Alaska ATV

A New Adventure

2012-01-20T16:15:00.001-09:00

The Author of this post is Darius Boone

After years of working in the corporate world, my wife and I decided that in order to live the life that we wanted to live; we could no longer be chained to our offices and desks. We wanted to travel the world before it was too late. It seems opposite of what you should do to work while you’re young and healthy and then just hope that you will be able to retire with enough good years left in you to be able to enjoy the work that you’ve done. Why do we do this? It seemed to my wife and I that we needed to switch up this mindset. So, we invested in a very fast internet connection from ClearWirelessInternet4g.com, and then started making changes! We began a virtual website in which people can order baked goods online. This meshes both of our passions- mine for business, and my wife’s for baking! We make our own hours, and can now manage our business from anywhere in the world- right now we’re sitting in a bakery in France!

Seat Reskinning in Aaska

2012-01-20T16:14:00.000-09:00

Unique Skinz, a Sew Unique product, can reskin your old worn out ATV or sled seats for you. Custom designs and custom embroidery welcomed, we also do airplane and boat seats. Unique Skinz uses only quality marine grade vinyl that will withstand Alaska's cold weather conditions, and strong high quality thread.

Bear maul your seat? No problem! Dogs chew up the padding? No problem! More Duct Tape than vinyl on the seat? No problem!

Find us on Facebook at Sew Unique on Facebook or visit our website at Sew Unique

Copper Basin 300 canceled at Meier's Lake due to cold and snow

2012-01-18T00:44:00.000-09:00

The Alaska Dispatch reported on the 15th that the Copper Basin 300 sled dog race was canceled following an emergency alert issued by the Copper Basin Race Committee. The race was officially canceled at Meier's Lake, which is a mere 75 miles into the 300 mile race.

It was a necessary call on the part of race officials to help keep mushers and dogs safe as temperatures dropped and snow accumulated. Snow machines sent ahead to break trail were sinking into deep drifts whenever they paused, and reports of temperatures in the rage of -50 F to -60 F were coming in.

Alaskans are tough, but there are times when even we need to take a step back and not press our luck against the harsh conditions that this great land can send our way. Dog mushing in Alaska is serious business, but I think anyone can agree that as well into the blood as racing is, it is not worth our dogs when conditions just get too harsh to keep pushing ahead.

My old battered knit cap is nodded respectfully to those who were a part of the 2012 Copper Basin 300, I know it had to be difficult to put that much work into the race only to walk away less than a third of the way through it.

To read the full details check out the article at Alaska Dispatch: Cold, snow and wind cancel Copper Basin 300 sled dog race.

New Job, New Hope

2011-12-25T20:02:00.002-09:00

Thanks to Lemuel Craft

The recession has really taken a toll on my family. My husband lost his job about a year ago so we’ve been struggling financially. We have already gone through all of our savings, and his unemployment benefits are about to run out. We have been really stressed about what is going to happen to us. Because of how bad things have gotten, he started looking for work outside of Pennsylvania. He recently got a job offer in New Jersey, and he has to take it. If he doesn’t I am scared that we will be left with nothing. Our plan is for the kids and I to stay here in Bryan Mills, and for him to get a small apartment in New Jersey while we get things organized for the family to move. I am worried about being here alone so we are going to check out home security system Bryan Mills and get a home alarm system so that I feel safer. I feel like that will at least provide a small comfort during a difficult time. Hopefully our home will sell quickly and we can start a new life after this last terrible year.

Holiday Well Wishes to All

2011-12-25T20:01:00.000-09:00

I hope that everyone out there in the ATV and off-road world had a very merry holiday season, and that there were some great ATV accessories under your tree or tucked into a stocking.

Enjoy the winter ahead, and dream of a warm summer when we can all get out and have fun on the trails.

Happy Holidays!

Get Your Old Seat ReSkinned

2011-11-20T09:05:00.002-09:00

Got an old seat on your sled or ATV that you need repaired? Stop by Unique Skinz in Wasilla for a quote. Or maybe get a truly custom skin for your seat.

Unique Skinz is a part of Sew Unique and is located at 911 S. Hermon Rd. Suite 200, in Hunter Plaza in Wasilla, right next to Lowes.

View Larger Map

Winter is here

2011-11-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

Now that the snow had fallen it is time to either get your ATVs ready to play in the snow, or to store them away until spring.

My little ATV is going to spend its time hauling firewood out of the forest to help keep the house warm this winter.

How about yours? Will you keep it out for the year, or stow it away in the garage or shed?

Love them all…

2011-10-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays
My huge family is a big part of my life and ever since I moved out here to Texas all by myself my guestroom hasn’t been empty once. My mom came out those first couple weeks to help me get moved in and deal with the adt san antonioguy and talk to the lender and I was really grateful. After that my brother Todd came for a week just to visit and then my friend Sandy and soon it’s going to be two of my cousins from Jersey. Don’t get me wrong, I love that they visit and I really appreciate that they go to so much expense and effort to do so but since I just moved in it really would be nice to have my own house and not have to worry about someone being a guest! I can’t tell them that, though, or they’d die of embarrassment so I guess I’ll have to just leave the revolving door open to them at least for the time being.

This has been a paid guest post. Alaska ATV does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered by this guest poster.

Falling rain and leaves

2011-10-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

The leaves have turned yellow and are spiraling down to the ground, and during these last few days when the weather is peaceable enough that I could be out on my ATV it is raining so that I really prefer not to be out riding about. It is very annoying and agrivating. Seems like I only got the chance to get out on the trails a few hours this year, otherwise the machine has been down or the weather has been poor. Maybe I will invest in a snow suit so I can do some winter riding this year. Have not decided on that yet.

Bystanders lift burning car off motorcyclist in Logan, Utah

2011-09-13T03:28:00.000-08:00

When a motorcyclist in Logan, Utah was dragged underneath of a car, bystanders moved in to the rescue. Lifting the burning vehicle off of the motorcyclist.

The motorcyclist had been riding his motorcycle down U.S. Highway 89 near the University of Utah Campus when the driver of the car pulled out of a parking lot across from the campus. The motorcyclist slid his bike onto its side, and both the bike and the rider slid underneath of the car.

Bystanders helped to lift the car enough that a man was able to pull the rider out from underneath of the car.

For more details visit:
Salt Lake Tribune
WCBD-TV 2

The 1951 Vincent Black Knight

2011-08-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

I was looking around the internet and spied an article over at Motorcycle-USA that caught my attention. Memorable Motorcycle: Vincent Black Knight. Okay, I don't know about you, but that name is enough to make me want to see more.

On first scan the Vincent Black Knight seems a little... rounded but boxy. The lines, however, are very sleek for a 1950's era motorcycle. The Vincent was a luxury motorcycle, that in 1951 would cost over a year's pay for the average worker.
The Vincent Black Knight sold in 1951 for $600, a cost that today would be a motorcycle costing approximately $38,000. Don't think you can walk down to the local Vincent dealer and pick one up though, because according to the article at Motorcycle-USA a recent auction at Bonhams' Auctioneers saw the article's featured Vincent Black Knight go for $59,000.

To find out more about the Vincent Black Knight, Vincent Motorcycles, and even about the ability to build a brand-new Vincent Shadow or Rapide, check out the article Memorable Motorcycle: Vincent Black Knight by Motorcycle-USA contributing editor Frank Melling at the Motorcycle-USA website.

The Miracle in Torchwood

2011-08-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Guest post written by Celia Rogers

I'm wondering about what we as viewers will be finding out is the cause of the miracle in this new season of Torchwood. I have a few guesses but I just feel like it's hardly even worth that trouble to guess at the villain that's behind this. When it comes to the universe of Doctor Who and Torchwood, you just never know who's behind the weird things and trouble in those shows. But I guess that alien stuff is supposed to be weird!

But that hasn't stopped me from looking at blogs and other things online that are people's guesses at what's really behind the miracle day. While I was looking online at that stuff one night, I ran across the website ClearTvBundle.com. I forwarded it to my roommates and after that we decided to change over our apartment's internet service to the provider.

This Torchwood Miracle Day season is really much better than I had expected, actually. I didn't have very high hopes since other people picked it up and are in charge of it.

This has been a paid guest post. Work at Home Newsletter does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered by this guest poster.

Too much rain to ride ATV

2011-08-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

I think that I either need to learn to love riding in the rain, or make a lot more of the few sunny days that have shown up this summer. I can remember my parents being unhappy with Alaskan summers because of all of the rain years ago, and now I am starting to see why. I have barely had a chance to get out and work in the yard, much less getting to hit the trails.

By the time I finish my work, the lovely sunny day outside has clouded over and rain is poring down. For the past few days it has just been cloudy skies and scattered rain. In fact, on Saturday we even had some lightning and a loud thunderclap. First I have seen this summer of those.

