13 Points About ATVs

My family and I went riding on ATVs for the first time on Tuesday. Mr. Al, being of the hiking and cross country bicycle persuasion, tends to say nasty things about ATVs and those who ride them, but I tried to approach this with an open mind. Here’s what I learned.

1. ATV’s are fun!!!!

2. If you can do your first time out with a tour group like MotoSol, then you will be miles ahead.

3. MotoSol did things like provide us with a hunky, patient, and considerate tour guide (Hi Rene!!!) who will do things like get your ATV back on the track when you insist on driving into bushes.

4. It wasn’t me! Mostly. It was The Boy. Keep in mind that he’s only 14 and as never had the control of any motorized vehicle before. It was all very, very new to him. And he only lost control three times.

5. It’s possible to stand up and drive/ride at the same time. This is great for keeping the bounce down while riding over bumpy tracks, not so good for steering.

6. Sit down on curves!

7. If you do stand on a bumpy curve, don’t stop and think “Oh, a bush. I should turn” before actually turnings.

8. I only went off the track once. Still, it’s very embarrassing, especially after having been told you’re very good for a complete novice.

9. If you’re riding at the front of the line, you don’t REALLY need the goggles or bandit-rag they provide, but near the end of the line where all the dust that has been kicked up is still in the air they are invaluable. As to the helmets with brims, I’m always in favor of brims.

10. You don’t really need to see someone’s face to know who they are. Even if they are all on the same color ATV.

11. Riding on the flat is not like riding on dunes or hills. On dunes and hills it’s good to be able to shift. The gear shift on the ATVs we used was next to your left foot. Starting from neutral, you stop on the lever once for each of the four gears. First gear is great for going up steep hills, not so good for catching up with the people in front of you. Fourth gear is great for racing ahead when you aren’t supposed to, but awful for wallowing through sand.

12. If you stall out, or for any other insane reason actually turn the motor off before the end of the tour, do NOT keep stomping on the lever in an effort to get back to neutral so you can start again. If repeatedly turning the key and pressing the little black button don’t do anything, then keep pulling up the lever until you are sure you’re through all 4 gears and are in neutral again. This may involve getting off the ATV and using your hand because doing it with your foot is a pain.

13. To back up you put it in neutral, push the red button next to the left hand brake, squeeze the left hand break, then beg the tour guide to do it for you because that really should be enough, shouldn’t it? And yet it isn’t. Hey, I only had to back up that one time.

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