Brian Vance didn't know what to think at first.
A representative from GOOD Magazine had just told him that his group, the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists, had been nominated in the Reinventing the Outdoors Contest, with a chance to win a $50,000 grant from the Ford Motor Co.
Vance, the group's president, was told that he'd have to make a video about it immediately.
"We didn't believe it at first," Vance laughed. "We thought, 'It's gotta be a scam, right?' "
Vance and Vice President Martha Lemen met with professional mountain bike racer Todd Wells - who nominated the group - at the Starr Pass Trailhead in Tucson Mountain Park. The three were filmed and photographed as they talked about the goals of the group and resource conservation.
Wells, who lives in Durango, Colo., and trains in Tucson during the winter, said his decision to nominate the group was a "no-brainer."
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"Tucson's got a great cycling community," said Wells, a University of Arizona graduate. "I heard through the community about these guys, and I had seen them on the trail for maintenance days."
The mountain-bicycle group "seemed like a great group of people," Wells said.
The group advocates for the Tucson region and promotes construction and maintenance of bike trails. There are about 300 miles of bike trails regionally.
Lemen said protecting the trails is important, especially as Tucson becomes more urbanized.
"Being outside and experiencing the outdoors - especially in urban environments - is becoming a rare event for a lot of folks," she said. "In Tucson, we're fortunate that we have access to the outdoors. To preserve that ability for future generations, to have what we have, is pretty big."
The bike group also hosts monthly and quarterly bike events and skill clinics, and supports Trips For Kids, a nonprofit that promotes mountain biking to at-risk youth. The group does its fair share of lobbying, too.
"We're going to land managers and showing them that mountain biking is a legitimate use of the trails," Lemen said. "We're responsible stewards of the whole environment."
The group helped obtain dirt for the Kory Laos Memorial Bike Park and would like to build another more-central bike park.
"We are continuing to explore opportunities for bike parks," Vance said. "This grant would secure our ability to provide financial, as well as advocacy, support. It would be a hugely unique item in Tucson that doesn't exist elsewhere."
In order to accomplish its goals, the group needs the community's help.
Voting for the Reinventing the Outdoors Contest runs May 16 through May 20, with the winner being announced May 24. Voters can cast their online ballots daily until the voting ends.
Because the competition includes many other groups, the local group needs all the votes it can get.
"We want to turn Tucson into a world-class mountain-biking destination," said Vance who added that any funds would go to expand trails in our area.
The group says the entire community can benefit from improved trails and potential bike parks, especially children.
"Providing that opportunity for an urban rider, especially the kids, would be huge for this town," Lemen said. "If you love your children, you're gonna vote for us."
James Bourland is a University of Arizona student and apprentice at the Star. Contact him at starapprentice@azstarnet.com
