News Briefs

IMBA Trail News
Volume 15, Number 1
Spring 2002

1. 2002 IMBA Epic Rides

IMBA Epic Rides are back in 2002. We've picked four outstanding mountain bike rides across the U.S., adding them to the 20 IMBA Epics we've selected and celebrated since 1999. You'll want to add these routes to your must-ride list or join us this year for one of our IMBA Epic weekends. These events combine all the elements that mountain bikers love: adventure, primo singletrack, lung-searing climbs and arm-burning descents on some of the best trails in the world. Toss in a fun day of trailwork and you have the recipe for an IMBA Epic Celebration weekend. In 2002, we'll kick things off May 11-12 on the South Yuba Loop in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Nevada City, California. Next, we'll move east to Ellicottville, New York on July 20-21 for a singletrack adventure on the Allegheny Plateau. Stop three takes us to the Levis Mound trail system near Nellsville, Wisconsin, August 31-September 1. The final location for the '02 Epics tour has us riding some of the finest trails in the south at Bull Mountain outside Ellijay, Georgia, September 28-29. The 2002 IMBA Epics program is made possible by Above-and-Beyond sponsors Patagonia, Santa Cruz and Bike Magazine. Want to join us? Visit imba.com/epics and register today for an IMBA Epic Ride.

2. California Wilderness Update

During the last few months, IMBA volunteers have worked with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer to provide the mountain bike perspective on the 2.8 million-acre California Wilderness proposal. Designated Wilderness provides optimum long-term protection for pristine public land. However, bicycling is not permitted in Wilderness areas. We're communicating with Wilderness advocates, cyclists and bike shops to identify areas of proposed Wilderness that we can support while making sure that the state's popular trails remain open for future bicycling enjoyment. Early drafts of this California Wilderness proposal included dozens of trails that are popular mountain bike rides. Many of these have since been removed from Wilderness consideration. IMBA is now seeking local mountain bike trail information in South Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes and the southern Sierra Mountains. Portions of these areas may be included in the Wilderness proposal that is likely to be presented to the U.S. Congress later this year. If you are familiar with these trail systems or need more information visit our Wilderness Resources or email .

3. National Leadership Fund in Action

One of IMBA's highest priorities for 2002 is strengthening our presence in Washington, D.C. IMBA wants to make sure mountain bikers are at the table when important federal public land and recreation decisions are made. As part of this focus, IMBA president Steve Anderson and staffers Tim Blumenthal and Jenn Dice traveled to D.C. in early February to meet with representatives from the National Park Service, BLM, U.S. Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation. The highlight of the trip was a meeting with National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. Maniella and the IMBA team discussed ways to incorporate mountain bikes as a National Parks solution (see Tim's article page 8). The February trip was made possible by IMBA's new member-supported National Mountain Bike Leadership Fund, which is designed to increase awareness of mountain bike access issues at the federal level. The fund will allow us to make more D.C. trips this year, and work towards hiring an IMBA D.C. representative.

4. Trail Crew Rolls Into '02

Thanks to ongoing sponsorship from Subaru of America, the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program is continuing in 2002. Two teams of trail experts are traveling throughout North America leading trailwork sessions, meeting with government officials and land managers, and working with IMBA-affiliated groups to improve mountain biking opportunities. Both crews will also lead an expanded series of IMBA Trailbuilding Schools. Crews travel in distinctive IMBA-decalled dark blue 2002 Outbacks provided by Subaru of America, IMBA's top sponsor since 1997. IMBA is excited to welcome our newest Trail Care Crew team: Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner from Ontario. Mark and Lora are concentrating on the Western U.S. and Canada. Rich and Jen Edwards return for their third year as our eastern U.S. crew. Rich and Jen are recognized as premier mountain bike trail educators. Jody Flemming is IMBA's new TCC coordinator.

