My MTB Blog

By Nikki Schwab, Washington Whispers

Remember that big $700 billion bailout package that Congress passed? There were all sorts goodies tucked inside, including one for bicyclists. Yes, bicyclists. It's called the Bicycle Commuter Act and goes into effect January 1. While employers can already dole out tax-free funds to employees for parking and public transportation, this Act permits companies to provide $20 a month tax free to employees who bike to work, allowing the money to be used for bicycle purchases and bike upkeep. Spearheading the campaign for a bike commuter bill was Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon. "We have legislation that is designed to promote cycling and to provide a little equity for the people who burn calories instead of fossil fuel," he says.

An avid cyclist and the founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus, Blumenauer tells Whispers that of the 12 years he's been in Congress, he's commuted by bike all but just three days, including in bad weather. "I can get from Capitol Hill to the White House as fast or faster than my colleagues who drive," Blumenauer tells us. And he's not kidding about taking trips to the White House. For the first meeting he ever went to at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he showed up on his bike. "It was kind of funny, the White House police who man the gates didn't know what to do," says Blumenauer. "I kind of roll up and, finally, we just had the discussion, 'Well, what would you do if I drove a car?' 'Well, we would open the gate and let you in,' 'Well? Imagine two more wheels," Blumenauer says, mimicking the conversation. "I did kind of make fun of that a little bit."

Since being elected, he's headed the Congressional Bike Caucus, which boasts more than 160 "bikepartisans," and worked on bike-friendly legislation. "I found that virtually everyone in Congress has a bike story," says Blumenauer, who had pushed for the Bicycle Commuter Act for seven years. But strangely enough, when it came time to vote for his bill, there was a catch: Even with the addition of the Bicycle Commuting Act as a sweetener to the bailout package, Blumenauer didn't vote for the massive bill. "It felt a little odd that I was working for something for seven years and it got wedged in," he says. "But adding [billions] to the deficit just kind of freaked me out."

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has proposed an important rule change that will make it easier for parks to open trails to mountain biking. IMBA urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of the new rule. We have been asking the NPS to make this change since the 1990s — we now enter a 60-day commentary period to make the change official.

Take Action Now!

We know that several groups are working hard to defeat this proposal. It will take thousands of comments supporting the NPS to ensure the rule is approved. Please lend your voice to the discussion today.

Bicycling broadens recreational offerings in national parks and helps Americans get much-needed exercise. It connects people with the natural world and is a fun, low-impact activity. Observers of national parks worry that the NPS is losing relevance with today's youth — bicycling can help address that problem. Mountain biking is a great way to help kids fall in love with parks. According to the Outdoor Industry Foundation, bicycling is a leading “gateway activity” that gets kids outside and interested in outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, camping and fishing.

Many trails will not be good candidates for bicycle use. IMBA recognizes that bicycling will not be considered in Wilderness Areas or Wilderness Study Areas, and that many historic parks and battlefields will not be suitable for mountain biking. We also know, however, that shared-use trails have proven successful in thousands of locations, including many federally managed parks.

The most promising properties offer a combination of non-Wilderness lands and underutilized facilities that make them good candidates for expanded mountain biking opportunities. IMBA-affiliated clubs can assist the NPS in identifying the best locations for mountain biking. If the local NPS staff agrees an opportunity exists, our clubs stand ready to provide park staff with volunteer resources.

As the proposal explicitly states, none of the NPS procedures for environmental review — or opportunities for public commentary — will be diminished by this rule change. What it achieves is a more manageable system for adopting mountain biking trails. The proposal states, "As a general matter, the proposed rule provides park superintendents with a more efficient and effective way to determine whether opening existing trails to bicycles would be appropriate in the park unit they manage."

Thanks for taking action,

Mike Van Abel
Executive Director
International Mountain Bicycling Association

With 2008 coming to a close, USA Cycling has started the renewal process for licenses. Below are my USAC MTB rankings through the end of 2008.

2 Rank in state (NY)
1 Rank in riding age (44)
2 Rank in 5 year age range (40-44)
4 Rank in 10 year age range (40-49)
23 Category Overall Rank