After all the years we’ve spent working for more trails in Northeast Ohio, it still surprises us how many people do not understand what cross-country mountain biking is all about.  Maybe you’ve had the same experience if you’ve ever told a friend or family member that you mountain bike.  People often think you’re talking about bmx, motocross, or freeride because that is what they see on television.  In reality, cross-country mountain biking is almost never shown on TV because it’s just too slow and boring to watch.

We try to tell people that cycling is just like skiing: there are many very specific disciplines that fall within the sport.  Skiing has downhill, freeride, and cross-country just as mountain biking has downhill, freeride, and cross-country.  CAMBA has always focused our efforts on cross-country mountain biking (because that is what the vast majority of our members want) and now we have a video that shows exactly what it’s all about:

We’ve been a bit behind lately in keeping you current on where things stand with mountain bike access in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Cleveland Metroparks.  We had been planning to do a big article on it, but two recent radio stories tell the story better than we could.

The first story is from a few weeks ago on WCPN where Brian Zimmerman, Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks and Stan Austin, Superintendent of Cuyahoga Valley National Park are interviewed about the future of the parks.  What’s striking about this interview is that mountain biking was brought up as the first issue and both park leaders acknowledge it is at the top of their agenda.  Click here for the interview.

And just yesterday, WKSU posted a story about mountain biking where Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s top official again acknowledges that a decision to allow mountain biking is a top priority.

CAMBA has been fighting the battle for access for 10 years now and these stories are probably the biggest signs of progress we’ve ever seen.  We hope that our vision of world-class trails in Northeast Ohio is getting a lot closer.

For years, mountain bikers throughout Northeast Ohio have watched as friends have left the area because of the lack of trails and we’re obviously frustrated by it.  We’ve told area leaders over and over that mountain biking is one solution to the brain drain, but we’re pretty much ignored when we say this.  Now we learn of Dr. M. Kristi Henzel from Pittsburgh who’s considering moving to Cleveland, but is hesitating due to the lack of mountain biking.  Her words say it all…

NOTE: No, we didn’t make this up and no, we didn’t ask Dr. Henzel to send this.

To: Cleveland MetroParks Executive Director, Brian Zimmerman, Mayor’s Action Center, CAMBA

Subject: Status of Mountain Biking in Cleveland/Cuyahoga County

Hello. I am physical medicine and rehabilitation physician considering relocation to Cleveland from Pittsburgh for a clinical position here. One of my major modes of exercise is mountain biking, although I am also a road cyclist and bicycle commuter. In the interests of “practicing what I preach,” I always choose to live close to where I work so that I can bicycle commute to my job. Therefore, the presence of extensive mountain biking trails close to my home is very important to me due to the time demands of my work. For example, in Pittsburgh I live within 1.5 miles of an excellent park (Frick Park) with miles of mountain biking trails which are maintained by local mountain biking groups.  My husband (a banker) and I frequently ride our bikes over to this park throughout the year for recreation and fitness. Four-season mountain biking is possible, even in the snow, and many road cyclists I know choose to mountain bike during the winter because it is more comfortable than road biking during cold conditions.

Initial web searches on mountain biking in Cleveland seem to indicate that no mountain biking is permitted in almost all of Cleveland MetroParks except for an extremely short trail in one location, which is closed during the winter. Given the popularity of mountain biking among highly educated professionals, I find it hard to believe that Cleveland and Cuyahoga County would implement such a regressive policy. Unless, that is, they are not interested in attracting such a population to live and work in Cleveland.  If this is and continues to be the case, my husband and I feel that this is a significant barrier to relocation to Cleveland.

I hope to hear that I am mistaken in this regard. My current impression is that Cleveland is rather unfriendly to cyclists, and in particular those who mountain bike.  It is a shame that a county with more than 82 miles of bridle trails cannot find a way for equestrians and mountain bikers to live and play together.  In my experience/observation, horses are much “harder” on trails than mountain bikes plus equestrian groups frequently do not appear to do trail maintenance. Mountain bikers, on the other hand, have a proven record of performing frequent trail building and maintenance activities. It certainly appears that CAMBA, your local mountain biking group, has gone above and beyond in trying to work with Cleveland MetroParks on this issue with no significant improvement in the situation.

I look forward to hearing your current position and plans regarding my concerns.

Sincerely,

M. Kristi Henzel, MD, PhD

Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s draft trail plan comment period closed at the end of October.  As you would expect from CAMBA, we submitted a fairly lengthy and thorough set of comments (the transition to the new website caused the delay in getting this out for everyone to view).  As you read through this response, please recognize the time commitment from CAMBA’s volunteers.  Many people contributed to this document and it required dozens of volunteer hours.  If you like what you see, please make sure you’re a member of CAMBA.  Here’s the document: CAMBA Response to CVNP Draft Trail Plan Alternatives

All cyclists in Northeast Ohio (both road and off-road) should be pleased to learn that a new umbrella organization is in the process of being formed to “normalize cycling in Cleveland”.  Mountain bikers will be happy to know that CAMBA is closely involved in the formation of this organization and we strongly believe that mountain biking will benefit as a result.  Learn more about the Cleveland Bicycling Alliance  and some of their goals at http://www.gcbl.org/cba.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has released its draft options for the trail plan. There are six options. In its current state, Option 6 offers the most trails for off-road cycling with some of the trails being “single-use” while others are “shared-use”. CAMBA recommends Option 6 as the most versatile plan with the largest amount of trail…
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This Saturday Sept 11th CAMBA President Andrew Miller will be on The Outspoken Cyclist to discuss mountain biking in Northeast Ohio. The interview will air Saturday at 5:30pm o­n 88.7fm, and can be streamed here

Another huge milestone approaches on the way toward allowing people to ride a bicycle in the woods in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The National Park Service invites the public to participate and provide comments on the Draft Alternatives for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Trail Management Plan. The draft options will show the ideas the park has come up for the future of the trails in CVNP. These options will show if and possibly where trails for off-road bicycling will be located in CVNP…
[Read more...]

CAMBA is very proud to announce that we received the Ohio State Parks 2009 “Trail Partnership Of The Year Award” for our efforts to build and maintain mountain biking trails at West Branch State Park in Portage County.  CAMBA is the first recipient of this new statewide award to recognize volunteer groups helping to build, improve and expand trails in Ohio State Parks.  Everyone who has volunteered at West Branch made the award happen!  Thank you, West Branch volunteers!  Check HERE to read John Wilder’s (park mgr) nomination letter.  Read more.

Mountain bikers recently learned that they will see trail access cut from 170 miles to just 20 miles in Montana's Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn wilderness study area (WSA). The restrictions stem from a lawsuit that challenged the Forest Service's management of the WSA, setting the stage for similar challenges in Montana, and perhaps across the United States. The plaintiffs — The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Wilderness Association and The Wilderness Society — contended that the Forest Service failed to preserve the wilderness character of the study area. 

Are you as disgusted by this as we are?  Make a donation to IMBA's Legal Advocacy Fund and help IMBA fight this battle.  Click here for the full article from IMBA.