Climbing Turns

IMBA is a young organization. We began in California in March 1988. Michael Kelley, an attorney from Berkeley, was one of the advocacy pioneers who attended our first meeting - a gathering that was called in response to widespread Golden State trail closures to mountain bikers. Michael represented the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay, a group working hard on behalf of our sport in the hills above Oakland and Berkeley.

This summer, after 12 years on IMBA's board of directors, Michael is taking a break. While he's giving up his board position, he'll remain connected to IMBA and he'll continue to champion issues such as diversity in the trails community, the development of the 400-mile-plus Bay Area Ridge Trail, and smooth relations between cyclists and equestrians.

Michael will also continue to get out with his friends a couple times a week on epic five or six-hour mountain bike rides. He'll play jazz guitar (beautifully, I might add), he'll exult in all children (especially his two daughters), and he'll be an enduring, passionate voice for harmony in the national trails community.

Michael isn't the only one gliding into a new role at IMBA. After three brilliantly successful years as Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew No. 1, Jan and Mike Riter have elected to stay home in Georgia this year.

I can still picture the day that Jan & Mike left Boulder in March of '97 to head to the Cactus Cup in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the Trail Care Crew's debut. The decals were barely dry on their new Outback and the Trail Care Crew was nothing more than a promising concept. Twenty miles into their first mission for IMBA, they met the biggest snowstorm of the year...and they got through it just fine. That was a good omen.

While the Riters already knew a lot about working on trails they basically invented Trail Care Crew program protocol as they went along. In three years, they drove more than 120,000 miles for IMBA and visited 48 states plus at least 10 countries. They took their job very seriously, while always blending in good humor, and that's why they've been so successful.

Now the Riters are building on their TCC experience by starting a trail consulting business, Trail Design Services. Mike is also leading an innovative statewide Georgia trails education program that was established by our regional affiliate, SORBA.

New blood, new perspectives, and reinforcements: these are all good things, particularly because the people who are moving on are staying connected to the cause.

Thanks, Michael; thanks Jan & Mike. You've made the world better for mountain biking, you've made IMBA stronger, and you've done it with style.

You can reach the Riters via e-mail at tds.@mindspring.com. Michael Kelley can be reached at .

- T.B.

Help | Site Map | Copyright



	Climbing Turns IMBA is a young organization. We began in California in March 1988. Michael Kelley, an attorney from Berkeley, was one of the advocacy pioneers who attended our first meeting - a gathering that was called in response to widespread Golden State trail closures to mountain bikers. Michael represented the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay, a group working hard on behalf of our sport in the hills above Oakland and Berkeley. This summer, after 12 years on IMBA's board of directors, Michael is taking a break. While he's giving up his board position, he'll remain connected to IMBA and he'll continue to champion issues such as diversity in the trails community, the development of the 400-mile-plus Bay Area Ridge Trail, and smooth relations between cyclists and equestrians. Michael will also continue to get out with his friends a couple times a week on epic five or six-hour mountain bike rides. He'll play jazz guitar (beautifully, I might add), he'll exult in all children (especially his two daughters), and he'll be an enduring, passionate voice for harmony in the national trails community. Michael isn't the only one gliding into a new role at IMBA. After three brilliantly successful years as Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew No. 1, Jan and Mike Riter have elected to stay home in Georgia this year. I can still picture the day that Jan & Mike left Boulder in March of '97 to head to the Cactus Cup in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the Trail Care Crew's debut. The decals were barely dry on their new Outback and the Trail Care Crew was nothing more than a promising concept. Twenty miles into their first mission for IMBA, they met the biggest snowstorm of the year...and they got through it just fine. That was a good omen. While the Riters already knew a lot about working on trails they basically invented Trail Care Crew program protocol as they went along. In three years, they drove more than 120,000 miles for IMBA and visited 48 states plus at least 10 countries. They took their job very seriously, while always blending in good humor, and that's why they've been so successful. Now the Riters are building on their TCC experience by starting a trail consulting business, Trail Design Services. Mike is also leading an innovative statewide Georgia trails education program that was established by our regional affiliate, SORBA. New blood, new perspectives, and reinforcements: these are all good things, particularly because the people who are moving on are staying connected to the cause. Thanks, Michael; thanks Jan & Mike. You've made the world better for mountain biking, you've made IMBA stronger, and you've done it with style. You can reach the Riters via e-mail at tds.@mindspring.com. Michael Kelley can be reached at . - T.B.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright