VTQuadrunner, awesome pics, pretty cool area looks like you have a great group to ride with. I haven't had the opportunity to go out with a larger group like that but maybe only one time but was a lot of fun. Usually go out with another couple or one other person. Would really like to be able to group ride more often adds a lot of different dynamics to the ride plus when everyone is taking pics and trading them you actually get some with yourself in them. Didn't have great visibility that particular day there were some forest fires going on and it had really settled into the valley we were in. The area we rode through had a fire about 6 years ago, was kind of eerie, but was also cool to see the new growth coming in.

 

A few more pics of the area I'm forced to ride in, I don't know why I torture myself The building behind us is an old fire lookout, now turned into a forest service cabin that you can rent nightly if you can get on the list after the trails are open. If you want to hike in it is pretty available up until June 16th then pretty much booked for the summer. FF

 

Hi Freedomflyer. I thought I would say hello on your introduction thread as you were kind to greet me on my introduction thread. We are both new to this Forum and I have found the participants helpful.

I've only lived "out west" for a year and have learned wild fires are a big concern. We in Colorado are experiencing unusually warm, dry conditions since August with high level fire warnings. We traveled to Yellowstone this fall and was surprised at how much of the park was burned during the massive wild fires of 20 years ago. But like you said, it is pleasing to see the new growth develop. The trees in Yellowstone are 20 feet high now and doing good.

Riding trails in a fire affected area is eerie, and at the same time interesting as Mother Nature rebuilds the area. Seeing back country sights is one of my main interests in ATVing.

David

 

Boy you guys have it really tough being forced to ride in that terrible scenery, but I guess somebody has to do it for the rest of us.. LOL.... I can only dream of ever riding in such beautiful country....enjoy as you guys are the chosen ones!! Oh yea...don't be afraid to post more pics, I have a napkin handy to wipe away the drool while I view those awesome pics !!

 

I guess I can't complain too much. I have some decent trails very nearby that I can ride in a pinch anytime. Its just probably about 200 acres and maybe 10 miles of trails but they're nice, tight wooded trails for the most part. I have several ride parks within 100 miles from me that I can visit too. So while I don't have endless miles of trails at my doorstep, I'm not too far away from nice places to ride. Its kind of a shame that all of us are so spread out. A big group ride would be nice.

 

Hey guys thanks for the welcome, Yes it is rough but someone has to do it. And yes it is a shame that we are so far apart. It is really interesting how few people we know in our area that have atv's, and if they do they take them camping and let their kids putz around on them and really don't leave their camp sites. I am always excited to ride a new trail to see what is in our back yard, we are so blessed and have barely scratched the surface of what is available to us. We really have to make it a planned and a concerted effort to get out to ride because our riding season is so short only 4 months that the trails are open due to the high altitude and snow staying so long. The forest service does a great job in protecting the trails so they stay safe for everyone but occasionally we get some knothead that has to make a short cut of a hairpin switchback and tear up someplace they shouldn't be just to arrive 39 seconds faster. So to get the people we do know out all together is pretty tough due to schedules and summer plans so we generally go out with just one other couple or go by ourselves unfortunately. When we have friends come into town we always try to take them out, that was one of the reasons for getting two machines, even though they aren't true blue two up machines we still ride double. They don't enforce it too heavily here and I think that it depends who is riding double as to whether they are going to make a big deal of it or not. You know, whether it's a couple of 50 somethings vs a couple of teenagers or 20 somethings that are going to be way crazier than I would ever be. It just takes too long to heal anymore But we love to take people out and show them where we ride so if anyone is ever in our area would love share where we go. There are still a lot of good folks out there that would be great to hang out with. There is something to be said about being able to hop on and go out your back door too when you need a fix.

 

I'm a flatlander from Iowa and then Minnesota. Both states are nice. Here in Colorado I have found so many beautiful to explore. The mountains are very scenic. My son who has lived here for years once said "you get used to it" when we were oohing and aahing at the mountain scenery. I think he is right.

Alas, no ATV yet, but we have been camping in the mountains. And two of my friends are retired BLM employees who know the federal lands and trails around here very well. I think I'm in store for some interesting rides if and when I get an ATV. All of which are day trips, no overnights needed.

Here is a photo of our vintage Airstream (30 years old) at a local park 30 minutes from home. There was a great ATV trail close by.

David

 

David nice looking airstream, hard to believe it's 30 yrs old looks like you take very good care of it. You going to put the ATV in the back of the Pickup or tow an extra Trailer? That's a dilemma I'm still trying to figure out, I don't want to take the topper off of my pick up, and a double rack on my pickup wouldn't fit in my garage, so am leaning towards a trailer on the back of my camper. We are allowed to pull two trailers in Montana. I'll have to wait and see I just haven't decided yet, at this point if we camp we are close enough to either take two rigs or pull the camper up and go back for the machines. Will decide one of these days I guess. FF

 

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing them. That's how we ended up going out to Utah in 2013 and this past fall. Specta shared pictures from his rides and we just had to go. Who knows, maybe Bozeman, Montana next time!

 

Thanks for the complement on the 86 Airstream. It's been in the family since new. I've done a lot of work to it over the years.

Airstreams aren't built for towing a second trailer. They're built light (flimsy). However, my son pulls his snowmobile behind his Airstream. He still doesn't listen to his Dad!

Here in Colorado we see "double bottoms" frequently, mainly a second trailer behind fifth wheels, but sometimes behind a conventional camper.

My wife asked if Airstream made a toy hauler. And like you, I could take the cap of the bed off the truck and have an ATV rack back there, but I'm not ready for that yet. We'll just take day trips for the time being.

David