Please join us for the February COTA monthly meeting. It’s the season when COTA volunteers can plan for the coming year. The next monthly meeting is 7:00pm at the Central Oregon Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Ave.  COTA monthly meetings are usually held the last Thursday of each month; the next meeting is February 23, 2012. Among other topics we will discuss plans for trail work in our winter riding areas – Maston / Cline Buttes, Redmond Radlands, and Horse Ridge.  All are welcome, we hope to see you then!

When: 9:00 A.M., Saturday, April 28, 2012
Where: The Lair
Barbeque and raffle: 2:00 P.M.

Directions to The Lair:
From Phil’s Trailhead off Skyliners Road west of Bend, continue on the paved road past the trailhead. When the road ends, take a left on the gravel road. The road becomes a white pumice road. Stay on the road for approximately two miles to a small parking area at The Lair.

Come join COTA to clean up, repair, and improve the flow of the Lair. COTA will supply tools, direction, and refreshments. Bring your friends and family to help contribute to this progressive skills park.

Please bring a hydration pack with water and a snack.
Be sure to bring appropriate layers to accommodate whatever the weather may be.

All COTA trail work events require the following safety measures:
All participants are required to have the following protective clothing and equipment:

• Sturdy shoes or boots
• Gloves
• Eye protection with clear or light colored lens
• Long pants

Due to COTA’s insurance requirements and the inherent dangers of trail work, we must implement the following policy regarding children at work events:

• For anyone 14 years of age or younger, we require one parent, guardian, or responsible adult for supervision of every four kids attending any COTA trail work events.
• All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian available to sign our waiver.

Anyone who arrives for a work event may be turned away if he/she cannot meet the above requirements.

The first thought most people have is “Mud, in Central Oregon?”. While it true we live in a desert and for most of the year our trails are bone dry and if we do receive rain in the summertime it only improves trail conditions. However, in the winter and spring that situation is different, as our soils become saturated and frozen. Along comes a warm front or the spring thaw and we’re all psyched to head out to ride our bikes or go for a run. The trouble is as the top layers of trail start to thaw out it becomes muddy as there is nowhere for the water to go but to the surface. While other parts of our state laugh at what we call mud, the fact is the same issues arise on both sides of the Cascades. For some trails mud riding is acceptable for others it is not because of their sensitivity to lasting damage.

In Central Oregon the trails west of Bend such as the River Trail, Phil’s area, Shevlin Park and the Peterson Ridge are those sensitive trails. Due to the thaw cycle they can be very soft in places and when we use them we leave behind tire ruts and post-holes. Those trails are particularly sensitive because they are composed of a high ash content soil, when it dries it leaves ruts which harden like concrete. Those hardened ruts tend to breakdown as the trail dries out going into summer, those areas are where later our corners are blowing out, the trail has been widened and swales are created which hold more mud for next year.

So what, everyone else is doing it? While true the first tracks are most damaging, those that follow do make a significant impact as well. Why is that? Often riders, hikers and runners when they encounter a muddy rutted section of trail go around it and there by widening or changing the course of the existing trails. We are not only lucky, but have worked very hard to have such a large network of great flowing trails, widening and rerouting those trails takes away from all of our experience of enjoying single track trails.

So what can and should you do?

• Recognize that if you are sinking into the trails you are impacting the trails negatively!
• Go early in the day BEFORE the trail thaws.
• If you want to go later in the day, on the Westside – use the extensive network of roads and stay off the trails.
• If you find yourself on a trail that has only a patch or two of soft goo, go straight through it to avoid widening the trail. If you hit a couple patches, turn around and head back to the trailhead and explore the dirt roads.
• Our winter riding areas in Central Oregon are the places to go and while there are impacts to those trails the results are different for two reasons: soil type is composed mostly of sand and we tend to only use those areas in the winter. While the riding experience is always better if you get on those trails before they thaw as well, it is generally acceptable to ride them when muddy instead of our Westside trails.

