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By: Tim Donaldson
Hatfield-McCoy Trails – National Trail Fest 2008
(Part of
ATVSource.com’s Feature Coverage of the
Hatfield-McCoy Trails)
“When are you going to take out the trash?”
These were the words firmly spoken by my wife as
she, obviously agitated, wanted to know why I
was taking a nap during the middle of the day.
The truth was, I was very tired and needed a
break. The trash could wait, or so I thought. As
I attempted to drift back into a slumber, I was
reminded of the upcoming weekend excursion to
the Hatfield-McCoy Trails to cover Trail Fest
2008 which in wifespeak translates to, “You
better have all of your work done before
leaving.” Frankly, my wife is awesome, and she
supports all of my endeavors. In fact, had our
personal circumstances for the weekend been a
little different, she would have joined me this
year for the Hatfield-McCoy National Trail Fest
2008 which is certainly designed to be a family
event.
After thoroughly assuring all trash
cans were empty, I departed for Gilbert, West
Virginia–home of the National Trail Fest and
direct access to Hatfield-McCoy’s Browning Fork
Trail System. Held this year from October 9th to
the 13th, the event spanned a five-day period
that was filled with trail riding, demo rides,
food, fun, and entertainment. With such a
diverse variety of activities, this year’s Trail
Fest marked the first time that event goers
could select a registration package that would
cater more specifically to individual needs.
Rather than having a “one-size-fits-all”
package, as in years past, those already having
Hatfield-McCoy Trail permits or not desiring the
meal package would not be required to pay the
full registration price. Also, anyone wanting to
simply observe the on-site activities was
eligible to purchase the spectator-only
packages.
Base camp for the 2008 Trail Fest
was located at the Larry Joe Harless Community
Center, a 65,000 square foot, recreational
facility that provided daily meal services and
approximately 140 campsites. As for the events,
there was something for everyone. Daytime
activities included a scavenger hunt throughout
the town of Gilbert and Poker/Dice Runs on the
Browning Fork Trail System, with winners taking
home cash and prizes. Not surprisingly, most
ATV enthusiasts were enjoying the 115 plus miles
of the Browning Fork Trail System which has
direct access to the towns of Gilbert and Man.
Talking with some of the riders at Trail Fest,
many made the trek from Gilbert to Man – a
round-trip journey that can take a large portion
of the riding day. Others even journeyed to the
other Hatfield-McCoyTrails systems, since Trail
Fest permits allowed participants to ride on all
500 miles of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.
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Once
back in Gilbert and making a quick stop at the
local car wash, after a full day of riding or
enjoying the local amenities of Gilbert, the fun
was just beginning. Friday evening featured
Vegas Night, a casino-styled atmosphere where
winning proceeds were awarded in Hatfield-McCoy
bucks. Participants were able to use the “play”
money to bid on real prizes, such as 2009
Hatfield-McCoy Trail Permits, goggles, gloves,
and other merchandise which was made available
by the event’s sponsors. Other evening
activities included the very popular mud pit and
drag races. Sitting in the saddle all day didn’t
deter many enthusiasts from drag racing against
each other or putting their machines to the test
in the troublesome mud pit. Some preferred to
try out the mud without the aid of an ATV in the
Fisher’s ATV World Mud Run, an event that is
enjoyed by those watching as much as, if not
more than, those participating.
If that
wasn’t enough entertainment, some participants
sang karaoke or listened to an outdoor music
concert. Others loosened their muscles with a
chair massage. The vendor areas were open
throughout the day and night selling shirts,
tires, rims, helmets, ATVs, or whatever. You
name it, someone probably had it there. This
year’s Trail Fest had significant manufacturer
representation with Toyota Trucks, Kawasaki, Can
Am, Arctic Cat, Suzuki, Yamaha, and BMW
Motorcycle–to name a few–being on site. Most
provided demo rides of their new products on a
½-mile course that was situated adjacently to
the vendor area. The course was designed to
feature the typical terrains that a rider may
encounter, giving prospective buyers a realistic
impression of machine performance. Also, fans
were able to meet television hosts, Jeff
Steenbakkers and Brian Fisher, from Dirt Trax
Television and Fisher’s ATV World, respectively,
who were in attendance and filming throughout
the weekend.
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