COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Cheap, dirty and fun

Editor's note: Michelle Barker is an avid mountain biker and trails advocate. She is the president of the Linn Area Mountain Bike Association and on the board of the Linn County Trails Association. Barker is a high school English teacher and an employee at Northtowne Cycling and Fitness. She enjoys riding single-track with her husband and children, and introducing others to cycling.

By Michelle Baker, community contributor

Mountain biking is alive and well in Eastern Iowa, despite the lack of mountains.

The Linn Area Mountain Bike Association (LAMBA), a non-profit group organized in 2006, has been working on building natural surface single-track trails in Linn County, including Cedar Rapids and Marion.

The group maintains and builds sustainable single-track trails in Beverly Park, Squaw Creek Park and Thomas Park.

There is a demand for single-track because it offers a close connection with nature, gets people outdoors and active, and satisfies the needs of different user groups. Additionally, because it is built and maintained by volunteers, it is a low-cost recreation addition to any community.

The trails built by LAMBA are designed with mountain biking in mind, following the International Mountain Bike Association's guidelines, but also are used by trail runners, hikers, geocachers and dog walkers.

LAMBA builds facilities to be used by the public at no cost to the municipality.

People associated with the group carry their own insurance, own their tools and maintain the trails using volunteer labor.

And they do all of their own fundraising.

It's a bargain for the municipalities and an asset to the public. LAMBA organizes clinics and rides, including Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day in October.

The group also participates in other cycling-related events in Linn County and works with other groups to promote trails and cycling.

For more information, go to www.lambaonline.org

If you'd like to become a community contributor, contact J.R. Ogden at jr.ogden@thegazette.com