“We’re breathing a big sigh of relief,” said Jamie Howell, founder of the five-employee outfit putting together the groundbreaking movie focusing on resolving trail conflicts. Not that donors should quit giving, as the project still will have final-production costs to meet.

“People should feel free to keep on giving,” Howell noted.

There’s been enough buzz already about “Pedal Driven” to guarantee the movie will be a hit. Howell At The Moon stumbled across the idea while doing a commercial project in Leavenworth, where unauthorized trail building had left local mtbers and land managers at odds with one another.

“Pedal Driven’s focus is on the solutions aspect,” Howell said. “People are finding a lot of creative ways to approach new trail building, while building sustainability into the equation.”

Among locations already filmed, including Leavenworth, are the Seattle area’s Colonnade park under I-5 and the Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park near Issaquah. Both were put together by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance working with Seattle and King County authorities.

Howell in particular had praise for Jon Kennedy, former Evergreen executive director, under whose tenure the Colonnade and Duthie projects came to fruition. Kennedy, now marketing manager for Diamondback Bicycles in Kent, “deserves a lot of credit” for raising mountain-bike awareness in the region, Howell said, adding that Evergreen is “a great example” of a mountain-bike group working creatively with management agencies to open new facilities.

While the film’s core audience is the mountain biking community, Howell believes it will find appeal with land-management agencies, trusts, other user groups and even the mainstream public interested in mountain biking as a family activity.

“It’s a mountain-biking movie, but our goal is to be fair and unbiased,” Howell said. Or to put it another way, “our bias is the goal of sustainability.”

Howell At The Moon comes at the project from a different perspective than most mtb films. Although small, they’ve done a variety of commercial projects. They do ride mountain bikes, but consider themselves professional filmmakers first.

“As professional filmmakers, we really want this piece to work from the land-management-agency standpoint,” Howell said.

The film’s budget is $170,000 — “about typical” for a documentary of this scope, Howell said. The bulk of the money is coming from sponsors, including Shimano and Specialized. The $15,000 comes at a strategic time — to finish filming and do final production work.

The film is “95 percent shot,” Howell said, with some Moab footage and an interview with an Arizona sustainable-trail scientist still to be added.

The goal is to premiere “Pedal Driven” at the Sea Otter Classic in April. From there the film will do the local-premiere circuit. Howell hopes it will eventually find mainstream distribution or commercial broadcast.

Profits will go to sustainable trail-building projects under the auspices of IMBA, the International Mountain Bike Association.

“Our No. 1 goal is to survive the making of the film,” Howell joked. After that it’s “to get it out there for people to see.”

If anyone is well-suited to follow in the tire tracks of Jon Kennedy, it’s Glenn Glover. The newly named interim executive director of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance has great credentials qualifying him as the perfect leader for Evergreen to gain greater visibility and influence in the Northwest.
 
It would be hard to find a negative word about Glover among Evergreen regulars. Web master Maarten van Dantzich said he has “a lot of respect for Glenn,” with whom he served on Evergreen’s board for several years. Glenn “continued Anthony Cree’s work to bring more order and process to budgeting and finances,” and brings “more continuity than anyone else could have” to the top position.
 
Kennedy himself said he was “thrilled” when Glenn stepped forward as a candidate to succeed him and “could think of no one better to fit the role. Glenn brings an extensive amount of knowledge to the table and has been intimately involved in many facets of the organization. He’s someone who on both a professional and personal level, I have a lot of respect for.”
 
The feeling is mutual.
 
“Fortunately Jon is a good resource when I need help,” Glover said, joking that he’s in big trouble if Kennedy starts letting his cries for assistance “go directly to voice mail” or into the spam bucket.
 
A former small-business owner who recently closed his company, Redpoint Communications, specializing in design and manufacture of electronic components, Glenn has the calm air of an experienced decision-maker about him. Serving on Evergreen’s board, he gained a reputation as a careful listener and deliberative thinker. 
 
We’ve done trail work with Glenn on Tiger Mountain and found him to be thoughtful and considerate, with a sly sense of humor. He comes to problem-solving not with preconceived agendas but with an ability to synthesize and reconcile a host of viewpoints as a means to doing the right thing.
 
All of which is to say, he’s not going to shake things up.
 
“I don’t anticipate any rollout of brand new strategies,” he said. “It’s more about refining our focus on the strategic direction we have.”
 
Top of the agenda: “Growing and communicating our relevance to the community,” Glenn says. At last weekend’s Seattle Bike Expo 2010, he was sobered by the quizzical looks that passersby gave the Evergreen booth.
 
“There were too many blank expressions, even from mountain bikers,” he said. Half of those stopping by had never even heard of the group.
 
Part of that is because Expo is, at heart, a road bike show. But it also says that mountain bikers who otherwise would be appreciative of EMBA’s work have not gotten the memo.
 
“Trail access is not granted to us somehow magically,” Glenn notes. The question Evergreen needs to pose to the mountain biking community is, “Are you getting involved in supporting your sport?”
 
