we are planning to ride this Tour De Forest this spring and was wondering if anyone on the forum has ridden it and could tell me what its like and is it worth the long ride down to it. Thanks

 

Pete,

The Tour De Forest is probably the only ride where beginners can have fun. Mostly it's dirt road riding with some trails thrown in for good measure. Part of it is run on the smoother portions of the Marienville bike trail. If you're looking for a challenge, this ain't it. If you want to have a good time and hit some serious top speeds this is the one for you.

 

its a good ride to cruise around theres nothing challenging about it. we usually have a few good drag races there. if your ito all out challenging riding dont bother going. at least there we dont have to deal with all the alcoholics like at cochranton

 

Look out for the Rangers on the trails, they are packing radar! Last year we got a warning and some other people got tickets for hauling a$$. The trail speed limit is 35 mph. We got busted doing 52mph.

 

As I don't have a speedometer on mine, I'll just say it looked like I was doing 35mph. Besides, with the slug ATVs they have I could just out run them.

Seriously though, don't these guys have better things to do other than harrassing ATV riders at an ATV poker run? Shouldn't they be hugging trees or communing with nature or something? Sounds to me like a good way to kill what little money that comunity takes in each year.

 

The rangers are not driving ATVs they are driving SUVs. So I doubt that you will be able to out run on of those, besides I bet if they did catch you after you ran you would be in a heep more trouble. They are just trying to keep the trails safe for everyone and their families. This isn't a race. If you want to go like hell then you are going to the wrong place. The ride isn't all that challenging but its nice to take your family to and you don't have to worry about the drunkards of Cochranton.

 

Gsport500,

First off, usually when someone says "Seriously though" the sentences before that were meant as a joke. Lighten up, O.K.?

Second, my girlfirend and I are neither reckless or dangerous because of the fact we ride slightly faster than the average rider. We have our own pace that we ride at. In fact, I'm sure many consider us slow. If that happens to be above the 25 mph speed limit, then so be it. I just can't see why they are trying to enforce a 25 mph speed limit on flat smooth dirt roads. Come on, that's ludicrous! I can probably do 25 mph backwards on those roads safely.

Third, it just sounds to me like someone (the forest service) is trying to flex their muscle and show everyone "who's da boss". Frankly it stinks of fascism, harrassment and abuse of power. It's bad enough that there is a bill that's being considered in the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives that gives any law enforcement officer the power to stop you for NO REASON other than the fact you are riding an ATV LEGALLY. What ever happened to probable cause? I expect that this kind of treatment would have been acceptable behavior in **** Germany, but in the good old USA, give me a break!

 

I have to agree with you to a point. I was told of guys getting ticketed for 72 MPH last year. While I would agree that 25 is fairly slow, 72 is really ridiculous in an event with a fair number of beginners. Not to mention the guy I saw getting scraped up out of a ravine on an mundane stretch of dirt road. Wonder how fast he was going?

Believe me, no one has less use for the rangers than me, but, unpoliced, some of these idiots will ruin it for us all. Since you are in the ANF, unfortunately, they are the man.

We generally never exceed 35-40, and have not been hassled. The folks who tear thru Mayburg village and rip up the areas along the trail probably give the rangers an attitude, and they take it out on the rest of us.

Strictly enforcing that speed limit is pretty silly, and I hope that's not what has come to.

 

Mike,
I enjoy a good high speed ride just as much as the next guy. I also like to obey the posted rules of the rides I attend so that I can do my part to ensure that the ride will be held next year. The majority of the trails are available to cars and trucks too during the ride, so it only makes sense (to me at least) that we should have to obey the same 35 mph speed limit (where did 25 mph come from?) I'm sure you and your significant other ride safely and to your abilities but some people don't making it dangerous for the rest. I'm not trying to start a pissing match, just stating my view.

 

Hey! I take exception to your "drunkards of Cochranton" comment! Everyone's always so quick to insult the people who have a beer,,,,so EVIL!

Also, why does everything have to be "safe for the families?" What about the rights I have as a single individual? Why aren't things specifically safe for me? Reading your posts I just wanted to shed a tear and scream outloud "My God, will SOMEONE please think of the CHILDREN!?"

I say go whatever speed you want. If you cause an accident, oh well. The point is you can always leverage rules and guidelines. What makes you think the brainless wonder who was clocked at 772 mph is going to heed them anyway?

In this society a lot of things are a game of luck. Obviously these rides are done to optimize everyone's safety, but at what price? What about the rights of the people who want to go fast?

Besides, who determines what a safe speed is anyway? Statistics? Statistics is only the result of having had an upper and lower number on which to base the results in the first place.

See you in the funny papers!

P.S. I'm going to Marienville on my Razor scooter...and I'm going to be drunk!