Parry Sound ATV District Club

Parry Sound North Star July 30, 2003 - Andrew Ryeland

WILDERNESS PERSPECTIVES

As Canadians we sometimes take the beauty of our vast outdoors for granted. We focus on the obstacles our terrain and climate present rather than the majesty. Not so for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who flood our tourist seasons!

In the coastlands of Georgian Bay Country we are blessed with some of the most spectacular wilderness on the planet. And comments from tourists around the globe echo that sentiment. There are several ways for a tourist to drink in our land’s majesty, by air, water and land. Until recently, wilderness adventures for the latter often entailed levels of physical exertion and time commitment beyond the capabilities of most of our visitors. Glimpsing a moose in a water lily filled pond, a beaver repairing a dam; an ambling porcupine in search of a bark breakfast or a black bear climbing onto a bog was limited to a video purchased in roadside trading post.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) have added a new opportunity to our burgeoning eco-tourism draw! The quiet, clean and minimal footprint of today’s modern ATVs are allowing hundreds of adventurous souls to share what we have experienced our whole lives. Contrary to some trains of thought, the wilderness is not reserved exclusively for the physically fit backpacker but is a shared experience and responsibility of all.

Perhaps those who understand this paradigm shift best are the folks who engage in the sport and tourism initiatives of ATVing. ATV clubs in Ontario have catered to the former but a growing number of tourism operators are servicing the latter. The provincial Ministry of Tourism though the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership (OTMP) has stated that this impact on our economy will grow to $1 Billion per year. Through the OTMP’s ATV Ontario initiative six entities have been recognized as ‘signature sites’. In the past month the Parry Sound region has been deemed a ‘signature site’. A quick math exercise reveals that 1/6 of $1 Billion is $168 Million, hence the excitement in Georgian Bay Country.

The demographics of tourism and the appeal of countries, regions and attractions are capricious, as we have all seen in the overplayed press reactions to SARS and West Nile. The increasing urban lifestyles and the addiction to man-made entertainment is taking an ironic twist. The most popular TV series are all about survival, challenges and contrived relationships. This has created a great desire for ‘real’ wilderness adventures and ATVing fits the bill perfectly.

To discover how ATVing can give you some new perspectives look up adventures in Fun In The Sun or check us out at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company.

Parry Sound North Star May 14, 2003 - Andrew Ryeland

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Spring Jam 2003 – Canada’s Largest ATV Jamboree was a great triumph! What appeared to be just another ATV rally was actually intended to be something much more … we’ll let you in on the secret if you read on.

From it’s inception in early December 2002, Spring Jam 2003 was planned and organized to be a huge commercial venture benefiting the businesses of Parry Sound and District. If you noticed, there were no Pancake breakfasts of BBQ suppers. We purposely planned to have all our Jammers stay in accommodations and eat in restaurants in the region.

Here are the objectives we established just before Christmas:

To bring tourism into the community in a season where ALL businesses need a boost (shoulder)
To bring at least $100,000 dollars into the community
Gain community and public support for the sport
Change public perception of the activity
Promote the rugged and majestic scenery of the area to visitors
Create a community based and supported tourism event that can occur every year
Partner with other community businesses to create economic opportunity
Strike a balance with ecological and regulatory concerns to show responsible ATVing at its best

Here’s what was achieved:

The event was able to cover all costs and came in at the break-even point.
75 local businesses signed up for the ‘Welcome Jammers’ Campaign demonstrating a high level of community support and willingness to collaborate on a community based tourism event. (over 60% have already pledged support for Spring Jam 2004)
An additional 80 local businesses supported the initiative by becoming sponsors of the event on our website by donating money and/or prizes.
Our Four Wheelin’ Women raised well in excess of $10,000 for Breast Cancer Awareness. The monies will be donated to the West Parry Sound Health Centre’s Mammography unit.
A survey of our ‘Welcome Jammers’ participants revealed that $120,000+
was spent in the community during this 3 day event.
53 local business people and municipal representatives attended a ‘Post Jam’ event on May1st that was hosted by the Parry Sound Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Business and Development Centre and the Town of Parry Sound. The subject of the meeting was ‘Community-based ATV Tourism’ given by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism.
Our nearly 400 ‘Jammers’ were very pleased with the organized ATV tours and thoroughly enjoyed the ATV Expo, Heel Kickerupper and Rumble Ride Many first time visitors were taken with our regional hospitality and have pledged to visit our area again this summer and all are looking forward to Spring Jam 2004.