I guess I need to either learn to love riding in the rain, or hit the ATV trails before the days cloud over and do my work after I have my fun.

Protecting the natural habitat in Alaska

2011-07-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

Since I got my little ATV, I have read a lot of stuff about how ATVs can not go on this trail or that trail because they damage the beautiful Alaskan landscape. I kind of think the same thing applies to ATVs as applies to guns.

ATV's don't destroy natural terrain,
people destroy natural terrain.

While I agree that an ATV can be damaging, I am not arguing that, I also feel that the way the ATV is handled can lessen or increase the level of impact the ATV has on the terrain. If someone rides gently across a field it is far less damaging than someone that jockey's the ATV back and forth skidding the wheels through the soil and damaging plant life. There is also less impact noise wise between someone that rides at a putt-putt pace and someone that cranks the engine out until it screams. Do I need to cover the levels of roadside dust between someone that goes slow and someone that rides like a bat out of hell down the dusty trail beside the highway?

ATVs are only as harmful to the Alaskan environment as the person that is on the machine. Why do I bring this up, though? Because with as much as I have seen about ATVs not being allowed on some trails, you would think that the sinking of Navy ships in the Gulf would have been a bit more news worthy.

The Anchorage Daily News reported this morning that the Navy has been allotted two ships per year sunk in the Gulf of Alaska.

Read all about this at the Daily News website, Navy Gets OK to sink ships in Gulf of Alaska target practice and weigh in on your perspective on this.

I know that for me, it is so far a bit of an indecisive level. I know that sunken ships have created marine habitats where they were needed, but I also know that Alaska is the last place on the planet to have truly clean freshwater for salmon and other fishing products. Do we really need to be dropping two ships a year down into those pristine waters? I'm willing to listen to the reasons for doing so, but I can not help but think it would be a crime to intentionally sink ships to a seabed that has done quite well without our litter for so many millions of years.

ATVs in Wasilla

2011-07-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

I wrote a slightly rambling discussion on ATV use in Alaska after seeing someone on an ATV that had been stopped in Wasilla by the Wasilla police.

It makes me uneasy about just what the future for ATV freedoms to enter Wasilla city limits are. ATV riders need to make sure they are diligent in not only obeying the law, but knowing what the law is and making sure their children obey the law of ATV use in the city limits.

I really do not want to lose the ability to take my ATV to town to pay the bills on days I can not afford to put gas in my car to do it.

Bike parts

2011-06-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

No matter how nicely you treat your machine, the time is going to come when you need to buy parts for your ride. Brakes wear out, seats get damaged, and tires can only take so much abuse on the rocks of the trails before they start to wear down and need replacement.

Or maybe it is time to add some graphics or a nice windshield? Canada Post provides a wide range of dirt bike parts comparisons to help you find the things you need to keep your ride going. In just a few minutes of looking through the items on the site I found everything from basic replacement parts such as fuel filters and brakes, to customizations such as tank or fender graphics.

All of the links in that category I found went to "Motorcycle Superstore", however, other categories on the Canada Post site link to a wide range of stores, so it seems to be a lack of other parts providers that causes the appearance of a sole provider for the motorcycle parts.

This is a sponsored post

Artic Cat turns 50

2011-06-21T12:22:00.000-08:00

Just over a month remains before thousands of Arctic Cat fans are expected to converge on Thief River Falls, MN to help Arctic Cat celebrate it's 50th year.

In 1961, Edgar Hetteen founded Polar Manufacturing in Thief River Falls, MN. The name was changed in 1962 to Arctic Cat.

For more information on the 50th anniversary 2 day even in Thief Falls River, check out the official Arctic Cat 50th anniversary announcement on the Arctic Cat website.

Need new saddle bags

2011-06-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

The zippers on the saddle bags for my ATV have been pretty much destroyed by the elements. They won't unzip or zip fully closed. I need to get some good canvas and make a new set, this time custom made to fit my little Honda rather than a pre-made store set of tank bags that were meant for a machine twice the size of my little Honda ATV.

I'm thinking I will stop in at the fabric store and get some cotton canvas that I can put through the embroidery machine and do some custom designs on, then sew them together into a set of specialized tank bags that include pockets that my Mag Light will actually fit into and a place for my camera and other essentials along the trails.

Time to check the brakes on the toys

2011-06-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

I think it might be time for me to get all of my toys out and give each of them some maintenance, in particular the brakes. It seems to be an epidemic with my vehicles right now that the brake pads are all being worn down and in need of replacement.

The back brakes on my poor little ATV have apparently been worn out, I try to hit the brake, but it barely has any effect to slow the machine, but thankfully the hand brake for the front brakes still works great.

Then there is my little convertible, and it's mouse in the brake system that goes "squeeeaak" sometimes when I try to coax it toward that hard piece of metal. I'm not hearing the squeak often, but it is making little worn brakes squeaks from time to time when I am going slow and stopping for red lights in the city. Reading the information at this Brake Pads Replacement page and you can pretty much see that it is what my little car is up to right down the line.

I'm still annoyed that there are issues with the Cadillac's brakes after I paid around $800 to get everything about the brake system fixed. Walked out the day I picked it up and pointed out to the mechanic there was something dripping under the car, he said was just where they had spilled fluid filling it. Eh, no, turned out that it was a bad seal in the master cylinder, which I had thought they had fixed. Nope, they would replace it for me for another $260+ parts. I'll do that work myself, thank you very much. Or at the very least check a site like Repair Pal to get estimates for what it costs to repair the master cylinder properly.

This is a sponsored post.

Summertime in Alaska, I'm back on the ATV finally

2011-06-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

Got out on the ATV again today, goes far too long between chances to get out and go for a ride. I rode down to my nephew's shop to visit with my sister for a bit - nice ride for my birthday, will hang out with her for a while today, then pretty much stroll the ATV back home with no particular time to have to be there. Well... I'm sure the dogs will want their dinner, but other than getting home in time to feed them later, I'm not going to be in much of a hurry getting back home. I just want to ride my ATV around and maybe do some exploring on a few trails I hadn't followed yet.

Flying a Trike over Knik Arm

2011-06-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's not an ATV, but it sure does look like fun... at least if you don't have a fear of heights or of flying.

This is a video of a Flex Wing pilot flying around over the Kink Arm here in Alaska.

I found the video and an article on the pilot at Alaska Dispatch: Video: Trike flying over Knik Arm

Check out the video below, and then read the article at Alaska Dispatch via the link above.

Dune Buggy Down

2011-06-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

I hopped into my brother's dune buggy yesterday to go for a spin around the trails with him, unfortunately we only made it a brief distance from the house before one of the back tires started making funny sounds. Upon inspection it was determined that the buggy had incurred damage earlier in the day when him and his son had taken it out and went fast through a creek crossing - hitting a rock hard with that tire.

Poor buggy is now back at the garage waiting for him to get the time to repair the wheel, which is not too major of a repair, but still was annoying that our ride was cut short. We'll get back out and hit the trail again as soon as he gets the time to fix things.

Hot Wheels soars 332 Feet!

2011-06-01T03:28:00.001-08:00

Hot Wheels driver sets new world record for distance jump with a 332 foot flight.

Finally got out on the trails!

2011-05-17T22:15:00.000-08:00

Finally - FINALLY, got my ATV out and went for a ride yesterday. Nothing fancy, just a fast run down to the local UPS store and back home, but it was so nice to get out on the trails. It is amazing just how much better a person can feel after they manage to hit the trail for a little while, and I can't wait until the next chance to get out and ride.

ATVs replace horses for Montana cattle rancher

2011-05-10T22:31:00.002-08:00

The Highwaymen have a song called "The Last Cowboy Song". See the video below if you've never heard it, it's hard to be a old horse rider and not feel a bit of a tear well up as you listen to these four country legends sing it.

What has me thinking about The Last Cowboy Song is an article about ATVs on the Channel 9 KXLH News website out of Helena, Montana. They talk about how 84 year old rancher John Rumney has switched over to ATVs for the bulk of the work that used to be done using horses.

As the Highwaymen say, another piece of America's gone if the cattle ranchers are starting to mend fences and herd the cattle with ATVs rather than horses.

Alaska ATV is back up and getting ready for Summer 2011

2011-05-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a long while, but I have got this site back starting up and hope to have a lot of good things in store for ATV enthusiasts in Alaska over the next few months.

I hope to get out and ride my own ATV some soon, and if I can get out on the trails I will be sure to take pictures and video to share with everyone.

In the mean time, feel free to share your own summertime fun, wherever you are, and let us know where we can see your local trails and adventures!

Temporary Blog Closure

2010-06-11T10:17:00.001-08:00

I am needing to focus my time on other things, so, since I have not even been able to get out and ride the ATV more than once this summer, I have decided that I am going to take a break from this blog. I will get back to it when life has slowed enough that I can dedicate the time it deserves to this blog.

