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IMBA Singletrack News: November 2006
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day a Global
Success
Now in its third year, IMBA's Take a Kid Mountain Biking
Day program continues to improve and expand. In 2006, the day was
celebrated in locations as diverse as Japan, Italy and
Mexico. More than 100 groups registered their rides on IMBA's website
for the 2006 edition of the annual celebration. Once again, IMBA corporate
supporter Schwinn
will donate kids bikes to two lucky
participating groups.
IMBA Clubs Celebrate National Public Lands Day
IMBA-affiliated clubs participated in the IMBA/BOB Trailers
Trailwork Challenge on National Public Lands Day, Sept. 30. BOB
Trailers encouraged IMBA club involvement by donating an IBEX
suspension trailer to help celebrate the events. This year's winning
club is the Chicago Area
Mountain Bikers (CAMBR), whose event drew 30 volunteers. The group
worked on a segment of new trail that will form the final link of a
30-mile singletrack outer loop at Palos Forest Preserve.
Rate Your Riding With the 2006 Report
Card
The 2006 IMBA Report Card is just around the corner and
we're calling on riders to submit commentary and grades for their home
regions. The deadline for voting is
Nov. 3.
New Study Examines Mountain Biking
Impacts
A newly
published study in the summer 2006 Journal of Park and
Recreation Administration (Volume 24, Number 12) takes a close look
at the environmental impacts of mountain biking. Researchers measured
trail erosion and other impacts on 31 trails used for mountain biking in
the southwestern U.S. The study concludes that, "certain impacts to
mountain bike trails, especially width, are comparable or less than hiking
or multiple-use trails, and significantly less than impacts to equestrian
or off-highway vehicle trails."
Comments Needed for BLM and USFS Management
Planning
You can influence trail policies for the next 15-20
years by getting involved in BLM and USFS
land management plan revisions. Many of our country's best trails are
on public lands; your comments on plan updates are crucial to preserving
and creating trail access.
National Public Radio Covers Mountain Biking
(Audio Clip)
National Public Radio (NPR) recently ran a piece on
mountain biking, and they did a great job covering the strides bike
advocates have made in partnering with other trail users. You can listen to the
clip at the NPR site.
IMBA Flicks Available for Download (Video
Clips)
We've put all the IMBA videos on
one easy-to-find web page. From the inspiring tale of a grant-funded
downhill trail in South
Carolina to the jaw-dropping technical features of A River Runs
Through It in Whistler, BC, our videos combine great footage with
text descriptions to tell you why these trails matter.
Submit a Story to YourMTB.com and Earn Dough for
IMBA
IMBA corporate member YourMTB.com will donate up to $10 to IMBA
whenever you post a photo, story or video to the site during
November. All you need to do is head to the IMBA page at YourMTB.com
and submit your story. But hurry. This offer is only good through
November.
Easy Way for Federal Employees to Support
IMBA
IMBA is proud to be part of the 2006 Combined Federal
Campaign (CFC), which allows federal government employees to donate to
selected non-profit groups through voluntary payroll deductions. Look for
IMBA (# 0751) in the Sports Charities section of the CFC catalog that was
recently distributed to all federal workers. Contributions help IMBA bring
out the best in mountain biking. For more info please email Erik
Esborg, IMBA’s finance director: erik@imba.com
Legal Fund Raises $43K
Contributions
to the IMBA
Legal Fund have topped the $43,000 mark, enabling us to maintain
our work in the increasingly important fields of risk management and
bike-related liability issues. Special thanks go to Specialized
for donating copies of the hardcover book Stumpjumper: 25
Years of Mountain Biking. Contributions of $35 or more
earn copies hand-signed mountain bike legend Ned Overend. Please
consider making a donation to this vital fund -- legal threats to mountain
biking continue to mount.
United Kingdom Trail Management Conference Draws
Big Turnout
IMBA-UK's
first national MTB Trail Management conference at Kielder Forest park was
so popular that a bigger venue had to be found at the last minute. Even
then, the limit of 80 delegates meant that late applications had to be
turned away. Topics included a discussion between professional
trail managers, including speakers from projects as diverse as the 7Stanes
and Pennine Bridleway, and updates on trailbuilding techniques. A free
40-page conference booklet can be obtained by sending an an e-mail to alex.maclennan@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.
Members Receive New Perk on Subaru
Purchases
As you probably know, IMBA members can save up to
$3,300 off the MSRP when buying or leasing a new Subaru in the U.S. Now,
for a limited time (October 1 - December 31, 2006), IMBA members who buy
through the VIP
Program can also receive a Garmin
handheld GPS system or $150 L.L. Bean
gift certificate.
IMBA Seeks Events
Coordinator
IMBA is looking to hire a full-time
events coordinator who will plan and execute events around the country
and the world. Based from IMBA's Boulder headquarters, the
coordinator will create events to further IMBA's mission and reach
new market segments within the general mountain bike community. Other
duties include organizing IMBA's presence at trails, attending
mountain bike gatherings and managing IMBA's short- and long-term event
strategy. Salary is in the low- to mid-30k range, and
includes health coverage.
IMBA Offers Limited-Edition Pearl Izumi Impact
Riding Shorts, Sponsor a Foot of Trail
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