So … where do we go from here?

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are the fastest growing segment of the recreational motorized vehicle market, outselling snowmobiles by a ratio of 4:1. The snowmobile industry contributes approximately $1 Billion to Ontario’s tourism coffers annually. Extrapolation suggests that ATVs have a potential of contributing 4 times that amount. This figure is conservative, in that it does not factor in the 12-month usability factor versus the 3-month sport of snowmobiling.

To-date no community has laid claim to the huge Southern Ontario and North-eastern US market for recreational ATVing. The keen community and business interest and financial support for Spring Jam 2003 is cause for the Parry Sound District to hereby ‘stake that claim’. The Parry Sound area is unique in geographical, political and demographic positioning with respect to the aforementioned marketplace, given our proximity to the market, our recent transportation conduit upgrades, the abundance of crown lands and established trails. This and presence of a vetted tourism infrastructure hold the promise of a significant share of the ATV pie for this region.

There are competing interests for trail use and control in Ontario and the challenge that faces our community is in our ability to prove sustainable models that balance a variety of needs. Its time to re-think old stewardship agreements, re-enforce proven tourism concepts and think out of the box. The Parry Sound ATV District Club in its planning of Spring Jam 2003 was blessed with community involvement. Over half of our volunteers were business people who were not club members. We had a dream team that very quickly learned the value building business and political relationships. You see we are a social club not a trail building club.

· Our strength is our partnerships

· Our passion is to contribute economically to the community.

· Our joy is to ride!

Over the next few months the explosive and unorganized growth in ATVing will appear to be like an uncapped oil well. Unfortunately there will be instances of abuse and trespass as the pressure of thousands of ATVers meets the cold hard fact of thousands of kilometres of closed unshared trails. Fortunately there are some templates that offer solutions. One of those is contained in the ‘Best Practices Manual’ that outlines a Tourism Product Model for ATV trail use in our province. If you are interested it can be downloaded for free from www.atvontario.com.

There are a lot of forks in the trails ahead but also a lot of prosperity if we steer the right course. If you are interested in helping us cap the well and build a productive pipeline to our community’s benefit check us out www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company.

Parry Sound North Star October 11, 2002 - Andrew Ryeland

MILES FROM NOWHERE!

Last week a group of 11 avid ATVers left Parry Sound at the crack of dawn to try our hand at an ATV camping expedition. After carefully reviewing the options for our adventure we decided that we would head towards Timmins and try our luck on the multitude of backcountry trails there. This was truly a dynamic outing. We had prepared ourselves with all manner of supplies; warm clothes, food, extra gasoline, GPS, water, waterproof containers galore, tents and enough bungee cords to stretch from Parry Sound to Timmins I’m sure!

We were not disappointed! After a mid trip review we settled on staging our voyage from the Vagabond Restaurant on Highway 144, just west of Gogama. A tip from an OPP officer about maps lead us to the MNR office in Gogama and before long we had our first day’s route planned.

Now you have to appreciate that there are no formal ATV trails in the area we set out to conquer and the adage “if you don’t know where you are going any trail will get you there” was both our mindset and our biggest challenge. Several of us had snowmobiled some of the route the previous winter, but landmarks trail variations differ vastly from the frozen paths to the early fall ground we were navigating. However, undaunted by the lack of signage and assisted by the ATV’s mighty land crossing prowess we ventured on! Numerous times we were assisted by local folk that couldn’t believe we weren’t hunters and only were out to ATV.

We climbed a mountain to a radio tower about 2 hours from our departure that offered a magnificent view of fall colours spiked by countless deep green spruce tress. SWEET! We could see no sign o Fall splendour anf HIGH spirits on the mountain top! f habitation in any direction, precisely what we searching for. After our hilltop experience we journeyed on and came across a camping area at Hazen Lake, tailor made for our purposes. On its rock shore we set up our tents, lit a sizeable campfire and spent the evening recounting the exploits of our crazy quest. Later that evening the north wind reminded us of how crazy we were. Temperatures dipped to minus 5 Celsius and we sought the comfort of toques and thick sleeping bags.

