Is Your Ride Epic?

IMBA Trail News
Volume 15, Number 4
Fall 2002

South Yuba, California; Ellicottville, New York; Levis-Trow, Wisconsin; Bull Mountain, Georgia. These four unique places share one thing: Epic riding. All were honored and celebrated in 2002 as part of the IMBA Epics program.

Epic rides are why we love mountain biking. They create classic memories and inspire us to save the trails. To fuel this passion, IMBA has awarded the IMBA Epic designation to 24 great rides since '99. We've honored each with a two-day celebration. The first day we focus on trailwork, the second on riding and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Participants camp near the trailhead, share meals, riding stories and ideas. The events are co-hosted by local mountain bike clubs and IMBA.

The 2002 series of IMBA Epic celebrations has been a great success. In Nevada City, CA mountain bikers gathered to celebrate the South Yuba Trail. Participants hiked deep into the South Yuba Canyon to improve a trail section rarely reached by trailwork crews. The next day, Bicyclists of Nevada County club members guided an epic tour highlighted by 17 miles of unbroken singletrack along the South Yuba River.

Next on the schedule was Ellicottville, NY, hosted by the Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association. Mountain bikers built nearly a mile of new trail under the instruction of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew. Day two participants were treated to more than 30 miles of singletrack adventure.

On Labor Day weekend, more than 70 riders gathered outside of Neillsville, WI, at the Levis-Trow Mounds Nordic Center. Led by the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, participants built nearly a half-mile of new singletrack. For the ride, members of the Neillsville Area Trails Association showed off their trails to mountain bikers from seven states and Canada.

The Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association hosted the last IMBA Epic celebration of the year in Dahlonega, GA. Mountain bikers were rewarded for their trailwork effort by riding more than 30 miles of awesome Bull Mountain singletrack the following day.

The IMBA Epic program is sponsored by Bike Magazine and Santa Cruz Bicycles.

Think your trail is worthy of the IMBA Epic designation? Each year IMBA selects a handful of great rides around the world to receive this special honor. We are accepting Epic nominations until December 1, 2002 for 2003 selections. More info visit imba.com/epics/nominate_epic.html.