I want to go play too

2010-05-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

I've been noticing more and more ATVs out there playing each time I go to town, makes me want more and more to get my ATV out and go play too. I did get it out a little this spring... rode down drive, across to second drive, then back to the house. Chasing loose dogs. I wanted so bad to just keep on riding.

Getting ready for summer riding

2010-04-13T00:07:00.004-08:00

Barely any snow outside, and lots of mud. I would really like to get out there this week and ride my ATV. Might take it to check mail in a few days. Tomorrow I will go out and work on it some, get it ready for the summer, maybe install the winch mom had got me and the gun rack I got for it. I also want to get to work on the boxes that I want to build for it. Been planning those for a long time now, but I have the perfect wood now, and some wood sealer left over, so be a great time to actually get to work on it.

Snow melting fast

2010-03-29T16:26:00.003-08:00

I see dirt outside. Think it is finally time to start prepping the ATV for the summertime riding season.

Is it summer yet?

2010-03-08T13:26:00.000-09:00

The snow is melting off some, but I know it is still a couple of months before I will be able to get out there and ride my ATV again. I can't hardly wait, I want to go for a ride and enjoy the summer from the back of my ATV.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T23:25:00.001-09:00

Happy New Year to all my fellow ATV and offroading addicts. I'm already getting amped up for getting out and having fun during the summer of 2010.

Diehard ATV riders

2009-11-09T20:27:00.001-09:00

Okay, I thought I was a diehard lover of getting out on the ATV whenever I could with my using it as my transportation to the store when possible, but a couple days ago my dad and I were driving along and there were people out riding their ATVs along the side of the road in 30 degree F weather. Mind you, if I had a good warm snowsuit I would love to do that too, but it was still a bit surprising to see people out riding ATVs so late in the year.

Repair Pal

2009-10-04T19:11:00.002-08:00

RepairPal can help you find out more about Seattle auto repair including tune up and oil change for your car or truck.

They offer unbiased repair estimates by independent repairmen, as well as user ratings and reviews: check out the page for the 2005 Acura TL for an example of their reviews, which include star rating system and reviews by people that have had experience with the cars.

Also be sure to check out the MyCar section, where you can manage your car's repairs and maintenance online in a secure and safe record keeping location provided free to use by RepairPal. The MyCar section provides service reminders and safety recall alerts and lets you create separate pages for each car you own. The only drawback I have found - it starts at 1990, so does not help me with our older model Cadillac cars.

Winter nears, ATV put away

2009-10-04T19:08:00.002-08:00

Winter is closing in and the ATV is getting put away until spring. I will miss being able to ride the lovely little ATV, but it is too cold in the winter time to go cruising to the store on the ATV. So, I have started getting it ready for winter storage and will have it put away and delegated to occasional road plowing, but not for use in store runs or anything like that until at least next spring.

Time to store ATV

2009-09-15T06:31:00.002-08:00

It is that time of year... time to get my poor little ATV all bundled up and tucked away into the shed for the winter. I really don't want to do it, but the thing is not exactly warm to ride in the colder fall and winter months. Wish I could take it to the store and stuff still, but I'd definately freeze doing that. so... time to tuck it in for a long winter's nap.

ATVing in Alaska - need to look up the rules

2009-07-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

I rode my ATV out to Wal-Mart night before last to grab some things, not enough to warrant taking a car, but the low cost of gas in the ATV made it a good evening ride to take.

As I was getting ready to leave the store a couple and their kids paused to talk to me, wanting to find out more about my riding the ATV to the store. Apparently they have a couple of ATVs, but like most people they don't consider them transportation and only used them for fishing and hunting. They said that they had no idea what the rules were about riding ATVs around in Alaska, particularly to the store or something.

That encounter got me to thinking about just that thing, so I am going to start doing some more in-depth looking into it and get some official stuff posted here and at AlaskaATV.info for everyone. I'm fairly sure what the laws are, but want to have fully official information rather than just share my "this is what I've experienced" info with folks.

Near Collision

2009-07-16T01:05:00.002-08:00

Driving over to the DMV this afternoon to get the Caddie re-registered for my dad, me and him were almost to the DMV when a big red pickup came out of a side road almost directly in front of us and then, the moron, slowed down! He was not far enough ahead to turn out in front of us to begin with and I had to hit the brakes, then the dipshit hits his brakes right in front of me. I'm trying to get that big old Caddie to stop and checking the rear view mirror expecting to be rear ended, but all I can see behind me is the smoke of my own tires trying to stop me like the burn-off at a drag race. Attention back on the idiot ahead of me, who's still braking as if he's fishing for the Cad to rear end him, and I am looking at the ditch thinking "I could floor it and head out there...." Just then the Cad responds to my efforts and stops. About one and a half lengths of it from where I had started silently telling it "STOP STOP STOP!!!!!"

Neither me or my dad thought to check the license plate number of the truck, but I sure wish we had got it. Big old russet red one, pulled out of a side road about half a block out on the State Fairgrounds side of the DMV in Palmer. I still don't know how we avoided hitting the sucker, but I'm really glad we missed him.

Sitting here now I'm looking around the Collision Repair Experts website and the little video gal walks out in response to my search query and apologizes that there are no matches to my zip (no matter what Alaskan zip I have so far tried). I tried entering "Alaska" in their search, without a city prefex, and got a suggestion of "ALAKANUK,AK" LOL! I find it highly amusing that out of all the cities in Alaska, they would suggest Alakanuk, which is way out in the middle of nowhere. And even better, "Alakanuk" is, I've been told, a Yup'ik word meaning "wrong way". There weren't any collision repair places there though. Guess it was the wrong way.

Collision Repair Experts is a website dedicated to creating a network of collision repair experts from auto body shops all across the States. So say someone needs a bodyshop in california (rather than Alaska, which does not seem to have anything listed yet), you just go to the website and enter your zip, or the City, State you want to search - say "Los Angeles, CA", and you get a listing of suggested shops in the area.

The shop listing includes information on how to get to the shop, complete with map, distance from the city you searched for, ratings, reviews, and a deal for helping you in making an appointment with the shop.

Other than not having any repair shops in Alaska currently listed, the site looks like a great place for locating collision repair experts, I'm just glad that I didn't have to locate one myself after this afternoon.

The 2010 Honda ATV's Are Coming!

2009-07-15T20:40:00.003-08:00

American Honda has announced the 2010 ATV and MUV! Check out the article in ATV Rider Magazine on the new 2010 Honda ATVs and MUV products.

The one I have on my "ohhhh I waaaaaant!" list is the Big Red. Be able to seat my dad beside me, the dogs in the back cargo area, and go cruising the ATV trails together checking out the lovely backwoods of Alaska. But... I'm thinking I probably won't be able to get one of them, since the manufacturers suggested retail is over $11,500.

Rain damages Maine ATV trails / ATV Christmas in July Toy Run

2009-07-14T23:19:00.003-08:00

I was looking at an article on a Maine TV news website about rains eroding the ATV trails in Maine, and there was a small bit at the end about the local club, Roxbury ATV Riders, having an ATV Christmas in July Toy Run. This seemed much more interesting to me, since I do not live in Maine, so I went looking a bit.

More information on the trail damages, and the upcoming (July 18th) ATV Christmas in July Toy Run, can be found in an article Rains wreak havoc with ATV trails on the Sun Journal website.

Adventures in ATVing

2009-06-24T13:30:00.003-08:00

I got to go on a nice long ATV ride on the 16th, my birthday. Rode out to the DMV over in Palmer to renew my driver's license. It was not easy to sort out getting from Wasilla to Palmer on an ATV, at least not when following the Parks Hwy. The overpass out at the Palmer cutoff was the stumbling point, although there was this one hill just before Wal-Mart...

I was cruising along following the ATV trail when suddenly the little ATV realized it was no longer on a reasonably angled slope. I ended up shutting it down as I pondered what to do. I was committed, could not back up, could only go on down the hill, but the trail had been cut in a set of grooves and trying to let the bike go either way caused a worse tilting in the angle it was at (already had rear uphill facing tire hovering a few inches off the ground). So, I finally ended up kicking down to neutral and sitting back on the cargo rack and over to the left all the way, as far in the uphill direction as I could get. One foot balancing me, the other braced down on the foot peg. One hand holding in the front brake on the left handlebar (could not reach the right handlebar. Even with brakes full on the bike wanted to creep down the hill when I put it in neutral, so there I am, hanging off the side of the bike keeping it from rolling, and braced to leap back if it did, creeping it to where it would roll safely down the hill.

Took about five feet before it began to level out, then I got more firmly onto the bike and let it finish going down the hill using both the hand and foot brakes (much easier to control). When I finally reached the bottom and got it stopped it would not start. ARRRGH!!!!