“Among those new to the sport, there’s almost a complacency over having a lot of places to ride. What they may not be seeing is that many of those places have gray trails that are going to get developed.” The current mecca of Black Diamond stands to lose at least 15 miles of trail to development from just one development. Griffin Creek and Victor Falls are gone. Only old-timers recall the great riding on Cougar Mt. Other areas are just a parcel sale or two from oblivion.
 
To get the point across, Glover foresees a number of initiatives this year:
 
Topping the list is boosting membership. The club has rebounded from a loss of nearly 200 members as of a year to 18 months ago — from a combination of economic factors and disaffection among the ranks — and is back around the 800 figure. Glover thinks 1,000 by the end of 2010 is realistic, especially given the club’s outreach to signature projects around Puget Sound.
 
Signing trail heads and corridors where work is being done with large lettering carrying the organization’s name will help as well — something “even riders averting their eyes as they ride by” will see, Glenn said. Anyone who has done trail work knows that passing riders are typically generous with their appreciation; I’ve often wished I had a sticker I could slap on their jersey as a reminder to give something back.
 
Paradise Valley, Duthie Hill and Colonnade are well-signed already. Glenn sees Black Diamond and Tiger Mountain getting similar attention.
 
Publicity and excitement building around the grand opening of Duthie Hill mountain bike park on May 22 will give the club a real shot in the arm. County executive Dow Constantine, a bike rider and supporter, will be on hand for ribbon-cutting. There will be a jump jam, big raffle, schwag, beer garden and (fingers crossed) barbecue. Duthie Hill is bringing a lot of new local freeride blood into the Evergreen circle.
 
On the cross-country side, Evergreen’s work on Hansen Ridge (aka South Fork Snoqualmie) continues apace, and the organization will have prominent visibility in the St. Helens and Kettle Fest gatherings this summer. Evergreen also plays a vital advisory and mentoring role for other mtb organizations, from Portland’s Northwest Trail Alliance (formerly PUMP) to WHIMPS, the Galbrath Mt. miracle workers.
 
Education — in this case, teaching newbies to ride dirt — is another prime vector for attracting new membership, Glover notes. Endless Biking out of Vancouver’s North Shore will be training the trainers, and Evergreen will be highlighting bootcamps and another learning venues. One series we hope to see return is girls’ bootcamp, taking advantage of the boom in women coming to freeride as documented in the film, “Women of Dirt.” And partnerships with Kat Sweet freeride and Speedy Beavers DH clinics will continue.
 
There’s still some fence-mending to do; not all the org’s disaffected are back in the fold, and the club still has not regained the espirt de corps it had in the ’90s and early 2000s.
 
But there’s a new era of multi-faceted mountain biking upon us that requires more flexibility and breadth not just from Evergreen but from its membership. From a community involvement standpoint, Evergreen is well-positioned to expand mtb opportunities throughout the region.
 
Glenn, who lives in Renton with his mountain biking wife Toni and trail-trained dogs Denali (golden) and Dakota (shepherd), says he’s not interested in becoming permanent E.D. but anticipates serving through the end of the year. With his plate piled high, he’ll probably welcome the breather by the time his interimship concludes.

Jon Kennedy getting it done on the trail as well as off

When he became acting executive director of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance last fall, Jon Kennedy inherited an organization that had lost its balance and was heading for a tumble. As it turned out, Kennedy was the right guy for the job. Anyone who has watched Jon guide a bike on a skinny or over a drop can see he knows how to regain balance and ride a tricky section out. That’s what he did for Evergreen.

Last week Evergreen announced that Kennedy is leaving. On Mar. 1 he will take over as marketing manager for the resurgent Diamondback Bicycles conglomerate (with Raleigh) based in Kent. Ironically the commute from his West Seattle home will be about the same as it was to Evergreen HQ at north Green Lake in Seattle. Which is fortunate, because Jon expects to maintain close ties to the club he helped guide back from the brink.

“I love Evergreen, I love the organization, the people and the agenda,” Jon said by phone after the announcement. Any rumor mill suggestions that he is leaving out of disenchantment would be “absolutely wrong,” he added.

Jon was recruited by Diamondback after working with its brand manager, Mike Brown, on Evergreen sponsorships that resulted in a bike giveaway and $2,500 commitment to the club. The compensation package offered by Diamondback, which is seeking to re-establish itself as a leading name in mountain biking, was too good to pass up.

At 35, “I have my family to think about,” said Jon — wife Ilana, son Erez, 3, and daughter Lilah, 18 months. Anyone who has worked for a non-profit understands that it’s typically not a career but a stepping stone. Despite Jon’s short tenure, it probably seemed more like an entire staircase — but it’s to his credit that so much got done to carry Evergreen forward.

It was Jon’s work with Evergreen that impressed Diamondback. “His energy and dedication, combined with his organizational skills, will be a big plus for us,” Brown said.

A cornerstone of Diamondback’s marketing agenda is working with local, active leadership groups like Evergreen to build and maintain trails. “It’s called ‘Places to Ride’,” Brown noted — a seemingly obvious mission for bike-related companies everywhere, but one which often isn’t acted upon.

Kudos to Diamondback for recognizing a golden opportunity. “We’re in a very competitive space. so getting our message to riders can be a real challenge.” Brown acknowledged, referencing Diamondback’s long-travel Mission, XC Sortie and expanding dirt jump lines. (For drool factor, check out the limited edition Scapegoat.) Key liaisons like Jon and Evergreen and the base they bring along do word-of-mouth wonders.

With Jon at the helm, Evergreen helped get marquee projects on track, from Duthie Hill to South Fork Snoqualmie to Black Diamond. Colonnade got much-deserved attention. New sponsorships rolled in, including Gregg’s, Home Depot and Black Diamond. And Evergreen’s name was prominent in events like the Feb. 5 premiere of “Women of Dirt,” a cinematic look at mountain biking femmes.

A number of the goals outlined at the Duthie Hill gathering last fall are being addressed, including balancing the club’s twin missions of advocacy and recreation. Although the 2010 season is still a couple of months away, the ride calendar seems on the way back to health. And the mtb scene is popping locally — with Evergreen’s involvement every step of the way.

To be sure, challenges loom. First will be finding a replacement for Jon — he says not to worry, several well-qualified folks are in the hopper. Then there’s at least one goal mentioned at the gathering that hasn’t seen much traction — to wit, spreading Evergreen responsibilities across more than one set of shoulders.

Evergreen’s board needs to move a bit faster to address the org’s needs. Despite his yeoman service, Jon never officially had “acting” dropped from his title. It’s on the board to get his replacement named summarily (Glenn Glover has been appointed interim) and take action on other leadership issues.

In a non-profit, Jon joked, “there’s only one way to find out how much you’re appreciated — and that’s to quit.” He’s been “blown away” by the surge of well-wishes and expressions of gratitude. He may be moving on, but not away.

“Diamondback is tremendously committed to local advocacy, so I expect to stay involved with Evergreen,” Jon says, adding that Evergreen is like the Hotel California. You can check out any time you want, but you never get to leave.

Evergreen’s announcement.

Jon’s departing letter to Evergreen.

The latest shocker: Executive director John Lang is resigning as of Sept. 1. Lang’s arrival in the spring of 2008 marked a sharp change of direction for the organization then known as the Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club. Lang put a stamp of professionalism on the club, liaisoning it with other user groups and forest administrative agencies while also shepherding mtb projects like Colonnade (a huge publicity win for the club), Paradise Valley and Duthie Hill.

Announcing Lang’s departure with “great regret,” Evergreen president Jennifer Lesher noted that during his tenure “We have attained a seat on the Washington DNR’s Sustainability Work Group and an appointment to the Snoqualmie Unit Advisory Committee. We have worked with the Mountains to Sound Greenway, State Parks, and Snohomish County, Kent, and Redmond. John’s leadership and hard work were key in establishing these positions.”

But Lang is not a mountain biker, a factor that led him to become a lightning rod for discontent over club policies starting with the surprise name change (which was under way before he took office). He also failed to communicate with the membership, which saw him as detached and aloof, even as his political acumen made measurable progress with previously antagonistic or uncooperative sectors.

We at BikeIntelligencer believe Lang was making the right moves, but without buy-ins from the membership. A better communicator would have explained what he was up to and done the political spade work to create ownership at the member level.

Since July’s board meeting, Lesher and Jon Kennedy, program director, have been actively seeking input on the club’s future direction, meeting and speaking with a number of longtime members. Jen’s take in an e-mail posted on Evergreen’s Yahoo! list:

“The Board of Directors is working to devise a plan for the immediate and
long term future of the organization. We have some critical decisions to
make about how we’re going to allocate our resources and prioritize our
obligations, but please rest assured that we plan to honor our commitments,
goals and mission.”

The turmoil within Evergreen comes at a strategic juncture for the sport of mountain biking. Even as the sport explodes among youth, especially teenagers, agencies and other trail user groups are expressing concern over the growth in unauthorized (again, we avoid the term “illegal” as inapplicable in trail administration) construction and riding. In Canada there is no problem, so the kids (groms) watch the DVDs and go to Whistler and NorthShore and see what’s possible and want it in their back yards. They don’t know how to work the system and in any case do not want to wait for bureaucracy to act. In the meantime, veteran mtbers take the heat from their trail peers for things they have nothing to do with (but may wholeheartedly support!); like what adult ever stopped kids from building things — treehouses, forts, skateparks and so on down the line.

Thus “advocacy” becomes the stepchild of “recreation,” creating a dualistic mission for a group like Evergreen.

It all sets the stage for a lively “Town Hall” summit meeting on Tuesday, September 1 at Duthie Hill near Issaquah. It looks like there will be riding before and/or after, as well as a barbecue and festive atmosphere to keep the mood upbeat and positive. See you there!