A Little Momentum is a Good Thing

IMBA Trail News
Volume 14, Number 1
Spring 2001

Back around Thanksgiving, I forecasted a couple of low-key months in the IMBA office. I told the staff that December and January would be a time to chill, organize and plan for '01.

Boy, was I wrong. When the Bureau of Land Management included mountain biking in its draft OHV Strategy released December 4, we realized immediately that we needed to mount a campaign, not kick back. We swiftly sent a broadcast email to more than 5,000 IMBA members. We rallied our affiliated clubs and fellow non-profit bicycle groups. We explained our perspective to the media: mountain biking needs to be managed, we said, but not under the motorized vehicle umbrella.

The BLM issue struck a cord with the press and the public because it was easy to understand. The character and impact of bicycling is obviously different from that of motorcycles and ATVs. Nevertheless, many of our published and broadcast interviews were lengthy and detailed. (On the other hand, one TV piece in which I appeared on the national Fox News Channel included just two of my sound bites for a total of nine seconds. But any press is...)

We went to DC to remind the BLM of our long history of cooperation and to hand-deliver our official comment letter. We talked with as many senior BLM officials as possible. Despite the wording of the draft OHV Strategy, we found BLM leadership to be totally receptive. IMBA's National Policy Director Gary Sprung, who has worked on Western grazing issues for many years with (former) Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, wrote a personal note to the Secretary. It, too, was hand delivered.

IMBA has enjoyed a close connection with the BLM since 1990. We regard this agency as a friend of IMBA's and a friend of mountain biking. Bob Moore, the former BLM Colorado state director, was especially helpful in reminding senior BLM staff of the extent of our partnership and the need to honor it by recognizing the fundamental differences between muscles and motors.

When the BLM released its final OHV Strategy on January 19, it was everything we hoped for. They acknowledged IMBA and the thousands of thoughtful comment letters sent by mountain bikers. They pretty much admitted that they had made the wrong decision by trying to group mountain bikers with motorists. They promised to work with us to develop a new Memorandum of Understanding and new management policies for mountain biking.

For many mountain bikers, this was their first attempt to influence a national policy issue related to our sport. It couldn't have ended better. You can be sure that the next time we ask our constituency to write letters or call their Congressional representatives, they will.

We may not have had a restful winter, but we do have momentum. Whether it's on the bike or in advocacy, a little mo is a good thing.

- T.B.