Larry Koch says he may trade in his four-wheeler hat for a cowboy hat. On a 347-mile all-terrain vehicle trek, Koch, of Siren, Wis., encountered a cattle herd that had wandered off, and he stopped to guide them back to their home. It’s something he didn’t plan, but was a welcome surprise.
His cow experience was just a part of the ride intended to draw attention to ATV riding opportunities and the economic benefit they can bring to small, rural communities.
Also on his adventure, he and five other riders removed fallen trees from the trails, which also draws attention to the need to promote ATV safety and marked trails, he said.
Lyle Larson, Littlefork, guided the group from Big Falls to the International Falls and Fort Frances border Tuesday.
Through the ride, Koch counted 23 deer, four bear, six snapping turtles laying eggs, several grouse, wild turkeys, and sandhill cranes. It was an experience the riders said they appreciated.
The group of four riders from Wisconsin, one from Bemidji and Larson from Littlefork aimed to show people that trails connect small towns from border to border, but there is work to be done to improve trail safety and marking locations on trails.
Larson said he got involved in guiding the group with his ATV because of his past experience snowmobiling in Wyoming and seeing a need for a guide.
“If I was ever to be going somewhere that was unfamiliar to me, I’d like someone to guide me,” Larson said. As the owner of Ronning’s in the Falls, Larson said he also understands their economic message.
“I think it’s a great cause. It does stimulate the economy, there’s very much truth to that,” he said.
Riders on the three-day trip included Koch’s childhood friend Ken Nelson; Rick Thompson, president of Siren’s ATV Turf and Tundra club; and Greg Olson, treasurer of the Wisconsin state ATV club. Bill Larson of Bemidji and Larson of Littlefork joined the group as local guides.
The group rode through Siren to Moose Lake, Bemidji, Big Falls and Littlefork ending at the International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
Koch said the trail ride is intended to highlight that during certain times of the year, businesses struggle to stay afloat, Koch said. By increasing the amount of ATV tourists, small towns can have stable business all year long, Koch said.
“In the little town (Siren) that I was born in, when summer left us, and deer hunting season left us, our town was a ghost town,” Koch told The Journal last week, before the trip. “Until snowmobiling started and brought people in again, during winter local businesses went way down and they struggled to survive.”
Snowmobiling began in the 1960s and “changed everything,” he recalled, but those trails now “pretty much take care of themselves.”
“Now with marginal snow years, ATVs can take their place,” he said. “The next boom is the ATV. We (small towns) have changed to being a recreational area that can be used 12 months out of the year.”
But ATV trails are yet to be fully developed and easily accessible, he said.
Koch and his group are working with local chambers of commerce, including the Falls chamber, to improve ATV trails and routes and improve the way trails are marked, he said. The trip to the Falls was smooth, but the group saw a need to improve markings so that riders don’t get lost.
“The trails were all very passable, but in some areas, without our guides, we would have never known to take those routes,” Koch said. “Between Littlefork and International Falls, we were under about six to eight inches of water, but the base under it was hard so it was fine.”
Koch added that without Larson, the group would not have known to take the trail across the bridge in Littlefork, and would have likely ended up in town, where it is illegal to ride.
Pete Schultz, director of the International Falls, Rainy Lake and Ranier Convention and Visitors Bureau, greeted the riders and gave them maps of trails to use throughout Koochiching County.
“We’re very appreciative of the efforts of promoting ATV safety,” Schultz said to the group upon their arrival. “By 2020, we will have half a million ATV riders in Minnesota, according to the ATV Association of Minnesota, and it’s imperative that we provide safe trails for them.”
He added that he agrees with their perspective that ATV trails interconnecting small towns helps stimulate the economy.
Falls mayor Shawn Mason presented the group with a “key to the city.”
“The city was thrilled to have (Koch) choose International Falls as his destination on his very important trek,” she said. “The voyage that (Koch) and his comrades chose was intentionally and specifically to show that ATV access is available from Wisconsin to Minnesota’s U.S. and Canadian border, and that there are safe trails. It just opens up another world of recreation and land use for those who enjoy the outdoors.”
She added she appreciates that the riders were “great stewards of the land” in cleaning the trails as they rode.
The ATV sport, she said, is important to northern Minnesota, International Falls and Koochiching County.
“It is a sport that creates a lot of revenue in small towns,” Mason said.
Faye Whitbeck, president of the International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce said the organization “acknowledges with appreciation the endeavors of this ATV group.”
“Our hope is to grow the numbers of riders who trailer ATVs to this area, use our lodging, restaurants and shops,” Whitbeck said. “It’s a growing sport and our rustic resources are perfect for ATV lovers.”