It only took me a few minutes before I realize in the weird acrobatics I had done to keep it from rolling I had accidentally flicked the ignition kill switch. Flicked that back into the start position and ATV fired right up.

Other than that, and a few "not this way..." back-up and try again entanglements I made it to Palmer without much trouble and got my license renewed.

Not much more than a bit of time to ride

2009-05-23T16:50:00.003-08:00

I got out on the ATV a couple of times this past week without getting the chance to post about it here, life just seemed to get rather chaotic at the time I was trying to get the posts up, but the important thing - for me - is that I managed to get out and ride. Did not get much free time other than to ride, but I did get the chance to get out there and ride.

I've taken the ATV both up to Houston and down into Wasilla over the past week, both very nice and fun rides. The trucks had done a lot of tearing up on the trails, leaving some nasty spots where there were ditches left by truck tires half as deep as my ATV, but easily avoided for the most part.

Got my ATV insured

2009-05-04T23:59:00.000-08:00

I called up Geico a couple of days ago was told that my ATV insurance would cost me $275 a year for full insurance that includes theft insurance. I decided that I needed to look over my finances and determine if I can afford it, but had forgot to ask her if I had to have all the stuff, since my main concern is theft protection.

Went back online and checked into it - I didn't need all the stuff she had on there. It whittled down to only about $100 a year. Talking to the guy today I got everything i wanted for $23 to get started and $17 a month for the next 8 months. That's not bad at all in my opinion, and I've got a good percent of that already in my advertising payments account. Rest will be there next week, so I already have a full year's insurance on my ATV from my advertising work. And the piece of mind I get having that is well worth it to me.

Springtime ride & trail report Big Lake Rd

2009-04-20T14:27:00.002-08:00

I just got back from riding my ATV up to the store and back. The trails look fairly good, few very deep puddles, particularly up just before Big Lake where the trail splits off to head up the hill behind Big Lake and goes on ahead toward Fisher's Y.

I did not try the lake in the trail at that point, I did do some exploratory creeping into the water but then decided it was just too deep to risk when I knew it got deeper over where the trails all converge and I was only halfway there at the point I backed out of the water.

Since I was backing up anyway, I went back to the gravel pit across from the post office and dug out the camera, videotaping the trail about halfway back to the Parks Highway, stopping when I hit a section where trucks had torn up the trail at some deep puddles and I needed to put the camera away so I could use both hands on the handlebars. I will try to get that video uploaded to YouTube when I get the time and share it over at AlaskaATV.info I'll post a link here when I get that done.

Cold ride, trail report, and early morning discoveries

2009-04-16T13:55:00.002-08:00

Yes, that was me on the Wyvern that you saw out cruising down the trails around nine in the morning yesterday. I had to meet up with someone, so took my ATV out for a run. it was very nice to be able to get out and ride, but I will be making sure that the next time I do that I have better leggings on. My legs got really cold since all I have to wear is a pair of jeans and a thin cotton long-john type PJs deal.

Still, I can't complain too much about getting out to ride some. Was a really good ride even with the cold. I also found that the bike path is getting to be fairly clear. There is still some snow in places, and there was one point where there was a really deep puddle, but won't be long before the bicycles can be broke out and taken for rides. I think I'd wait a bit longer on the roller blades, since there is still a lot of gravel all over the paved trails.

I also found something along the bike trail that goes along the Parks Hwy - if anyone can identify what it was I found then I'll take that as proof they were the ones that lost it and will get it back to you. I will say that it's not worth a lot, not a diamond ring or a suitcase full of money - drat it.

Can't go riding today

2009-04-07T14:29:00.003-08:00

As much as I want to get out and ride today, and oh is it a lovely day for riding the ATV, I'm afraid that I am going to need to stay home. I don't want to send my dad down to my sister's place, since he got too tired out being down there last night (until after 1 in the morning), and after a night of sleeping good he's spent all day asleep so far as well. He's sleeping good, but definitely too tired out to be going back down to the garage and hanging out again today. Might not make me popular, but I'm going to keep him home today and I am going to work rather than go riding on the ATV.

Finally got the ATV out and about this year

2009-04-06T18:15:00.004-08:00

I got my ATV out on the trail today. It was good to get out and ride after all winter trapped indoors. I strongly suggest that if you have a machine you stop reading this and get out and ride! I took a few pictures, but won't get them loaded onto the computer until later, so I'll share them later on tonight. For now I'll just say that the trails are lovely and clear from the bit of riding I did earlier and it is time to get out there and enjoy the ATV weather while we have it.

Search resumed for missing snowmachiner

2009-04-03T16:21:00.002-08:00

Alaska State Troopers resumed their search for the body of a snowmachiner who went missing last Saturday when he was trapped in an avalanche near the confluences of Divide and Center creeks east of the Johnson Pass Trail.

Troopers advise that the search would potentially continue through today and request that people please avoid the area while the search is underway. Sufficient searchers are already on hand, the Troopers report no need for additional volunteers.

A statement issued by the Troopers stresses: "It is imperative that no one is in or near the area during the recovery efforts. The area is still exhibiting a high avalanche potential, especially in the aftermath of additional snow and higher temperatures added to the steep terrain."

My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the missing snowmachiner.

ATVs and Dogs

2009-03-30T11:53:00.002-08:00

I got to ride my ATV yesterday... had to chase two moron dogs around the block. Let them off the chains to bring them back into the house, they immediately made a run for the end of the driveway. Bear and Shy came racing back when I called them, good puppies, but Lucky and BeBe ignored me (not surprising since they're actually my nephew's dogs, not mine). They went tumbling down the street and I had to run after them. Realizing they were not going to come back when called, I dashed back home and got the ATV and a chain. No gloves, so hands got *COLD* and it was all for nothing.

I ran down the road to where they had last been seen, followed the prints in snow down side road, lost them when they went into woods where the ATV would not fit. Okay, it was at least pointed back toward house so I went around again and there was moron in the driveway, his sister was out back tearing up some trash she had found. Sometimes I think it's a shame you can't spank a dog and tell them not to do something again, but that never gets anything but a cowardly animal, so I'm moving to stage two. They get on leash between here and their tieout until they learn to behave as nicely as Bear and Shy do.

At least I got to ride the ATV though, which made me very happy all things considered.

Stanley Bostitch Pneumatic tools

2009-03-27T16:41:00.002-08:00

I suppose I am lucky to have grown up with parents that had no fear diving straight into the task of building their own home when needed. I have helped in the building of several homes over the years, as well as a good number of sheds and other building projects.

I've found that many people look at power tools in an uneasy manner, but I look at power tools and think how cool they are. The range of Pneumatic tools from Stanley Bostitch only emphasizes this. From a wide range of Nailers to staplers, box closers, specialty Pneumatic tools... if you have a spring construction or remolding project, then chances are there is a Stanley Bostitch Pneumatic tool that can help you get the job done.

Not just for construction, Stanley Bostitch also has tools for industrial and home improvement use. Stop by the website above, www.bostitch.co.uk, and explore all of the various Stanley Bostitch Pneumatic tools they have to offer.

Lots of things to get done around here this summer

2009-03-27T16:35:00.002-08:00

As I sit here watching the snow melt off the work shop out in the yard, I think of all the work that needs to be done around the place this summer. There was a lot of things that got neglected the past few years, weather or taking care of family getting in the way of taking care of things around here. That needs to change this year, so I'm making a list of things I want to get done, and what I need to get them things done.

Eager to get out there and ride the ATV again

2009-03-27T16:32:00.003-08:00

I came very close to riding the ATV up to check the mail today, but decided that without a snowsuit it is just too cold to take off riding around even in the spring time. The temperature outside right now is 37 degrees F and dropping, but it is still warm enough that the snow is melting off the roof of the workshop for what I think is the first time this year. Not much longer, then I will be able to ride my ATV all over the place once again - and oh gawd I can not wait for that.

"Hey, bub, wanna buy your own snowmachine?"

2009-03-25T13:34:00.002-08:00

Okay, so maybe that's not how it went exactly, but I really did have to wonder how the conversation went when I read the Daily News this morning and reached the small article on page A-4, where the Alaska Digest section reported on a Sterling lad that allegedly tried to sell a man's stolen snow machine back to the owner.

The blurb was not exactly detailed, at least not detailed enough for me, so I went looking for more information. I found the report of the theft buried in the Trooper Dispatches for March 22, 2009.

According to the report, the 2003 Polaris Pro-X 700, with an estimated value of around $4,000, was hotwired sometime during the night of March 17 or early morning of the 18th while it was in the owner's yard at his residence near Sterling.

