Hatfield-McCoy Week rolls in early....

A few years ago, ol Big Jim was hangin' out with his freinds at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce when he met a VERY interesting and intelligent chap. Bill Richardson had just gotten some kudos for a documentary he had been working on. Bill was working probably two or three interesting jobs at the time, but he also was heavily invested in film-making, documentaries and the preserving of local history. Needless to say the two of us became fast friends due to this interest in local history and film. Pretty soon, you too will be able to experience Bill's knowledge of our region and his articulation when he makes an appearance on the television show "How The States Got Their Shapes." Bill will be representing the WVU Extension Office in his capacities as a professor, history and tourism developer in Williamson, W.Va. Bill was told "How the States Got Their Shapes," will be aired on the History Channel this summer. The show is scheduled to shoot June 8-9 at the Hatfields and McCoys Festival. That show will air later this summer along with a new documentary about the Hatfeilds and Mccoys. But you don't have to wait till summer to get some new Hatfield-McCoy laden programming on your cable television, however. This week, you too can get to know a bit more about the area and the myths, legends and histories of the Hatfields and McCoys on television during what some have been calling Hatfield-McCoy Palooza - the debut of the long awaited Hatfield-McCoy Pocahontas trail system near Bramwell; a fantastic new dramatic mini-series with Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton and a WHOLE WEEK of tv shows set to air that will tie into Hatfield-McCoy history. "American Pickers - At 9 p.m. Monday, May 21, "American Pickers" premieres an episode called "Feudin' Pickers" that was shot in Southern West Virginia. Pickers Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe find an old general store in Mingo County that Devil Anse Hatfield was known to frequent. There are several items at the store with a Hatfield connection that the duo attempts to purchase. There are a few artifacts with the Hatfield name, but are they authentic? The pickers then bring the items they get to Hatfield McCoy expert Bill Richardson to have them authenticated and to determine their value. The authentication occurs in the famous Coal House in Williamson. "Anderson" - At 9 a.m. Thursday, May 24, Anderson Cooper's new morning talk show "Anderson" on ABC will broadcast a show that features an hour long interview with Kevin Costner in which he will discuss the upcoming miniseries "Hatfields and McCoys. " The show will also feature a Hatfield descendant from Mingo County named Linda VanMeter. "Hatfields & McCoys" - At 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, May 28 to 30, "Hatfields & McCoys," the first two-hour episode of the six-hour miniseries starring Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Mare Winningham and many others airs on the History Channel. "Pawn Stars:" The Hatfields & McCoys-themed, "Pawn Stars," will premiere at 8 p.m. Monday, May 28 with back-to-back episodes. In the episode they investigate a Model 1892 Winchester rifle owned by Mark Preece, whose great grandfather, Alex Booth Preece, said got the gun off of Cap Hatfield in a horse trade. Hatfield who was being pursued by the McCoys traded his old horse and the rifle for a fresh horse. "America's Greatest Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys," - At 4 p.m. Saturday, June 2, the two-hour documentary directed by Mark Cowen ("Band of Brothers") premieres (starring several regional individuals including Raamie Barker and Keith Davis); and this will kick off a complete marathon of Hatfield-McCoy related shows that day. The miniseries will run in its entirety starting at 6 p.m. June 2.

Will Costner's Devil Anse fit in with his other frontier portrayals?

