Redlands Area Applying for IMBA Ride Center Designation!!!

IMBA has a program for designating cities and communities as Ride Centers. It's a fantastic way to promote mountain biking as a sport/activity, as well as helping communities raise awareness for their trails and maintain access. It can also bring in a lot of recreational dollars, which helps promote mountain biking in the business community.

Why Redlands/East San Bernardino Valley you may ask? Because we want to make this happen! Big Bear should be doing this, really. Orange County could. LA area... they all have just as many if not more trails and amenities. They SHOULD apply as well! But we are the ones jumping through the hoops to hopefully make this thing happen!

We began the process this spring, and have nearly reached the end point. We have more than 100 miles of trails within 30 miles, the associated infrastructure to support visitors, and support from land managers. Trails within 30 miles are included, so all the Redlands Conservancy trails, Crafton Hills, Hulda Crooks, even the complete SART from Southfork can be included! You can see a map showing the area trails in the submission here.

All we're missing is the final portion which is having IMBA representatives actively rate our trails and facilities. This consists of at least three evaluators flying out and riding the trails and making sure we're not making anything up! We have housing space, food, local transportation, trail guides/docents all accounted for. We are REALLY hoping they can time their evaluation to coincide with the SART Hell Ride in October!!! Air fare is killing us though. It's going to be around $5,000 for individuals and bikes.

I'm posting this the ramp up enthusiasm, but also to solicit help from the greater Southern California mountain biking community. If you can help financially, tax-deductible contributions are being handled by the IEBA, which can be done here. If there is a way to donate frequent flyer miles, or discounted flight options you are able to connect us with, please PM me or email me directly at my IMTB username @ gmail.

Thanks for reading this far! This is exciting for us. We're proud of our area and the things we're doing to get people on two wheels... preferably in the dirt!!!

 

I.E. bitches!

 

Represent!

 

Our trails here in the OC are full enough......we dont need outsiders adding to it.

 

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it...

 

Just think...get them on the FLoop and OC is a shoo-in.

 

Maybe for an MTB pub crawl. Actually, there is a 4-mile roadie ride generally along Rte. 66 between La Verne and Upland that hits up four local breweries. That would be good for a hardtail bike.

 

I hope we don't run out of time... they're going to be pretty busy!!!

Pretty cool job, getting paid to ride bikes all over the world!

 

Not to be negative, but I don't see the benefit of this. You have to pay to fly them out with bikes in tow to ride and rate the trails and basically make sure you 'meet their criteria'? I read through the website and the application process. I honestly don't see where this would benefit Orange County at all. I've been curious about putting in something like a skills area/pump track/skate park, but these don't really seem to have anything to do with each other.

Edit: genuinely curious about benefits besides being listed on their website or stuff like that?

 

Like @mtnbikej said, bringing more people to your trails could be a negative. For our area, more trail users is a positive though. Our biggest concern is protecting the open space from development (Have you been to Sycamore Cyn in Riverside? Hey, good place to put a warehouse!!!). Getting users on the trails, and going to city council meetings, and sitting as members of chamber of commerce is what benefits us. And if we can get people from crowded Orange(less) County to step away from the Floop and ride our trails, and buy pizza and beer and fill up the gas tank while in town, we all win! Being designated an IMBA destination city is just one more way to advertise and protect (and expand!) our trails!

 

Out of curiosity @Cyclotourist , what is the trail in your user pic? Crafton hills?

 

Yup, that's another reason for the OC/LA people to support this cause.

That's a nice deal for the IMBA guys who you have to fly out.
Is that what my membership dollars are going towards? That and refusing to take a hard stance against e-bikes because they might bring in new memberships.

 

Yes, that's the upper part of Three Hawks at Crafton Hills (In the spring!).

 

http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2017/10/11/why-redlands-wants-recognition-from-mountain-bikers/

Well, it looks like the City of Redlands pitched in towards getting that Ride Center status, and you're even mentioned in the article @Cyclotourist , congrats.

 

15 min of fame counting down...


