IMBA Lobbies Congress to Save California Singletrack
D.C., International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) representatives met
with members of California's congressional delegation to ask them to keep
singletrack trails open for bicycling by not designating new Wilderness areas
that overlap popular trails.
Bicycle use is prohibited in designated Wilderness. Mountain bicyclists from
across California are concerned they may lose access to trails they have
ridden for decades if proposed Wilderness areas are approved by Congress.
"We want to make sure our California delegation doesn't forget about the
state's two million mountain bikers," said IMBA California representative Jim
Haagen-Smit. "Many of the state's singletrack trails are already overcrowded.
Restrictions imposed by new Wilderness designations would only make the
situation worse."
California mountain bicyclists carried IMBA's message to staff representing
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson,
Hilda Solis, John Doolittle, Grace Napolitano and 20 other members of
California's congressional delegation.
"We don't believe that Wilderness is the only designation to protect the
land," said IMBA California representative Daniel Greenstadt. "Why does land
protection have to come at the expense of mountain bicyclists? Cyclists have
enjoyed, ridden and maintained these trails and wild places for years.
Kicking us off would create a rift in the conservation constituency."
National Bike Summit participants converged on Washington, D.C. to draw
attention to major issues that affect cyclists. Nearly 400 bike advocates
from 47 states gathered to lobby bicycle transportation and recreation issues.
IMBA is conducting a focused, three-month campaign to keep trails open for
cycling. IMBA is encouraging mountain bikers to join the campaign to save
popular trails from being closed while championing alternative designations
that protect the land but allow for continuing bicycle access.
IMBA will lead or attend 11 California events that will bring together
mountain bike clubs, local community members, environmental groups, elected
officials and media to raise awareness for trails that could be lost.
Join IMBA at the following events:
- March 27-30, Fairfield
- April 11-13, Sea Otter Classic, Monterey
- April 12-13, San Diego
- April 26, Southern California Bike Expo, Los Angeles
- May 3-4, Henry Coe IMBA Epic, Morgan Hill
- Oct. 16-19, Ukiah
- Oct. 23-26, Truckee
- Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Lake Tahoe
- Nov. 6-16, Sacramento
- Nov. 20-23, Los Angeles
- Dec. 5, San Francisco
Save the date and check IMBA's website for more detailed information closer
to the scheduled events. To learn more about IMBA's work to save trails in
California or to view a detailed list of land being considered for Wilderness
designation visit www.imba.com.
IMBA is a national and international education and advocacy organization with
500 member clubs, 32,000 individual members, and more than 400 corporate
partners and dealer members. IMBA creates, enhances and preserves trail
opportunities for mountain bicyclists worldwide. In 1988, six California
mountain biking clubs created IMBA.
Today, more than 60 bicycling clubs in California are IMBA affiliated.
California bicycle manufacturing, retailing, tourism and publishing
businesses generate an estimated $2 billion per year in economic activity.
