|   Notes on the IMBA International Summit | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 12:59 PM | | So, who knows that IMBA just held a conference in Moab? Well, they did. The folks at IMBA put together an excellent meeting schedule, which kept us all incredibly busy for three days and nights. We all stayed at the just-opened Red Rocks Adventure Lodge a few miles outside of Moab. I only wish there had been more time, both because there were so many ideas floating around and for more time to RIDE!
I went down as part of the BC delegation and, as we learned, we were part of some key discussions. Freeriding (or whatever you want to call it) is huge, and IMBA is serious about including it in their agenda. Since the BC "North Shore" scene has made us find ways to include freeriders and build solid trails for hard technical riding, they were looking to us for input.
It all started on Wednesday afternoon, flying out of Vancouver airport:
After only a few minutes, I was winging over the San Juan Islands:
A quick stop in San Francisco to change planes, where I watched the big burly guy scanning the luggage while the smaller woman loaded all the heavy bags. Clearly, chivalry stops where seniority starts!
Stayed overnight in Salt Lake City with gazz aka stokey. Thanks G!! By random coincidence, the delegate from Australia was staying there too! The next morning, we took a little walking tour of SLC. Definitely a weird place, it was kind of like a benevolent police state or something. I felt like I'd incur the wrath of god for jaywalking. The mormons certainly have a stranglehold on this place. Here's a photo of the mormon church office building, or the head office of god, inc.
A shot of the main church building:
and a photo of the mormon's personal and private conference center
After our tour, we caught the shuttle to Moab, where we attended the opening reception, checked in and hit the hay for the night, just in time to see the first star of the evening appear.
Friday morning dawns, and the real business begins. I have two presentations to do, one dealing with IMBA's role in Canada (BC) and the other on freeriding and downhilling. We also have a bunch of sessions dealing with mtb tourism and land management issues. It's a full schedule and I quickly learn that we'll be going non-stop all day. The day caps off with a great speech from Bob Roll. Even the brief break periods are full of discussion about what's happening in what regions and how people have solved their issues. Even during lunch break we get into discussion groups. I managed to take a moment for a photo of the Colorado River, just off our patio though.
Once the work day is complete, we had take time for what we all love, the passion that brought us all there . ride! Sunset approaches, so we have to get ready quickly! We head off to the Slickrock trail for a couple hours of play. My BC compatriot shows why Canadian grrlz are the best riders!
Saturday is, as with Friday, a blur. More talks and presentations good thing I took notes, cause my br |
| The rest ... effing CUT OFF!!!! | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 1:02 PM | | Saturday is, as with Friday, a blur. More talks and presentations good thing I took notes, cause my brain is mush today. Meetings with IMBA execs and trail care crews, talking with the IMBA reps from Italy and the UK and so on. Never a dull moment. Of course, we take a couple hours off to ride the "Top of the World" trail. It snowed, but a good ride. On the way up, I stopped to take a photo of a flash of colour in the desert a lone Indian Paintbrush plant against the backdrop of rock and scrub:
At the highest point of Top of the World, the view is endless. Here's a shot of the La Sal Mountains in the distance:
The BC crew gets together for a photo op. That's me on the right, who's that in the middle?
The sun sets on us Saturday evening, but we are far from finished. We return from the ride for more discussions, a talk from Ned Overend and dinner. After dinner, there's no rest. The freeriders get corralled into a panel type discussion and the ideas are flowing. The discussion continues, and at 1 am I call it quits: I have to pack, get to sleep and wake up at 6 am for my shuttle back to SLC. The photo I took of the final sunset provides the last image of my stay:
The next morning, I catch the shuttle (barely conscious after 4 ½ hours sleep) to SLC and fly on out. A shot out the window captures the view of Great Salt Lake:
The return trip stops in Denver. The airport is so large that birds live inside the terminal! I spotted this little guy flitting around while waiting for my plane out:
Anyway, thanks to IMBA for putting on a great conference. I suppose I have to spam a bit and thank some of the sponsors, like REI, Lake, Subaru and all the others I haven't space to acknowledge for their contributions. I really think we started some excellent communications going, hope it continues!
Kn. |
| very cool! nm | Braids
Apr 22, 2002 1:08 PM | | nm |
| Thanks for the report Ken. Great pics too! NM | CraigH
Apr 22, 2002 1:30 PM | | nm |
| Guy in middle sure as he// ISN'T ME! | JimC
Apr 22, 2002 2:03 PM | | thanks Ken. Looking forward to your 3-binder report by tomorrow! Jim (seemingly trapped forever in kubikl and BC) |
| Hey Ken - | moneyman
Apr 22, 2002 2:34 PM | | Any talk about IMBA's sellout to the Sierra Club? I still haven't paid my IMBA dues, and I would be hard pressed to do so at this point. Was that issue addressed?
$$ |
| Hey Ken - | 3G
Apr 22, 2002 3:34 PM | | Send me an email re: sell out. I can give you some further details...
punkndrublic911@yahoo.com |
| More info on that ... | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 4:07 PM | | won't come from me!!
I was doing my own talk and the Sierra club deal was a concurrent session. Didn't get to attend. As far as I can tell, people seemed to be satisfied. The proceedings of the summit will be published on the IMBA website. Check there later for more info.
Kn. |
| Sierra club Magazine.... | Battman42
Apr 22, 2002 8:05 PM | | This month has a two page Advert. section on Bicycling....
I found the mag in the Control room of My power plant...
They actualy took out a full page add backing my company....
Strange bedfellows these Sierranites have.....
I Smell money..... |
| Great post! | Kitchenware
Apr 22, 2002 3:02 PM | | reminds me I need to get back over to Moab this summer.
~kw |
| Thanks Ken. Any chance... | radair
Apr 22, 2002 4:43 PM | | ... you met a couple friends of mine? Mark Jenks, the northeast Rocky Mtn rep and 'Z' Holly, a fine woman from the Boston area were both there. Z has sent me a couple updates - sounds like an excellent summit.
Hope to make it next year. |
| Thanks Ken. Any chance... | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 5:00 PM | | I met up and rode with Mark for a bit, didn't meet 'Z'. Mark was riding a slayer with prototype labels all over it.
Kn. |
| great pics! | brodiegrrl
Apr 22, 2002 5:43 PM | | Too bad you couldn't have stayed down there longer.
So what did you talk about re: BC riding? |
| Awesome pics Ken. Thanks for the scoop. (nm) | Stine
Apr 22, 2002 8:26 PM | | nm |
| re: Notes on the IMBA International Summit | mtbbrian
Apr 22, 2002 1:11 PM | | WOW?
I was in Moab this past weekend too. I rode Porcupine, and was there manily supporting my buds, who were racing DH on Saturday.
Thanks for the report!
Brian
Ride On! |
| NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES UNTIL TEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT! | Pete.
Apr 22, 2002 2:31 PM | | I do that too.
I've been busted a few times though.
Pete |
| No kidding ... | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 4:04 PM | | The electromagnetic field emitted by a 3-volt digital cam is certain to play havoc with the radio communications!! I'm not completely up to speed on EMI field theory, but I remember that field strength decays with the inverse cube of distance from the source ...
Rules brought to you by the aviation committee for the hard of thinking.
Kn. |
| and another thing ... | K'Endo
Apr 22, 2002 4:09 PM | | Some doofus sitting near me actually received 3 cell phone calls while on the taxiway, takeoff and first couple minutes after. I figure if he didn't get the hook, I was safe!
Kn. |
| safe from capture or ... | Killer Bee
Apr 22, 2002 7:01 PM | | from crashing !!! |
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