what did you people think of this years ride?

 

We started on the first trail right at 9:00am. it was VERY muddy and still raining. At that point it was looking bad for us (both with 400exs). The first hour we hardly rode...way too many people, just sitting in lines. After making some shortcuts, past those lines to the mudholes, we finally broke out into some fast riding. Everything after that first 1.5 ~ 2 hrs. turned out great (including sunny but not too hot). We did part of a second trail too in the afternoon (until some mechanical problems). Overall it was a good time. Not too sure we'll go back for a 3rd year though (5 hour drive for us). There's still a few too many people in the way to go as fast as I enjoy.
Although one guy we talked to said his small group left at 5:30am and were able to hit all three trails (we talked to him about 2:30pm).

 

Had a great time. Loved all the mud too. But did not like the long wait in line at the begining, but to be expected with so many people. Rode trail B it was average. Just wish I knew how I bent my rear axle on my Wolverine, at least it happened about 7 miles from the finish.

 

Does anyone have a firm number of how many people were there? I heard it from a reliable source that there were 10,000 pre-registered as of Thursday 1P.M.


Frankly, I'm not sorry I missed it this year. I hate sitting on my seat while someone who doesn't know how to ride tries to tackle the same hill for the seventh time. This is not my idea of fun guys. The two years I was there the atmosphere was great, kind of like a woodstock for ATVs. However, the riding sucked.A few examples are in order.

There is nothing like waiting for hours stuck behind several hundred other quads while some guy on a 250R (set up for MX with a whole two inches of ground clearance) tries to get over a rock that I wouldn't even give a thought to.

Or the beginner who just bought his quad that week and has countless hours of experience driving on paved roads in a car holding up the line because he's afraid to go through a mud puddle on his 4x4 quad because he might get it stuck.

Please have your machine properly prepared and learn how to ride BEFORE going there. Try out some of the state or national forest trails to get ready. Unless they add about 20 more trails or make it a two day event, I won't be going back.

 

According to a local newspaper from Meadville..the total was 6835. Last year was around 7100..so it was down.

Eric

 

Mike, your source wasn't too reliable...as of Thursday at 1pm, there was 2250 registered...as of Friday nite, just under 5000...the rest showed up Saturday moring. The numbers from the Meadeville paper (posted below) are fact.

Why so pesemistic Mike? You of all people should know what to expect from year's past as well as events like the Tour de Forest...etc. It ain't easy pleasing everyone, but you get out of the ride what you put into it. All participants should expect to see bottlenecks, good riders, bad riders, ignorant riders, and nice folks too. I'm the last person who wants to wait in a traffic jamb, but I expect it to happen every year and cope with it.

 

Steve:

First of all, maybe some day we can hook up and ride the Moon area/airport...always good to make new friends!

Anyway, a few quick comments on Cochranton! Actually, my friends persuaded me to go again for the third year in a row. I wasn't going to go because I hate unorganized things, but figured what the hell. It was amazing. Amazing for the following reasons:

1. What kind of %&^$% posted the driving directions? They looked good at first, but...we were going 45 mph down a road and saw a big RED arrow pointing to the left. Then a sign that said "AHPA Auction"...so we had no idea what to do. We eventually found the main area ONLY after following some kid in a pickup. Seriously, we are smart guys but nonetheless totally got lost after exiting on 36A. Anyone ever think of posting easy directions in advance?

2. Upon arriving, we waited in line in traffic hoping to pull in somewhere to camp. I kept asking the guides "are there places to camp down here?" and the answer was "yes--follow these cars ahead of you"..so after like 20 minutes the last guide told me "there's no camping in here.." Eventually we ended up camping down at this school which worked out great, as it was away from the main area and those hoopies hootin' n' hollering all night.

3. The registration line. This is the greatest story. As USUAL in Cochranton, there are 3 ladies checking in thousands of drunkards left to stand out in the rain. Year after year it amazes me why there aren't more people to register you.

So, there we were in the line. All 6 of us. There was this one guide who comes up, points to Donny (he is 14 but can outride anyone I've ever seen) and says "if he's not 18 he can't ride". We about crapped ourselves. After this same guide told us he "thinks this is the rule" Bob, his dad, went to the head of the line and asked if this was true. They said it was. So I was just going to use my green sticker from year 1 and register Donny's helmet but at the last minute we saw the f-ing registration form CLEARLY states that under 18 riders can be accompanied by a parent. How idiotic! We had been about ready to leave and go home! Good thing we didn't! So we were all able to ride.

4. The lines and traffic in the woods. Hey, this is the best that one can expect. Yes, it sucks but deal with it. You know what you're getting into. ANother question is WHY oh WHY!! can't there be two races--one for 2WD and one for 4WD. The only people getting stuck were the goofballs who got stuck on roots riding a freaking Banshee which has no place in the woods anyway! ha

5. One thing people have to learn at Cochranton is DON'T WAIT IN STARTING LINES!! Just "slide" onto the trail as we did. Directly across from the Suzuki and Yahama semis we just merged right onto Trail B I think it was. We're not waiting in any stupid starting lines. We learned our lesson after Year 1. God forbid the signs along the way tell you which trail you're on! Let alone marking the miles for those with an interest.

