North Carolina Mountain Bike Advocacy

Kim Douglass
Piedmont Regional Trails Specialist
NC Division of Parks & Recreation
Yorkshire Center
12700 Bayleaf Church Road
Raleigh, NC 27614
Phone: 919-846-9991 Fax: 919-870-6843
E-mail: Kim_Douglass@mail.enr.state.nc.us

Our main role is funding: Adopt-a-Trail grants and National Recreation Trail Program grants. This year NRTP has already come and gone, but will be available again in October 1999 and due January 2000. Go to our website for more information and on-line applications: www.ncsparks.net

We maintain a directory of clubs and organizations across the state as we are a repository for trail information for the state - so send new club info and updates to me.

We would like to host or help sponsor mt bike educational opportunities. Please send requests.

I am interested in participating in trail surface research and plan to conduct research this year in a local state park for multi-use trail surfaces.

Chuck Ramsey
Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Advocacy Officer
home: Brevard, NC
phone: 828-884-5340
e-mail: ramseys@citcom.net

I see myself as the official MTB complaint system for Transylvania County! My efforts in that capacity include letters to the Pisgah District about specific trails and exposing the District's LWO (linear wildlife opening) closure process to the local MTB community. As "Trails Advocacy Officer" of Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, I try to keep informed of access issues on the Pisgah District of Pisgah National Forest, attend meetings (hosted by the District or other land managers) relevant to MTB access on public lands, and write letters to land managers or agencies when our access is threatened. Many of the issues I deal with in this capacity I have discovered on my own, such as the LWO issue and a couple other trail-specific problems...

I'm also on the access planning board for DuPont State Forest--that assignment was mostly luck, and was the result of an equestrian advocacy rep who insisted that MTB voices be part of the board! As a member of the planning board for DuPont State Forest, I have attended a few meetings, written a few letters, and organized a new trail crew effort within BRBC. This board is comprised of three hiker reps, one MTB rep, one equestrian rep, and a land manager (usually Ed Goforth of the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources). Because of hiker bias, I find myself closely aligned with the equestrian rep, something I wouldn't have predicted a couple years ago! Equestrian and MTB trail maintenance contributions have been far greater than that of hikers; we've been able to use that as a bargaining tool in our efforts to keep most DSF trails open to "shared use"...

Nathalie Soto
Smoky Mountain Bicycling Club
e-mail: nathalie@macon.main.nc.us

The Smoky Mountain Cycling Club has been working with the Highlands Ranger District on mountain bike and trail access issues. Some members have been trained in the use of GPS systems in hopes of helping to map trails.

Julie White
NC IMBA Representative
205 9th Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711
phone: 828-669-6445
e-mail: juliew3360@aol.com

As the NC IMBA rep, I try to be a good resource on mountain bike issues for people throughout the state. I have many IMBA resources that can be shared with others.

I am an advocate for mountain bike access and try to promote mountain biking that is environmentally sound.

My main goal at present is to develop some type of organization and networking among mountain bikers throughout the state. There is a lot happening in this state and I believe mountain bikers as a group would have more clout if we were a more cohesive group on the state-wide level.

Mike Nix
President, Western North Carolina Bicycle Dealers Association
Liberty Bikes
19200 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC
phone: 828-684-1085

The WNCMBDA promotes a series of mountain bike races.

A major project of the group is the development of mountain bike trails on land owned by Buncombe County. We have applied through the local Parks and Recreation Department for a National Recreation Trail Program grant. Trail planning and layout were accomplished with the help of the IMBA Trail Care Crew.

Jim Parham
Author: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Mountain Bike Guides for the Southeast.
Home: Almond, NC
e-mail: jim@milestonepress.com

Closest Trail System: Tsali Recreation Area (2 miles away)

Area of Interest: Providing solid, as up-to-date as possible information on trails available to mountain bikers in the southeast so that they can more easily choose a riding destination that most fits their expectations and ability level. Check out Southeast trail reports for up-to-date conditions.

Volunteer Interest: Main focus is my immediate local area which includes the Cheoah (Tsali) and Wayah Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Currently a member of the Cheoah/Tsali Task Force, a committee that is represented by district forest rangers, wildlife officials, local civic leaders and a diverse variety of user groups (equestrian, cyclists, logging, hunting, and commercial recreational use). This innovative group addresses the needs of all groups and their impact on the district. Currently a long distance bike trail that would circumnavigate Graham County while connecting different planned and existing bike trail systems is under consideration.

Last updated 5/17/99

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