Hey folks, Big Jim here... I gotta admit I am every bit as antsy as you guys and gals are, vis a vis the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, or "Hatfield-Palooza" as some of my friends are calling it. The biggest news around HMT country of course in regards to that weekend is the long awaited opening of the Pocahontas Trail System near Bramwell. Recently I spoke with one of my old buddies on the field operations team about the Pocahontas premier and he had some very good news indeed.... "Big Jim, it WILL be ready by that weekend," my old pard said. "We are putting in the last of the signs that week, and not only that, but Mayor Stoker over in Bramwell has went out of her way to make sure that the town itself will be ready. It's gonna be all systems go!" Needless to say, that was good news indeed! Something else I am excited about, of course, is the premier that weekend of the new drama on the History Channel, "The Hatfields and McCoys" starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. Regular readers have figured out that ole Big Jim loves the Great Outdoors and that I am something of a history buff...but what you may not know is that I am an out and out film fanatic! I can still remember the first time I ever saw Kevin Costner in a movie. In fact, he was in my all-time favorite movie, Lawrence Kasdan's "Silverado" where he played Jake, the easy going two-gun daredevil with the nickle-plated Peacemaker Colts. I think I saw that movie about 18 times when I was in college. When my family finally caved in and got a VHS player it was among the first movies I completely wore out! Costner was in a lot of movies back in the 80s amd 90s, but there was just something special when he was in Westerns. Despite the fact that the Western was officially "Dead" back then. In fact, when 1990 rolled around and Costner wrote, produced and directed "Dances with Wolves" many Hollywood pundits snickered about his poor judgement.... Until the film itself came out...And was a TREMENDOUS SUCCESS at the Box Office.... And his 3 hour epic Western was was nominated for 12 Academy Awards soon thereafter, eventually winning sevon coveted Oscar statuettes. Along the way he made cool comedies like "Fandango" and post apocallyptic adventure films like "The Postman" and "Waterworld." He did some great period dramas too like "A Perfect World" and did some dramatic versions of real life iconic figures like Elliot Ness in "The Untouchables" and "Wyatt Earp." Costner's career waxed and waned at times and he had successes and flops but always brought something new to the screen, even when reinterpreting old stories such as "Robin Hood:Prince of Theives".... But there was something about the frontier era that seemed to tug at his heart sleeves which brought him back to pioneer dramas such as "Open Range" one of my favorite westerns of all time.... Costner has played a LOT of hard willed frontiersmen, from Jake in Silverado to Wyatt Earp, to Lt. Dunbarr in "Dances with Wolves." I cannot help but wonder if his version of Devil Anse will stand out like his other filmed frontiersman roles... Needless to say, I was very delighted to find out Costner had been cast as Anderson Hatfield for the upcoming 3-part epic miniseries titled "Hatfields & McCoys" co-starring several other great actors such as Bill Paxton as"Ran'l" McCoy, Tom Berenger as Jim Vance and Powers Booth as Judge Valentine Hatfield. The miniseries will begin airing on Memorial Day, May 28, 2012, on the History Channel nationwide. Bill Paxton was one of my favorite character actors from the time he popped up on-screen as a punk opposed to Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator"back when I was in college. He was also the obnoxious older brother in "Weird Science" and had one of his best roles as the hillbilly white trash vampire in Catherine Bigelow's classic "Near Dark." Ironically, Paxton nearly stole the show with an hillarious camo in "True Lies" as the sleazebag car salesman trying to seduce Schwarzenegger's wife, Jamie Lee Curtis. Paxton was cool in "Aliens" and had a great part in "Predator 2."Two of Paxton's best dramatic roles were as the small town sheriff in "One False Move" and as the apparently insane father in "Frailty" who sets out to kill ordinary people he beleives are demons with the assistance of his two small children! Paxton is no stranger to the frontier either having played Frank James in "Frank and Jesse" and appearing in "Tombstone" as Morgan Earp. Needless to say I am especially excited about the casting of "Hatfields and McCoys". Tom Berrenger has also played historical figures and been in Westerns and Powers Boothe is an especially charismatic actor...In Walter Hill's "Extreme Prejudice" a sort of modern western, he was one of the most fearsome screen villians of all time. As corrupt drug-kingpin Cash Bailey he chewed up the screen. Needless to say, whether you are a fan of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails or the history of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, or just film drama set during the frontier era of the 1880s there will be plenty to keep you happy with during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend!

Get ready for Hatfield-Palooza???

