Show in the “Boat”: 2014 IMBA World Summit
by Mitch Trujillo, PCI #244/EMSCI #248T, Boulder (CO) Police Department
It has often been said that trail riding challenges the cyclist to utilize and link more skills in succession and more creatively than does on-road or typical patrol riding. IPMBA encourages off-road riding as an optional activity in its basic course once the fundamental skills have been achieved and encourages students to add trail riding to their training routines.
Trail riding is an invaluable experience, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Responsible trail riding keeps trails open and helps promote a positive image of the sport of mountain biking. Teaching and advocating for the rules of the trail uphold our image as public safety professionals and helps us take advantage of the benefits trails provide.
Responsible trail riding is what IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) promotes via its programs and World Summit, described as a biennial gathering of mountain bike enthusiasts, volunteers, trail builders and thought leaders with bike industry representatives, land managers and government officials from across the US and around the world. Think bike conference with an emphasis on dirt worship! IMBA likely picked the “Boat” – as Steamboat Springs is known – as the model venue for the Summit due to its bike-community reputation and its bike tourism attraction. Certainly a perfect setting for a bike gathering!
While I had the distinct honor of attending the Summit on behalf of IPMBA this last summer in the “Boat”, my attendance wasn’t all just riding pristine singletrack. Quite the contrary. At this gathering, I was sent as a correspondent to promote IPMBA to the other industry attendees as well as gain information about IMBA to share with our members and encourage greater involvement with the association responsible for gaining and retaining access to all kinds of mountain bike facilities.
The Summit featured fascinating speakers, workshop sessions, and a vendor-demo area. During the core events, I connected with several industry people who were not aware of IPMBA and its programs. I met with Kieran Wong, who was endorsing a new web-app that connects conference attendees and organizes events like the IPMBA conference. I touched based with Attila Bality, a proponent of mountain biking and a planner for the National Park Service. I discovered BBP (Boulder Business Products), a source for cool promotional and identity design items for businesses and organizations.
The breakout workshops I attended – Risk Management and the National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP – of which I am a member) – were very informative. The Risk Management session provided vital information on risk management strategies when conducting training (something our IPMBA instructors need to be aware of).
The breakout on NMBP provided safety tips to those who conduct volunteer patrols and hints as to how patrollers can work with other trail stewards, like parks official and law enforcement. Much of the content in the workshops was focused towards working with land managers and tourism people to keep trails open and keep mountain biking vibrant. I came away with a number of good contacts and information to benefit our programs which will be shared with the IPMBA board.
IMBA is an educational organization that advocates and promotes “trail love” through their initiatives like the World Summit at the “Boat”. They have attracted a large and diverse membership and earned tremendous support for their programs from the bicycle industry. Even though the missions are different, IPMBA and IMBA complement one another. Both share a common vision to promote bicycling as part of healthy living, and both value effective bike training that results in responsible trail riding and helps public safety to work more effectively with land officials. Law enforcement officers, both independently and as members of the National Mountain Bike Patrol, are uniquely positioned to help support IMBA’s efforts to maintain safe and sustainable trails.
I would highly recommend any mountain biker, particularly IPMBA instructors and movers-and-shakers, endeavor to attend the next IMBA Summit. It’s a great experience. Visit http://www.imba.com/worldsummit for more information.
Ride safe. Stay thirsty, my friends!
Mitch is a law enforcement professional in Boulder CO; an IPMBA Instructor Trainer and Industry Relations Committee; former Education Director and Board Member; and IMBA National Mountain Bike Patroller. He is also the director of MTB Responder, LLC. He can be reached at 1x1mitch@gmail.com.
(c) 2014 IPMBA. This article appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of IPMBA News.