Grading IMBA's Work

IMBA Trail News
Volume 13, Number 3
Summer 2000

On an A-to-F letter scale, the worst mountain bike ride I've ever slogged through rates about a C+. That was a 30-minute comedy of errors that included two flats, a broken chain, a shattered rear derailler and a series of Fred Flintstone pushoffs back to the parking lot. On second thought, the end of that ride was pretty cool. Give it a solid B.

Bad rides always have redeeming qualities. Bad trail access is not quite so gentle on your mind, particularly if you're actively involved in mountain bike advocacy. This point was confirmed recently when we asked each IMBA state representative to assign a letter grade to the overall mountain bike trail access situations in their state. The product of this process is IMBA's first national trail access report card.

Overall access grades range from A (Idaho) to D (Louisiana). That Idaho would receive an A shouldn't surprise anyone. More than half the state is public land and the U.S. Forest Service and BLM have both done outstanding recreational work there.

Louisiana is a sportsman's paradise, but we're talking fishing, not mountain biking. The bayou state is also flat and wet, but these features aren't necessarily barriers to great riding. Just ask the famous trials master, Hans Rey, who spent some time recently pedaling Florida shoreline singletrack and loving it. (Florida, by the way, earned a B.)

Regardless of the true status of trail access in your region, many of your fellow mountain bikers - riders who aren't involved in advocacy or trailwork - are probably out there on local trails, thinking all is basically fine. They don't know which agency manages which land parcel and they are probably unaware of potential access losses. The same is true of mountain bikers who come to visit from other sections of the country: they'll probably be impressed by the riding in your area - no matter where you live-because it's new to them. Perspective is everything, isn't it?

IMBA's report card-subjective as it is - will help us focus and measure our work. Often, when IMBA and our affiliated clubs are most successful, we keep trails that were open yesterday open today. This is probably our most important role, and as we all know, it's challenging. But it's not the easiest thing to quantify or hang our hats on.

During the second half of 2000 we're going to invite IMBA members to chime in with your thoughts - your letter grades - on trail access in your state. We'll create a spot on our new website where you can record your votes and comments.

IMBA's goal for mountain biking access is nothing less than straight A's - state by state, nation by nation. It's not going to be easy and it's going to take a while. Thank goodness we can ride to keep our spirits and energy high. And the since the worst ride imaginable rates no worse than a B, staying pumped shouldn't be a problem.

- T.B.