Additional digging through the dispatches uncovered some details of the arrest that the Daily News had failed to note. Such as the detail that the kid who was arrested on Monday under charges that he tried to sell the snow machine, valued at $4,000, back to the owner was asking for $100.

No, that's not missing a zero, not unless the Trooper's lost one too. The kid was asking the owner for a hundred bucks. ::shaking head::

Motorcycle Community: Cruisers

2009-03-07T14:07:00.003-09:00

I'm sure that I am not the only one that slows down to take a nice admiring look at those pretty cruisers that we all see in the summer. The sleek motorcycles with the raked out springer front end. Paint that catches the eye with stylish designs and artwork that ranges from flames to eagles and everywhere in between.

I may not be the kind to hop on a cruiser for the weekend, preferring to explore the back trails on my nice muddy ATV, but that does not mean I don't admire the cruisers and daydream of riding a sleek Harley down the Alcan Highway.

For those of you who do have sleek cruisers waiting for spring, the motorcycle community at Cruiser Customizing offers a place where you can connect with other motorcycle riders who share your passion, upload unlimited videos and pictures, share your stories with a like-minded community and lots more.

Membership is free, so check out the Cruiser Customizing community while you wait for the snow to melt.

Su Valley Winter Trail: Big Lake to Denali National Park

2009-03-07T12:50:00.004-09:00

I'm sorry for the delay in getting this up, yesterday was a hectic and overly long day of sitting in the optometrist's office waiting for them to see my dad to try and get him some new glasses. By the time I stopped by Wal Mart and got home I did not even want to look at the computer, much less do research on it. I got my work done and went to bed.

But! I really want to look more into this Big Lake to Denali National Park snowmachine trail, so let's see what they have going there.

..... okay.... after much research I have come to a conclusion. Even the snowmachine websites are hush hush on this one. Or do not yet know about it. Hmmm...

Okay, not even the DNR website has anything on this trail yet, ::snickering:: So, back to the Frontiersman and Daily News Websites for more information on the Su Valley Winter Trail... okay, make that to the Frontiersman, since ADN only links to the article in the Frontiersman.

I'm nothing if not persistent. - aka: GOT IT!!!

Here we go folks, the origin of the information for the Susitna Corridor Trail Project can be found at the WACO AK website... look under "trail news". Unfortunately they tell you to "Check the State Parks web site for maps and information." Great advice, but in an hour of looking I am still missing this information, so...

Maybe I didn't get it. While the name keeps changing based on where I look, and there seems to be virtually no information out there on this trail, here is what I can compile...

Su Valley Winter Trail
AKA: Susitna Corridor Trail Project

Length: 120 miles
Location: Susitna Valley
Connecting: Big Lake to Denali National Park
Trail heads:
Big Lake North Shore Recreational Area
Mile 131 Parks Highway Parking Lot
Condition: Groomed, signed, mapped and marked trail
Open to: Snowmachines
Trail Open: March 14th (see below)
Trail map: Trail Map (I will work on a map for Google maps when I have more time, for now this one is only one I can find.)

The official opening for the Su Valley Winter Trail will be March 14th. Riders will gather at the trail heads in both Big Lake and at mile 131, for a 10 a.m. departure for the grand opening dedication ceremony. The dedication is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. at Ron's Riverboat Lodge at the Susitna Landing.

Big Lake's Chamber of Commerce Secretary Dee Loesche told the Frontiersman that Gov. Sarah Palin is scheduled to be there to cut the ribbon, otherwise there is not much known about possible events that might be scheduled. Although it sounds like there will be vendor demonstrations and maybe maps to be passed out.

The trail has been made possible by funds given, as grants, to the area snowmachine groups and snow machine registration fees that go toward such projects.

Want to help dedicate the trail? Those interested in joining the fun are welcome, according to Loesche, to join in at any of the many access points along the trail.

I will not be on hand, however, I will hopefully be able to send a few spie... err... emmassaries that will let me know what they think of the trail. We'll see how the people with the snowmachines feel about taking a trip, and maybe a camera or two. Those of you that can participate, have fun and ride safe.

Big Lake to Denali snow machine trail

2009-03-06T13:55:00.002-09:00

The Big Lake to Denali National Park snow machine trail is set to be dedicated March 14th in a ride along that will start at each end of the 125-mile trail and meet up at the Ron's Riverboat Lodge at 2 p.m. for the official dedication.

I'm running late getting to a appointment right now, so will research this more in depth later tonight and post full details complete with a map of the proposed route so that anyone wishing to ride along for the trail dedication will know where they need to go. So check back this evening for more details.

Lovely day to go snowmachine riding

2009-02-21T15:20:00.001-09:00

Which is why I am at home writing on the computer. It’s not that I do not want to be out there riding through the snow on a snowmachine, but when my brother and our nephews all took off up into the mountains to play on the snowmachines with their kids while their wives went off shopping or just lounging about in their houses, I got the nephew that can’t go snowmachine riding. So here I am, at home with dad, babysitting my nephew, and thinking about getting to ride my ATV next summer.

Breaking in Your New ATV

2009-02-05T19:51:00.002-09:00

ATV Connection has an article on How to Break in Your ATV that discusses when and why you should change the oil, when to lubricate your new ride and how and why you need to check the chain.

ATV out playing without me again

2009-01-27T09:56:00.000-09:00

Once again my ATV has been getting up and going places without me on it. I can see that I am going to have to initiate a hard and fast rule this summer that the ATV is off limits and no one can ride it unless they specifically ask my permission before they go anywhere near it. My trouble is that I am a softie and an easy pushover, always have been, but I am going to need to put my foot down on this. If I ride it the thing will last me for many many years, those other people seem to go through ATVs at a rate of 1 to 4 a summer.

Sincerest apologies to my readers

2008-12-02T07:34:00.004-09:00

I apologize for the past post on used Land Rover parts, which has now been removed from this blog. The post had been a sponsored post, which meant it was money that could have gone toward my efforts to save my parents' house from being lost to a bank, however, the sponsor chose to end their sponsorship without paying me - after having had their information on my blog for a full day.

I have removed their post and would like to apologize to my readership. It is not my normal practice to accept sponsorship from companies that would take advantage of their customers or those they have partnered with for advertising / sponsorship. I make an effort to screen advertising and sponsors on my blogs to the best of my capability, but occasionally there will be those advertisers or sponsors who appear to be perfect only to discover too late that they only appeared that way.

Sincerest apologies to you, dear reader, for my messing up and I will work to avoid such misplaced faith in sponsors in the future.

ATV getting work done without me

2008-12-01T16:16:00.002-09:00

My ATV was out and running, but not with me on it. My brother borrowed it to haul my nephew's snow machine out of the area where it had been put in the summer and pulled it over to the garage so they can get it going.

They also hauled the yard tractor out and over to the garage to get it going so it can be used to plow the driveway, which was plowed last night by my nephews. They came up about an hour before the snow stopped falling and plowed the main drive, I haven't checked yet to see if they plowed the second drive or not. Too cold to go traipsing out there and look down that drive to see.

Winter is here - I can hear the roar of snowmachines

2008-11-25T14:41:00.003-09:00

I heard a loud noise outside yesterday and for a moment thought that maybe we had company showing up. Looked out and there was my brother and nephews out there getting the snowmachine fired up at last. I had not been too sure the thing was still working, but apparently it is. Now if only they can get the other two or three tucked away in the yard fired up and going as well.

They're not the only ones with such thoughts. I was still listening to someone out on snowmachines on the back roads near me at four in the morning last night. Sounded like some industrious beaver had found a chain saw left in the woods by woodcutters and was determined to get that creek dammed up by morning.

I'm not much of a snow bunny myself. Stepped out on the porch at -60 F years back and did not know it was that cold. Trust me, never go from 70 F to -60 F in one breath. ::wince:: I can't even step out at temperatures in the 20's now without going into a coughing fit.

4x4 = Jeep

2008-11-21T15:51:00.004-09:00

When someone says "4x4", chances are that, if you are like me, then the first thing you will think is "Jeep". The old Army style Jeep is *The Jeep* in my humble opinion. Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted a Jeep, not one of those fancy new 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee types of Jeep, I mean I have wanted a real honest to goodness Army style Jeep.

We even had a real Army Jeep, but after my dad had his stroke we never really got much use out of the old Jeep and my mom finally very reluctantly sold it because we needed the money to pay bills. I'd love to get another one, but have actually been thinking that leasing a newer vehicle would be the better option.

My sister has a Jeep Grand Cherokee and while it is not the 2008 model, it is still a very nice vehicle. That one is, in fact, the one that got me to thinking about getting a Grand Cherokee as an alternative to an old Army Jeep style Jeep.