DAY 2
The discomfort of the cold night was soon erased by the spectacular sunrise over Cold ATVing ... is there another way? Hazen Lake. A scarlet and purple sky and the promise of brilliant sunshine mixed with our hot coffee to produce a potent elixir… we were alive! Timmins ho! Following snowmobile trail maps we determined that we could reach our destination by tracking the hydro line that drove due north not far from our present location. Heavy-duty math was employed to calculate the fuel required to make it to the next gas station. Unfortunately by the time we resorted to the algebra necessary for our calculations we discovered we passed the point of no return several kilometres ago. Apollo 13 at least had radio contact for insight; we only had each other and rough remembrances of gas stations somewhere along the trail. A niggling feeling that the winter fuel stops were across a lake crept into our psyche but we forged ahead. The hydro line trail was made for the 4-wheel surefootedness of an ATV. Rocky outcrops, boulders and steep cliffs delighted our trusty steeds and tested our tie down capabilities to the max. Bouncing 4 wheelers and bulky loads are like magnets when you try and join them together at the same poles. A loose saddle conjures up much the same image. After several hours of riding we finally hit the outskirts of Timmins 150 Somewhere on the trail from Gogama to Timmins. kilometres from our jump off spot in Gogama. Most of our ATVs were running on fumes but we managed to penetrate the city core and the welcome sight of a Canadian Tire gas bar. At this point all of us would have welcomed a stay in a roadside motel but the local Timmins constabulary advised against venturing down their roads and so we left town like a band of outlaws … but we had gas!

Tired, dusty and in need of shelter we returned to a spot we had passed earlier and had mused that it might be just right for our tent city. Much to our dismay all the shoreline was taken up with private residences, but we did receive an offer to camp on one such lot. The people we met along the way were outstanding in their willingness to see our adventure succeed. We thanked our newfound friend for the offer but once we discovered that there was A welcome fire on the trailside along with a spectacular Northern Lights display was a major highlight of our tour. no place for a campfire we travelled on. In short time we pulled off the main trail to a sandy depression that offered ample firewood and protection from the wind. The peculiar dugout shape of our camping spot afforded a very comfortable and warm sanctuary. A fire was lit, water was boiled and all manner of snacks and refreshments lifted our spirits once again. And then … the Aurora Borealis!! We were blown away with the light show that literally surrounded us to the north, west and east and shooting streamers up to the heavens themselves.

DAY 3
Friday’s early morning rise allowed us to pack up our camp and head out on our final leg just before the rain hit. Most of our journey back to Gogama was accompanied by that wonderful precipitation just slightly warmer than snow, but we were all attired for this eventuality and it actually added to our adventure. Having travelled the same route only a day earlier we avoided the miscue of wrong turns and our timing and anticipation of sights to come was unencumbered by the worry of getting lost. Nearin Andrew Ryeland being 'interrogated' by the OPP for his many sins! g the end of our journey we were satisfied that this kind of expedition was worth repeating and plans for next year filled our conversation in the trucks on the way back home. Moreover, we only wished that we could achieve the same outback experience much closer to home.

Armed with many lessons learned, we plan to share details of our expedition with other Parry Sound ATV District club members in hopes that others will see the value in getting “MILES FROM NOWHERE” too.

FOR LOTS MORE PICTURES CLICK HERE.

Parry Sound ATV District Club Events

· FALL COLOUR RIDE:
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2002.
A great time was had by all with approximately 50 ATVers coming out for a Seguin Trail ride and BBQ.

· FREEDOM ROCKS INVITATIONAL ATV EXPERIENCE
Wednesday October 16, 2002 – Invitation Only
Co-Hosted event with the Georgian Bay Marketing Partnership. This event will introduce the sport of ATVing to tourism, business and public sector leaders. Some of the highlights are:

o ATV Adventure –a 30 min. recreational ride on the Seguin Trail aboard an ATV. All equipment will be provided.

o NETWORK –discuss the opportunities offered by community-based ATV tourism

o LEARN and practice the proper trail etiquette for ATVing, broaden contacts and increase awareness of local services and offerings

o DRINKS & DINNER – DELTA ROCKY CREST Resort

o “FREEDOM ROCKS” Campaign – unveiling of the dynamic marketing initiative for the East Georgian Bay region

o HELP the Parry Sound ATV District Club prioritize their trail development program

For more information on this event contact Amber Gordon at 705.746.4455 If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club or any of our events visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

Parry Sound North Star August 28, 2002 - Andrew Ryeland

AUTUMN ANYONE?
In less than a month we will be drinking in the cool crisp days of Fall. Autumn is that glorious time of the year when the fully-fledged forests of the north dress up and party! ATVers get invited to all the best shindigs only found deep in the backcountry. If you’d like to come to one of those celebrations see our FALL COLOUR RIDE event below.
This past summer has seen a giant increase in the interest of All Terrain Vehicle use in Ontario and the Parry Sound area specifically. ATV sales in Ontario outnumber snowmobile sales by a substantial factor. We all know how snowmobiling has benefited our region so what can we expect to see here?

