Are You Ready For Adventure?

It really was an enjoyable trip…
On the outset, you really did not know what to expect. You saw the specials on the Outdoor Network. You read about it in your favorite ATV and Dirtbiking magazines. It stayed in your mind for weeks on end, until you just couldn’t withstand the curiosity - the suspense anymore. You had a few days coming up away from your job and you decided, “What the heck, I will give it a try.”

You knew other enthusiasts who had gone there several times and they could not stop talking about it, so you asked their advice. They told you what to wear, the best ways to get there and most importantly - that you should reserve a place to stay waaaay in advance. In fact, you thought they might be pulling your leg.
You started looking around online and investigating. You figured out which places you wanted to hit on your initial visit, what towns were nearby and which places looked like good ones to stay at. When you started calling them, you found out that space -as they say- is at a premium. You heard the same thing over and over, that they were all booked up, as it was the busy time of the year. Finally you lucked out. That nice young lady on the phone double checked and found a cancellation and booked you a room. You had a place to stay!
At that point you began to wonder if all those regular visitors and magazine writers and the TV show guys were not exaggerating after all.
The anticipation built slowly. Some evenings you would go online and visit their web site. You noticed it had a “community” forum where people just like you could ask questions, get advice and so forth. You were surprised to find that in some of the nearby towns you could ride your quad around!
When the day arrived to start your journey you were so excited you could hardly sleep the night before. You loaded up your quad and your gear and you hit the open road. The closer you got to Southern West Virginia the more amazed you were at how beautiful those famous mountains actually were. It reminded you of that old Johnny Cash song, “40 shades of Green.”
When you got near your lodging, you stopped to get gas and noticed how friendly the people seemed to be. A couple noticed your machine and asked you if it was your first trip here or if you were a regular. Many of them talked about their own quads, side by sides and dirtbikes. One old timer noted that there was more ATV ownership in this state per capita than any other place in the world.
The friendly people really make you feel like you are in traditional Small Town America, even though when you look around you see all the traditional amenities of modern life, such as fast food chains, movie theaters and so forth. How different, how nice it is -- nothing at all like those stereotypes you have seen in Hollywood movies.
When you were checking in at your hotel, you ran into some other enthusiasts from your own state! In fact, you find out that you even have friends in common back home! You found out that they were at “the ‘Wallow” today, where you will be headed tomorrow. They will be going to “the Ridge” for two days and invite you along. When you go out for dinner, you cannot help but notice other vehicles hauling ATVs and side by sides everywhere. You even see more locals fueling up their own at the convenience stores.
“This must really be the place!” you say to yourself.
That night, in your newly built, modern hotel room, you like to never get to sleep. You wake up hours earlier than you had planned and head downstairs to get breakfast and start the day. When you arrive at the trailhead you are surprised at how quaint and pretty it is, a smal building nestled in a hollow surrounded on all sides by low, rolling mountains.
After you unload your machine you walk over to the trailhead office and step inside. You exchange some pleasantries with the Customer Sales Rep who gives you an up-to-date map and answers some questions. You look around at the different merchandise and make some mental notes for when you return later in the day. Right now, your pulse is racing and your throat is a bit dry. It is time for your ride!
As you pull into the woods on your ride and see the tall trees surrounding you on every side, you realize that when it comes to ATV riding, dirt biking or mechanized outdoors riding this is as good as it gets.
You have made your first trip to Hatfield-McCoy Country, but it won’t be your last! You are ready for the adventure of a lifetime!