But in summary it's funny how we all complain. I think these people do a fantastic job for being volunteers. Who wants order and logic anyway? This is just a time to hang out and do a little riding. If you don't like it, stay home!

Thank you to all of the Cochranton organizers as well as Extreme for all of his pre-game postings! Great job!

(By the way, I was the goofball who had police strobes in the headlights of my SP500--anyone see me?)

Take care.

 

This was my first trip to Cochranton. There were many positives about my experience; however, there were plenty of negatives that need to be addressed to significantly improve the Poker Run.

First, lets start with the positives. It was great being surrounded by so many ATV enthusiasts. Seeing all the different bikes and ages of riders arriving in town was something else. We spent Friday afternoon walking around the trailers, registering a few in our group, and meeting and socializing with people from all over. We particularly enjoyed watching all the 4-Wheel drive vehicles getting stuck in the mud and having to get pulled out by tractors or even bulldozers.

I have to commend the Moose Lodge 1 mile outside of town for providing a wonderful breakfast buffet for us. The members thanked us several times for stopping to eat at their lodge. All you can eat breakfast was only $5 a person. Great food and even better service.

The atmosphere that surrounds the build-up to the start of the Poker Run is fantastic and can't be beat. Everyone there wants to have a good time and it shows.

Unfortunately, after the start of the ride everything pretty much went downhill from there, and I don't mean the terrain. We did ride "A" and started around 10:00am. The first eight miles was practically all road. When we finally got to trails, we rode them for about 5 minutes before our first logjam. Little did we know that was how the rest of the day would go. We sat in 3 traffic jams totalling 3 hours before we even made it to the refueling point. Needless to say that was enough for us. We took roads back towards town and stumbled upon ride "B". We rode this from about the last checkpoint of "B" to the end. This was fantastic. If it wasn't for this last 30 minutes of riding, I don't think I would ever go back.

Positives of our trip: Atmosphere and friendliness of everyone we met.

Negatives of our trip: Very slow and tedious registration process (need more than 2-3 people taking registration), enormous bottlenecks on rides (a fourth trail would probably alleviate this), and too much road riding.

If I go back, I would make sure that I was one of the first out on the trails or I would wait until about 2:00pm and then start. Oh, and I will definately be stopping at the Moose Lodge!

 

i had a pretty good time. im not even sure what trail we were on, i didnt think it was going to end! all of the 2 wheel drives and novice riders made for a lng trail. waiting on the road for over 2 hours was ridiculous. then we had to get dragged in the field by a tractor through 2 feet of mud, then they had the nerve to make us pay for the muddy campsite! i really dont thnk were going back unless there are some major changes. especially 2wd and 4wd trails.

 

A few comments for you guys....(no attitude intended)

First, PaAtving.com has been advertised all over the atv world by hosting the information for this years poker run. Also, we had a huuuuuuuge terra map of the entire area with landmarks and roads posted all over it. A three day drunk could have understood it.

We all know that there is gonna be jamb-ups. There ain't no way to get rid of this problem...period! There will never be a separate ride for sports and 4x4's. Everyone thinks this thing is so easy to put on, but the workers are all volunteers...and mostly locals too. There is already two weekends of mayhem back to back with the motercycle and atv runs.

This being said, there isn't enough manpower to add a fourth trail to accomodate more riders or a specific style of riders...such as families etc. Plus, there is no more available land in the area in which to do so.

Steve Carroll, God bless him, puts 11 months a year into this event. Who's got time to reply to 100 emails a night after Christmas rolls through? The land for the camping areas has to be leased...not borrowed, the roads have to be cleaned, police and medics hired, fire departments on duty, DCNR and Fish Commission usually always dish out fines for illegal stream crossings (from idiots who ignore the bridges which cost $8000.00 for materials and free labor), trail clean-up goes on for 6 weeks...just removing ribbons, rope-offs, signs, and leftover garbage and beer cans, the list goes on....

Many guys want to know what happens to the money. Well, after all the expenses, leases, and fines are paid...the balance gets split up to local charities...not in people's pockets. Everything is above board and accounted for.

Don't forget all the morons! Several people were kicked out for riding like maniacs through the camping areas...must not have been able to read the rules handed to them at registration? Like to "slide" onto the trails before dawn?...well some were arrested by police for that move. Rules are rules...especially if you're a guest.

For anyone who wasn't happy with a particular trail, you had the oppertunity to ask any staff member about information on each trail. "A" did have alot of road travel to get to each parcel of land. "B" was a little harder with some good hillclimbs too. "C" seemed to be the most difficult with mud, water, rock, hills, and less road travel.

Did I have fun? You betcha! I arrived Thursday without any delays or muddy fields. Camping was a real treat within a sea of white campers. I got stuck with my EX several times but always got out using some body English and alot of fuel! There were backups but I expected them before I turned the key on. It's all part of the Worlds Largest Poker Run!