2004 ATV Rider Reader's Ride at Hatfield-McCoy

Last year, our reader's ride was hosted by Greg Row in Baja, Mexico. While offering superb riding, logistically Mexico was not a practical destination for most of our readers (eight showed up. —Ed.). This year we moved the event to West Virginia, and based on the enthusiastic turnout, the decision proved to be a wise one. If you didn't make this year's ride we missed you, but you truly missed out.

Bossman Billy Bartels and I were meeting in Matewan, West Virginia, for the second annual ATV Rider Reader's Ride. We were coming from opposite directions and both ended up lost on poorly lit, narrow dirt roads. Fortunately, asking directions here is encouraged, as the people of West Virginia are some of the nicest folks you'll ever meet. There's plenty of history in Matewan and lots of old-world charm; you'd be hard-pressed to find a town in the United States that caters more to the off-road crowd.

Matewan, however, is a real bitch to find. We can tell you it's nestled in the mountains somewhere, but without a good map, you're going to get lost. We've been there—the trails are awesome, the late-fall foliage just beautiful—but without some planning, we couldn't easily find our way back. A local lawman admitted, "Unscrupulous folks routinely steal the road signs." This, of course, makes it hard for out-of-towners to find the town, but as with most things that involve some effort, the trip is well worth the trouble.

I found Matewan humbling. Old buildings, built by craftsmen long passed-on, stand tall, exemplifying a rare pride in a trade that seems to be lacking in modern construction. Matewan is elegantly simple and peaceful, and the people we met were as enchanting as the brightly colored mountainscape surrounding the town. Named after a hunting dog, Mate, and a town in New York bearing a similar name, Matewan is located alongside the Tug River. An enormous flood wall, built by the Army Corps of Engineers, runs the length of the town. The structure not only protects the community from storm waters but also gives a comforting sense that you're inside a huge fortress.

On the evening of our arrival, we stayed at the historic Matewan House, located in the town center. It's a short walk from the only fully stocked liquor store (or so we were told) and features a great room outfitted with an enormous big-screen television, couches and comfortable chairs—a perfect place to rest weary bones. Of course, the legend of the Hatfield-McCoy feud is fascinating in and of itself. Some say the fighting started over a pig, others say a woman and still others say it goes back further than that. While the feuding is long over, the lure is ever-present in the rich history this wonderful area has to offer.

Our reader's ride kicked off at Linda's Country Diner. There we were greeted by Matewan's mayor, Sheila Kessler, and her three lovely daughters, Whitney, Paige and Brooke. Linda's offers food, beer and pool tables and is a nice place to just kick back and relax. Ask anyone in town for directions, and he or she will point you the right way.

Day One

I thought I was dead. At least I had made it to the right place: heaven—ATV trails heaven. Here was this quaint mountain town lit up in full sunlight, revealing lazy sidewalks, old street lamps and vintage door and window fixtures; but the entire town was occupied by a throng of four-wheelers rolling down Main Street. The riders were unchallenged by local policemen, who were preoccupied with their own conversations and were completely ignoring the two screaming Banshees—blowing sweet-scented two-stroke smoke from twin chambers—and there were modified four-strokes blasting eardrums as they cracked open their throttles, clearing their "throats." The smell of high-octane fuel permeated the air.

ATVR contributor David Wilmot, the grand pooh-bah of this event, stood up on his Kawasaki and signaled for the participants to cut their engines by dragging his finger across his throat. With all motors off, Mayor Kessler formally welcomed us with a warm smile and a genuine appreciation for our patronage as we shot photos for the magazine. A parking area, located at the trailhead alongside the flood wall, was filled with vehicles and attached trailers.

There are few places on earth where a group could gather like this—anyone who has ridden illegally (not that we participate in or condone this sort of behavior! —Ed.) will immediately appreciate the generosity of what the town of Matewan offers the ATV community. You just have to experience it firsthand to believe it—and we encourage you to do so. If you are intimidated by an organized ride because you've never done one, that's OK. If your idea of a good time is running balls to the wall and you don't want to be held back, no worries. The ride was split by skill level. Fast or slow, the ATV Rider Reader's Ride is your chance to see some awesome trails, get some quality saddle time and meet like-minded people. You can bet you'll make some new friends—we did.

We first explored the Buffalo Mountain Trail System. Our ride began with a brief rider's meeting with Raymond Jones of West Virginia Outback ATV (www.wvoutbackatv.com). Todd Nenni was our official guide for the fast group, and he kept the pace interesting and fun without exposing anyone to any unnecessary danger. The leaf-peeper group was led by David Akers (not to be confused with the Philadelphia Eagles kicker) and swept by John Davis.

After a good jaunt through the Appalachians, both fast and slow groups met up to figure out what we wanted on our pizza, which was cell-phoned in to be delivered to the approaching trailhead. Although there were some isolated mechanical troubles related to equipment failure, overall the day ended with lots of dirt-encrusted, smiling faces. A wonderful dinner at the Matewan Depot Restaurant hit the spot—great food at great prices makes this a highly recommended stop. Tell owner Donna May we sent you, and be sure to sign her rider guest book. Sleep came easy that evening.

