How the New England Mountain Bike Association Gets Things Done

We learn about the work NEMBA is doing to grow and improve mountain bike trail access in New England.

Travis Counsell is the executive director of the new England Mountain Bike Association, also known as NEMBA. He’s currently based out of Vermont.

In this episode, we ask:

  • What is NEMBA’s mission and how large is your membership?
  • How is NEMBA organized?
  • How many miles of singletrack do NEMBA clubs support?
  • When and why did NEMBA get its start?
  • What were you doing before joining NEMBA?
  • NEMBAfest is back for 2022. What will the festival look like this year?
  • Did the recent boom in mountain bike participation translate into NEMBA membership growth?
  • Given population density, are there many opportunities for new trail builds in the northeast?
  • What are some ways you’ve been successful in countering folks who are against MTB trail access?
  • How popular is fat biking in New England? Is fat bike grooming something that chapters devote a lot of resources to in the winter?
  • What does the current discussion around e-bike trail access look like for NEMBA?
  • What’s the biggest constraint NEMBA faces in carrying out and growing the mission?
  • What’s next for NEMBA in 2022 and beyond?

Connect with NEMBA and learn more at nemba.org.