5. Moab Summit Prep on Schedule

The Winter Olympics aren't the only major international event in Utah this year. Preparations are well underway for the 2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Summit at Red Cliffs Adventure Lodge near Moab, April 18-21. The summit will be an unprecedented global gathering of mountain bike advocacy leaders, top federal land managers and key representatives of other trail and conservation groups. Attendees will take the information learned at the summit to improve mountain biking opportunities worldwide. Because of venue size constraints, the Moab event is limited to 150 participants. However, information and lessons from the summit will be available to all mountain bike advocates at www.imba.com. Future plans also call for a larger multi-day IMBA Mountain Bike Festival that includes advocacy seminars, training, speeches, panels and, of course, lots of great riding. Stay tuned for more details.

6. IMBA Attends ROMP Clinic

IMBA's National Mountain Bike Patrol coordinator Kevin Stein attended a mid-winter ROMP (Responsible Organized Mtn. Pedalers) patrol training clinic in San Jose, California. The focus was using patrollers to reduce trail user conflict. Karen Morgan, ROMP's Patrol Director, led sessions about trailside bike repair, communication skills and environmental issues. Part of the afternoon was spent honing riding skills: patrollers rode up and down stairs, over teeter-totters and negotiated obstacle courses. The NMBP program continues to expand with brand new patrols in California, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Kevin will be visiting more patrols in an effort to improve communication between patrols in the field and the home office. For more info visit imba.com/nmbp.

7. Sprockids Grows

During the last seven months, more than 40 Sprockids clubs have started activities across North America, Europe and Asia. To help these clubs get off to a great start, IMBA updated and improved the time-tested Sprockids curriculum, which was developed during the last decade by program founder Doug Detwiller of British Columbia. IMBA Sprockids focuses on helping schools, clubs and community groups start successful kids mountain biking programs. This winter Sprockids clubs are planning activities for the spring and summer, including rides, races and trailwork. SRAM and Giant Bicycles join Ben & Jerry's as IMBA Sprockids program sponsors. For more info contact IMBA.

8. IMBA Shares Tourism Tips

Mountain bike tourism is improving the economy of communities around the world. IMBA was invited to share our thoughts on this trend at the 2002 Eco-Nord conference in Sudbury, Ontario. IMBA advocacy coordinator Dan Vardamis gave a presentation, "Ten Ways to Make Your Community a Mountain Bike Destination," to more than 200 attendees. Vardamis' talk explained the link between mountain biking and economic prosperity, and gave simple but effective advice on how to achieve this success. The Eco-Nord conference focused on improving the recessed economy of northern Ontario. The region has an outstanding network of trails and dirt roads, but has thus far been unable to draw many mountain bikers. For more info contact northern Ontario IMBA regional rep Hendrik Weigeldt at . A complete mountain biking economic development tool kit is available at imba.com.

9. Fat Tire Fiesta in Kansas City

Kansas City may not be high on many lists of great places to ride, but that will change soon. The local IMBA affiliate Earthrider's Foundation has received permission to build a multitude of singletrack trails in various areas surrounding the city. When complete, the trail system will constitute one of the largest U.S. urban mountain biking networks. The only problem: Earthrider's Foundation doesn't have enough volunteers to complete all the work. To get folks involved and trails on the ground, local mountain bikers are hosting the Mid-American Mountain Biking Advocacy Summit, March 22-24. The summit will feature sessions on mountain bike advocacy, the year's largest Midwest bike swap and a night bike rally. The event will be the first ever region-wide gathering of Midwest fat-tire enthusiasts. Open to all mountain bikers, registration costs only $10 with all proceeds going to the Earthrider's Foundation. More info: www.earthriders.org/summit.

10. Bells Ring in Santa Barbara

Bike bells have successfully minimized trail user conflict in many popular riding areas. In Santa Barbara, California, the Los Padres National Forest, IMBA affiliate Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers and KONA have taken the concept to the next level, providing free bells to cyclists at downhill trails. Bell boxes, stocked with loaner mini-cowbells that attach to a mountain bike's handlebar, have been built at busy trailheads. Riders can grab bells at the upper trailhead, use them on their way down, then deposit them at the bottom. The bells are receiving widespread praise from other trail users, including equestrians who say the familiar cowbell sound is less likely to spook horses than traditional bike bells.