Winter and early season riding areas include:

• The Maston – Offers great, relatively flat and fast trails that are the first in Central Oregon to dry out. Great for early season fitness. If you need more climbing or descending Cline Buttes is just across the highway.
• Horse Butte – The Coyote Loop trails SE of town offer amazing views and fun trails. If the snow permits the trails toward Swamp Wells offer additional mileage.
• Horse Ridge – The place to go for challenging winter riding. Expect to find plenty of lava rock.
• Smith Rocks/Grey Butte trails offer big climbs and even bigger views. Just be sure it’s dry, because the Bentonite clay of the area turns to peanut butter when wet.

Resources for winter trails:
Your local bike shop or:
ormtb.com
adventuremaps.net
http://www.treadmaps.com/
MTBR Oregon page
cotamtb.com

Chris Kratsch
COTA Trail Coordinator

When: 9:00 A.M., Saturday, June 9, 2012
Where: Old Mount Bachelor Park & Ride, Corner of Simpson and Columbia
Light breakfast will be provided
Barbeque, beer, and raffle: 2:00 P.M. at Pine Mountain Sports

Beer provided by Deschutes Brewery.

Central Oregon Trail Alliance is looking for volunteers for the 13th annual Spring Fling work party.  Meet up at 9:00 a.m. to sign waivers and get into a trail crew, then hang out and enjoy a breakfast. We will then carpool to the work sites. This community effort will focus on expanding the new trail network.  COTA will supply tools, direction and refreshments. Bring your friends and family to help contribute.

Those of you who have ridden the Wanoga trail system realize the potential of this terrain and these trails, but upkeep, maintenance, and further improvements are needed to keep this area running all season long. Trail work will go on from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. followed by an after party at Pine Mountain Sports with a raffle. So come on out on June 9th with nothing more than a positive attitude and motivation to contribute to the improvement of our expanding trail system. We’ll see you there!

When: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Meet: 9:00 AM
Where: To be announced

Light breakfast will be provided

9:00 am: Registration and breakfast
9:30 – 1:30: Trail work
1:30 to 2:30 pm: BBQ, Beer; location to be announced
2:30: COTA Annual Awards
2:45: Raffle

Beer provided by Deschutes Brewery.

Roll up your sleeves and help COTA maintain the amazing Central Oregon trails! You don’t want to miss the after work party with free food, and beer for all of those who volunteered!

There’s only one thing better than mountain biking in Bend, OR and that’s riding in Bend, knowing that you helped build and maintain the trails you love.

*Biketoberfest® is a registered U.S. trademark of the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, all rights reserved.
Read the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s letter demanding that COTA  discontinue using “Biketoberfest” .

COTA and the Redmond Area Parks and Recreation Department (RAPRD) have begun trail construction on a parcel of county owned land (now leased to RAPRD) for a community trail system that will ultimately provide a multi-use trail opportunity within close proximity to most Redmond residents. COTA members, RAPRD staff and several Redmond locals have scouted the area and begun to create a trail plan for this area. This 1300-acre parcel abuts another approximately 1400 acres of BLM land further east which ultimately will see some new trail development as well.

Pins flags in the foreground indicate the planned location for the first of many trails East of Redmond, OR

The trailhead will be located at the High Desert Sports Complex at 1859 NE Maple Avenue.

Initial trail layout has found terrain perfect for mountain biking. There is significant rolling relief, which will make for fast and fun trail, punctuated with the challenges of lava rock outcroppings.  The views of Smith Rocks, The Cascade peaks, and the surrounding desert are expansive and all this is within riding distance of most of Redmond’s residents.  The trail system is being laid out to attract a wide array of trail users for year-round use and will be yet another standout winter riding destination for all Central Oregonians.  Trail construction will be tough due to the rocky soil and hardy desert vegetation.

The first of several work events was held on Saturday, November 5 and over 40 volunteers turned out to help construct the first loop trail. Volunteers from Altrec.com, Trinity Bikes, Hutch’s Bicycles, and a group of Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge cadets accomplished more in one day than we would have thought possible. The first loop along with a couple “optional lines” are almost completed.

