WHAT’S AUTHENTIC? 22 NEW CHAPTERS DAVE WIENS AND TALDI WALTER TEEN TRAIL CORPS FAT BIKE PHEASANT HUNT ADVOCACY SUCCESS STORIES SUBARU/IMBA TRAIL CARE CREW
Dawn patrol on Captain Ahab in Moab, Utah. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier.
WINTER 2016 //
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ON AUTHENTICITY WHAT’S LEGIT IN MTB?
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Last June, IMBA’s board of directors sequestered themselves in Park City, Utah. One of the board’s objectives was to
Trail News
Mike Van Abel, IMBA Executive Director
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KEEP UP WITH ALL
THE LATEST TRAIL NEWS FROM IMBA
IMBA Trail News | U.S. Edition
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elayna CaldwellMike CachatChris Conroy Howard FischerJim GroverKent McNeillAlden Philbrick Luther PropstFaryar Shirzad,David TreinisTaldi WalterDave WiensRobert Winston Chair of the BoardDavid Zimberoff
DEPARTMENT AND REGION DIRECTORSKevin Adams, Vice President of Chapter/Member Services, [email protected]
Bruce C. Alt, Vice President of Government Relations, [email protected]
Michelle Barker, Midwest and Pacific Northwest Region Director, [email protected]
Jason Bertolacci, Colorado-Wyoming Region Director, [email protected]
Noel Brendefur,
Dan Brillon, Vice President of Finance, Administration and Programs, [email protected]
Heather Cooper, Senior Director of Strategic Marketing,
Anthony Duncan, Atlantic Region Director, [email protected]
Mark Eller, Communications Director, [email protected]
Laurel Harkness, California-Hawaii Region Director, [email protected]
Patrick Kell, Southwest Region Director,
Kerri Salazar, Director of Operations,
Tom Sauret, Southeast/SORBA Region Director, [email protected]
Steve Schneider, South Central Region Director, [email protected]
Mike Van Abel, Executive Director, [email protected]
Andy Williamson, Great Lakes Region Director, [email protected]
SUBARU/IMBA TRAIL CARE CREWJordan Carr and Lani Bruntz, [email protected]
IMBA
to be the best yet as it has found its home in Bentonville,
2016 IMBA WORLD SUMMIT
BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS TO HOST
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fb.com/IMBAonFB and on Twitter @IMBA_US. Check out our trail videos at vimeo.com/IMBAUSA.newsletters, tailored to where you live, at IMBA.com/traillove. Arkansas is home to five Epic Rides, including the Syllamo Trails.
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WELCOME TO IMBA’S NEWEST CHAPTERS
Atlantic Region•••••• Valley Mountain Bikers in Easton, PA
Alaska Region•
California-Hawaii Region• Sierra Eastside Mountain Bike Association in Mammoth, CA
Colorado-Wyoming Region•
Midwest Region•
Pacific Northwest Region••
South Central Region••
Destrehan, LA••••
Southeast Region••
Southwest Region••
REGIONAL COVERAGE EXTENDED TO ALL 50 STATES
ensure every IMBA member in the United States now has the
New IMBA regions•
•
•
Changes to existing regions••
Dakotas•
•Montana
United States.
Join imba.com/join4
Trail News
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TALDI WALTER AND DAVE WIENS JOIN IMBA’S GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board of Directors added
diverse interests and
of the bicycle industry to
several times each year to discuss IMBA’s overall
and more than 100,000
and fosters collaborative
to and infrastructure of
that, she worked for the
as their assistant director
time with Audubon she was
of vital wildlife habitat in
Board of Directors of Bike
serves the Outdoor Alliance
in Seattle.
and has ridden and raced his bike on trails all over the
in trail advocacy from the
of the mountain bike hall
in the bicycle industry for
Colorado University, and is an ambassador for Lifetime
Race Series.
more than ever, it’s vital that mountain bikers, as well as the bicycle industry, embrace
MOUNTAIN BIKERS PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN LWCF SUCCESSMountain bikers and other outdoor recreation advocates secured a crucial victory
is hailed as America’s best
IMBA members were a
advocacy coalition,
to Action Alerts by
environmental, conservation and outdoor recreation communities to advocate for
America’s favorite outdoor
coalition of interests found
other outdoor recreation in communities across the nation.
news, it ultimately fell short
IMBA calls on its Advocacy
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Dave Wiens
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PARTNERSHIPS PRODUCING GREAT TRAILSAcross the country, IMBA is
In Atlanta, GA, SORBA Atlanta has entered into a Memorandum of
lays the framework for
at the Cochran Mill Park
in trail maintenance and
and is a major outdoor recreation resource for
South Metro Area.
conservation and recreation
of mountain bikers in a
110,000 additional acres as
Bentonville.
Orlando Mountain
between SORBA and
Parks Service to the City of Orlando. It is the only
Orlando area and has
In Portland, OR, the
effort between many local
REI PARTNERS WITH NICA AND IMBA FOR TEEN TRAIL CORPS INITIATIVE
to become effective trail advocates and stewards
mountain bikers to
toward fellow trail users and the environment, the
to become future leaders both on and off the bike.
behavior while out on trails.
is built around IMBA’s key
Austin McInerny said,
that we educate them on
be effective advocates and
behavior while out on trails.