Hey folks, your old buddy Big Jim here.... The other day I was talking with a friend about the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, which will FINALLY!!!! See the long awaited opening of the Pocahontas Trail System. I had noted that unbeknownst to us, when the date was set, the History Channel was going to have a weeks worth of programs tying in with the grand unveiling of the newest section of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails. My old pard, who is sort of the crotchety old timer type, laughed out loud and joked that it looked like it was turning into Hatfield-Palooza weekend! And you know what? He may be right! There is so much stuff "Hatfield-McCoy" related that weekend both locally and nationally that it really shows you what the phrase "Synchronicity" is about as my good buddy Prof. Dean Lucas over at the nearby community college used to say. That is right. In addition to being able to ride around on the new Pocahontas trail that weekend all day long, at night you will be able to get glimpses of Hatfield-McCoy Country History due to a special documentary which was assisted by local authors and publishers such as Keith Davis over at Woodland Press, as well as the premier of the History Channel’s new dramatic mini-series epic “The Hatfield and the McCoys” starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. But wait, as they say, there is more, LOL…. You see some of the History Channels other programs will also have some tie ins with what is being called “Hatfield-McCoy Week.” Local businesses are getting ready for a tremendous surge in visitors and tourists, especially around the Bramwell area, where Pocahontas is located nearby. As has become a tradition over the past decade there will be a gala ribbon cutting ceremony on May 25 with plenty of state figures, in order to celebrate and welcome new visitors to the new local attraction, said Bramwell Mayor Louise Stoker is pretty stoked to use a bad pun, about the good things that Pocahontas Trail will be bringing her way in terms of tourism. Stoker recently told reporters that the ribbon cutting for the trailhead will be at the old Bluestone School facility on Route 120 near the exit off Route 52. HMT Executive Director Jeff Lusk explained that the building was recently chosen as a trailhead center and that the facility has a parking lot in place and ready. Lusk noted it was not the first time Hatfield-McCoy has “gone green” in reusing an existing facility. For many years HMTs main headquarters at Lyburn was located in an existing structure and when it moved to the nearby Ritta Mall, it was located in another facility that was revamped to suit the growing organization. “We think that reusing an old building like that is the greenest thing we can do,” Lusk said. “It’s a very good use for that structure. Todd Boggess of E.T. Boggess Architects is doing an internal design for us.” Lusk said one of the biggest demands which nearby Bramwell will face is getting lodging space available for HMTs visitors. For the past three years, Lusk has noted that many hotels, motels and lodges in Hatfield-McCoy Country are booked up heavily during peak seasons and that the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority’s big challenge outside its doors is that sometimes there just is not enough rental space available for tourists who want to come and ride the world famous Hatfield-McCoy Trails. “We are going to be in desperate need for beds May 25 and then on out,” he said. “The demand is going to outstrip supply.” The most successful investments along other branches of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail have been cabins and campgrounds, Lusk explained noting the popularity and success many vendors have found with those sorts of accomodations. Mayor Stoker said local entrepreneurs and business people have been gearing up to meet the demand for food and lodging that HMT riders will bring her town and the rest of Mercer County.Stoker noted that a new resort will also be opening that weekend right outside of Bramwell and close to the trailhead. The facility will be known as the Pocahontas ATV Resort. More accomodations are getting ready and or being developed in Bluewell, Bramwell and nearby Lorton Lick Road. Another closeby facility is remodeling by adding on another building close by, she added of the the Bramwell ATV Resort near Route 52 is adding another building, Stoker said. Its ribbon cutting is scheduled to take place during the Memorial Day weekend. Other accommodations have been opened or are being developed in Bluewell, in downtown Bramwell and off Lorton Lick Road.

Ride for a Reason, Matewan Massacre, Dirt Days and More!