WORLD-CLASS ATV TRAILS & DESTINATIONS
Communities all across Northern Ontario are preparing world-class ATV destinations in anticipation of multi-million dollar returns from the tourism sector of our economy. A concept called ATVOntario is being developed that will see joint ventures advanced with communities and the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership (OTMP). This is a major initiative that includes ‘branding’ the ATV experience, addressing issues of liability, risk management and safety, product development, supplier development and community welcome and marketing strategies, measurement, sustainability and the development of a best practice manual.

The community of Elliot Lake is the initial signature site for the ATVOntario pilot project due to their extensive ATV tourism product development experience. In Parry Sound we will benefit from the professional attention given to the initiative by receiving the output of the studies.

The Parry Sound ATV District Club hopes to contribute to the conceptualization process of ATV tourism from a different perspective. Our agreement last June with the Parry Sound Snowmobile District and the full blessings of our parent organizations, to pilot the use of shared trails in our region should yield a template for co-operation throughout the province. Locally, we are also active in the Park to Park Trail organization www.parktoparktrail.com that is proceeding with plans to develop multi-use trails connecting Algonquin Provincial Park to Killbear. Overtures from other trail organizations seeking connections, destinations and co-operation promise a bright future for an Ontario network of trails.

Parry Sound ATV District Club Events

· MEMBERS ONLY RIDE
Last week’s Parry Sound ATV District Club ride, BBQ and meeting was well attended with over 20 ATVs enjoying a late afternoon jaunt from the Bear Claw Tours’ Centre and an evening of relaxed conversation around a campfire. Enthusiasm and anticipation characterized our plans for the future.

· FALL COLOUR RIDE:
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2002.
Don’t miss this great opportunity to enjoy the full splendour of autumn. We will travel down the Seguin Recreational trail from the trailhead at the Highway 69 Information Centre to Seguin Falls for a BBQ and some great fellowship and then head back in the afternoon sun with fond memories and even more colours and fall hues to great us.
Registration is open to all, but Seguin Trail use requires that all operators of ATVs be licensed drivers and carry proof of ownership and insurance. Check-in is at 9:00am at the Information Centre and the cost is $10 for Parry Sound ATV District Club members and $15 for others.
If you are thinking of coming please let us know at 705 774-9100.

If you own an ATV and would like to be part of our group’s growth, please consider a membership in our club. Right now it’s a mere $50 per year … a bargain! Give us a call.

Have a great Labour Day Weekend!

If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club or any of our events visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

Parry Sound North Star July 31, 2002 - Andrew Ryeland

Can’t see the forest for the trees?

This is a time-honoured expression that is usually spoken figuratively not literally. However, in the context of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) matters it is used in both manners … frequently!

LITERALLY SPEAKING

The Parry Sound area was settled over 150 years ago and along with that influx of Europeans came homesteads, farming, logging and … trails. Many families put down their roots in adjacent acreages but considerable distances from each other. Reliance on family for the menial tasks of the day such as barn raisings and home construction meant that a reliable trail system had to be built that could be used year round. Our pioneer families also used these conveyances to gather for celebrations like baptisms, Christmas, weddings and the like.

Discovering these trails today continues to be a major delight of ATVers. Its astounding to us to see the sides of these heritage trails stacked with stones to prevent erosion and how on earth courses were plotted through very dense bush that came out precisely at the neighbour’s doorstep. They must have had really good GPS devices back in the late 1800’s! But wait … the reality of their trail building is a bit sad … they couldn’t see the forest cause there were NO trees!

In the area around Haines Lake in Seguin Township, history books indicate that logging began very shortly after the Haines family arrived from Ireland. Acre after acre was plundered and raped, fuelled by the voracious appetite of the lumber companies of the day and their sidekicks the banks. Virgin stands of pine were levelled and you could see for miles. Hence the accurate courses of the family trail networks.

