I have been riding off road for nearly thirty years, and while I do live in Colorado - a state where there are many world-class riding areas, there are off-road adventures outside of my state that I am interested in.  I have compiled a bucket list of places I’d like to take my family that I’ve read about in magazines. Some of these include the Hatfield-McCoy trail system in West Virginia, Baja, Mexico and Costa Rica; I will quickly go over what I have learned about these locations and why they would make excellent family outings.

Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, West Virginia

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail system is made up of six different systems covering over 500 miles. These trails are called Rockhouse, Buffalo Mountain, Bearwallow, Indian Ridge, Little Coal and Pinnacle Creek. According to the Trails Heaven web site, no matter which of the six areas a group chooses, there is something for every skill level. They are characterized as forested, mountainous trails; the pictures show very lush, green scenery with loamy soil. There are shots depicting dirt bikers ascending rocky hills; others show four-wheelers muddying up their ATV tires through a green forest. Either way, it all looks inviting to me! I like riding the ATV or dirt bike on a forested trail. During a harsh winter, I will daydream about being on my Big Red Pig, zipping through the forest and pretending to be a GNCC racer. Other days I dream about taking a lazy family ride with the family. 

If taking the family to West Virginia for an ATV trip, there are lodging options aplenty. Folks can camp, stay in a motel or a bed and breakfast; there is a place to stay no matter what the group’s preference. For my family and I, we would want to take our fifth wheel to the region, set up camp for a week or so, and take in all the sites and as many of the trails as possible. The issue for us is that this is about a twenty-four hour drive from our home; we would have about four hard days of driving round trip on this adventure. Someday maybe we will find the time to take on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System.

Baja-California, Mexico

I first learned about the ambiance of the Baja in the movie Dust to Glory; the movie chronicled The Baja 1000. It told the stories of racers like Johnny Campbell and Robby Gordon. Most of these racers were simply infatuated with racing the Baja. It is the mystique of riding in this foreign land that has me wanting to someday make the trek to our neighbors to the south; I want to see if I can handle some of the situations that these famous riders tackle every race.

Mike’s Sky Ranch to the south and east of Ensenada, Mexico, has become somewhat of a Mecca for off road vehicles. According to the ranch’s website, a two wheel drive vehicle may have a tough time getting to the resort. Most folks arrive via four wheel drive, ATV or on their motorcycle tires. On multiple day tours, this is an overnight stop for guided groups. There is a swimming pool, hotel and plenty of space for a rider to rejuvenate himself and be ready for the next day’s ride. I would like to be able to take a Baja tour and stay the night at Mike’s Big Sky Ranch. I will have to keep riding, get in better shape and save my money. Maybe when my son Joey is older, he and I can take this grand adventure together; it would surely give us a lifetime memory.

I would like to do this adventure on a dirt bike since that is what I have grown up riding. By the time Joey is old enough for this trip, I may have switched full-time to a four-wheeler. Joey has also mentioned how he would like to have a four wheeler.  So, we may be doing this trip ATV style. It does’t matter to me, I just want to spend some time with my son and off road in a place I have always dreamed of touring.

Costa Rica

Probably the biggest goal on my list is to one day travel to Costa Rica to take in an entirely new culture and tour the Central American country on a dirt bike. We have looked into doing this in about three years; our target date to go to Costa Rica is 2015. 2015 is the year I will be retiring as a volunteer firefighter after twenty years of service. It is going to be a celebration of my time in the fire service as well as looking forward to a future of not being called away at a second’s notice. Jennifer and I have passports that will expire that year, so we will not have to renew those prior to our departure; we will have to get one for Joey before the trip.

I have been in contact with the guys at Costa Rica Unbound in the Jaco, Costa Rica area on the Pacific Coast of the country for a quote for a tour; they have strongly suggested that I bring a group along to ride with. Thus far, I have not been able to convince anyone from my regular group to commit to going along. So, anyone who is interested, let me know! I am hoping that Joey will be skilled enough to tag along on the tour by that time.  Included in the tour is a guide, meals and dirt bike rental. You do need to bring your own motorcycle helmet, gloves, boots and other protective riding apparel on the trip. That would be okay with me since I am a little picky about my motorcycle helmet and boots.

Along with the group tour at Costa Rica Unbound, the accommodations would be at Marea Brava Resort. This is a beach resort which would also offer surfing, zip-lines and other adventures. This would definitely be an adventure of a lifetime; Joey, Jennifer and I would remember this for the rest of our lives.

Conclusion

These are probably my top three wishlist destinations for riding. I do have others that would be more attainable for the family, like Southern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona for some desert riding. I have seen stories of some great woods riding in the French-Canadian province of Quebec. That one would require some long driving, though, as it’s not as close as Utah or Arizona. My life will not be incomplete if these trips don’t happen, but they would give my family and I lasting memories forever.

James Parker