ATV Trail Ride is Playground for Big Kids

Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

WINSLOW – Squeals of laughter, wide grins and lots of mud comprise my escape back to the reckless abandon of my youth, where the world is nothing but a carefree playground for fun. Except my playmates and I are on some serious toys, all-terrain vehicles plowing through mud puddles and creeks along the wooded trails of the Ozark National Forest near Devil's Den State Park in Winslow.

My first experience on an ATV is with Razorback Mudslingers, which is based out of Harrison and offers guided tours on rented ATVs in northwest Arkansas. On the day I choose to ride, owners May and Phillip Gwartney are taking one of the first families that booked a trip after the business started in January of 2002 for a second outing.

After being provided a helmet and goggles as well as a quick lesson on the mechanics of my machine, I fall in line behind Phillip and try to get a feel for the ride. At first, I find myself braking as soon as I feel the least bit out of control, which is every 30 seconds. I concentrate on steadily pressing the throttle instead of surging and slowing, surging and slowing. Second gear becomes my friend. In rough sections, I often hit large rocks, causing my thumb to slip off the gas and my handlebars to turn with a jolt before I can regain control. Finally, I realize locking my knees in helps me feel more secure. I begin to think of the green machine beneath me as a horse and relax, flowing with the bumps and hammering the throttle on the smooth parts. Well, maybe "hammering" is too strong of a word.

When in mud, I feel the back end of my ATV sliding underneath me. Laughing, I careen out of control. Suddenly aware of the trees on either side, I can't seem to let off the gas until I make a last ditch effort to turn before hitting something. I look around to see if anybody is watching my less-than-perfect driving skills and smile and shrug at those who are.

Charging the mud puddles on my ATV, I feel the same joy I saw on my 17-month-old's face when I let him stomp in a rain puddle for the first time just a week before. My pants and shoes are quickly saturated, and I eventually become so bold that I have specks of mud on my face and in my hair.

Steep grades make my heart pump faster, as does the first creek crossing, where I think I might float away. But the danger of rolling the ATV or getting stuck in the creek or mud must be amplified in my head. As a safety precaution, Phillip stops his ATV and helps each of us through the truly tricky spots.

Being part of a group is fun, even though I've just met the family. Each summer Donna and Russell Boyd of Fayetteville entertain their nieces and nephews. The couple chose to take them on an ATV tour "to get them out of the house and the normal things they do," according to Donna. "They were covered from head to toe [with mud] and they said it was better than Disney World."

Russell says he and his wife also like it because "we're big kids, too." It's an activity with no rules, other than those involving safety, Donna adds.

"Didn't I tell you not to get dirty today?" Donna says jokingly to the kids. They laugh and banter about who will be the muddiest by the end of the trip. A banana split is the winner's reward.

One of the creek crossings is wide and shallow. Going as fast as I can, I suddenly see May and Phillip passing me and spraying water everywhere. The family crosses back and forth, and I smile at the youngest girl's scream of delight.

We travel for a couple of hours before stopping for a break, where we eat snacks, take more pictures and compare muddiness. I realize my arms are beginning to feel fatigued, and after our break, I decide to ride at the back of the group.

Eventually, I overcome the fatigue, lock in my knees and get in the groove again. My favorite moment is a challenging mud puddle not far from the end of the trip. Watching those before me, I see the 30-yard-long puddle is deepest at mid-point. Entry is easy, but when I hit the deep mud my ATV begins to sink. Worse, my back left tire sinks at a faster rate. My eyes grow wide and I lean forward and to the right, feeling as though I'm about to take a swim. I can see Phillip ahead of me chuckling. He motions for me to stay heavy on the gas, smiling and nodding his head. There's a reason these machines are called all-terrain vehicles -- the wheels dig through the mud and carry me safely to the other side. Though I thought the water had crept up to my waist, I look at my pants and see it had only been knee-deep.

Back at home, I realize my shoulders, arms and hands will be sore the next day, but know it will serve to remind me of a fun-filled afternoon adventure.