Some 150 years later we have great stands of deciduous forests that rim our lakes and coif our hilltops but the coniferous period trails are still here if you know where to look.

In most cases these trails were built to take a constant pounding of horse hoofs and narrow wagon wheels. The trail bed had to be sloped for drainage and composed of material that could withstand the impact of many pounds per square inch delivered by the draught animals. An ATV or snowmobile by comparison has a very light footprint but also provides a similar benefit to the transportation of old. Whether walking, jogging, mountain bike riding or motorized vehicle discovering, a trail is not much good if you can’t find it. Without constant use they disappear and all their history with them.

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING

Justifiable concerns have been raised by those opposed to any sort of motorized trail use through our natural environment. As in all matters, perspective and fact should weigh in the argument. As an organized ATV club the Parry Sound ATV District Club (PSATV) is vitally concerned with maintaining the natural beauty of our riding area. By using heritage trails we are contributing to the increased awareness of our history and reminding people of our ancestors pride in the “pre-plunder” days. Vistas only seen by the logging pirates of old are just now re-appearing and you don’t have to be fit enough to hike 30K for the privilege.

Perhaps the commerce of ATVs raises an eyebrow or two about the true intent of trail use in Parry Sound and may jade this column (the author operates an ATV touring business in Parry Sound – Bear Claw Tours Inc.) but the independent comments from ATV tour customers from Europe attest to the magnificence we locals don’t always see.

Opening up forgotten almost secret passages brings a sense of excitement and adventure not found in many other pursuits. The next time you are tempted to dismiss ATVs as another encroachment on nature take a look at “the forest” not just “the trees”.

Parry Sound ATV District Club Events

· Its beginning folks! In the last issue of TRAX we talked about a closer relationship with snowmobilers and ATVers in our region. Well the Six Star Snow Riders are hosting the MOTOR SPORT CHALLENGE in Mactier that will feature ATV pull offs and snowmobile water drag races as well as lots of other events. Competitors will vie for the Bear Claw Tours’ Trophy amongst others. Saturday & Sunday August 10-11, 2002 check the Parry Sound ATV District Club web site for more info.

· Special Parry Sound ATV Club Meeting - Ride, BBQ & Meeting - MEMBERS ONLY August 13, 2002 4:00 pm details via e-mail… psst join and come there’s still time!

· Our next public event is scheduled for Saturday September 28,2002 … our FALL COLOUR RIDE. Watch for more details, as we get closer to that time.

If you own an ATV and would like to be part of our group’s growth, please consider a membership in our club. Right now it’s a mere $50 per year … a bargain! And there’s a special event in August open only to Parry Sound ATV District Club members that you’d just love! Give us a call.

Have a great Simcoe Day holiday!

If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

by Andrew Ryeland

COMMUNITY, CONTENT & COMMERCE

The 3 “C”s of the Internet are equally applicable to our experience as ATVers in the Parry Sound District and a model for all of Ontario!

COMMUNITY

Our FOUR WHEELIN’ WOMEN raised over $5,000 for Breast Cancer Treatment in their charity ride on June the 8^th. This money will add to the coffers of the West Parry Sound Health Unit, specifically tagged for equipment to aid in the effort to detect and eradicate this devastating disease.

The goals of the group, to introduce women to the joys of ATVing, were met and judging by the smiles and pictures (www.fourwheelinwomen.com) Parry Sound will be fondly remembered as a great host. The Ontario Camp of the Deaf went out of their way to provide some great trails and a very welcoming environment.

Local and corporate sponsors joined in this great community event and also pitched in to keep the movement alive by sponsoring the ladies’ ATV trailer. The trailer is a great ambassador for our district as it travels all over the province to ATV events. You may even see it around town during special events. Be sure to drop by and get all the local and provincial ATV news first hand.

CONTENT

The Parry Sound Club continues to be the envy of other clubs with an event schedule that draws enthusiasts and the curious from all over Ontario. We have hosted many club events that promote the responsible, innovative and fun aspects of our sport and we continue to look to the future with even more activities. Our next public event is scheduled for Saturday September 28^th … our FALL COLOUR RIDE. Watch for more details, as we get closer to that time. First we all have to kick back and enjoy our summer!