It is a LOT to look forward to…. Hey folks, Big Jim Charles here, coming to you from the heart of HMT country. It is sort of a dreary, cold day here, not too different than many we had in the winter. Sort of hard to believe that we had such beautiful spring weather for so many weeks last month! Oh well, even if todays skies belie the fact, springtime is here …. And summer is right around the corner…. Sooo… If you are a lingtime rider, you know what that means… Basically it means that now is a great time to make your plans to hit HMT Country for the Adventure of a Lifetime. Every year in the HMT area there are all sorts of great events going on both on and off the trails of interest to our visitors. One of the next great events on the trail is courtesy of the Mud Buddies Foundation. The 2012 Ride for a Reason is taking place May 5th on the Little Coal River trail system, right off Route 119, just south of Charleston. For a modest $25.00 (all proceeds going to the foundation), you get lunch, two full days of riding fun with an included HMT Riding Event Permit Wristband, and a chance to win prizes including helmets, riding pants, gloves, jerseys, etc., as well Hatfield-McCoy TrailFest packages and HMT prize packs. Register in advance by calling 1-800-592-2217, or register on-site the day of the event. If you follow our blogs and our Facebook pages, you are already aware of Mud Buddies and I predict you will here even more about them in the future. Basically the Mud Buddies foundation of Gilbert WV makes guided, no-fee All Terrain Vehicle rides available for those affected by disabilites who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the great outdoors in that manner. Each ride is customized to the interest of the riders. Perennial longtime visitors Mike and Susie Rasmussen came up with the idea a few years ago, wanting to help the children of friends back home in the Northern state they came from. When it was unfeasible there, due to terrain and geographical reasons, they did what many HMT riders dream of. They moved here. Along the way they set up Mud Buddies and went about making even more friends, as well as making dreams come true for many kids who otherwise would not get to enjoy HMT the way the rest of us do. Mud Buddies had their first ride in June of 2011, and they have been bringing in people from other states to ride and making rides possible for local people with disabilities. For more information check the Mud Buddies homepage at http://www.mudbuddiesfoundation.com/Home_Page.html When I was in college, a history teacher asked us how many of us had seen the classic John Sayles film “Matewan.” I noted that I not only saw the film, I grew up about 25 miles away from that historic coalfields town. History buffs and film buffs alike are aware of the story of the famed Matewan Massacre, when Matewan’s lawnman Sid Hatfield and Mayor Testerman stood up against hired “detectives” (bounty hunters) following an incident where Hatfield refused to evict coal miners from their homes. The miner operators hired Baldwin Felts “detectives” (known locally as gun thugs) to do the job. They were run out of town initially, only to come back later- setting off a spectacular gunfight that was just as dramatic as anything in the Old West. Well, if you are in town around the weekend of May 19, you too can experience the thrills and excitement of the gunfight that made history! Every year a group of reenactors from the local area put on the Matewan Massacre Reenactment. For more information call (304) 426-4239. The reenactment is in the historic town of Matewan and takes place on the streets where the actual events happened. The reenactment play is presented annually on the Saturday closest to May 19th - which is the anniversary of the Matewan Massacre. . Logan is also rich in coal fields history too. Usually around the weekend closest to June 21 Chief Logan State Park hosts West Virginia Days with historical reenactors, vendors, music and more. Prior to that, however one of the big Trail events will take place starting the week of June 13. Dirt Days is the only event throughout the entire year where you can ride directly to over 200 miles of trails at the ROCKHOUSE and BEARWALLOW trail systems. During Dirt days, it is not uncommon for folks to just ride the 15 or so miles between one trail system and the other. Through the rest of the year, you have to sled your ATV, UTV or Dirtbike from one trailhead to the other. Remember, it’s always a good idea to make your reservations WELL in advance if you don’t want to be left out in the cold. Dirt Days is a week of summer fun from June 13 - 17, 2012 when you too can enjoy the world famous Hatfield McCoy Trails by day, end enjoy more fun in the evenings at the Thunderblast facility! All Packages include: * Continental Breakfast on * Free Game of Golf Friday & Saturday * Drag Racing ( Non-Competitive) * Dirt Days T-Shirt * Mud Pit obstacle Course * Dirt Days Decal * Bonfire * Scavenger Hunt for $300 * Texas Hold'em Poker cash or $400 warn winch * Wheelie Contest (for Prizes) * Hatfield McCoy Koozie * Door Prizes $1,000.00 worth * Hatfield McCoy Key Chain * 2 Poker Runs (Cash Prizes) Youth 18 & Under Bring Your Fishing Poles !!!!!!! * Fishing Tournament ( Time will be set) * Miniature Golf Tournament * Jumping Jamboree, Playground, & Horseshoes, * Ping Pong, Biliards, Soft Toss, Volley Ball & More. Register Now By Calling : 304-752-3255 (Ask for Lelia) Weekdays 9:00AM to 5:00 PM 304-752-0102 or 304-583-7777 After 5:00 PM & Weekends. Leave your name and phone number and someon will call you back as soon as possible. You can check out our new Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Dirt-Days/217462288284815 For more information check out http://www.thunderblastonline.com Remember a whole summer full of events coming your way, in HMT Country....Don't forget, May 5th for the 2012 Mud Buddies Foundation Ride for a Reason, May 19 the Matewan Massacre Reenactment and in June a whole week of fun with Dirt Days on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.

Gearing up for Dirt Days this summer!

Dirt Days is a comin’!!!!


Hey folks, Big Jim here….

With more good news for you from the Wide World of Outdoors Adventure in Hatfield-McCoy Country.