Day Two

Before we knew it, we were tearing up the trail again, with breakfast bouncing around in our bellies (eggs don't taste as good the second time around). The day's journey led us through the Browning Fork Trail System, starting at the Rockhouse Trailhead in the town of Man (about a 39-mile drive from Matewan). Guide services were provided by Tim and Becky Arthur of Wildcat Trail Adventures (www.atvtrips.com). The trails were groomed to near perfection and offered plenty of high-speed riding.

Bartels and I were piloting Suzuki Z400s (one was an Arctic Cat DVX, same difference), which were terrific for the terrain but badly lacking needed protection from flying mud. Goggle cleanings were an all-day affair. Ideally, you'll want an ATV with plenty of fender protection if there is any standing water; this day we'd just get soaked. Regrettably, two in our group dropped out when one of the Banshees lost a bolt from a lower arm; fortunately, nobody got hurt.

Our turnaround point was the city of Gilbert, perhaps as ATV-friendly as Matewan in that you could drive right into town, get gas then find some food. We discovered an Italian restaurant where we dined at an outdoor picnic table alongside a slow-moving stream. Racing against the sunset, we hauled it back to Man, running full-throttle in many places. An epic day of riding with too much to tell in this small space—Browning Fork was my favorite of the three trail systems.

Day Three

We met Robert Bailey, owner of Happy Trails ATV Rentals (www.happytrailsatvrentals.com), at the Pinnacle Creek Trail System, beginning from the new Castle Rock Trailhead near Pineville (about a 55-mile drive from Matewan). Happy Trails provided us with professional guide services for the day, helping us find plenty of mud and scenery. Although the weather didn't cooperate completely, no less fun was had because of it.

On this final day, it occurred to me as I was rolling down the trail just how much work had gone into organizing this ride. I want to offer a heartfelt thanks to Wilmot for all of his efforts and dedication in pulling this off. Wilmot's well-thought-out concept of "three days, three rides" packed a tremendous amount into a short span of time. The ride was an excellent value for all who participated. Keep in mind that he received little, if any, money for his efforts.

When I asked him why he did it, he replied, "On my very first visit I fell in love with the town of Matewan. I knew this was where we needed to start a ride. The details were the only problems to work out. Fortunately, the mayor of Matewan, all the guide services, the hotels and the restaurants opened their arms and made this all possible. I feel privileged to be involved and think it was a great success." We would have to agree.

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System is the off-road riding jewel of the East. We can personally vouch that it's worth the drive from practically anywhere. For more information on all that the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System has to offer, including current riding conditions, trail closures, rules and regulations, contact 800/592-2217 or www.trailsheaven.com. Be on the lookout for details of next year's reader's ride (again in West Virginia)—you won't want to miss it!

Notes from the Tireless Promoter

It was a simple idea. We were going to ride three different trails in three days led by three different guide services. The concept was to bring people who had never visited before to the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System.

The big event was starting in the historic town of Matewan, lining the quads on Main Street, la Sturgis, for a group picture. On the first day, I asked the question, "How many people here have never ridden the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System before?" Nearly everybody raised a hand; it was a good feeling.

After three days of riding, a general agreement about the guide services and trails was reached. I'd like to give these awards based on feedback from the participants.

Favorite Guide, Fast Group: Todd Nenni, from West Virginia Outback ATV.
Nenni can ride with the best and fastest riders and keep things organized. (It was a guided ride with him that gave me the idea for this event.)

Favorite Guide, Slow Group: Tim and Becky Arthur, owners of Wildcat Trail Adventures.
Tim Arthur has taken professional training in guide service techniques, and it shows. His tours are filled with interesting history and stories of the area.

Giving Extra Service for Its Clients: Happy Trails ATV Rentals.
Robert Bailey surprised us ATVR staffers with T-shirts before the ride and provided a cookout at the end of the ride for all the participants. Now that's extra service!

Favorite Trail: Browning Fork Trail.
It was a favorite not for the terrain itself (Speak for yourself, Dave, the terrain was awesome. You just have to get off the "green" trails! —Ed.) but for a destination to which to ride.

Most-Scenic Trail: Pinnacle Creek Trail.
Mother Nature was showing her fall foliage this weekend. Parts of the trail run along a mountain stream; add magnificent views from the mountaintops, and this was an easy choice.

Most-Challenging Trail: Buffalo Mountain Trail.
Several riders decided to opt out and take the road back rather than retrace our tracks over the mountain. —David Wilmot

And we editors wanted to acknowledge some of our readers with our Editors' People Awards.

Traveled the Farthest: Jim Price and his son, Chad.
They traveled all the way from Dallas, Texas, to ride with us.

Most-Improved Rider: Donna Shank.
This gutsy little lady started out on the Buffalo Mountain Trail, timidly climbing small hills, but by the last day she was wheelying over logs.

Honeymoon Couple: Dave and Kim Smith.
The two have been on a 28-year honeymoon and had more fun on their Arctic Cat TRV than should be legal!

Hard-Luck Story: Larry and Skinny from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.
After their original tow vehicle broke down and their replacement arrived, they had to wire it for the trailer in the middle of the night. They arrived in town just in time to see the last group leave. Riding like the wind, they quickly caught up with us and rode all three days.

Most Entertaining: The "Banshee Boys."
Enough said!

Favorite Businessperson: Donna May, owner of the Matewan Depot Restaurant.
If you come off the Buffalo Mountain Trail cold, wet and hungry, she'll warm you with a smile, find you dry clothes to wear and feed you till you're full. She's the Angel of Buffalo Mountain.