Hauling Firewood by ATV

2008-11-21T06:12:00.002-09:00

I have got a Franklin fireplace installed in the house, so now I can heat the place with a fire, however, I can't sleep when that fire is going because I am exceptionally paranoid about such things. I do love fireplaces, though, and will be taking my ATV out to get firewood out of the woods - provided the little thing is not totally annoyed with me for abandoning it to the snow. It may not start until spring.

Poor snow-trapped ATV

2008-11-20T05:23:00.002-09:00

I went outside today to get the grate for the fireplace I am installing (wrong size grate, but that's a different post on a different blog), anyhow, I passed my poor little ATV as I was on my way back to the garden area. Poor thing looks so lonely and pitiful out there with the layer of icy snow encrusting it. I just wanted to sweep it all off and take the poor thing for a ride. ::pouts::

Can I go mud bogging yet?

2008-11-13T16:29:00.002-09:00

I was laying in bed last night thinking and I got to thinking about how I did not get in nearly as much ATV riding this summer as I had wanted to. I had plans to ride up Hatcher Pass and to ride up the trail along the Parks Highway until I got to that one point where you have the most perfect of views of Denali anywhere in the State. (in my humble opinion at least). I never got the chance to do any of that, though, and I certainly am not going out in the cold and ride, so my ATV is now parked until next summer. I miss the little thing and want to get through winter and back on my ATV.

I need a snowsuit

2008-10-10T14:59:00.002-08:00

I need to justify getting me a snow suit. I don't really spend enough time outside in the winter to justify one, but if I had one then I could ride my ATV more in the winter. Trouble is, there are so many other things that I have to spend money on (such as saving my parents' house and fixing the heater in it) - I just can't justify a snowsuit at the moment. Ah well, I am trying to lose weight anyway, I should promise myself I'll get one when I hit 135 lbs. Get a snug fitting one them, and when I am at 115 lbs it should still fit me.

Autumn in Alaska - no desire to go riding

2008-10-03T16:10:00.002-08:00

It is autumn in Alaska, a time when things are at their most beautiful for riding on an ATV, and yet I have no desire to go out riding on my ATV. On the 14th of last month my mom died, and I am still in a state of shock about it. She had a massive heart attack, the first heart attack she had that was recognizable as being a heart attack, and it was... it was very massive. By the time she was airlifted from the local hospital to Providence in Anchorage it was too late.

I've been keeping a site titled Letters to Mom that lets me write letters out to the vastness of the Internet on things I would have normally talked to her about, but now can not. Things such as how much I miss her and how hard it is to face going on without her - particularly with the painful realization that I will one day loose her and dad's house.

Weather not cooperating

2008-08-21T18:29:00.002-08:00

I'm starting to get very tired of rain. It seems like there has been one rainstorm after another all this summer, and now here we are getting ready to go into Autumn and the rain is still out there. Earlier I was chased off-line by a thunderstorm. I haven't got much of a chance to go out riding on my ATV this year, and when I have had weather that was nice for going for a ride I usually had to work instead of being able to go riding. Very frustrating.

Hearing on Augtust 20th to decide if ATVs can drive into Greenville, ME

2008-08-13T13:30:00.003-08:00

An ATV club in Greenville, Maine, has been working with town officials and their local police to find a way to provide downtown access to ATV riders. Set for a hearing on August 20th, the plan would allow for ATV use of a paved shoulder leading into the town. While the idea may sound problematic, the town manager of Greenville says that the idea has the support of local businesses.

ATV provision in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008

2008-08-07T17:49:00.001-08:00

Congress passed a bill that will require all companies that import ATVs into the United States to comply the same vehicle safety standards that established ATV manufacturers have adhered to for years. This bill will also require them to meet the same safety initiatives, including training, as those established manufacturers.

The mandatory safety standard for ATVs is a part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (H.R. 4040), and passed the House of Representatives on July 30, 2008. The Coalition for Safe and Responsible ATV Use thanked the House and Senate members who helped assure that the provision was a part of the final bill.

In recent years there have been a growing number of non-traditional ATV companies entering the market, while refusing to comply with the self-imposed regulations of safety concern and education for ATV owners. What is truly concerning is the target market of these companies being riders under the age of 16. Sales of non-compliant ATVs are estimated to be approximately one third of new ATV sales in the United States.

The ATV provision in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 will assure that all ATVs sold in the United States, imported and domestic, adhere to the safety standards and provide training programs to help assure the safety of new ATV riders.

The bill was cleared for the White House and on its way to the President after the Senate passed it on July 31, 2008. It is listed as having been presented to the President on August 6, 2008, as of this posting there are no White House press releases concerning the bill.

I'm a member of ATV Nation

2008-08-07T15:39:00.004-08:00

I feel so... alone. LOL In looking for information on a bill that congress passed that includes a section on making ATVs safer, I found my way to ATV Nation and decided to join. I don't have time to look over the boards at the moment, but I did find my way to the map and discovered that I am the first pin in the state of Alaska.

Guess I'll get back to what I was researching now, I know there's more ATV riders in Alaska, I see you folks out there on the trails as I am riding. ;-) Now I just wish that the DOT or Parks folks saw us and we had a few of them trails criss crossing the state opened up for ATVs to ride along. Two official ATV trails in the entire state (as of last time I looked) is kind of... peculiar.

Rain - three days worth of rain

2008-07-18T17:51:00.002-08:00

It's been raining for the past three days now, making it very unsuitable weather for trying to ride my ATV in. That has left me locked inside most of the time, and I am going stir crazy. I want to be out there riding and working in the yard. With luck it'll clear off this weekend though, looking like it is at least considering the idea.

Finding the gear for hunting season

2008-07-03T16:34:00.003-08:00

It is July now, which means that summer is starting to move toward autumn, and summertime fun riding is making the shift toward preparations for fall hunting. Check out LA Police Gear for a good source on specialty items such as Galco and Blackhawk holsters, 5.11 tactical gear, and Surefire Flashlights.

LA Police Gear is a security supply store founded by Los Angeles area police officers that wanted to provide a place for the general public, military personnel, security professionals, and police officers to find the gear they need at competitive prices. Be sure to check out the closeouts section for some really great deals on closeout merchandise including (at the time of this writing) 5.11 Tactical Nylon pants, BlackHawk gear, Columbia River knives and Casio watches.

Taking my other bike for a ride

2008-07-02T23:43:00.002-08:00

I started to go for an ATV ride today. Would have been a beautiful day for it, but after I got all ready and left the house, I was struck by just how nice the evening was and turned back. I decided to take my bicycle up to the post office instead. It was a lovely ride, and better exercise than the ATV would have been.

Gas price frustrations

2008-06-10T16:40:00.002-08:00

The other day I went down to the service station and filled my ATV tank and it took over $11 to fill it (and it was not even empty yet), now the gas prices are raising and I am rethinking my plots to go driving all over Alaska on my ATV this year. It is just insane when even the ATV riders are rethinking on if they can afford to keep their ATV's fueled up. The car took over $40 and only got 9 gallons of gas in it. When are these gas prices going to start dropping back down to reasonable levels? Used to be that I could fill a motorcycle tank for $1.25, now I can't hardly even get enough to prime a carburetor for that price.

Anatomy of a Trail System at ATV Source

2008-05-15T10:24:00.002-08:00

I was off-roading my way around the Internet this morning when I came across a set of articles on ATV Source that discusses the Anatomy of a Trail System.

The Article, which is divided into three parts, "...details the history, concerns, and process in the creation of a trail system for the Black Hills of South Dakota that fall into the regulations set down by the National Forest Service’s Travel Management Rule. ..."

I will watch for part three to be published and update this post with a link to part three when I see that it is also online. For now you can read Part 1 and Part 2 on the ATV Source website.

Still considering the online ATV accessories store idea

2008-05-01T04:53:00.003-08:00

After looking at the Ashop Commerce shopping cart software earlier when I was talking about the possibility of maybe incorporating an ATV accessory store into my in progress ATV website, I went back to the Ashop Commerce website to look a little closer at their ecommerce software.

Some of the shopping cart features that caught my attention as I was looking at the Ashop Commerce shopping cart include: live chat, support ticket, affiliate program module, and the sales and marketing tools. The software seems to be fully featured and incorporated everything that I could think of that would be needed for running an online store.

Even if I decide not to start up some sort of online store for my ATV website I'll be looking into the shopping cart software some more. In addition to possibly opening an online sore for one of my other sites, I also have a site on running a home based business, so checking out the shopping cart software is of interest to me for more than just potentially opening an ATV accessory store.

Riding the ATV

2008-05-01T00:01:00.003-08:00

Provided that tomorrow is a nice day, I will get the chance to take my ATV for a ride to the store in the morning. I went to the store the other day, ended up coming back home after dark. Was a very enjoyable ride that I was not ready to end when I got back home. Came very close to going on past my house and following more trails for another hour or two. It's nice to have the chance to get out and ride again, later on I want to take my ATV up toward Hatcher Pass and to follow the trails to the north up the Parks Highway.

