson provide IMBA with legal, legislative and public relations advice, relationship-building strategies, and lobbying assistance. The result: more members of Congress and key federal agency leaders have become familiar with our sport, our volunteer work and our need for more and better trails.

IMBA Trailbuilding Goes Professional

Late in 2002, IMBA boldly launched a professional trail services program. The project, called IMBA Trail Solutions, has been an unqualified success. During 2003, IMBA pros Rich Edwards and Joey Klein helped build new trails in eight states - all funded by paying clients. IMBA Trail Solutions will expand in 2004. The simple goal: develop outstanding new trails for mountain bikers with direct financial support from land agencies.

New Singletrack on Army Corps Land

IMBA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a partnership agreement on National Public Lands Day in September, 2002. Before the ink dried, IMBA members and clubs jumped at the opportunity to volunteer on Corps land and help build new trails. The result: 180 miles of new singletrack coast to coast. IMBA also helped unite the trails and recreation community behind recreation opportunities on Corps land.

Subaru and IMBA: A 10-Year Partnership for Trails

Subaru of America, Inc. recently renewed its support of the acclaimed Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew through 2006. Launched in '97, the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program has led more than 1,000 trail projects, trained more than 35,000 people in sustainable trailbuilding techniques and logged half a million miles of coast-to-coast travel in its official Subaru vehicles.

IMBA Hot Spots Improves Urban Trail Access

By focusing IMBA advocacy resources and staff time on improving trail access near cities, the IMBA Hot Spots Program helped open new trails in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Cleveland, New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area. A full report appears on pages 10-11 of this issue.

2004 IMBA Challenges

Here's a snapshot of IMBA's biggest challenges in 2004.

Wilderness and Mountain Biking

While IMBA strongly supports environmental conservation, bicycling is not allowed in any federally designated Wilderness area. We want to preserve the land but don't want to lose access to great rides. IMBA continues to present proposals for alternatives to Wilderness, but many Wilderness advocates remain committed to the idea that designated Wilderness is the only truly effective way to preserve land. More Wilderness proposals will come forth and this will continue to be an issue affecting thousands of miles of bicycling opportunities.

Recruiting More Members

IMBA members remain fervently committed to our cause, but to increase our effectiveness, we need to convince more riders to join the effort. The truth is that the sport of mountain biking has reached a plateau. In the years ahead, it will be harder than ever to grow the IMBA ranks. We need all IMBA members to help by asking their riding buddies to join IMBA and become mountain biking activists.

Solidify Partnership with National Park Service

Mountain biking on dirt roads and appropriate trails is a National Park solution that will get visitors out of their cars and away from crowded roads, parking lots and trailheads. While the National Park Service (NPS) has been slow to embrace bicycling, a number of National Parks and NPS-managed National Recreation Areas are supporting mountain biking. IMBA hopes to solidify a positive partnership with the agency in 2004 and develop pilot trail projects in several National Park units.

Making Freeriding Legitimate in the U.S.

IMBA has focused a lot of energy on freeriding in the past few years, establishing freeride zones around the world and taking a leading role in developing sustainable and technical trailbuilding techniques. Now comes the challenging part: getting more freeriders active in advocacy and convincing public land managers in the U.S. that freeriding is a legitimate activity - not a liability or resource threat.

The Art of the Pass

The real key to trail access may be no more complicated than what happens every day out on the trails when mountain bikers meet hikers and equestrians. Better communication and smoother encounters build respect, diffuse tension and in the long run, guarantee our place on public land. It's time for us all to master the art of the pass.

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IMBA is Diversifying its Funding Sources

Since 1997, IMBA has dramatically diversified our sources of income, making us a stronger organization. Key contributors:

• Grant and foundation support has increased by $400,052 or 196%.
• The Trail Solutions program generated $158,576 in 2003. In 1997, this effort didn't exist.
• Product sales and in-kind donations have soared.

IMBA Membership by State

1. California - 5,751
2. Colorado - 2,953
3. New York - 1,517
4. Pennsylvania - 1,366
5. Texas - 1,159
6. Florida - 956
7. Washington - 906
8. Illinois - 850
9. Massachusetts - 850
10. Michigan - 845
11. Virginia - 818
12. New Jersey - 774