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	News Briefs IMBA Trail News Volume 15, Number 1 Spring 2002 1. 2002 IMBA Epic Rides IMBA Epic Rides are back in 2002. We've picked four outstanding mountain bike rides across the U.S., adding them to the 20 IMBA Epics we've selected and celebrated since 1999. You'll want to add these routes to your must-ride list or join us this year for one of our IMBA Epic weekends. These events combine all the elements that mountain bikers love: adventure, primo singletrack, lung-searing climbs and arm-burning descents on some of the best trails in the world. Toss in a fun day of trailwork and you have the recipe for an IMBA Epic Celebration weekend. In 2002, we'll kick things off May 11-12 on the South Yuba Loop in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Nevada City, California. Next, we'll move east to Ellicottville, New York on July 20-21 for a singletrack adventure on the Allegheny Plateau. Stop three takes us to the Levis Mound trail system near Nellsville, Wisconsin, August 31-September 1. The final location for the '02 Epics tour has us riding some of the finest trails in the south at Bull Mountain outside Ellijay, Georgia, September 28-29. The 2002 IMBA Epics program is made possible by Above-and-Beyond sponsors Patagonia, Santa Cruz and Bike Magazine. Want to join us? Visit imba.com/epics and register today for an IMBA Epic Ride. 2. California Wilderness Update During the last few months, IMBA volunteers have worked with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer to provide the mountain bike perspective on the 2.8 million-acre California Wilderness proposal. Designated Wilderness provides optimum long-term protection for pristine public land. However, bicycling is not permitted in Wilderness areas. We're communicating with Wilderness advocates, cyclists and bike shops to identify areas of proposed Wilderness that we can support while making sure that the state's popular trails remain open for future bicycling enjoyment. Early drafts of this California Wilderness proposal included dozens of trails that are popular mountain bike rides. Many of these have since been removed from Wilderness consideration. IMBA is now seeking local mountain bike trail information in South Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes and the southern Sierra Mountains. Portions of these areas may be included in the Wilderness proposal that is likely to be presented to the U.S. Congress later this year. If you are familiar with these trail systems or need more information visit our Wilderness Resources or email . 3. National Leadership Fund in Action One of IMBA's highest priorities for 2002 is strengthening our presence in Washington, D.C. IMBA wants to make sure mountain bikers are at the table when important federal public land and recreation decisions are made. As part of this focus, IMBA president Steve Anderson and staffers Tim Blumenthal and Jenn Dice traveled to D.C. in early February to meet with representatives from the National Park Service, BLM, U.S. Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation. The highlight of the trip was a meeting with National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. Maniella and the IMBA team discussed ways to incorporate mountain bikes as a National Parks solution (see Tim's article page 8). The February trip was made possible by IMBA's new member-supported National Mountain Bike Leadership Fund, which is designed to increase awareness of mountain bike access issues at the federal level. The fund will allow us to make more D.C. trips this year, and work towards hiring an IMBA D.C. representative. 4. Trail Crew Rolls Into '02 Thanks to ongoing sponsorship from Subaru of America, the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program is continuing in 2002. Two teams of trail experts are traveling throughout North America leading trailwork sessions, meeting with government officials and land managers, and working with IMBA-affiliated groups to improve mountain biking opportunities. Both crews will also lead an expanded series of IMBA Trailbuilding Schools. Crews travel in distinctive IMBA-decalled dark blue 2002 Outbacks provided by Subaru of America, IMBA's top sponsor since 1997. IMBA is excited to welcome our newest Trail Care Crew team: Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner from Ontario. Mark and Lora are concentrating on the Western U.S. and Canada. Rich and Jen Edwards return for their third year as our eastern U.S. crew. Rich and Jen are recognized as premier mountain bike trail educators. Jody Flemming is IMBA's new TCC coordinator. 