Trails … “Where can I ride?” is probably our most asked question. We are actively engaged in securing ATV trails that meet and exceed all the aspects of our members’ desires. We are very conscious of the environmental and community responsibilities entailed in this process as well. But here we are making great headway!

PARTNERSHIPS

First, we are very pleased that the Canadian All-Terrain Vehicle Distributors Council (CATV) has teamed with the Canadian Ecology Centre and FedNor to launch the ATV NATUREWATCH / VTT ÉCO-LOGIQUE initiative. This is a Canada wide programme aimed at promoting responsible, safe and exciting opportunities for families, community groups and tourists to explore nature in our captivating country. Additionally ATV NATUREWATCH / VTT ÉCO-LOGIQUE project promotes a code of behaviour for all ATVers that is a road map to continued enjoyment of our pastime and should yield many more locations for ATV trails.. We strongly encourage ATV owners to exploit this group’s offering. More info can be obtained on their web site at www.ATVNW.ca (English) and www.VTTEL.ca (French).

Secondly, we are very excited that we have had a very constructive meeting with the Parry Sound Snowmobile District (PSSD) regarding sharing existing snowmobile trails in this District!

Supported by The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC), Parry Sound Snowmobile District is prepared to take a leadership role in this process through the creation of a Pilot Project. The Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs (OFATV), represented in this area by the Parry Sound ATV District Club (PSATV), is eager to partner with PSSD in this ‘watershed’ agreement. All of Ontario will be looking to Parry Sound and the lessons we learn and co-operation we muster as a model for shared use of trails throughout the province.

Thirdly, the townships of McKellar and Whitestone have invited the PSATV to partner with them on a Joint Trails Committee to develop ATV routes in their respective jurisdictions. This co-operation is encouraging and bodes well for our plans to actively assist in the organized construction of trails in our area and, we hope, will give us one more answer to the “where to ride” question. There will be lots more on this as the next few weeks unfold.

Fourthly, we have been invited to attend the Park-to-Park board meetings in an advisory capacity. Park-to-Park is an initiative that will create an east-west link through Parry Sound / Muskoka Districts and Haliburton County. The route will connect to several communities, provincial parks and amenities and provide trail users with a variety of accommodations, food, retail, attractions and other services. For more information visit them at www.parktoparktrail.com.

We are delighted to be part of this organizations’ planning process and intend to offer our resources and assistance wherever it is most needed.

COMMERCE

The partnerships we have forged open doors for commercial benefit to our communities as well! All groups recognize that increased urbanization in Southern Ontario is creating a growing desire for “freedom experiences”. This coupled with “financial ability” and the proximity of our region to southern urban centres necessitates solid planning and organization to ensure this trend is harnessed to the benefit of all trail users and subsequent ‘down stream’ commercial interests.

There are many positive signs that we are moving together to ensure these benefits are balanced with the protection of our natural resources. Recently PSATV and PSSD responded to the Town of Parry Sound’s request to speak to a motion supporting, in principle, the development of ATV trails in the Parry Sound area. We are happy to report that Council passed that motion including support for the Pilot Project above. In fact both groups were commended on their professionalism in reaching consensus on trail development and maintenance plans.

We look forward to the evolution of all of our joint visions and will report on their progress in future TRAX articles.

Have a great Canada Day holiday!

If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company

by Andrew Ryeland

AHH SUNNY, SUNNY DAYS!

This is it! The weekend we all plunge into FULL BLAST SUMMER. Maybe it’s the lengthening days or the sudden resurgence of green or the air full of fresh breezes but we are ready to take a big gulp of this sweet season.

Something amazing is happening in Parry Sound. All of a sudden people are talking about All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs to the acronymic smitten). As a club dedicated to the safe and responsible enjoyment of this sport in our community we have taken on many roles. Our most urgent task is education. Misconceptions abound, and yes, there are many real issues that we hope to be part of the solution not an arrogant advocate.

The excitement of ATVing is in the ride and the stops and then the ride. Anticipation is our tour guide! Being astride a four-wheeler that can step over a fallen tree, traverse a granite-faced hill and plunge through a deep puddle is simply thrilling. Our sport is all about discovery and opening a door to the wilderness that up until now has been the exclusive domain of the fit.

