To the editor:
First off, I’d like to start by saying that the sport of ATVing is a privilege and not a right. So far this year, we as a club, have had our share of issues with landowners and land leasers. Between people driving through cornfields, wheat fields and potato fields, it has been a pretty busy summer for our directors and myself.
Most recently we have had someone driving an ATV through a corn field in Hodgdon that is farmed to feed corn for cows, which is the main source of income for the farmer and his family, not to mention those that he employs. The club has tried in the past to do everything that we can to keep our great and extensive trail system open through landowner relations, but when people do stuff like this it makes that job (and it is a job) very difficult at times.
Contributed Photo
DAMAGED FIELDS — This photo shows how a cornfield in Hodgdon was damaged when an ATV drove through it. The Aroostook Riders ATV Club has experienced an unusual amount of reports of fields damaged by ATVs this spring.
We have already had to close one trail due to this type of problem and I hope that there is something that we can do to make the landowner and leaser happy so this trail does not have to be closed. Even though the riding season is just starting, the ramifications of peoples’ actions follow year to year. If this trail is closed then there will be no connecting trail between Hodgdon and Houlton or other points in either direction. We, as a club, are trying to keep this trail system open so that we don’t end up riding our ATVs in circles around our yards.
In most states, you have to trailer your ATV to an approved ATV park if you want to ride, pay a daily fee or a yearly fee if that is the case, abide by all of their safety rules (speed, helmets, and such) and then trailer home. I don’t know about any of you, but that isn’t my idea of a fun day of ATVing.
If this type of activity continues to happen with our trails, I am afraid that it will either come to that or we will have to trailer our ATVs whenever we want to go for a ride.
Bob Kervin,
president
Aroostook Riders ATV Club