The other day, I was talking with Deputy Director John Fekete and Marketing Director Mike Pinkerton about this year’s sure-to-be-amazing Dirt Days event. Dirt Days is always a very special event around these parts. For one thing, it is a Logan County event and Logan is where Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield made his home. Logan is also rich in coal fields history too. For the other thing, Dirt Days is the only event throughout the entire year where you can ride directly to over 200 miles of trails at the ROCKHOUSE and BEARWALLOW trail systems. During Dirt days, it is not uncommon for folks to just ride the 15 or so miles between one trail system and the other. Through the rest of the year, you have to sled your ATV, UTV or Dirtbike from one trailhead to the other.
“Dirt Days is looking really good,” John Fekete told me, elaborating somewhat on what my old buddy John Twardy has in store for HMT visitors. Several years ago, Mr. Twardy took over the operation of a drag strip that had other ameneties which has been the staging area for Dirt Days. Throughout the rest of the year, the Thunderblast racing park focuses on healthy outdoors activities for young people. But during Dirt Days it is Ground Zero for an amazing HMT event.
“John Twardy manages that event and he went to several trade shows with us this season,” John Fekete added. “He was in Harrisburg Pa. for nine days. He went to South Carolina with the show in Charlotte and he is getting a lot of good responses and phone calls. It is looking pretty good. A couple of things he wants to do is expand the kids track and make it bigger as it was so popular last year and he is working on the Mud Pit course as well. He has some things in mind to make the event bigger and better this year.”

If our beloved Dirt Days is starting to sound good to you, now, you might want to consider making your plans to attend now. It’s always a good idea to make your reservations WELL in advance if you don’t want to be left out in the cold.
Dirt Days is a week of summer fun from June 13 - 17, 2012 when you too can enjoy the world famous Hatfield McCoy Trails by day, end enjoy more fun in the evenings at the Thunderblast facility!

All Packages include:

* Continental Breakfast on * Free Game of Golf
Friday & Saturday * Drag Racing ( Non-Competitive)
* Dirt Days T-Shirt * Mud Pit obstacle Course
* Dirt Days Decal * Bonfire
* Scavenger Hunt for $300 * Texas Hold'em Poker
cash or $400 warn winch * Wheelie Contest (for Prizes)
* Hatfield McCoy Koozie * Door Prizes $1,000.00 worth
* Hatfield McCoy Key Chain * 2 Poker Runs (Cash Prizes)


Youth 18 & Under Bring Your Fishing Poles !!!!!!!

* Fishing Tournament ( Time will be set)
* Miniature Golf Tournament
* Jumping Jamboree, Playground, & Horseshoes,
* Ping Pong, PoolTable, Soft Toss, Volley Ball & More.

Packages


A. No Trail Permit ----------------- $99.00

B. 5 - Day Trail Permit ----------- $119.00

C. Year Trail Permit --------------- $149.00

D. Instate Permit -------------------- $125.00

Kids 12 AND UNDER RECEIVE $10.00 Discount.

Food vendors are available on the site of the event.

Camping on site (With Shower House)
Camping is per night ( Electrical sites 3 nights Min.)

Primitive Sites ------------------ $25.00
City Water & Electric ---------- $35.00


Register Now By Calling :

304-752-3255 (Ask for Lelia) Weekdays 9:00AM to 5:00 PM

304-752-0102 or 304-583-7777 After 5:00 PM & Weekends.
Leave your name and phone number and someon will call you back as soon as possible.

Also you can e-mail questions to:
hmdirtdays@suddenlick.net

You can check out our new Facebook :
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Dirt-Days/217462288284815


For more information check out http://www.thunderblastonline.com

Sharing the Adventure of a Lifetime with Mud Buddies

Hey folks, Big Jim here with an interesting yarn to share with my Ridin’ friends….