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users. REI takes outdoor
collaboration with IMBA
IMBA is at the forefront
connect them with the trails
IMBA to really solidify our
bikers who are thirsty to
mountain bike team and
our youth and when the question was asked how
FAT BIKE SUMMITS AND FESTIVALS GAINING TRACTION
from this winter, with
differences will make discussions at each summit unique.
the winter in conjunction with fat bike festivals and
•
Part of USA Cycling’s Fat Bike National Championship.
•Summit in Lyndonville,
Part of the Winterbike Fat Bike Festival.
•
Part of the Inaugural Chugach Fat Bike Bash and Gravity Worlds.
LeftIMBA and NICA are launching the Teen Trail Corps initiative.
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THE GOOD FIGHTADVOCACY SUCCESS STORIES
JAMIE MALINVail Valley Mountain Bike Association
Consider the idea of boundary adjustments to be a process of giving a little to get a little. You may give up a trail or area of little recreational value to mountain bikers to protect a trail or area with substantial riding value. Be realistic in understanding that this compromise will likely be necessary to create a viable Wilderness proposal.
Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association’s involvement in the
It quickly became evident that mountain bikers needed to
As initially drafted, bike travel would have been closed for
M
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ERIC MELSONIMBA Northern Rockies Coordinator
Wilderness designation is not the only way to protect land. Congress has used a variety of designations to protect lands for recreational, historical and conservation purposes. Congress has designated lands as national parks, national monuments, national seashores, national conservation areas, national recreation areas, national scenic areas, national wildlife refuges and many other titles. This idea is not new. Many of these designations predate the Wilderness Act and actually blazed the trail for it.
on a recreation study.
LEE BLACKWELL AND ZACH MCDONALDSonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists
When negotiating, you must come to the table with an honest and open mind, ready to listen to the other parties’ viewpoints. You must respect other parties as you would have them respect you. Listening and respect are more likely to produce successful outcomes than stubborn insistence on unrealistic viewpoints. Tak-ing this into account, though, you shouldn’t refrain from asserting your own viewpoint and objectives. If negotiation is done well it will build respect for bicycling and bicyclists.
•••• Outdoor Alliance•• Sky Island Alliance• Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists••
for the Sun Corridor trail.
IMBA’s Wilderness Toolkit
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GAME DAYHUNTING BY BIKE
may be seldom visited by other hunters, and without the noise
jeers and jokes were directed at us as we unloaded fat bikes
— Hansi Johnson is the Director of Recreational Lands for the Minnesota Land Trust. Prior to that he was IMBA’s Region Director for the Midwest territory.
T
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711
Bike Hunting Basics
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ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONSINSPIRING TCC VISITS
PETALUMA, CA:
BAY CITY, MI:
was not just trail users and advocates, but also local business
WICKENBURG, AZ:
walked their historic desert trails and discussed ways to make
COON RAPIDS, IA:
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA:
equestrians, hikers, runners and mountain bikers. Everyone
quality trail systems in our backyards.
L
SUBARU REWARDS IMBA MEMBERS WITH HASSLE-FREE VIP PURCHASES
family members and IMBA member clubs to
Visit imba.com/tcc for details.
SUBARU/IMBA TRAIL CARE CREW SPONSORS
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ecently, IMBA issued an Action Alert to broadcast
and evaluations for the Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra
for mountain bikers like the online trail
online trail database from mountain bikers
state and local levels often lack accurate information about trail locations, as well
that information they may be able to adjust boundaries or
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MAPS MATTERPROTECT ACCESS BY DOCUMENTING TRAILS
Spring Mapping Contest on MTBProject.com
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CORPORATE MEMBERSTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
IMBA corporate and destination members are active participants in the mountain bike community and provide essential funding to fuel IMBA’s work. To find out how your company can strengthen engagement with trail users and become a champion for trails, contact [email protected].
IMBA U.S. ABOVE & BEYOND
Companies in this group go above and beyond their annual membership dues with additional support for IMBA programs and initiatives.
CamelBak Products, LLC
Interbike
Scott USA
Yakima
CORPORATE MEMBERS
Big thanks to all current corporate supporters, whose membership drives MTB advocacy and much of our important work.
Adventure Advocates
Advocate CyclesAlberta Mountain Bike AdventuresAlyeska Resort
Bajadventours
BBPBeat Cycles
BikultureBOCO GearBosch eBike Systems
Catalyst Communication, Inc.CatEyeChamois Butt’r
Country Inn DeerwoodCrankjoy.com
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Deer Valley ResortDero
Deuter USA
DirtLab
ECOS LLCElk River Guest Ranch
Gates Carbon Drive
Giant Bicycle, Inc.
Green Guru Gear
ICEdotIceman Promotions, Inc.Idyllwild Inn
Jamis Bicycles
Jenson USA
Juliana Bicycles
Lower Colorado River Authority
Marin Mountain BikesMarquette County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
Moots CyclesMount Ida Area Chamber of CommerceMountain Bike Diaries
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Shimano
Specialized
SRAM
Subaru of America
Trek
donation and do even more to create better
ELITE PARTNERS
With annual contributions of $100,000 or more, these supporters make a significant and positive impact for everyone who rides a mountain bike.
Outdoor Prolink
Performance Bicycle, Inc.Peru for LessPivot CyclesPlanet Bike
Roanoke Mountain Adventures, LLCRockyMounts
Rodale Inc.RRC Associates
Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures
SockGuy
Visit Bentonville
Voler
Yeti Cycleser
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NON PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE
PAIDDENVER, CO
PERMIT NO. 631
NEW GOODS IN THE IMBA STORE!
SPRINGRIDES to save 20 percent
into their IMBA.com account. Visit IMBA.com/STORE
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