January Singletrack eNews
Support Swelling for Increased Mountain Biking in National Parks --
Please Take Action Now!
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has proposed a rule change which
will make it easier for national parks to open trails for mountain
biking. IMBA urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of
the rule change. We now enter a 60-day commentary period to make the
change official, and support for the measure is swelling. However,
several influencial groups have spoken out against the proposal. We
urgently need your voice -- please take action on this issue today!
Already filed your comments? Send this item to someone who might still
need a prompt!

Senate Moves Omnibus Land Protection Bill
The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Sunday to approve a mammoth
public lands omnibus bill (S. 22) that would permanently protect more
than two million acres in nine states. The bill, which IMBA supports,
stalled in the previous congress, but now heads to the House of
Representatives before landing on the president's desk.

Early Bird Registration Opens for National Bike Summit
Join IMBA and an expected 600 bicycle advocates at the 2009 National
Bike Summit, March 10-12, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the League of
American Bicyclists, the Summit provides a unique opportunity for
mountain bikers to interact with cyclists of all stripes, attend
diverse informational sessions and lobby the halls of Congress. IMBA
supporters who attend receive discounted registration, a private
banquet dinner and tons of great swag.This is a crucial year -- don't
miss this opportunity to reach decision makers at the highest levels.

Professional Trailbuilders Conference Headed for Asheville, NC
A must-attend event for serious trail bosses, the Professional
Trailbuilders Association's annual conference is headed to Asheville,
NC. The event features 40 great sessions, pre- and post-conference
workshops taught by the best in the business, and scads of networking
opportunities. Better yet, it's an excuse to visit Asheville and
explore its incredible recreation offerings. Attention clubs -- check
into the the possibility of obtaining a RTP grant to send a trail
leader to this event.

Visit IMBA at the Sea Otter Classic
IMBA California is planning for its biggest presence ever at the 2009
Sea Otter Classic — a celebration of significant victories in the
Golden State, and a rallying of support for what's to come. In 2008,
we saw an amazing new trail system open in the King Range and we
showed our strength when mountain bikers rallied to influence Governor
Schwarzenegger's veto of legislation that threatened mountain bike
access. We're planning a big celebration on Saturday -- stay tuned to
imba.com/california for details -- and we will also host our annual
advocacy summit on Friday. Finally, please find someone from
Specialized Bicycles at Sea Otter and thank them for continuing to
lead the support for this successful regional program!