A few years ago, I was at a board meeting of the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority when the slogan, “The Adventure of a Lifetime” came up. I felt then, as I do now, that it was a great slogan indeed.
Remember, initially I was critical of the idea of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, until a friend took me ATV riding on the trails and I SAW what it was that appealed to folks. I realized HMT could become a TREMENDOUS success and a great opportunity for the people of Southern West Virginia to carve out their own place in state industry with tourism. I also felt HMT could be the impetus needed to get many local people to take pride in our region and to start caring for it as back then we had a really bad pollution problem, (which over the years people did indeed start cleaning up and produced less pollution).
Laugh if you will, as I went rushing up, down and around through the hills and hollows on a Honda Rubicon, my first thought was, “This must be what it felt like to ride on one of those Celtic war chariots I read about in college when a literature teacher had us read “The Tain” the national epic of Ireland." Now THIS was adventure. THIS was really living! The beauty of the great outdoors and the adrenalin rush of riding an All Terrain Vehicle combined were something special!
And over the years, a LOT of people just like you and me have enjoyed a heapin’ dose of Adventure on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails. Along the way those fine folks have also experienced fun, friendship and occasionally, even some romance.
Two such people were Mike and Susie Rasmussen…They are originally from New York, and they “hitched the knot” as we say locally at the Hatfield-McCoy Trails during one of our events. In addition to having fun and making freinds, Mike and Susie have started the Mud Buddies project, which is a non-profit way of sharing the adventure of ATV-ing with folks who might otherwise never get a chance to see what this sort of adventure is all about. Folks with disabilities who cannot ride solo on a regular ATV or dirt bike.
“Back in New York, I was in the medical field and my husband was in the gas service field. We did group rides with clubs and started coming down here in 2006. Our groups are stll coming down,” Susie said. “We were not happy in our jobs back there. We are happy now and we do this as Volunteers … It was a gradual thing. We came year after year, then the last two years we started to do this and get a foundation up and running,” Susie explained.
Along the way, Mike and Susie met one of HMT’s long time key office personnel who has a daughter with Down’s Syndrome. The Rasmussen’s knew other families with handicapped children who were missing out on the fun of riding ATV and UTVs through the woods and they got an idea…..
“This lovely girl had Down’s Syndrome and we found that out during TrailFest. But now that we have such great side by sides, she can ride with us on the trails and with her family members and other groups. We had met her in 2006 and we are watching her growing up. She has a favorite helmet and a favorite jersey and she loves to get me muddy,” Susie said recently when preparing for an event with Mud Buddies, which is a non-profit project that makes free guided ATV tours into the Hatfield-McCoy Trails possible for handicapped folks and their caregivers.
“Last year, we had our first Mud Buddies ride on June first. We had moved here in May,” Susie said.
The idea for this fun and unusual project actually started out back home, Susie explained. But for a variety of reasons it was not as feasible there as here.
“It started when friends of ours in upstate New York had kids with disabilities who could not ride ..That tore us up and we noted people down here were struggling with the same issue too. We were thinking about some way to help them. We thought about getting a two seater, then the (All Terrain Vehicle) companies came up with four seater vehicles. That made it possible to have a caregiver and a driver and kids who might not otherwise get to go riding in the woods.”
“You cannot ride in New York the way you can here. You have to know people who have a lot of land. We were unable to do this kind of project up there.”
“New York did not want to listen to us, so we fell in love with WV …We fell in love with the town of Gilbert and the state and the people here. We started a foundation and got our 501-3c and did it. We got married up on the Mountain during Trail Fest.”
Mud Buddies is about sharing that same “Adventure of a Lifetime” with folks who might not otherwise get the opportunity to experience the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.
“We want to make an option for people with disabilities to come here and have fun, Susie said, while preparing for an event to show support for National Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week.
“We have a group coming down tomorrow who has one person with Autism. But that will not hold him back because we will ride together as a group, like one big family.
We are bringing people in from other state to ride and we are making rides possible for local people with disabilities, Susie said, noting a Mud Buddies ATV ride is an example of what was once called “Mainstreaming” in that it makes it possible for those with a disability to participate and enjoy just like anybody else.
“A four wheeling group is unique When people ride they can laugh and carry on and everybody is the same. Nobody is riding the special bus, everybody is riding the cool machines,“ she said. “They always love getting me muddy- that seems to be the goal of the day.”

To find out more about Mud Buddies, or to make a donation check out their homepage at
www.mudbuddiesfoundation.com

Pocahontas at last.....