Speaking of which, does anyone have a contact @ JensonUSA that we could approach for financial support? I vaguely recall a friend of a friend connection mentioned once. We're short $2,000 still, and coming down to the wire!

 

Thats not what all the "guide" services I see popping up would say. I've been noticing more and more groups of 4 or more taking out of Towners through WR the last few months. OC is a destination for sure. #fakenews

 

I bet if you owned a 7-11 next to a trailhead you would be stoked to support this. Other than the economics for local business I can't really understand it.

 

Definitely about integrating outside sports into the local economy. Give 'em a reason to support more bike trails, rather than complaining about wasting tax $$$!

 

Aaaaannnnnnd... we're fully funded!!! Along w/ Bike for Bender, the City of Redlands, the Redlands Conservancy, and others that stepped forward, Jenson USA, Cyclery USA & Trek just put us over the top with generous grants!!!

IMBA will be sending out a team to review and confirm our application.

At some point I'll hit up the group for ride-leaders/guides at some of the more distant sites on our application. Riders intimately familiar with Sycamore Canyon Riverside, Southridge Fontana, and Skypark/Exploration will be particularly indispensable. If you resemble that comment, think on whether you would be able to give up some time to show off and promote the great trails in our area!

THANKS for the support on this!!!

 

Evaluators are coming out today, and staying through Sunday! Going to be doing the Hellride SART, Crafton, Wildwood, M-Trail, Highland, Southridge, and Mentone wash trails. What's really cool is that they are going to ride the Loma Linda South Hills with one high school team, then Oakmont/HAP with another one. I think no matter how good the trails are, seeing the community using them is what will seal the deal! I had hope they could come out and actually ride the Hell Ride in October, but that didn't fit their schedule. Hopefully Skypark and Exploration as well, but they will have to schedule around the weather front coming in.

 

Awesome to hear it's coming together.

 

Today was their big day riding. One evaluator did Hell Ride SART + Highland while the other one did P.O. Loop and Loch Leven, Loma Linda, then Oakmont. Everything is coming together perfectly!

 

Hey all, I know you have been anxiously awaiting the results of this, but wait no more: Redlands was awarded the bronze award from IMBA!!!
Timing couldn't be any better, amiright! When we can all ride bikes together again, maybe we'll throw a party!!!

Here's a real good article on it: https://www.singletracks.com/trail-...l-imba-ride-center-one-hour-from-los-angeles/

And this is the official news release:


We hope you’re doing your part to keep your community safe and applying social distance while enjoying close-to-home trails. Once we get through this crisis together, and when the time is right, consider planning a visit to these amazing destinations or any of the 41 IMBA Ride Centers™. Many of these local economies thrive thanks to mountain biking, and as we can, we’ll all have a role to play in recovery.


What do the high-alpine vistas of central Colorado's Rocky Mountains and the rugged, rocky terrain of southern California’s San Bernardino Mountain Range have in common? Strong, diverse community partnerships. Dedicated volunteers. And of course, days of amazing riding. Congratulations to the newest IMBA Ride Centers™!


Redlands, California, is the newest Bronze-Level IMBA Ride Center, and the first Ride Center in California. The crowned jewel of Redlands is the Santa Ana River Trail, an all-day ride with 7,000 feet of descending through varied ecosystems with some of the best views in California. Mountain bikers will also love the connecting trails through town, amazing meals, and easy travel logistics with major airports nearby.


In Colorado, the Aspen Snowmass / Roaring Fork Valley IMBA Ride Center has upgraded from Bronze to Gold. It becomes just the seventh Gold-Level IMBA Ride Center in the world. With more than 300 miles of high-quality singletrack to explore, the Roaring Fork Valley provides incredible terrain, from the legendary Government Trail to Sky Mountain Park to backcountry dreams like Hay Park and Arbaney-Kittle.

IMBA Ride Centers™

 

Can't wait for an IMTB grand tour @Cyclotourist !!!

 

Me, neither!!!!

 

Very cool – TFPU!