Club Name: Emerald Trail Riders Association (ETRA)
Year Founded: 1993
Who Founded: Unknown
Number of Members: 60
Home city: Eugene
Website: ETRA.net
Club email: jared@etra.net
Member dues: $30 per year
1. Since Trail Riders is in your name is ETRA a club similar to the GNCC series?
"Trail Riders" just denotes that we are a group with the common interest of trail riding. But some of our members also enjoy other forms of riding such as racing, dual sport riding and highway riding. The "GNCC series" is a group of Cross Country races held back East, with each race of the series put on by a different club.
2. Is the club primarily competition or does ETRA host casual rides?
While we do have members that compete in various events, we are primarily a family oriented group that gets together in small and large numbers to casually ride numerous trails in Oregon and the surrounding states.
3. OK, so what's with the Funky Chicken?
WHAT'S WITH THE FUNKY CHICKEN?! Why it's just the Best Cross Country Race in the State is all! The club wanted to be involved in putting on a race as part of a series of events for Oregon riders. A member wanted to name it "The Funky Chicken" (perhaps in jest?) and the name stuck. We then decided to make it a "National" event and become one race in a series on the West Coast. Though it's a huge amount of work, we have attracted some top national talent throughout our 13 years of presenting the Funky Chicken.
4. Does ETRA get involved with trail maintenance or OHV legislation issues?
We certainly do! Maintenance wise we work hand in hand with the Bureau of Land Management on the "Shotgun OHV" area and the Forest Service on the "Huckleberry OHV" area. We have also helped other clubs in Willamina and Ashland maintain trail systems. We are very active in the OHV legislation arena via some very dedicated club members that are continually talking to our elected officials, writing action letters, attending meetings, and getting other members to understand the legislation issues we face.
5. IS ETRA primarily dirt bikers or are there ATV riders too?
We are primarily dirt bikers though a few members also have ATVs.
6. How can ETRA help a new rider who doesn't have a bike or gear?
We are always willing to take new riders under our wings by possibly loaning a bike or some gear on a group ride at a location that is "newbie" friendly.
7. ETRA is big on youth safety, how does your program work?
As part of the statewide effort to educate Oregon's young riders on safety and riding ethics, ETRA conducts regular Youth Safety Evaluations in the Eugene area.
8. Why join ETRA?
The number one reason is because you want to enjoy the comradery of a like-minded group of people that enjoy riding at many diverse and beautiful locations, and that want to keep the sport of dirt bike riding alive and well for everybody, especially our children.