Emmy Andrews is the Executive Director of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, also known as COTA. The group's mission is to "develop, protect, and enhance the Central Oregon mountain bike experience through trail stewardship, advocacy, collaboration, and education."

• Tell us a bit about COTA. What’s the organization’s mission and how large is your membership?
• When and why did COTA get its start?
• How long have you been with COTA, and how did you get involved?
• How is COTA organized?
• How many miles of singletrack does your group support?
• What are some of the most popular trails COTA helps support?
• Is there currently a good mix of trails in Bend for riders of all skill levels?
• Who are the land management agencies COTA works with?
• Do you see a lot of riders coming from out of town to ride in Bend, and some of the other areas COTA supports? What’s the best time of year to ride in Central Oregon?
• Tell us about the mountain bike community in Bend. Are there standing group rides, or businesses that are particularly MTB-friendly?
• Are there some under the radar trails that visitors might want to consider riding?
• Is there growing demand for e-bike trail access in Central Oregon?
• Do you have any new MTB trails in the planning stage, or currently under construction?
• How is COTA funded?
• What’s the biggest constraint or challenge that COTA faces in carrying out and growing the mission?
• What’s next for COTA?

Learn more and support the Central Oregon Trail Alliance at cotamtb.com.

✏️ A written transcript of this conversation is available to Singletracks Pro supporters: singletracks.com/support

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