My Indiana: Mountain Biking Makes A Mark
Posted by Jason A. Hendricks on June 28, 2008 |
I happened to discover a great publication, put out by Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources, that offers a glimpse into the outdoor life of fellow Hoosiers. Outdoor Indiana. I haven’t had a chance to research the past archives, but by looking at the latest rendition, it looks to be a very nice publication offering some insider news and features involving the great Indiana outdoors.
If you live in other states, you may discover that your own state puts out a similar publication. A simple way to find out is by typing in your state’s name + DNR into any search engine. You should find a link on the DNR site if one is available.
The thing that caught my eye about Outdoor Indiana was this month’s feature on mountain biking. This isn’t your normal run-of-the-mill mountain biking article and most people look to Indiana as anything but a ‘hot’ mountain biking destination, but through the efforts of a few individuals, the state is actually getting pretty well-known with bikers.
This article runs through some of the history associated with how most of Indiana’s mountain bike trails came into existence. Although they don’t exist in multitudes, the mountain bike trails of Indiana are quickly expanding. Much of this is do to one man and some thoughtful volunteers.
Mike Hufhand, who is an avid mountain biker, decided that after traveling to a few bike trails out-of-state that he would like to incorporate something of this nature in Indiana. At the time, Indiana only had one trail that specifically mentioned mountain biking as a purpose. That trail, at Roush Lake (near Huntington, IN), was designed in 1995 as an experimental project.
Mike, wanting to expand on the mountain biking trails of Indiana, decided that in order to be heard he would have to set up a group of like-minded individuals, then pursue his purpose with Indiana’s DNR. Mike soon teamed up with the IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) and went in partnership to form the HMBA (Hoosier Mountain biking Association). Through this group, Mike was able to express a bigger voice with the backing of his fellow Hoosier bikers.
The HMBA’s first move was to volunteer on other trails and help with maintenance and upkeep. They also tried to align themselves up with groups like Indiana’s DNR. Through learning the techniques with trail maintenance, the group became empowered to try to set out for a trail of their own. They wanted to develop something new. HMBA offered to build multi-use trails, specifically geared towards mountain biking and hiking, with their previous knowledge of the subject as the basis. By this time, many members had taken part in IMBA seminars offered on the subject of trail design and maintenance. The DNR agreed.
In 2008, Indiana now hosts over 89 miles worth of multi-use mountain biking and hiking trails. Expansion of the projects continues to grow at a very fast pace, with two new trail currently in the works, and another two projected before 2010. These trails are offered up across the state.
To get the full listing of parks and trails that are mountain bike friendly in Indiana, i suggest reading the full article. You can find it online at the Outdoor Indiana website. It offers a complete run-down of trails, as well as a lot more in the department of history for mountain biking in Indiana.
It is hard to believe that all of this can be linked back to the efforts of one man. That should prove that any of us can do anything we set our minds to. Much credit is due to Mike Hufhand for expanding the mountain biking horizons in Indiana and getting something done through relentless work and effort.
By the way, before Mike’s involvement, Indiana was ranked near the bottom for states that offered mountain biking. After Mike’s involvement, the state is now ranked near the top. Go read the article, not only is it a great read, but it offers up much in the way of useful information in regards to mountain biking history in Indiana. We love to ride and play on the trails, but each of us should know how those trails came in to being. Perhaps it would make us respect our surroundings a bit better.
Past “My Indiana” Columns
- My Indiana: The Adventurist Kicks Off A New Project Posted April 17, 2008
- My Indiana: Indiana and Midwest Rattled by Rare Earthquake Posted April 18, 2008
- My Indiana: Tornado Season Approaches, Beware and Prepare Posted April 29, 2008
- My Indiana: Summiting Mt. Baldy–Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore Posted May 27, 2008
- My Indiana: Time To Push The Column Posted June 28, 2008
- My Indiana: Mountain Biking Makes A Mark Posted June 28, 2008
Hello do you cover speed climbing records on mountains like Mt. Rainier, Hood? I have some record info from 2008 winter and summer if you’d like, my email is chriswilian@pacificwest.com please email if you’d like me to send some info. 1st ever Rainier winter speed ascent record. New Hood summer roundtrip record Govt Camp-Summit-Govt Camp 7 miles 7,240 vertical feet each way. Rainier 9000′ 9.5 miles each way.
June 28th, 2008 at 2:20 am
Nice blog. Thanks for giving some spotlight to the spectacular surge of mountain biking in Indiana. A few corrections are as follows. The President of the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association is actually Mike Hufhand, not Mike Huffman. Also, Mike would be the first person to say explicity that there were many, many more hardworking people involved in this effort than just him. There were also a handful of people that put in a lot of hardwork towards this effort back in the 90’s with very little success to show for it. Their efforts helped to put us in the situation we are today. Our situation today is the result of a lot of hard work by a A LOT of hard working people over many years. Mike’s vision and leadership played a huge role, but none of this would be here today without the countless hours, sweat, and hard work of dozens, if not hundreds of dedicated volunteers. It’s more of a lesson in how a group of people can get together and effect change rather than how one person got it done. Once again, thanks for the write-up. Mountain biking in Indiana deserves the attention it is getting. The crown jewel right now is Brown County State Park. Mountain bikers are driving from all over to get a taste of this prime singletrack. For info on riding there check out the official web site, http://www.browncountymountainbiking.com.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Thanks for the kind words. I have made the correction to Mike’s name. Thank-you. Don’t know how I got that wrong, but it has been corrected. The only history I have on Indiana’s mountain biking trails, comes from the Outdoor Indiana publication. It does mention all of the volunteers and hard work that has went in to this over the past few years, but does not elaborate on the history before Mike’s involvement. I was not looking to give credit to just Mike–he was instrumental in helping establish the HMBA in Indiana, which finally gave Hoosier mountain bikers a voice and expanded upon the attention this area received. In a sense, Mike did get the ball rolling, but we know he didn’t go out there, John Henry style, laying mountain bike trails by himself–even though that would make for a fun tale. Many others were and are currently involved in representing mountain biking in Indiana and none of it would be possible without the volunteers and organizations who have helped along the way.
By the way, I have checked out the Brown County Mountain Biking website–great site. I am going to have to head over there and check it out further. Thanks for the comment.
June 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm