The state famous for its potatoes may need a new slogan. For the second straight year, Idaho received the top grade in the International Mountain Bicycling Association's Mountain Bike Access Report Card, solidifying its status as the best state for mountain biking.

Serpentine trails, expansive public lands and a low population are key components in Idaho's success. Idaho received the top grade in the inaugural 2000 IMBA Report Card, but that didn't make the local cyclists complacent. Riding opportunities improved this year around Boise, Idaho's largest city, as mountain bikers played a central role in creating new urban fringe trails.

South Dakota closely followed Idaho as the best place to ride receiving an A minus. South Dakota boasts super singletrack and uncrowded trails in the Black Hills.

The report card also confirmed that there are states where mountain bike access needs work. Louisiana's Mardi Gras is unmatched, but its mountain bike access is nothing to celebrate. The state has limited trails, lots of swamps and needs a statewide mountain biker organization. These factors shaped Louisiana's D+ grade, the lowest in the report.

The IMBA Report Card is designed to help mountain bike leaders chart their accomplishments and inspire new efforts. Mountain bikers in Ohio, a state that graded poorly last year, got organized and improved relations with land managers to build new trails. This positive momentum boosted Ohio's grade from a D to a C, the biggest improvement of any state.

In 2001, the report card considered other countries for the first time, grading access in four Canadian provinces and the United Kingdom.

Leading the international class was British Columbia with an A minus. Kid's mountain biking programs in the province are more popular than little league baseball.

"Every state, regardless of its natural terrain, is capable of earning an A," said IMBA executive director Tim Blumenthal. "All it takes is enthusiastic volunteer organizations, steady cooperation with land managers and a variety of established trail systems."

Grades are based on many factors: amount of singletrack, effectiveness of local mountain bike groups, land manager relations, an IMBA website survey and feedback from IMBA leaders.

Grades and comments are listed below.

Idaho: A

Phat: Endless public land and singletrack

Flat: Population growth

South Dakota: A-

Phat: Black Hills rule

Flat: Few maps, more crops than cyclists

Alaska: B+

Phat: Improving trails

Flat: Swamps and mosquitoes

Arizona: B

Phat: Urban trails, Arizona Trail

Flat: Developers versus trails

Arkansas: B+

Phat: Womble & Ouachita, solid advocates

Flat: Ice storm damage

Florida: B+

Phat: Sunshine State has super singletrack

Flat: Sprawl, sandy, sea level

Kentucky: B+

Phat: KYMBA unifies diverse state

Flat: Lack of media relations

Massachusetts: B+

Phat: NEMBA: Energetic regional group

Flat: Building pavement, not dirt

Michigan: B+

Phat: MMBA: Dynamic statewide org.

Flat: Turf battles with horses

Nevada: B+

Phat: Gambling = money for trails

Flat: Lack of riding info

New Mexico: B+

Phat: Federal agency & ski area support

Flat: Los Alamos fires, Santa Fe tension

North Dakota: B+

Phat: Medora becoming MB destination

Flat: A long way from anywhere else

Utah: B+

Phat: Slickrock and red rock

Flat: Lack of MB groups

West Virginia: B+

Phat: Not a flat inch in the whole state

Flat: Hunters come first

California: B

Phat: State park progress; MB leadership

Flat: Lots of conflict

Colorado: B

Phat: Jeffco trails national model

Flat: Crowded roads, crowded trails

Delaware: B

Phat: Great trails in a tiny state

Flat: Nowhere to add trails

Maine: B

Phat: 90 percent forested

Flat: Few organized trail systems

Maryland: B

Phat: MORE: innovative & resilient

Flat: Unauthorized trailbuilding near DC

Montana: B

Phat: Progressive rec planning near cities

Flat: Bikers need to organize, long winter

Nebraska: B

Phat: W. Nebraska = untapped singletrack

Flat: Not well organized

North Carolina: B

Phat: Nantahalla & Pisgah NF awesome

Flat: Urban trails still restricted

Oregon: B

Phat: Abundant, diverse riding

Flat: Portland access remains tricky

Pennsylvania: B

Phat: KMBA becoming statewide force

Flat: State game land access threatened

Texas: B

Phat: Effective multi-level bike advocacy

Flat: 97% private land

Virginia: B

Phat: West VA: mountainous, great trails

Flat: Eastern VA: Baseball fields, not trails

Wyoming: B

Phat: Wide open for mountain biking

Flat: Ranch closes key Laramie connector

Georgia: B-

Phat: SORBA has political & financial clout

Flat: Where to ride close to Atlanta?

Hawaii: B-

Phat: All State parks have MB routes

Flat: Restricted trail access near Honolulu

Indiana: B-

Phat: DNR opened trails in state forests

Flat: Roadies and MBers must cooperate

Missouri: B-

Phat: Kansas City and St. Louis have mo'

Flat: Access limited in state parks

New Hampshire: B-

Phat: Rich trail tradition, White River NF

Flat: Long, legal rides are limited in south

Oklahoma: B-

Phat: Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship rocks

Flat: Flat and dusty

South Carolina: B-

Phat: State funds full-time MB trail crew

Flat: Yet to turn trail plans into reality

Tennessee: B-

Phat: Vigilant advocates; lots of trails

Flat: Lack of central state organization

Vermont: B-

Phat: Wooded, rolling & getting organized

Flat: Private land interrupts public trails

Washington: B-

Phat: Middle Fork progress

Flat: Seattle singletrack access still limited

Wisconsin: B-

Phat: WORBA: 12-years of MB leadership

Flat: Trails in south crowded

Mississippi: C+

Phat: Tri-county MBers make progress

Flat: Limited statewide leadership

Alabama: C

Phat: BUMP: great organization & website

Flat: Mountain bikers lack state presence

Connecticut: C

Phat: Better than 2000 grade reflected

Flat: Hiking-only trails limit northern riding

Iowa: C

Phat: Solid clubs, improving MB leadership

Flat: Lack of federal land; agricultural

Minnesota: C

Phat: New Twin City trails

Flat: Limited parks & trails near cities

New Jersey: C

Phat: Good club momentum in S. Jersey

Flat: JORBA in transition

New York: C

Phat: Adirondack model can be replicated

Flat: NYC: too many people, too few trails

Ohio: C

Phat: New trails, new clubs, new energy

Flat: Cleveland and north-east still shaky

Rhode Island: C

Phat: Singletrack in Arcadia forest

Flat: Providence can't provide good riding

Illinois: C-

Phat: DNR supports mountain biking

Flat: Shawnee Forest shuns bikes

Kansas: C-

Phat: Flint Hills & riverside trails

Flat: More silos than singletrack

Louisiana: D+

Phat: Baton Rouge advocates solid

Flat: Limited trails, no leadership

Canada

British Columbia: A-

Phat: MB is mainstream; awesome organizations

Flat: Lack of sustainable trails

Alberta: B

Phat: Canadian Rockies epic riding

Flat: Calgary and Edmonton trail crowding

Quebec: B

Phat: Nordic and Alpine ski areas support cycling

Flat: Classic urban restrictions

Ontario: C+

Phat: Solid advocacy groups

Flat: Lack of legal riding near Toronto

United Kingdom

Wales: B

Scotland: B-

England: C

For additional information, visit www.IMBA.com

Long live long rides.