Rick Johnson
OBRA folks,
I believe some of you may be interested to know that we have someone
with such dedication to mountain biking in Oregon that he is traveling
to Washington DC on his own dime to protect and expand our riding
opportunities statewide.
Please see the following message and consider making a tax deductible
contribution through the Central Oregon Trail Alliance to help support
this effort.
Thanks,
Rick
Just posted at www.cotamtb.org
by Mark DeJohn IMBA Rep.
Help Oregon Mountain Bikers Be Represented In Washington D.C.
www.cotamtb.org/news.php?070227191221t
This message approved by Kent Howes, COTA President
Dear COTA members,
My name is Mark DeJohn, I have been working with COTA for the past 10
years as a volunteer and I have been involved in many of the events that
have helped shape COTA into the club it is today. In an effort to help
COTA further by becoming more politically active I took on the role of a
state representative for the International Mountain Bike Association
(IMBA). Together with several others including Kent Howes and Paul
Thomasberg we founded the Oregon Mountain Bike Alliance, a collective
group of club leaders that communicate with local club members how to
deal with trail access issues. The hard work of ORMBA on the Mt. Hood
Wilderness Act has helped mountain biking advocates create a level
headed and proactive approach to Wilderness proposals. Mountain bikers
now have a seat at the table before new legislation is presented. In
order to maintain these relationships I travel to D.C. to lobby on the
hill for the rights of mountain bikers to maintain our continued access
to trails through alternative land protections.
Oregon was recently named by IMBA the best place in the USA to mountain
bike receiving an A grade for its clubs and riding opportunities. COTA
was highlighted in the article for its diligent efforts to protect trail
access and promote new riding areas. Overall, Oregon was judged on
several areas. Trail access, volunteerism, organized clubs, political
relationships, quality of trails, and stewardship of those trails. Now
is the time to push to keep that designation going.
I will be lobbying in Washington D.C. to help further ORMBA efforts to
keep Oregon the best place to ride a mountain bike in the country. I
will be visiting the house and senate offices to discuss the Mt. Hood
Wilderness Act of 2007. I will be asking our senators and congress
members to support alternative land protections like the National
Recreation Area designation instead of wilderness designation, where
necessary, to maintain mountain bike access. I will be asking for them
to consider the need for designated free riding areas. I will also be
teaching club members from other states how to effectively work with
land managers and Wilderness groups like we have here in Oregon.
Together we will develop a successful strategy to increase land
protection, access, and promote responsibility through mountain biking.
I am currently the only volunteer from Oregon going to D.C. to lobby for
mountain biking that is not a paid staff person of an organization. This
carries much more weight than you would think. In D.C. lobbyists are
everywhere and usually they are lawyers. I am an unpaid mountain biker
advocating for Oregon and it is refreshing to meet me rather than a
professional lobbyist.
I am writing to ask COTA members to make an additional financial
donation this year to help cover my travel expenses to Washington D.C.
and the National Bike Summit on March 12th- 16th, 2007.
Please make checks out to Central Oregon Trail Alliance c/o Mark DeJohn,
this will allow you to write off the donation on your taxes. COTA is a
501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Please send checks to below address we
will make sure you get a receipt.
I will be providing a full report of my trip to D.C. on the COTA website
upon my return.
Please call if you have any questions 541-948-0993
Sincerely,
Mark DeJohn
IMBA Representative Central Oregon
1428 NW Ithaca Ave.
Bend, OR 97701
www.cotamtb.org has an open forum where you can respond to this or
another issue.