ATV store?

2008-04-30T15:20:00.003-08:00

Maybe what I should do instead of spring cleaning today is look into setting up my website for my ATV stuff? I have a website for my ATV adventures, but have not decided just what to do with it exactly other than I will eventually have maps of the local trails on it. Maybe I should think about opening an online store for ATV accessories?

I could use shopping cart software to set up a shopping cart system and sell ATV accessories that are good for trail riding in Alaska. Hmmm... I don't know though, I'm not sure I want to get into running a store. From what I have seen the ecommerce software that Ashop Commerce has is good, but do I really want to sign up and put together a store that I might not have the time to run?

I'll need to think a lot more on this idea before I make my final decision on it. For now I'll just put it on the back burner and think about it for a few hours.

Muggy day

2008-04-30T15:17:00.003-08:00

I had hoped to get out and ride today, but it is a dreary rainy muggy day so I decided not to go for a ride. I have a low cold forming, don't really want to make it worse by going for an ATV ride in the rain. So, instead, I am going to stay inside and work. Not as much fun, but it does need to be done. Maybe I should work on some spring cleaning too, get the house ready for summer and pack away all the winter clothes. That would probably be a good idea. Better at least, than the tempting plan to spend the day in bed that I have been tossing around.

ATV Gear - RipStop BDU Pants

2008-04-27T02:11:00.003-08:00

LA Police Gear has obtained RipStop Mil-Spec BDU Pants that are priced perfect for hard riding on ATVs or tucking away in your hunting gear for the fall. Made of 60/40 cotton/poly Ripstop, these BDU Pants feature nylon drawstring leg ties, wide 2 1/4 inch belt loops, reinforced knee and seat patches, and 6 pockets.

Check the LA Police Gear website at the link above for available colors and designs on the BDU Pants as well as a wide range of police gear available for quality footwear, flashlights, and a wide range of other gear perfect for the rugged life of off-roading in the Last Frontier.

Trail Report - Big Lake Road ATV Trail

2008-04-23T19:37:00.002-08:00

I got the chance to ride up to the store yesterday and that log that had been across the trail at S Southpark Rd is gone, thank you to whoever removed that. The mud puddles are low enough that they pose no dangers in driving through them, but you can still get very wet if you hit them too hard.

Right now the Big Lake Road ATV trail is about the perfect trail for anyone that, like me, loves a trail that tosses a little of everything at them. It has snow and ice and mud and huge puddles... much fun to ride for the all terrain enthusiast.

I also hit the trail that cuts back from about the area of S Beaver Lake Rd off behind the Big Lake Lions lodge and out behind the Big Lake store - that trail is in good shape and has only a few mud puddles along it, none very bad in the parts I followed.

There is a new car back on that back trail, don't know when it showed up, but I'm sure that it was not there last fall when I was riding that trail. It's over the hill from the power pole, down at the base of the trail just before you get to the Lions lodge.

Big Lake Road trail report

2008-04-20T13:45:00.004-08:00

I took my ATV up to the store yesterday, the bike trail is in decent shape, but there are a few areas on it that were of note.

Just before you get to S Southpark Rd headed toward Big Lake, there is a tree downed on the trail. It is easy enough to get over it if you stay to the low side on the thing.

The next area of note is just before getting to S Beaver Lake Rd (the turnoff for Rocky Lake) there is a very large puddle in the middle of the trail. I went to the left (headed toward Big Lake) to get around it, but there is a fallen tree there that makes that a little difficult - the puddle is as deep as it looks when you get a tire off into it, but nothing that is really impassible. I did have to stop after getting through and check that the bag on the front of my ATV was not full of water. The water had splashed right up and over it and I was not sure my camera was safe. It turned out to have a little water in there, but not enough to worry about.

Other than that the trail is in good shape for this time of the year. Much better than the very deep loose-the-atv lakes that were in it last week when I went up to the store. I got some video on the way back (had milk strapped to front so went slow, figured was good time to take video). If any of it turns up decent I'll upload it and share it.

Satellite Personal Messenger and GPS

2008-04-01T14:42:00.002-08:00

I have found a little gizmo that I want to get for my ATV. The SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger and GPS unit.

I keep seeing ads for it on television, and it looks very kewl. Something that I would have liked to have seen in it is the ability to send a personal message, but I can understand that there is probably a lot more involved in sending even the briefest of text messages as compared to a simple true/false signal that indicates if you are all right or not.

I can see a lot of uses for the SPOT from hiking to ATVs and snowmachining, though, and would love to get one. It would be perfect for when we go up into the mountains gold panning or for my brother to take along on his paragliding flights.

Zorro flown to Seattle

2008-03-30T22:27:00.005-08:00

Okay, latest report I have for Zorro, the injured sled dog from Lance Mackey's team, is that he is in Seattle, flew out today (Sunday), and is going to be getting an MRI to see how his back is. Lance Mackey and his wife Tonya flew out of Nome today with their dogs and are on their way to join Zorro in Seattle.

Mackey said that the person that had been riding the snowmachine did step up and talk to him, but Lance does not want to identify them because it seemed to be a genuine mistake. The headlamp was taken as another snowmachine hitting bumps in the trail. It is a bad accident, but that is all it was - an accident.

My thoughts are still with Lance and Tonya and Zorro, hoping that there is a full recovery. For more information see the Northern Light Media Sweepstakes Blog or the Alaska Sweepstakes Blog

To find out more about Zorro, Lance Mackey and Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel visit www.mackeyscomebackkennel.com - Lance Mackey's official website.

Sled dog seriously injured due to careless use of a snow machine

2008-03-30T09:39:00.004-08:00

As an ATV rider I am also interested in other outdoor recreational vehicles such as Jeeps, boats and of course snow machines. There are some people, however, that can not be responsible when they are riding something like an ATV or snow machine. Normally I am feeling upset about trail hazards when I see someone zipping down the bicycle path on a motorcycle or ATV. I've nearly been hit on my bicycle more than a few times by people speeding along the paved bike path and each time was forced to abandon the trail, diving into the ditch to avoid being flattened as the person on the motorized vehicle zipped on by ignoring that they had just forced a bicyclist off the trail. This time, however, it is far more serious than that.

Near the finish of the All Alaska Sweepstakes race a snow machine rider plowed into Lance Mackey and his team from behind. Lance dove aside at the last moment, but Zorro, a key dog in Lance's kennel, who was apparently only along as one last hurrah before retiring to life as a lazy stud making more babies to grow up and be racers, was seriously injured by the snow machine. There were other dogs from the team run over as well, but only reports I have so far are for how Zorro's doing. Zorro had been snuggled up asleep in a sleeping bag in the sled when the accident occurred and Lance had tried desperately to signal to the men using his head lamp that they were coming up behind a sled team.

As I write this reports have come in via Josh over at the All Alaska Sweepstakes Blog that Zorro suffered 3 broken ribs and possible damage to his spinal cord. Zorro can't seem to feel his back legs, but the doctors are uncertain on if it is due to swelling that will go down or because of a more serious permanent injury to the spine.

My hearfelt best wishes go out to Zorro for a speedy and good recovery and to Lance, who I know has an indescribable bond with his dogs that has to make it extremely difficult not to be able to be there with Zorro right now.

To find out more about Zorro's condition visit the All Alaska Sweepstakes Blog at the above link, hopefully Josh will continue to keep us updated on that. And thank you to Josh for all of the information you have provided so far.

There has got to be something done about motorized vehicles on the trail when there is a race. Even here, watching the race from home on television, we have seen how dangerous it is for the mushers trying to enter Nome. As the mushers are going into front street they are moved in on from all sides, making it difficult for the dogs to keep things moving along, and there are snow machines zipping alongside or in front of and behind the sled as it heads in. This has got to stop. I read something that another musher had their team run over in another race recently but have not tracked that information down. And the musher's have brought it up themselves many times that I know of that it is not safe for the trail to be open to snow machines when the sled dogs are on it.

Why can't the trail be closed for the time that the race is being run? Sure, the snow machiner's have a right to use the trail, but with all of the risks of moose stomping teams and sliding off the slippery trail on a hill and crossing sea ice... don't the dog mushers have a right to think they might at least be safe from their fellow humans not running over their teams with a snow machine?

Winter is fading away

2008-03-28T14:54:00.003-08:00

One of my brothers and one of our nephews took the snow machines out today. It will be one of the few last runs of the winter, the warming weather soon to give way to ATVs and bicycles instead of snow machines. I for one can not wait, I want to get out there and ride my ATV and get in some walking and stuff.

