Olympian Travis Brown Talks Trails
IMBA Trail News
Volume 13, Number 4
Fall 2000
Wearing a cowboy hat and holding a poker hand, Travis Brown appeared in one of IMBA's first membership ads six years ago. Brown, the '99 NORBA National Cross-Country Champion, has long been one of IMBA's best supporters. He's been a key link between the racing community and the mountain bikers working to improve our sport's access and image. He's donated several bikes for IMBA auctions and promotions, and has stepped up to volunteer every time we've asked.
Brown, 31, is going to the Olympics in Sydney, Australia this month. On Sunday, September 24, Travis and Tinker Juarez (who's also an IMBA member) will represent the U.S. in the Olympic mountain bike race at Fairfield City Farm, 19 miles outside Sydney.
Shortly before leaving for Australia, Travis sat down with IMBA board member Mary Monroe to answer a few questions - questions he may not be asked by the competition-oriented press during the Games.
Travis, what do you like best about mountain biking?
Exploring trails. The adventure. You can cover so much ground on your bike. You can see so much of the land. Getting out there, finding and riding new trails all contribute to the fun of the sport. That's the bottom line.
Do you have a favorite trail or type of ride?
My favorite is combining road riding, city riding, bike paths and a really sweet trail. That's a true all-terrain ride. I have fun when my rides entail adventure, when I find new trails and new bike paths.
Is there one ride you've taken this year that stands out in your mind?
I was home in Durango for the Ironhorse Classic and rode the Hermosa Creek Trail. That is one of the all-time classic Colorado singletracks. I used to ride it a lot when I lived in Durango. It's in great shape, really smooth and not pocked-out from horses or cattle. Even though it's popular, it's remote. It's an 18-mile singletrack that is hard to get to - virtually inaccessible except from either end of the trail. And if you ride it from Purgatory down, it's fast even though there are climbs. You just follow the creek all the way to Hermosa.
Ten years from now, what do you think the sport of mountain biking will be like?
I think the sport will continue to grow and the (racing) disciplines will continue to diverge. I'd be surprised if downhill was still considered mountain biking in 10 years. I also think that as the sport grows and continues to gain credibility, the super hotbeds of conflict may subside. The issues we face with trail closures are often a result of false impressions. Over time, hopefully more facts will rise to the top and the real nature of mountain bikers will be understood. I don't think there will ever be a lack of people passionate about mountain biking who will fight for the cause.
Do you have any new wild ideas on the subject of what mountain bikers can do to make sure we have access to trails?
I think our advocacy groups should be more aggressive in demanding access to trails that are closed. I think that we, as mountain bikers, are a legitimate user group and we respect and responsibly use the land. I'd like to see a stronger attitude toward gaining that access.