It’s unabashedly “non-virtual”. ATVing is getting folks that only see forest creatures on the side of the road with “XXs” in their eyes, into the wilds. ATVing is about challenges and fellowship far from the sanitized urban techno society that has coddled us into believing adventure only exists on network television.

There’s a lot more too! Over the summer we will highlight ‘time travel’, ‘secret passages’, ‘ghost trails’ and innovative approaches to trail development and stewardship.

The best way to keep abreast of our contributions to the sport, community and commerce is to join us.

Our next club event:

Four Wheelin’ Women Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness
Sat. June 8th, 2002

The ride will take place at the Ontario Camp of the Deaf, located 10 minutes south of Parry Sound. New or experienced riders welcome as the ride is intended to introduce women of all ATV riding levels to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Parry Sound. The ride will be about 4 hours in length with lots of stops along the way. We will have activities planned for the men while we ride if they would like to come along for the day. A dinner will follow the ride with giveaways and raffles.

If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company.

by Andrew Ryeland

Spring Run & BBQ – a huge success!
Last Saturday saw over 100 ATV enthusiasts from age 2 – 80 gather in Parry Sound to celebrate the rites of spring. Some ATVers travelled from as far a field as Windsor just to enjoy the trails, sunshine and fellowship. Following a very satisfying 4 hour tour the group returned en masse to a Barbeque and many tales of adventure. Thanks to all the club volunteers that corralled traffic, lead the tours, registered the guests made sure all was clean afterwards. Special thanks go to Delta Rocky Crest for donating the burgers.

The response to our first event of the season was very encouraging. The club anticipates growing numbers of ATVers will hear how Parry Sound can really put on events that advance our brand of safe and responsible riding.

Here are just a few of our plans:

Dice Run – Sat. May 11th, 2002

This ever-popular event will start at the Seguin Trail Head (Information Centre) with registration at 10 am. Many prizes are up for grabs and all will be dished out at the Oastler Park-Side Motel & Restaurant at 6:00 pm. The entry fee is $15 for OFATV members and $20 for non-members.

Four Wheelin’ Women Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness – Sat. June 8th, 2002

The ride will take place at the Ontario Camp of the Deaf, located 10 minutes south of Parry Sound. New or experienced riders welcome as the ride is intended to introduce women of all ATV riding levels to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Muskoka's. The ride will be about 4 hours in length with lots of stops along the way. We will have activities planned for the men while we ride if they would like to come along for the day. A BBQ will follow the ride with giveaways and raffles.

If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company.

by Andrew Ryeland

WAKE UP – Hibernation is Over!
Had your fill of winter yet? Many of us are anxiously waiting for trails to open so we can once again take time out to enjoy the enviable sights of our rugged outdoors.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are making enjoyment of our special wilderness much more accessible than any other conveyance. Did you know that over 80,000 ATVs were sold in Canada last year? Parry Sound is rapidly becoming a prime destination for ATVers wanting trails to ride in a safe and responsible manner. Our local club is scrambling to make sure this phenomenon is harnessed to the benefit of both our community and the sport. We have several activities planned for spring that are drawing people from as far away as Windsor. We are building up our web sites and e-mail lists so we can quickly inform all those interested of new developments and activities in the region.

Here are just a few of our plans:

Spring Run & Barbeque – Sat. April 20^th, 2002
We open our exciting season with a club run starting at 9:00am from the Bear Claw Tours Centre. This is a great opportunity to dust off your ATV and join us for a fun ride. Later in the afternoon we will have a barbeque and campfire and revel in the delightful pleasures of spring.

Poker Run – Sat. May 11^th, 2002
We are currently lining up the sponsors and the trails for this ever-popular event, but circle your calendar and check the website for further details as we have them.

Four Wheelin’ Women
Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness – Sat. June 8^th, 2002
The ride will take place at the Ontario Camp of the Deaf, located 10 minutes south of Parry Sound. New or experienced riders welcome as the ride is intended to introduce women of all ATV riding levels to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Muskoka's. The ride will be about 4 hours in length with lots of stops along the way. We will have activities planned for the men while we ride if they would like to come along for the day. A BBQ will follow the ride with giveaways and raffles.

Time to emerge from the den! This sport doesn’t need the right weather or the groomed trails or expensive permits. If you would like to have more information about the Parry Sound ATV District Club visit us at www.psatv.ca or call us at 705 774-9778.

We’d love to have your company.