NOHVCC ADVENTURE TRAIL

Getting the riders of tomorrow on the right track now

     It’s an old cliché, but the words actually ring quite true: The future lies with our youth. This saying deserves special attention from everyone who is involved in the sport of off-highway vehicle recreation. Why is that? Well, for anyone who has been paying attention to OHV issues over the past 30 years it is quite obvious that there is a direct link between the attitudes and behaviors of riders and drivers as whole and whether or not they have the privilege of recreating on public lands.

     Whether ride areas stay open or not generally depends on the current local public opinion regarding OHV enthusiasts. If off-highway recreationists as a group are seen as rowdy, littering, loud, rude trail wreckers, then trail access gets closed. The trails are closed to OHV riders but are open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders since, to the general public, these groups don’t appear to have those negative behaviors. It’s as simple as that

     However, if the perception of ATV, dirt bike and four-wheel drive enthusiasts is that of friendly and courteous folks who respect other trail users, the land they ride on, and the creatures that inhabit them, then there can be a completely different outcome as to whether OHVers are welcome to share the trails or not.

RESPONSIBLE RIDING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

     When OHV activists and organizations preach responsible riding to our current crop of riders and drivers, it does make a difference. As a whole, OHV enthusiasts practice much better trail ethics and are more aware of safety issues than say, 30 years ago. However, bad habits are hard to break for some and it only takes a few bad apples to spoil it for the majority of OHVers who do recreate responsibly.

     Perhaps, as the saying goes, our OHV future does lie with our youth. With that in mind, the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) has set out to educate future ATV, dirt bike and four-wheel enthusiasts at a young age, well before they could develop any bad habits that end up putting our OHV areas in jeopardy. The NOHVCC’s idea was to devise an interactive “Adventure Trail” that children can walk through, learning OHV safety and ethic messages in a fun way. An added bonus, it appears, is that the kids can end up influencing the adult riders! Some research says that adults place a high value on their role as mentors or role models for kids and will adjust their behavior if kids pass on what they’ve learned about ethics.

COLORFUL AND HUMOROUS

     In the original Adventure Trail that was set up in the NOHVC semi-hauler, youngsters entered the exhibit armed with a 10-question quiz that coincided with the ten primary messages found in the large magnetic-backed plastic panels. "Most of the kids at these events are accompanied by their parents and they also end up going through the entire tour as well," says Casper. "We figure that even some of the adults can benefit from the messages but we don't tell them that as they go in!"

MINI VERSION AVAILABLE NOW

     To get their message out to even more folks, a newly developed Adventure Trail poster series is now available to any OHV group, dealership, or land management organization that wishes to utilize it at their events or dealerships. The ten 2-foot by 3-foot posters are easy to display and are a great compliment to any event as well as helping to ensure a positive future for OHV recreation. Along with the posters, the Adventure Trail Kit includes a couple copies of the activity book, a collage poster of all ten messages, reproducible copies of the quizzes, and some samples of the NOHVCC ATV and Dirt Bike temporary tattoos. Additional activity books, collage posters, and tattoos can be obtained from NOHVCC for the cost of shipping.

     The cost of the Adventure Trail Kit is $20 (the cost of shipping) and can be obtained by contacting the NOHVCC by visiting their website at www.nohvcc.org or by calling (800) 348-6487.

     "It's all about keeping the sport of OHVing happy and healthy," says NOHVCC Executive Director Russ Ehnes. "If we can get the next generation of riders on the right trail as far as safety and riding ethics go, we will be helping to ensure the future of our chosen form of outdoor recreation. And if they happen to have fun while they're learning, that's just icing on the cake."