The
Small, Sweet and the Ugly
This
story first appeared in Canadian Motorcycle Rider
E-zine
December
2006
The
Small
Well, I was hard at it again – getting myself
into trouble. Small wonder; my hairstyling chair is
always the root, if you’ll pardon the pun, of
all troubles small. As difficult as it is to believe,
I’ve never been on an ATV. I’ve ridden
two-wheeled, coast to coast, north to south for 24
years and never had my tush on an ATV. I could hardly
believe my ears as I stood speechless, being talked
into not just writing an article promoting Baxter
Club’s ATV riding trails, but actually joining
in on an all-women’s ATV group charity run.
“All
terrain vehicle? I’m into motorcycles and black-top!”
I had protested.
While
arranging the final touches on her hair, my client,
Rosemary Duskocy, Treasurer for the Port Severn Baxter
ATV Trail Riders Club was putting in the final convincing
touches to her recruitment effort.
“It’s
safer than riding your bike! You’re afraid to
ride an ATV, four wheels, but not two? You’ll
like it [the ATV experience], I’m sure. A lot
of the ladies participating in the charity run ride
motorcycles too.”
That
was the hook, and I swam around it, with my birthday
party that same night for an excuse.
I envisioned myself, clad in my Harley Davidson rain
gear, trying to sweet talk some young, handsome officer
out of ticketing me for not possessing my OFATV sticker
or a day permit. All of this whilst resting comfortably
perched on a friend’s, generously donated, Quebec-plated
ATV. Now if that wasn’t a heat score, nothing
ever would be.
The
Sweet
Having obtained written permission from the Baxter
Snow Riders of Port Severn, Ontario, to use their
snowmobile trails during non- grooming season, a small
group of dedicated men and women formed the Baxter
ATV Trail Riders Club. Taking root in 2004 with just
19 members, the Baxter ATV Trail Riders Club became
an official member of the Ontario Federation of All
Terrain Vehicle Clubs [OFATV] in 2005, with a membership
now of over 70 riders and growing.
With
the grooming season for snowmobiles starting December
1st and ending March 31st, the Baxter ATV Riders are
left with plenty of time to get down and dirty. Plans
to extend the trail system are already under way.
Comprised of 45-50 km (round trip) of trails, riders
are able to complete the circuit in approximately
5-6 hours, if the trails are reasonably dry. Don’t
worry: there are plenty of mud holes. For those machines
that do not sport a winch in most cases there are
alternate routes around the holes.
In
order to ride the Baxter ATV Trails, one must be either
an OFATV member, possess a one year trail permit,
or purchase a day pass. The cost for a year permit
is $170.00, a day pass $37.50. Be forewarned: persons
found to be riding the trails without an OFATV sticker
or year/day permits may be liable to fines of up to
$2 700, issued by the Ontario Provincial Police. Permits
also allow riders to ride municipal roads within the
Township of Georgian Bay, District of Muskoka, excluding
Muskoka Rd. 38 (Bala).
Port
Severn may be accessed by way of Exit 156, Muskoka
Rd. 5 from northbound Hwy. 400, approximately 30 minutes
from Barrie, and southbound Hwy. 400, approximately
40 minutes from Parry Sound. Trailers or pick ups
may be parked at the Bressette House Muskoka Information
Centre across the street from the H&S Shell Station.
The trail head begins at H&S Shell and ends at
the snowmobile bridge at McDonald River. There is
gas and food available along the trail system at the
Big Chute Marina, Severn Falls.
The
Ugly
When riding a motorcycle, one prefers to remain dry
and will go to great lengths to avoid getting wet.
When riding an ATV, I learned, the object is to get
wet. With the Baxter ATV Club hosting the event, this
year’s charity ride, the 6th Annual ATV Ride
for Breast Cancer Awareness had over one hundred members
of Four Wheelin’ Women participating. I had
the wonderful opportunity to witness grit at its best
as Four Wheelin’ Women - a crazy group of mud
lovin’ women on ATVs - showed me how to git
‘er done. Apparently, the beavers had been busy
this spring…
Venturing
out bravely the next day, I concluded hogs had good
reason to enjoy frolicking in mud. By the time I had
shot two rolls of film, I had learned how to reverse
and advance my ATV through great divides of water
and mud. Set against a backdrop of Canadian Shield
rock, pine groves and pristine shoreline, I learned
how to maneuver my machine through deep mud holes
that were longer than I was tall. I had turned into
a mud wench. It is somewhat liberating losing the
fear of being dirty. Roadgypsy turned Mudgypsy. Now
if I could just master climbing those rocks…
www.baxteratv.com
www.fourwheelinwomen.com
Canadian
Motorcycle Rider
