White Knuckle Event 2010

As the sun settled behind the Appalachians a chain of headlights stretched as far as the eye could see as the town congregated upon the mountaintop to indulge in the Saturday night festivities. Entertainment was provided by an extremely talented local musician by the name of Jay Faires which was the opening act for country music artist Rhett Akin, who strummed his guitar late into the night. Entertainment under the stars while surrounded by ATVs was awesome, but I had planned to do some serious exploring at Brimstone on Sunday morning before making the journey back to Georgia, so I made it a point not stay out too late. I do have my priorities, and spending quality time on my ATVs is at the top of the list.

First thing Sunday morning we raced to the demo tent where the Yamaha staff was on hand providing demo rides of their 2010 lineup. We weren't looking to take a guided tour, and fortunately they knew we were there to retrieve our Rhino 700 for a day of play. The Rhino was fueled and ready for the challenge, so we loaded our gear and headed into the mountains. Brimstone's trail system can be quite technical and treacherous, but it is designed for UTV use, which prevents any situations where the trails become too narrow for the Rhino to pass. The rugged mountains provide an ideal location for an ORV playground with their steep inclines and winding hillside paths. Massive boulders litter the landscape and provide an occasional test of man and machine for those up to the challenge. With a trail map in hand we navigated through the mountains with no plan or direction in mind. We let our instincts guide the way, and they led us to some phenomenal terrain and beautiful sights. We eventually stumbled upon some extremely remote cabins that are available to guests through the Brimstone office. Even with a map I wasn't quite sure where I was when a particular rustic cabin appeared that I must reserve for my next Brimstone visit. A single ATV trail passed by this isolated location and seemed to be the only way in or out. It wouldn't have surprised me to see Jed Clampett and Granny sippin' moonshine on the front porch while Jethro was out huntin' vittles. Hopefully, my vague description will be enough to locate this cabin on my next trip, which will include my family and friends for an overdue and much needed vacation.