The announcement you have been waiting for

Hey there, my trail ridin’ buddies, Big Jim here. For more months than I can remember the big question that has been on everyone’s mind is - “when will Pocahontas come online?”
You see, for a myriad number of reasons beyond HMT‘s control, the project got behind. There were issues about where the trailhead could be located, getting legal paperwork signed, bad weather, etc… For example, one of the delays on Pocahontas was due to timber extraction! Given these challenges you can see how frustrating this was for EVERYBODY involved. But you do what you can do when it comes to challenges out of your control. The Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority and it’s field crew soldiered on, gritted their teeth, girded their loins and worked diligently.
And FINALLY!!!! - the good news came out from HMT HQ last week.
I came in from lunch and found a note to call Mike Pinkerton, our Marketing Director immediatly!
And Mike told me point blank- There was a target date at last for the Grand Opening of the new Pocahontas Trail System!!!
If things continue on track, the brand spankin’ new, eagerly anticipated Pocahontas Trail will be opened for you, our eager riders, on Memorial Day Weekend!
Of coarse, I have more good news for you too…
Earlier this year, HMT's Executive Director Jeff Lusk said the new Pocahontas Trail system in Mercer County will connect with the existing Indian Ridge trail system in McDowell County and the existing Pinnacle Creek system in Wyoming County. This is the key for the beginning of a long term project -connecting our different trail systems together!
In the course of talking with Deputy Director Johnny Fekete and Marketing Director Mike Pinkerton about Pocahontas long awaited opening, I found out some more big news that Johnny and Mike asked me to pass along on our McBlog page.
As soon as it was made official about Pocahontas premier date, it was posted on our Trail Riders community forum and our Facebook pages. And a prelim map was made available on our homepage. You may have noticed the map is not complete…That is because our field crews are still in the process of putting up signs. We don’t want anybody sneaking onto it before it is ready and getting lost, or wandering off of it into private property.
Pocahontas will be located near the town of Bramwell, and Mike Pinkerton and Johnny Fekete tell me they expect big things for that historic and friendly town. Bramwell has been the recipient of some other major tourism related projects in recent years.
Historic Bramwell is now known for the era in West Virginia history when many wealthy coal operators actually lived in the Mountain State. At one time, the town had a large population of millionaires and the old mansions that were built there in the early 20th century hark back to the “Gilded Age” of the earlier Victorian era.
Mike Pinkerton told me that there are some restaurants and a gas station in town where folks can get a warm meal and fuel up and that Bramwell has learned from other town’s experiences.
“They are welcoming ATVs into the town,” Pinkerton said, similar to how Gilbert and Man did. “They are going to be very ATV friendly. They have open arms!”
“It is a beautiful town too. It is one historical house after the other. There are mansions there from back in the coal boom days when coal company owners lived there. At one time during the year they have tours and they have refurbished the historical areas of the town too. It is very nice and they are in the process of fixing up the rail cars out in front of the old rail station. This will be a good thing for the community of Bramwell and for Hatfield-McCoy,” Mike told me. I have known him for many years and this was as excited as I have ever heard him. When Mike Pinkerton is excited about something you KNOW it is BIG.
While the trail should be ready for riders, the trailhead itself will be a little bit later in completion. But not to worry, my friends. There will be a two acre long parking lot and there will be temporary sanitation facilities for our visitors until the new permanent trailhead and visitor’s facility can be completed later this summer.
The Pocahontas trail system consists of more than just 60 total miles of trail by opening date. Not only will more mileage be added later, Pocahontas will actually make possible the next and possibly biggest stage of growth in Hatfield-McCoy’s history. It's the key in HMT's expansion plans!
As Johnny Fekete explained, Pocahontas will make possible the long-term goal of beginning to hook Hatfeild-McCoy’s different trails up together at last.
The trails in Mingo County (Buffalo Mountain and Rockhouse) will be connected to each other, and the Pocahontas Trail system in Mercer County will connect with the existing Indian Ridge trail system in McDowell County and the existing Pinnacle Creek system. Along the way Logan (Bearwallow and Rockhouse) will be connected which in turn will connect with Mingo County. You can see what this means for the future. In time, you will be able to get onto the trails in one county and ride them through several counties, only having to come off to fuel up at a Community Connector!
“We are working really hard to connect Buffalo Mountain to Rockhouse,” Johnny said. “We have 90 percent of the land agreements signed. We just don’t have a date right now. We would like to have it done this year…..We know we will get Pocahontas open this year, and possibly Ivy Branch and the connector between Buffalo Creek and Rockhouse,” Johnny explained. “Those things could happen. There is a decent chance.”
Johnny noted that how quickly these things could materialize depended on things like legal agreements, weather and how quickly the field crew could prepare for such projects.
Memorial Day Weekend promises to be a big weekend in HMT country. You see, in addition to the Pocahontas trail system being up and running, it will also be when the eagerly anticipated drama, “The Hatfields and McCoys” will premier on the history channel, starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton.
Stay tuned for more announcements regarding a possible new system for ANOTHER historical West Virginia coal town and projects in Lincoln, Wayne and MacDowell Counties.