One of the work crews hiking back to the trail head after a day of creating new trail in the Radlands

The scale of this project is massive; on par with that of the Peterson Ridge Trail expansion in Sisters and the Wanoga network in Bend.  This multi-year undertaking will need significant support from the community and will, in return, provide another recreational asset for Redmond.  COTA would like to thank our corporate sponsors: REI Bend, Altrec.com, Trinity Bikes, and the Community 101 Grant Program for their early support from the central Oregon community.  Thanks also to Emmy Andrews who donated her professional services and performed a complete Phase 1 Environmental Analysis. This has allowed RAPRD to complete it’s contractual obligations with Deschutes County to lease this parcel of land without cost. We welcome additional business and individual donors to support the work events and expenses this project will require. This new trail system will be a significant community asset for Redmond and all of Central Oregon.

Read the November newsletter including:
Special Shout Out to
COTA Updates
The rules of the “trail”
Da Jerseys
Trail Work Opportunities
December Monthly Meeting
and more…

To date Silvermoon Brewing has raised over $5000 for COTA from sales of their outstanding American Wheat – “Epic Trail Ale”. Just recently, Tyler presented the latest installment of these proceeds to COTA’s Chairman, Woody Starr at our annual “Event Formerly Known as Biketoberfest” – a check for almost $1000. Proceeds from sales of this beer also go to Tumalo Langlauf Club – a local cross-country skiing club; and to the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance. Between the three clubs a large majority of trails in Central Oregon are covered. Tyler of Silvermoon Brewing is a local “Trail Hero” for supporting these great causes! Thanks Silvermoon!

Tyler of Silvermoon Brewing donating $966 dollars to COTA during our annual "Event Formerly Known as Bikeoberfest"

When: Saturday, November 5, 2011
Time: 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Meet: Bottom of Lower Whoops and Road 300
Work site: Lower Whoops

There’s only one thing better than mountain biking in Bend, OR and that’s riding in Bend, knowing that you helped build and maintain the trails you love.

Please bring a hydration pack with water and a snack.
Be sure to bring appropriate layers to accommodate whatever the weather may be.

All COTA trail work events require the following safety measures:
All participants are required to have the following protective clothing and equipment:

• Sturdy shoes or boots

• Gloves

• Eye protection with clear or light colored lens

• Long pants

Due to COTA’s insurance requirements and the inherent dangers of trail work, we must implement the following policy regarding children at work events:

• For anyone 14 years of age or younger, we require one parent, guardian, or responsible adult for supervision of every four kids attending any COTA trail work events.

• All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian available to sign our waiver.

Anyone who arrives for a work event may be turned away if he/she cannot meet the above requirements.

When: Saturday, November 5, 2011
Time: 9:00 A.M.
Meet: High Desert Sports Complex, 1859 NE Maple Avenue
Work site: Northeast Redmond Trail Complex (the Radlands)
     See http://cotamtb.com/northeast-redmond-trail-com/
     for  information on the Radlands.

Afterwards there will be a bbq and raffle. Hope you can make it!

COTA is now providing food and soft drinks at ALL work events with Deschutes Brewery donating beer! (You have our many wonderful sponsors to thank for that!)

There’s only one thing better than mountain biking in Bend, OR and that’s riding in Bend, knowing that you helped build and maintain the trails you love.

Please bring a hydration pack with water and a snack.

Be sure to bring appropriate layers to accommodate whatever the weather may be.

All COTA trail work events require the following safety measures:

All participants are required to have the following protective clothing and equipment:

• Sturdy shoes or boots

• Gloves

• Eye protection with clear or light colored lens

• Long pants

Due to COTA’s insurance requirements and the inherent dangers of trail work, we must implement the following policy regarding children at work events:

• For anyone 14 years of age or younger, we require one parent, guardian, or responsible adult for supervision of every four kids attending any COTA trail work events.

• All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian available to sign our waiver.

Anyone who arrives for a work event may be turned away if he/she cannot meet the above requirements.