As the upper Midwest director of the International Mountain Biking Association, Michelle Barker spent several days in Cook County getting to know many of the people who are involved in building mountain biking trails in the area. Barker said she enjoyed her time in the county and found the trails she rode to be first rate.
If Cook County is going to become a mecca for mountain bikers, it will do so with the help of people like Michelle Barker.
Barker is the upper Midwest region director of the International Mountain Biking Association, or IMBA, as it is often called. She was in town for three days this week to meet with people and pedal the single track trails on Pincushion and Britton Peak.
However, she said, “I didn’t get to ride the trails at Britton Peak because I was told they were too muddy.”
Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Barker has been on a tour of St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties to learn more about those IMBA chapters’ current and long-range mountain biking plans.
After meeting with U.S. Forest Service personnel, Grand Marais and Cook County officials, store owners, restaurant owners and members of the local mountain bike club, Barker said she had nothing but praise for the direction Cook County is going in its quest to grow the sport.
A former high school English teacher, Barker said her role is one of advocacy at both the state and local club levels. In Minnesota she said she has met with legislators to discuss Legacy Funds, which came from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment which voters passed in 2008.
Currently the Legacy Amendment is split four ways: The Clean Water Fund receives 33 percent; the Outdoor Heritage Fund receives 33 percent; the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund receives 19.75 percent; and 14.25 percent goes to the Parks and Trails Fund.
Until this year, those on the board who made decisions about where Legacy Funds should be spent were largely undecided about whether or not funding mountain bike trails fit the parameters of the program. But that thinking has now changed, and if a club, town or county can show that by building new bike trails that can draw folks from a long distance, they will have what is called “statewide or regional significance,” and then they will qualify for possible funding.
And that’s where IMBA can also be of service, said Barker, by giving assistance to clubs or entities that need help in making applications for grant monies.
“We also have an online class that teaches clubs how to fund raise funds,” she said.
“This is all about partnerships. We can get a lot more done when we work together than by ourselves,” Barker added.
IMBA has been in existence since 1988 and there are almost 200 chapters nationwide, plus clubs with a strong IMBA affiliation, said Barker. Worldwide there are 100,000 supporters and 35,000 individual members.
“We advocate for mountain bike access and acceptance of mountain biking nationwide. Because most clubs are made up of volunteers, we come alongside and give them assistance,” she said.
“Our goal is to assist clubs to build sustainable trails and bike facilities which are environmentally sound and provide low-impact riding,” she added.
Since Barker’s arrival Tim Kennedy has been assisting her. Kennedy is a longtime member of the Superior Cycling Association and North Shore Ski and Run Club, as well as the county’s representative on the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks & Trails Commission.
Kennedy has noted in the past that mountain biking is a growing sport nationally, and single-track riders are pushing that trend even further. Both Britton Peak and Pincushion now have about seven miles of single-track trails. But the long-term goal is to someday link the two and create a large trail system like the Cuyuna mountain bike trails in Crosby Ironton or the Chequamegon mountain bike trails in Hayward, Wisconsin. Both areas pull in thousands of riders annually.
As for Cook County, Barker thinks the future is bright. “You’re lucky to have someone like Tim here. He’s knowledgeable and he’s actively pursuing the building of new trails. Volunteers run most clubs, so it takes someone like Tim to get things going and to stay involved. Not every club has that.
“This is a beautiful community. Everyone I have met is excited about the outdoors and outdoor recreation. You have great trails here, great hotels, restaurants and shops. You have a good model here for others to follow,” said Barker.
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