Winding Pennsylvania singletrack through the laurels (Image credit: A.E.Landes Photography / www.aelandesphotography.com/eventblog)
IMBA and Clif Bar announced that they are jointly awarding ten US$500 grants to IMBA-affiliated chapters and clubs to fund projects that promote environmental education and inspire conservation in the mountain biking community. Each of the recipients and their respective projects are described below.
Wooly Bike Club (Wisconsin): This newly formed club has been working with IMBA Midwest Regional Director Hansi Johnson to better manage their trail system. The grant was for trails signs and a trailhead kiosk.
JORBA, Allamuchy Chapter (New Jersey): This project is also for trail signage; the grant will be used to install better way-finding in this very popular riding area.
Raystown Mountain Bike Association (Pennsylvania): User conflict between hunters and mountain bikers has been a concern of the Army Corps of Engineers since the trails opened in 2008. The club has come up with an innovative blaze-orange helmet cover program, with free loaners available at trailheads.
Concerned Long Island Mountain Bikers (New York): In the highly populated counties of Long Island, mountain bikers enjoy great access thanks to CLIMB - but keeping a good public face is always important. The grant money will be used to create another chapter of the National Mountain Bike Patrol, including supplies and resources for patrollers.
Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (California): One of the newest chapters of IMBA, MORCA has great enthusiasm but lacked enough tools for all their volunteer projects. The Trail Preservation grant, coupled with the excellent discounts offered by supporters of IMBA, will help rectify this situation.
Nittany Mountain Bike Association (Pennsylvania): This club recently kicked its efforts to improve local trails into high gear. With a new slate of club officers, a quality board and motivated crew leaders, this grant will be put to good use purchasing tools to maintain the close to 150 miles of trails in their backyard.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
San Diego Mountain Bike Association (California): The SDMBA grant proposal focused on the need for "rapid response" tools for crews. With big fire events becoming the norm in SoCal, SDMBA has a need for quick repair to trails before unforeseen events do irreparable harm.
Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates (Colorado): MWTA has big plans and dreams, and the CLIF grant will help them meet those dreams. The money will be used to help build the missing link, a five-mile connector trail that will open up thousands of acres to recreation.
Boone Area Cyclists (North Carolina): Only effective organizations can take on big projects. The always-effective BAC is working with their county planners to design a large-scale bike park, of a size unheard of on the East Coast.
Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (Wyoming): This grant will be used to create something that is sorely needed in the Teton Valley: A lower bar for entry-level mountain bikers. The funds will be used specifically for bridge construction, but the new connector trail will make it possible for people just getting into the sport to enjoy the beauty of this area on knobby tires.