Getting ready for spring

2008-03-14T15:07:00.001-08:00

I am getting ready to start working out and around the yard with my ATV this spring, get brush cleared and start building garden beds and trails. I need to get a few things for the ATV still, but I have the winch and a small trailer. I do need to get a better trailer though, since this one actually belongs to my brother and he switched the wheels for a smaller size in redesigning the utility trailer. It is intended for hauling lightweight things around the yard, and I want one that can be used for hauling rocks for building retaining walls and the foundation for additions to the house.

Spring is almost here

2008-02-20T17:32:00.001-09:00

It is almost spring, which means that I need to finish getting my gear together for riding my ATV this summer. I can't wait to get back out there and playing in the great outdoors on my ATV.

It's not an ATV, but you could Win a Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer

2008-01-26T17:36:00.000-09:00

Okay, I usually stick to things that have to do with my ATVing here, but come on, you can not blame me for spreading the word about this!

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

I want to win that soooo bad! My little mixer is not doing too good, I need a new one, so you all get non-ATV or outdoors related content. :-p

Check her site out though, you'll like it if you like to cook. She has a lot of good recipes over there including one she put up just the other day for hot sauce - you know you want to check that one out, huh? Super easy recipe, you'll never have to buy it in a jar again!

Snow Games

2008-01-26T17:34:00.000-09:00

I want to get out there and play in the snow, but I have not yet got a good snowsuit, so getting out away from the house on the ATV just don't seem smart or very warm. My brother has been zipping up to the post office and stuff on his snow machines, which sounds like lots of fun, but I think I would just freeze on the ATV right now. Still a few months of snow left here, so maybe I'll find a snowsuit I can afford by the end of winter and get out and have some fun in the snow.

Paintball Fun - from basic play to extreme paintball

2008-01-18T08:52:00.001-09:00

Have you ever had a paintball war? I am talking about gathering up a few friends (older brothers make wonderful targets- I mean, participants as well) and going out into the woods or to a paintball field and having a battle. It's a great sport, and from the cheap paint ball gun I first got when I started out the sky (or at least your budget) is the limit.

There are a few things to think about, however, and top of that list is safety. If you want to get into a great sport, or expand on your arsenal so that you can whop your older brothers and nephews at the next war, then you should check out the selection of paintball products at Ultimate Paintball. (www.pntball.com)

Just getting started? Check out their package sets. Hurry, because right now they have a set marked down to under $100 that gives you a Black Icon X Marker featuring semi-automatic operation, ambidextrous cocking, and a full one year warranty from 32 Degrees. Also in the kit is everything you need for your first day on the range, including a GXG Stealth Mask with visor and anti fog lens - never play paintball without a mask.

Ultimate Paintball has a lot of other package sets to choose from, so do some browsing and maybe get a buddy that knows more about paintball to help you pick out some good paintball gear that will give you years of fun.

Be sure that you check out the apparel too, because you want to have the right gear for the game. Back when we first started playing I got a bruise from a paintball gun when I was wearing an Army winter field parka! And one of my brothers got a bruise though a pair of Carhart coveralls! Play safe and get good gear, especially face and neck protection.

For those of you that are just sitting back shaking your heads because you learned this the hard way, how about checking out the fancy paintball guns and paintball accessories they have over at Ultimate Paintball? Maybe look at the Ion, Spyder, Proto Rail and tippmann a5 upgrades or check out the tactical vests to help you carry your gear out in the field.

Don't forget to get some cleaner and oil. You paid good money for that paintball gun, keep her working like new. Nothing is worse than to be laying in ambush as the paintball sniper for your team and having your paintball gun jam just as your little sister or aunt is stalking up on you with a smirk on her face.

ATV essentials list

2008-01-18T08:41:00.000-09:00

I'm working on deciding what all goes into a "essentials" bag for my ATV. These are things that I am collecting for being put on my ATV for when I go cruising around this summer. It will help me in deciding what I need to think about as I build the rack case for it. (Yes I am still working on that - I'm just slow at working obviously)

So far my list includes:

Cell phone
Binoculars
Flashlight (yes it can get dark in Alaska in the summer - for about an hour)
Tool box
Small can for emergency gas
Leatherman
Belt knife
Small tackle box and big fishing pole (think salmon)
AlphaSmart (the laptop for the ATV so I can write)
Coat and gloves
Dry socks (just in case)
Food
A canteen of water
Something hot to drink (tea or coffee)

And I'll add to or subtract from that starter list

Chrismas presents for ATV and snow

2008-01-17T21:27:00.000-09:00

Whew, it has been a while, hasn't it? At first I was just flat busy, but then I started having pain in my shoulder and was having a hard time keeping up with work both online and around the house.

Updates though... lets see, I got a new winch for my ATV for Christmas. Nice one too, I'll have to post some information on it later on. I also got a few other things, but the winch was the kewlest... well, maybe the kewlest was a wireless router that lets me go up to 300' from the house before I start losing the signal, but ATV wise the winch was the kewlest thing.

We got about a foot or more of fluffy powder snowfall the other day and my brother was trying to get me to go out and play in it on the ATV, but as bad as my shoulder had been hurting all week I was afraid I might mess my shoulder up hot rodding through the snow on the ATV, so I passed on that until my shoulder stops hurting.

Happy Holidays to all

2007-12-23T05:28:00.000-09:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays!

ATV Gas Money Through Blogging

2007-12-09T17:16:00.000-09:00

Alaska ATV has now joined Smorty, a service that connects advertisers with bloggers. Smorty allows me to select advertising that will suit the interests of my readership and their dedication to the outdoors and all things offroad. It is a way that I can get paid to blog about the things that are of interest to my readership, and be able to better select the blog advertising that I accept based on the interests of my readers.

The way that Smorty works is that they connect those wishing to advertise on blogs with bloggers who want to get paid for blogging. The blogger has the final say in what opportunities they accept to write about and even how they write about the advertised product/service. This allows me to blog for money and still maintain a commitment to my readership where I offer only information that I feel will genuinely be of use and/or interest to them.

So, why do I place paid for posts on this blog? Have you seen the price of a gallon of gas lately? Okay, so that is not the only reason, but paid posts here do help me afford to get to the store on my ATV. The other reason is that I am a full-time family caregiver and am unable to work outside the home. Paid blog posts allow me to earn a little money to assist in paying bills and other necessities. Smorty allows me to select advertising that will be of actual interest to my readers. Readers here will not need to worry about sorting through junk advertisements because I am able to select what I blog about and how I represent those items. You are getting my honest opinion about things I think will be of interest to you. If you see anything that you are left to question my reasons or opinion on you are welcome, and encouraged, to call me on it.

ATV Rack Cases

2007-12-09T17:12:00.000-09:00

I was in town the other day and saw a bunch of carry rack cases in Wal Mart for ATVs, I did not have the time to stop then, but want to get a chance to look at them when we go back in a couple of days. See if I can get some ideas for how to attach the one I want to build to the rack on my ATV. Right now I am thinking a couple of U bolts to go from underneath up into the case, but I would like to have it be able to be removed with relative ease when I want the thing off the machine, so I am still considering ways to attach it.

Gifts for outdoorsmen

2007-11-30T14:31:00.000-09:00

Santa Clause is coming to town, and he's packing a large bag filled with goodies, but... has he remembered the outdoorsmen on your holiday list? Check out some of the best sellers that they have over at Optics Planet for some great holiday ideas for anyone that loves the great outdoors - and get free ground shipping on orders over $29.95!

Optics Planet is huge and stocked with everything from sunglasses to the latest Celestron professional computerized telescope with XLT StarBright coating, they have everything you need to make any outdoorsman yelp with delight this holiday season.

Visit their Gift Guide and check out the great suggestions that have been sorted by category, price, even holiday. Optics Planet can help you find the gifts that are just right rather you are encouraging a child to develop a love of the night sky and searching for other worlds, or you want to buy items for a the head of your neighborhood watch group to say thanks for their efforts to keep the neighborhood safe. Maybe you're looking for a pair of binoculars for under $50 that can be used for taking that glacier cruise? Check out the gifts from $30 to $50 category for Barska Deep Sea waterproof binoculars that are both waterproof and fogproof.

Working on cargo box for back rack of ATV

2007-11-30T14:12:00.000-09:00

I've been out taking measurements for the size of the rack on the back of my ATV, since I can't find the ones I made last year, and I am using a large sheet of freezer paper to create a rough size comparison for how large the base size on the ATV rack is. That way I can start laying out how big I want the base of the box I am building to be and start working on sketching up designs based on that size.

I have a good idea what I want the box to look like, so I just have to build the designs for how to cut the wood and get those measurements all figured out, then I can get some wood for building the box and start building it up.

Hmmm... I wonder if my nephew still has that old remote controlled ATV we got him several years back. I could create a scale mock up using balsa wood. Need to find out about what ever happened to that thing, if it's kicking around somewhere still or was thrown out over the years.