Ep 24 – Industry Influence Part 2: Creating a Partner in the Bike Industry

For the second part in our series looking at the relationship between the Advocacy world and the Cycling Industry we look at how Trail Organizations can create and grow partnerships. First we hear from Seb Kemp, Canadian Brand Manager of Santa Cruz and Juliana Bicycles. Then we dig into the North Shore Trail Adoption Plan (TAP) with North Shore Mountain Bike Association Board Member and TAP Coordinator: Cynthia Young.

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Ep 23 – Industry Influence Part 1: Has Media Gone Rogue?

The first part of our exploration into the Bike Industry’s influence on Mountain Bike Advocacy we focus on Mountain Bike Media. Looking at two examples, the first, when things go wrong and the second, when things go right. Our first guest is Steve Sheldon, Trail Director for the Tri-Cities Off-Road Cycling Association. And finally, we hear from Ryan Dunfee, AddUp Community Manager at the Sierra Club.

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Ep 22 – Marketing, Branding & Promotions: Interview with Brandon Gallagher Watson of MORC

This episode we sit down with the Marketing Chairperson at the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists, Brandon Gallagher Watson. Brandon lets us know just what the differences between Branding, Marketing & Promotions is and how your organization can find it’s voice and deliver it to your various audiences.

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Ep 21 – Building a Strong Board: Interview with Ian Jones of the SWMMBA

A strong organization will almost always exist because of the existence of a strong Board of Directors. Without a Strong Board a local Trail organizations won’t be as capable of meeting the communities needs. A strong board can certainly happen by chance, but Ian Jones, President of the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association explains how to not leave something so important to chance.

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Ep 20 – Bridge Between Communities: How Mountain Biking Brought Two Groups Together in the Middle East

This episode we hear from Ziv Stamper about how Israeli Jews and Arabs met for a ride during a turbulent and violent moment in 2015. Despite tensions and communities becoming closed off, a group of Israeli Arabs made the choice to create an event, and to everyones surprise riders showed up, and their meet-ups have continued to this day.

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Ep 19 – What’s Up With Arkansas: Interview with Brannon Pack of the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists

Arkansas and the Ozark is quickly exploding as a Mountain Bike destination. We hear from Brannon Pack, Executive Director of the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists (OORC) and learn more about the community behind the trails. The OORC has done ton to expand their reach and capacity: Brannon shares his club’s experience with growing branches, unique Land Manager partnerships, volunteer recognition and bringing on paid staff.

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Ep 18 – Lines in the Dirt: Exploring the BIKE Magazine Article with Writer Devon O’Neil

We hear from Devon O’Neil, writer for BIKE Magazine about his four part article “Lines in the Dirt”. The piece explores trail access issues in three very different communities. In addition, we hear some feedback about last episode from Brannon Pack of the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists and learn a cool way for reporting on wet trails from RVA More and Friends of Pocahontas State Park.

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Ep 17 – Don’t Tread on Me: How Trail Associations can Manage Users on Soft Trails

Answering Jay Darby’s question of “How do we, as Trail Advocates, inform and educate users when it’s appropriate or not, to ride trails based on condition.” We listen to feedback from guests all over North America, including Alex Brieger, of the Central Washington Chapter of Evergreen, Matt Andrews of the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclist, Ben Horan of MTB Missoula, Jeff Hehn of the FatLanders FatTire Brigade, Brannon Pack with the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists, Christine Reid of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association and Jeff McNamee of the Salem Area Trail Alliance.

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Ep 16 – Digging Into the IMBA Board: Interview with Kevin Loomis of SDMBA

This episode we hear from Kevin Loomis of the San Diego Mountain Bike Association. He’s the President of the 2nd largest city chapter of IMBA and has some concerns about the IMBA Board itself. Including the lack of IMBA Chapter Representation on the current Board, and how, despite, three rounds of layoffs for staff, no changes have been made to the Board itself.

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Ep 15 – The End of this Chapter?: Six IMBA Chapters On Why They Decided to Stay or Leave

This episode we discuss the IMBA Chapter program and hear from 6 different voices. My guests come from different Trail Associations in the US, some have left the IMBA Chapter program and others have chose to stay. My first guest is Matt Andrews, Executive Director of the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists and former Regional Director of IMBA. Next is a discussion with 4 representatives from different clubs. Brannon Pack, Executive Director of the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists, and Lance Pysher, President of the Bitterroot Backcountry Cyclists, both groups have decided to remain IMBA Chapters. We’ll also hear from Ben Horan, Executive Director of MTB Missoula and President of the Salem Area Trail Alliance, Jeff McNamee; both groups who have left the program. And finally we chat with Kevin Adams of the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition and former Vice President of Chapter and Member Services at IMBA. Kevin recently wrote an article for Singletracks titled, “Is the IMBA Chapter Program Right for Your Club? Analyzing the Pros and Cons” and we’ll get his advice for any IMBA Chapters out there.

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