5. Moab Summit Prep on Schedule The Winter Olympics aren't the only major international event in Utah this year. Preparations are well underway for the 2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Summit at Red Cliffs Adventure Lodge near Moab, April 18-21. The summit will be an unprecedented global gathering of mountain bike advocacy leaders, top federal land managers and key representatives of other trail and conservation groups. Attendees will take the information learned at the summit to improve mountain biking opportunities worldwide. Because of venue size constraints, the Moab event is limited to 150 participants. However, information and lessons from the summit will be available to all mountain bike advocates at www.imba.com. Future plans also call for a larger multi-day IMBA Mountain Bike Festival that includes advocacy seminars, training, speeches, panels and, of course, lots of great riding. Stay tuned for more details. 6. IMBA Attends ROMP Clinic IMBA's National Mountain Bike Patrol coordinator Kevin Stein attended a mid-winter ROMP (Responsible Organized Mtn. Pedalers) patrol training clinic in San Jose, California. The focus was using patrollers to reduce trail user conflict. Karen Morgan, ROMP's Patrol Director, led sessions about trailside bike repair, communication skills and environmental issues. Part of the afternoon was spent honing riding skills: patrollers rode up and down stairs, over teeter-totters and negotiated obstacle courses. The NMBP program continues to expand with brand new patrols in California, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Kevin will be visiting more patrols in an effort to improve communication between patrols in the field and the home office. For more info visit imba.com/nmbp. 7. Sprockids Grows During the last seven months, more than 40 Sprockids clubs have started activities across North America, Europe and Asia. To help these clubs get off to a great start, IMBA updated and improved the time-tested Sprockids curriculum, which was developed during the last decade by program founder Doug Detwiller of British Columbia. IMBA Sprockids focuses on helping schools, clubs and community groups start successful kids mountain biking programs. This winter Sprockids clubs are planning activities for the spring and summer, including rides, races and trailwork. SRAM and Giant Bicycles join Ben & Jerry's as IMBA Sprockids program sponsors. For more info contact IMBA. 8. IMBA Shares Tourism Tips Mountain bike tourism is improving the economy of communities around the world. IMBA was invited to share our thoughts on this trend at the 2002 Eco-Nord conference in Sudbury, Ontario. IMBA advocacy coordinator Dan Vardamis gave a presentation, "Ten Ways to Make Your Community a Mountain Bike Destination," to more than 200 attendees. Vardamis' talk explained the link between mountain biking and economic prosperity, and gave simple but effective advice on how to achieve this success. The Eco-Nord conference focused on improving the recessed economy of northern Ontario. The region has an outstanding network of trails and dirt roads, but has thus far been unable to draw many mountain bikers. For more info contact northern Ontario IMBA regional rep Hendrik Weigeldt at . A complete mountain biking economic development tool kit is available at imba.com. 9. Fat Tire Fiesta in Kansas City Kansas City may not be high on many lists of great places to ride, but that will change soon. The local IMBA affiliate Earthrider's Foundation has received permission to build a multitude of singletrack trails in various areas surrounding the city. When complete, the trail system will constitute one of the largest U.S. urban mountain biking networks. The only problem: Earthrider's Foundation doesn't have enough volunteers to complete all the work. To get folks involved and trails on the ground, local mountain bikers are hosting the Mid-American Mountain Biking Advocacy Summit, March 22-24. The summit will feature sessions on mountain bike advocacy, the year's largest Midwest bike swap and a night bike rally. The event will be the first ever region-wide gathering of Midwest fat-tire enthusiasts. Open to all mountain bikers, registration costs only $10 with all proceeds going to the Earthrider's Foundation. More info: www.earthriders.org/summit. 10. Bells Ring in Santa Barbara Bike bells have successfully minimized trail user conflict in many popular riding areas. In Santa Barbara, California, the Los Padres National Forest, IMBA affiliate Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers and KONA have taken the concept to the next level, providing free bells to cyclists at downhill trails. Bell boxes, stocked with loaner mini-cowbells that attach to a mountain bike's handlebar, have been built at busy trailheads. Riders can grab bells at the upper trailhead, use them on their way down, then deposit them at the bottom. The bells are receiving widespread praise from other trail users, including equestrians who say the familiar cowbell sound is less likely to spook horses than traditional bike bells.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright