What sets you free?  For my husband and I, it is exploring the roads less traveled and spending quality time in nature. The outdoors give us a sense of peace and a chance to reconnect with each other. Traveling thirty days across the country with our Can-Am Maverick X3 in tow allowed us to explore remote destinations and enriched our lives more than we anticipated. 

From our home in Northern California we traveled via Hwy 50 to Nevada State Route 375; the Extraterrestrial Highway!   Nevada’s remote State Route 375 links U.S. 6 at Warm Springs with the U.S. 93 corridor near Crystal Springs.  The “Extraterrestrial Highway” designation came in 1996 as part of a tourism campaign to hype the highway’s connection to UFO sightings and the proximity to the top-secret “Area 51” military installation. While we didn’t see any UFO’s, we did visit the Alien Research Center Gift Shop where you can buy a green alien for good luck.

As we left alien territory, it wasn’t long before we arrived at Sand Hollow State Park – famous for the red rock country near St. George, Utah.  Southern Utah is one of our favorite destinations for off-roading because of the diverse trails throughout the state park –  from novice to expert. Some of our favorite trails are Double Sammy, West Rim, The Maze, and Plan B.  Sand Hollow State Park offers over 20,000 acres of sand to explore and rocks to crawl. We spent three days rock crawling, cruising through the sand dunes and hiking in Snow Canyon State Park.  Hiking the Petrified Dunes trail, we even explored an ancient underground lava tube that was formed over 27,000 years ago from a now extinct volcano. 

Not far from Sand Hollow State Park we met up with Lance Chournos in Colorado City, Arizona, and drove fifty-six miles down a dirt road to the awe inspiring Toroweap Point at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  This portion of the Grand Canyon gives a dramatic view of the Colorado River, with it: a sheer drop of 3,000 vertical feet.  Most people experience the Grand Canyon from the South Rim and disappointingly contend with hundreds of people.  If you truly want to have an authentic experience at the Grand Canyon, off-roading to Toroweap Point is bar none.  Since you’ll be entering the National Park  remember you’ll need to be street legal with the proper insurance.

Next we traveled to Little Sahara State Park, nestled along the banks of the Cimarron River three miles south of Waynoka, Oklahoma.  Little Sahara offers over 1,600 acres of dunes ranging in size from 25 to 75 feet high. While the dunes might not be huge, the hospitality of the community of Waynoka runs off the charts.  Before we arrived into town, we called Jim McIntire at UTV Takeover for suggestions regarding parking, unloading and riding. Within an hour, Jim had contacted Dr. Stan Diehl of Waynoka and arranged for him to meet us at the dunes for a private tour. Following our dune tour, we had lunch with the Mayor of Waynoka, Susan Bradford.  Over lunch at Miss Jamie’s Malt Shop & Pizzeria, Susan Bradford told us all about her mission to create the best off-roading experience for enthusiasts riding at Little Sahara State Park.  Susan and the community of Waynoka have embraced off-roading enthusiastically, adding a new ATV trail which leads from the dunes to the town of Waynoka for easy fueling, food and lodging. If you have never been to Oklahoma, I highly suggest you stop at Little Sahara State Park and Miss Jamie’s Malt Shop & Pizzeria. Miss Jamie’s offers a daily homemade lunch special, desserts, calzones, pizza, ice cream, malts, shakes and floats.

Six hours southeast of Waynoka, OK is Mount Magazine – Arkansas’s highest point at 2,753 feet. Mount Magazine State Park has an extensive trail system for off-roading, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.  We did not have an overall map of the trail system, so we used Gaia GPS to find Big Shoal Cascade and Buzzard Overlook.  Big Shoal Cascade was a peaceful place to stop, wade in the creek and enjoy a snack before we continued on towards Buzzard Overlook.  The scenic Buzzard Overlook gave us a glimpse of how the constant wind shapes cedars that grow on the edges of bluffs into large, artfully gnarled bonsai-shape trees. The trails on Mount Magazine are a mix of tight, technical and graded roads meandering through bright green layers of shrubs and trees.

In addition, we were fortunate to visit family in Georgia and Tennessee for a couple of days before driving to Wind Rock Park in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.  Windrock Park is the largest privately owned off-road recreation area in the country with over 73,000 acres of off-road, hiking and mountain biking trails.  The trail system includes over 310 miles of maintained off-road vehicle trails for riders with all skill levels and is open to all types of vehicles including:  ATV’s, SxS’s, Jeeps / 4×4’s, buggies, dirt bikes and mountain bikes.  At the park we met up with Tyler from Super ATV, Hubert Rowland and David Uptain.  Hubert had a full day planned for us off-roading with stops at an abandoned railroad car, spectacular overlooks and the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary (now a museum, restaurant and gift store).  After driving over one hundred miles we were treated to an amazing BBQ by Tyler from Super ATV.  Tyler BBQ’d ribeye steaks and a variety of organic vegetables for all to enjoy.  An amazing end to our day exploring Wind Rock – the South’s Largest Off-Road Park.

Just over four hours Northeast of Oliver Springs, Tennessee sits a portion of the Hatfield – McCoy Trail System. We spent two full days checking out the Buffalo Mountain, Devil Anse and Rock House Trails. We quickly discovered that a windshield is a must have accessory when off-roading in this part of the country.  Without a windshield on our Can-Am Maverick X3 we were covered in mud at the end of each day.  All of the trails are professionally mapped, maintained and patrolled for safety.  The trails range from easy to most difficult with trail signage clearly marking difficulty ratings, intersections and temporary closures. To easily access the various trails, Jon and I stayed at the Historic Matewan House Bed & Breakfast in Matewan, West Virginia.  The town of Matewan is chalk full of history relating to the Hatfield and McCoy family feuds.  I love mixing off roading with visiting historic locations and learning about the local communities.  This region blends together gorgeous scenery and relics from the past, such as coal mining equipment, the Hatfield Family Cemetery, the Matewan Train Depot, the site of the Matewan Massacre and the Matewan Flood Wall. Over the past 50 years, this region has experienced a rebirth in tourism, so try to leave yourself as much time as possible to visit the charming towns and to take in the marvelous beauty of West Virginia.

As we turned the corner towards home, Jon and I were a little sad that we didn’t have time to continue eastward, but were excited to be on our way to Moab, Utah for the Rally on the Rocks event nonetheless. Now it was my turn to get behind the wheel and regain my confidence driving off-road while taking in the fabulous scenery.  I drove on the Fins and Things trail which is a 9.8 mile loop full of incredibly steep inclines and descents in the Sand Flats Recreation Area. The slickrock fins felt as if I was riding on a roller coaster!  – but Jon was patient with me as I fine tuned my driving skills on the slickrocks. Most importantly, Jon and I were able to meet up with all of our sponsors at the Rally on The Rocks. Without the support of our sponsors this epic adventure would not have been possible. Can-Am, Rugged Radios, SSV Works, and System 3 Offroad provided the opportunity of a lifetime to travel across the country in search of the path less traveled. 

The post Jon & Teresa’s Epic Cross Country Trip appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

During a personal trip to the island of Oahu, Hawaii, it was important for me to know the enthusiasm of the local population for off-road activities. I was quickly destabilized by the paradise landscape from my first steps out of the Boeing 747 which took us from Chicago for an 8-hour flight. The constant sight of the palm trees and all day long damp heat has brought to light an environment completely different from my North American context to which I am accustomed.

Oahu is an American island located in Central Pacific. It is part of the Hawaiian archipelago and Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, is located on this island. The city’s iconic landmarks include Chinatown Historic District, Punchbowl (a crater turned into a cemetery) and Waikiki, the iconic beach offering dining and nightlife options. Pearl Harbor, west of Honolulu, is a site not to be missed for the 1941 World War II air raid and the USS Arizona memorial.

The landscape is mountainous, irregular and allows many activities for all tastes. We had rented an apartment for the period of our stay in the most lively and convenient area for tourists –  Waikiki. Even though we were right in the middle of the urban area, the many roads allowed easy access to the wild and less populated parts of the island within a 1-hour drive.

In this part of the world, there is no organized structure or club for off-road activities. We had to turn to private rental companies offering this service with a guide. After some research, we made the decision to contact what turns out to be the most famous establishment on the island –  the Kualoa Ranch.

Located 45 minutes from our place of stay, Kualoa Ranch is a beautiful property dotted with breathtaking scenery unique in the world. An impressive list of films and TV shows has been shot in this picturesque region. The majestic cliffs and mountainsides of Kualoa, the lush greenery of the Ka’a’awa Valley, the ancient fish ponds on the south side of the property, the quintessential view of Chinaman’s Hat (Mokolo’i Island) ) are a picturesque backdrop for a day of fun and adventure. Kualoa Ranch is not just a ranch; it is a “club of activities” which proposes a day of fun adventures during the holidays.

Whether climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding and of course, ATV and UTV riding, the activities are organized to satisfy most outdoor enthusiasts. Several fixed-term packages are available on site and especially guided by friendly guides renowned in this region of the globe.

Our two guides during this day were undoubtedly dream guides. I must make a special mention to Paolo who had a destabilizing type of humor –  he is able to keep his seriousness at a joke, but it is during his contagious laughter that we find that he has had us. Shawn was, on her side, a generous guide of her time and her wise advice to the less experienced participants of the group. Safety tips and introductory videos were essentially in English.

It should be mentioned that this activity is accessible to all, regardless of experience and level of skill. However, you must have a good dose of adventure running through your veins and not be afraid to get dirty with a little dust and mud. The group of about ten vehicles we were originally was split in two at a certain time because part of the group had bought a ride of 1 hour. For our part, we wanted to live the full experience and we took advantage of a 2-hour package. The Kawasaki Mule vehicles at our disposal were very suitable for riding in the Jurrasic Valley.

We have traveled the 1000 acres that make up the valley with several stops at mythical places where have been shot now legendary movie scenes and TV series like Jurassic Park, Jumanji, Pearl Harbor, Godzilla, Hawaii 5-0, Lost, and many others. We took the necessary time to immortalize these special places and our guide took a great pleasure to share with us some movie shooting anecdotes. Several remains and constructions were left on the spot to testify their passages, to our greatest delight. We had fun saying that we have walked the same ground as some big stars like Elvis Presley, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Tom Selleck, and so on. It is a privilege that probably will only be accessible to me once in my life and I took advantage of every moment.

Our guide Shawn volunteered on several occasions to take snapshots on our cameras to immortalize us in these places. She also had a nice surprise for the participants –  she took care to bring a dinosaur puppet she transposed in the upper corner of the camera and we played the game by performing a short video simulating an attack of this prehistoric animal.

Beyond the recreational aspect, it is a rewarding cultural experience to practice an activity for which we have a particular affection in a foreign environment. The contact with other cultures opens our horizons and also allows us to appreciate once more, the popularity of off-road activity around the world.

The post Trail Riding in Hawaii appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

A year and a half later, I got the chance to go off-roading in southern British Columbia and I was once again met with that same feeling of awe and wonder. Here is a place like no other. The trails in the Invermere area came in all different skill levels with varying terrains and vistas galore. The trails started out easy and wide as we followed some old mining roads up the mountain. The local tour operator has been taking care of the trails for years and their dedication really showed. The trail was easy on the back, easy on the shoulders and yet still really enjoyable. The views are what set this trail apart from anything I have ever been on.

In reality, the beginning of the ride was really just a tease. Slowly going up the mountain, I started getting sneak peeks of the vast open space between the mountains, glimpses of snow dotted peaks and glimmers of grasslands high above the treeline. The trail was beautiful and very easy going. A washout here or there from the snow melt made for some easy but fun obstacles to get us prepared for the more technical riding to come. As we continued riding up the mountain, the trails narrowed and became more intricate. We began encountering long sweeping ledges with spectacular views and a number of big switchback corners as the mountain became steeper and steeper. As we neared the top of our climb, the temperature began to drop to a perfect 18 °C and I began seeing patches of snow holding on in the shade around us.

After stopping for a quick lunch and a short tour of what was once a copper mine, we continued the now short climb to the end of our first day adventure. The views from the top were so surreal that the old “pinch me I must be dreaming” saying was spoken a number of times by the group I was with. The scenery looked like it was perfectly selected from the stunning photos I have seen for years in magazines and online. No wonder people love watching documentaries about the mountains! However, no video or photo can ever do it justice. The blue sky and the grey mountains with white patches of snow still clinging on into July were beautifully contrasted against the beautiful dark and light greens of the mountain pines and grassy slopes of the alpine tundra. As a photographer I was in heaven. As a powersports junky I was in paradise!

As a snowmobile enthusiast, I figured winter would be the peak of riding season in British Columbia. I remember being so overwhelmed by the sites of the mountains in the winter that I couldn’t believe I was even more stunned by what I saw in the summer. After reaching the top of the mountain that was home to these glorious off-road trails, I was so sad that our first day of riding was almost over. As we descended the trail, I couldn’t help but get excited for what we would see the following day, when we would be descending the other side of the mountain into the remote valley. But luckily for you, readers, you won’t have to spend two sleepless nights awaiting that second day of riding!

Day 2 of riding led us quickly back up the mountain to where we turned around on Day 1. Now that the group was ready for some more intricate and technical riding, we began descending the northern side of the mountain. It is hard to believe but the views on this side were even more stunning! The trails definitely became more aggressive as they became narrower, rockier and the switchback corners became visibly more dangerous. Riding in the mountains is breathtaking and exhilarating but it also comes with a responsibility to ourselves, our fellow riders and your guides to be careful and only drive within your abilities. A mistake in the remote areas of the mountains can have serious consequences and driving appropriately needs to be a key part of the trip.

With safety in mind, the group toured down this narrow path that was lined by ledges that dropped hundreds of feet (and thousands in some areas) to the valley below. These ledges created panoramas of the mountains above and the valley below like nothing you could ever imagine. A number of times, we found ourselves driving through avalanche paths that still had big piles of snow that had to be cleared off the trail! What a crazy feeling seeing this much snow in July! We definitely enjoyed a few snowmobile fights along the way.

After descending into this remote valley, we had a quick break to check out some of the old fur trader cabins, now not much more than stacks of timber reclaimed by the forest around them. It was amazing to think that a few brave people once lived so far from civilization, when they had to walk or ride in on horseback instead of the fancy and comfortable ATVs and SxSs of today.

After a small trip down history lane, we came to a rather large river crossing. The frigid river was a beautiful blue from the melting snow high above in the mountains, but the river stones lining the area made it look surreal. Although the waters were chilly, we had great fun ripping the machines through the river! I stopped to snap some photos of the group and collected a few rocks for keepsakes along the way.

Our guide had plans to take us further into the valley for our lunch break and only a few kilometers from our destination we ran into an entertaining roadblock. With the above average rain fall and late thaw, the trail ahead had literally become a river. At over 3 feet deep in areas and water gushing down at crazy speeds, the small trail turned river became an interesting obstacle. The machines made glorious attempts at making it through, with three of the SxSs and the ATV driven by our guide making it to the other side. However, a few of the less experienced drivers were in over their heads so to speak. This is where knowing your limits really comes into play. The risk was not worth the reward, so we got the other machines backed up and we stopped for lunch in one of the nearby open areas that had been cleared by avalanches during the winter. This seemed so backwards to me: in the winter time you NEVER stop in an avalanche zone, but in the summer they make perfect spots for having a relaxing lunch and looking at the breathtaking scenery around you.

As someone who loves to collect rocks during my travels, I was a little overwhelmed at all the options of beautiful rocks of all shapes, sizes and colours that were pushed down the mountains by the avalanches and snow-melts over the centuries. These open fields of shrubs and stones gave the land such contrast and texture that there was always something new to see and find.

As we finished our meal, we packed our garbage and slowly got ready for the ride back to civilization. As excited as everyone was to begin the day’s ride, the group was now very somber in comparison. The thing was, no one wanted to leave. Not only had we been given the amazing opportunity to ride in British Columbia, we had been given the gift of seeing the real BC: the remote valleys where snow melts bring rock lined rivers to life, where wildlife flourishes unaffected by mankind and where the beauty of Canada shines brighter and truer than any flame I have ever seen. We didn’t just get to ATV and SxS amazing trails with spectacular vistas, we got to have an experience of a lifetime that none of us will ever forget.

The post An adventure of a life time: The real British Columbia appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

The units were prepped and waiting for us at “Moto Falardeau”, a Kawasaki dealer located in the area on Mont-Laurier (Québec). Once the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE and Bruteforce 750 SE were securely loaded on our rig, we were cursing the highway once again.

We finally arrived at Beauregard Lodge in late afternoon. Beauregard Lodge is located northeast of Mont-Laurier and approximately 3.5 hours from Montreal. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Benoit Chevalier (Director of operations), who quickly had us settled into our accommodations.

We were lodged in a stunning lakeside rustic cottage, which was made up of 4 individual bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom. The cottage was spacious and featured all the sought after amenities, including Wi-Fi. It was evident why Beauregard Lodge has a 5 star rating based on our cottage alone, which also offered a spectacular view of the lake.

Beauregard Lodge features 12 cottages that can accommodate 24-48 person(s) and it sits on an enormous playground of more than 140 square kilometres boasting more than 40 lakes. The Beauregard Lodge does offer the traditional outfitter type packages of hunting and fishing. Anglers can enjoy fishing for speckled trout, lake trout, Northern pike or walleye on various lakes while hunters, on the other hand, will appreciate the challenge of possibly harvesting a black bear on several baited sites that are spread across the vast territory of the Beauregard Lodge.

The Beauregard Lodge also offers the possibility of hosting corporate events and also family and social gatherings with a vast variety of activities. The Beauregard Lodge does, of course, welcome off-roaders with an overnight stay. The Beauregard Lodge offers a wide variety of activities and packages, something for everyone’s taste and budget. For more information on the Beauregard Lodge, we invite you to visit their website.

Once we unloaded our Kawasaki units and had our gear all stowed in our cottage, we meet up once again with Benoit. Over cocktails and a most gratifying meal, Benoit helped us with the logistics of the next few days. The main lodge and dinning room are also set in a rustic décor providing for a relaxing dinning experience. The food is excellently prepared by a gourmet chef; we knew that our taste buds would be in for a treat over the next few days.

The next day, we awoke to a chilly and severely overcast morning. It was evident that Mother Nature would not cooperate with us on this day. This type of weather conditions isn’t ideal for taking photos and shooting video, as the images captured seem lifeless and bland. Due to this, it was decided over breakfast that we would try our luck at some speckled trout fishing as we waited for the weather to improve.

We loaded our gear onto the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE and Bruteforce 750 SE and hit the trails for a short trail ride to a nearby lake that Benoit had recommended. Upon our arrival at the lake, we loaded our rods, tackle and gear on the boat equipped with an electric outboard engine that prepared for us by the Beauregard Lodge staff. We used a very basic line setup that consisted of a Lake Clear Wabbler with 18-inch leader/hook and worm as bait. There are countless setups used for trout fishing, however, this basic setup has always produced good results for me.

We spent the next few hours fishing and easily obtaining our quota of speckled trout. The trout were of nice size (10-12 inch) and very aggressive that morning, providing for some great fishing moments. For me, there is nothing better than killing a few hours fishing with some great friends in a tranquil almost picturesque setting.

Unfortunately, the weather had not improved and rain was now upon us. We decided to head back to the lodge for a quick lunch and plan the rest of our afternoon. After way too much food, we decided that the rest of the day would be spent riding the trails. We might not be able to produce footage, but we surely could get to know our units provided to us by Kawasaki Motors Canada.

Our 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE was white and green in coloration (Metallic Stardust White) and the unit looked great with its aggressive styled frontend. Entering and exiting the unit is made easy with factory installed doors and the unit has ample room for 4 adults. The unit’s ergonomics are well designed and the instrument cluster provides all the information you need at a glance. The cargo bed area provided us with ample room to carry all the gear we needed for our expedition, plus additional storage was also available in the vehicle.

The unit is powered by a 783cc V-twin engine and boasts a sport suspension with Fox Podium 2.0 shocks. The Kawasaki Teryx4 LE sits on a set of 26” Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires mounted on 14” cast aluminum wheels and comes standard with EPS (Electric Power Steering). The 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 is available in 3 models: base, LE and Camo.

The private trails surrounding the Beauregard Lodge consist mostly of hard packed surfaces, lose rock and narrow wooded passages. The 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE easily navigated this type of terrain due to its responsive 783cc V-twin engine and the cruising comfort provided by the Fox Podium 2.0 shocks. The narrow tight wooden passages were easily crossed, thanks to precise steering provided by the EPS. The few trail obstacles we did face were effortlessly conquered by the Kawasaki Teryx4 LE due to the 11.2” of ground clearance.

We will be doing an in-depth review of the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE in our next issue of UTV Planet Magazine. However, what is important to note for now is that the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE is a pure pleasure to drive and it easily got us and our gear to where we needed to go, all in comfort and style.

After a long wet day out on the trails, we made our way back to our cottage for a much needed shower! We regrouped back at the lodge and enjoyed a nice 3-course meal in the serene setting of the Beauregard Lodge dinning room, followed by some adult refreshments.

The next morning we awoke to some better weather conditions, not ideal, but the improved light conditions would allow us to shoot our footage. So after a quick hearty breakfast, we hit the trails once again. We spent a good part of the day, till mid-afternoon, riding our Kawasaki units and exploring the scenic backcountry while capturing our footage along the way.

Now that our vital footage was captured, and since this is a fishing excursion after all, we decided to try our luck for trout fishing. We knew other anglers had success on the lake besides the lodge so we chose to tackle the same body of water. As soon as we made our way out onto the water, Mother Nature decided we had been spoiled enough for that day and sent more rain our way. We trolled the lake for a few hours, but unfortunately for us the lake trout decided not to strike our lures this day.

Our last evening was spent yet again enjoying another gourmet meal with great friends and new acquaintances while reminiscing about our adventure at the Beauregard Lodge.

It wasn’t a great surprise to get up the next morning and find sunny skies, isn’t that always the case? With us at least it is! Every time we have a shooting or activity planned the weather is miserable until comes time to leave.

So under sunny skies, we packed our gear, loaded the units onto our rig, bid farewell to our new friend at Beauregard Lodge and started our long trip back home.

An excursion such as this does not happened without partners, so we would like to thank:

Kawasaki Motors Canada for the unit loaners. We were impressed by both the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE and the Bruteforce 750 SE. Both units handled the trail conditions remarkably well and were a pleasure to drive and ride. Make sure to check out our next issue for a full in-depth review of the 2017 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE.

Beauregard Lodge. We would like to thank Benoit and all the staff at the Beauregard Lodge for the most gracious welcome and hospitality. For more information on the Beauregard Lodge, we invite you to visit their website: www.pavillonbeauregard.com

FXR Racing for keeping us safe on the trails with the helmets and protective gear and for keeping us warm and dry with the FXR outdoor clothing line-up.

The post Kawasaki Fishing Excursion appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

Day 1

For the week, we will call Gate Creek Cabins near Petersville our home. Petersville is about three hours north of Anchorage near Denali National Park and Denali State Park. Our cabin overlooks a trout fishing lake and we can head north, south, east or west on trails right from base camp. There are several open panoramic views of Denali, otherwise known as Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range. What a welcome! The cabins are family owned and operated and extremely friendly/helpful. The game plan is to ride trails to get a better view of Denali, tackle the Alaska Range, pan for gold, see some wildlife and catch our dinner. From base camp, there are more than 200 miles of ATV/UTV trails to choose from. No snow yet, but fall colors are at their peak. September is moose hunting season, so the locals say we will see tons of hunters out on the trails. The guys from Eagle River Polaris are in the cabin next door and will be our trail guides for the week.

Day 2-3

A clear morning is a good sign. There are only a few days every year that one can entirely see Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, which stands at 20,310 feet. The weather has to be perfect; she normally hides among the clouds. For our first adventure, we will trek through the Alaska Range for about 60 miles, pan for gold and ride right to the edge of Denali State Park. As we load up, we get to know our group. Jeremy Gallego works for Polaris Industries; he brought his dad, Dan Gallego and they have lived in Alaska for 20+ years. Jeremy will be our guide.

“I started riding with my dad at 8 years old. We ride all over the place both on snowmobiles and ATVs. We love the Yukon River and there are great trails in southeast Alaska and pretty much all over the state,” said Jeremy Gallego.

“I have been riding in this area for about 25 years. Jeremy and I have a real close relationship. He’s not only my son, but we’re friends,” said Dan Gallego.

Paul Hughes is from Eagle River Polaris; he provided some of the machines. We have a 2016 Polaris Ranger 900 XP, a 2016 Polaris General 1000, a 2016 Polaris RZR XP 1000, a 2015 Polaris Ranger 570 and a 2014 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 6X6 800. I called the General. It is a bit chilly this morning and windy. The forecast for the week calls for highs in the low 50s and lows in the 30s.

We start out riding through moose country on the Dollar Creek Trail. There are thick pine forests and open fields with pockets of water on both sides of the trail. We pass dozens of hunting camps and even met a successful hunter. The bull moose on the back of his truck earned him bragging rights- a full freezer of food and a nice wall mount. After only a couple of miles, we get above the tree line and begin riding through the Alaska Range. No words or pictures will depict the true beauty of the views of Peters Creek Canyon. This one lane trail hugs the side of a deep gorge with waterfalls all around us. Peters Hills are covered in vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and greens. Our first stop is to see a large waterfall. It is about 400 yards away across a ravine. After a couple pictures, we continue to climb. The trails are rugged and rocky, but well maintained. As we snaked our way up the ridge, we saw our first epic view of Denali. The clouds were covering her peak, but it was still quite the backdrop for this trail. We also can see Mt. Foraker, Mt. Hunter, the Talkeetna Mountains and the Matanuska-Susita Valleys.

At about mile 26, you will pass through the abandoned mining camp of Petersville. The Alaska Range has the nickname, “The Gateway to Gold Country.” In Petersville, historic buildings remain, but are closed and all boarded up. Gold was discovered in this area back in 1898. Many of these trails were created by gold miners who “cashed in” in Cache Creek. Gold miner, Ken Lee, is going to show us how to pan for gold in the river.

“Ken at Cache Creek Cabins has panned a lot of gold out of this river. The water is crystal clear and with Ken, you won’t go home empty handed,” said Jeremy Gallego.

Jeremy was right. In about an hour, we found about two grams of gold flakes. According to Ken, that is worth about one hundred dollars. Since gold and diamonds are a girl’s best friend, Ken gifted me the vial of gold leaf to take home.

We saved the best for last today, Denali. Denali National Park and Denali State Park are one of Alaska’s prized attractions. North America’s tallest peak can be quite the tease. All day, her peak has been hiding behind one stubborn cloud. Riding up to the edge of Denali State Park was quite an adventure. We literally felt like we were on top of the world. We ride right on the Alaskan tundra among expansive vistas, lush valleys and rugged mountains. No one is out here with us except wildlife. There’s no snow, just amazing fall colors. We are prohibited from riding ATVs/UTVs in the state park, so we had to park our machines and hike for about 30 minutes to get the best view of the mountain yet.

“We’re looking into Denali State Park and it’s actually one of the largest parks in North America. There’s a bus tour that will get you about 40 miles closer and will show you the north side of Mt. McKinley. It is a totally different view than where we are. This is the south side,” said Jeremy Gallego.

This view was a bucket list item for everyone on our trip.

Day 4

New day, new location, today, it’s all about mudding and fishing. A little rain can’t dampen the energy of the small town, Talkeetna.

“Talkeetna is a pretty cool town; it’s a climbing town. Another town that was founded by gold miners. In the summer, it gets really busy with climbers for Denali/Mt. McKinley. This is their base camp and many fly out of here. Some of the best fishing is around here too. Neat town, lots of history,” said Jeremy Gallego.

Larson Creek Lake Trail takes us from Talkeetna to our fishing hot spot. There are a dozen river crossings and tons of mud pits. We even found bear tracks and a red salmon swimming up river. Twenty miles of slick, thick, muddy trails; we felt like we were in the south. It is amazing how different the terrain can change in just a couple of miles. Whatever type of riding one prefers Alaska offers. Three rivers meet along this trail and that is our fishing hot spot. Prime fishing season is long gone, but we at least wet a line. We had red salmon swimming at our feet (amazing), however couldn’t catch a trout all afternoon. I love to fish. I recently caught a 29 inch walleye in Quebec, Canada, but left Alaska empty handed. We all did, so I guess that means we have to come back again.

With this much rain, it turned into a mud fight. Once we arrived back at camp, we grilled steak and salmon for dinner. There’s nothing like a delicious home cooked meal accompanied by an amazing sunset. No TV and limited Wi-Fi, so every night we spent time relaxing, hanging out and sharing stories. Old school fun is still in style.

In the middle of the night, a group of us decided to go for a ride in search of the Northern Lights. The forecast for Aurora activity was a seven. Night rides are one of my favorite. As we all sat in the middle of this open field waiting, we heard a moose. The noise kept getting closer and closer. Sure enough, a mama moose and her baby appeared and crossed the trail right in front of us. We were all so excited to see our first moose; the mama moose had a different opinion. She put her head down and ears back and that was our signal to put the machines in reverse and quickly, get out of there. Don’t mess with a mama moose; she will charge and you will lose. Such amazing experience- we wish we could have gotten a picture, but it all happened so fast. I still can’t get over how large they are- huge, even the baby calf.

We decided to take a trail to a different field and continue our search of dancing lights in the sky. Soon, a green stripe appeared and arched across the entire sky. It looked like a rainbow, an entirely green rainbow. However, it was faint and didn’t last long. The moon was far too bright that night. At about 3:30 in the morning, we decided to call it a night and go get more sleep.

Day 5

Next stop Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wow, what a trip-awesome trails, Denali, wildlife, gold and great locals! I don’t think anyone is ready to go home. We put on a lot of miles this week, however Alaska is the largest state in the U.S. and we didn’t explore a fraction of what the state has to offer. Off-roaders can ride alongside glaciers, anglers can deep sea fish, whale watchers can hopefully see an orca and the list goes on. We will be back again. Until then, Alaska will forever be on our mind.

The post An Alaska Adventure With Destination Polaris appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

This area also hosts the “Summun Trail System”, which offers 475 Kilometers (296 miles) of magnificent trails to discover. What makes this trail system unique is that it serves as a gateway connecting several regional outfitters. The “Summun Trail” system was created in 2010 with the combined efforts of the following outfitters: Notawissi, Mekoos and Fer a Cheval. For more information on the “Summum Trail”, please visit: www.sentiersummum.com.

At Camp RZR Brimstone, I had the pleasure to meet Lindsey Hayes, which is one of the hosts of Destination Polaris. During our brief encounter I proposed the idea to Lindsay of filming an episode of Destination Polaris in this area. After several months of logistics and planning, that idea would soon become reality.

Never heard of Destination Polaris? Really? Well, Destination Polaris is entering its 7th season on The Fox Sports Networks. Destination Polaris (produced by Ron Schara Productions) is the #1 Off-Road TV Show in North America. Available in over 100 million homes in the US and Canada, Destination Polaris is the premiere show to catch up on all the best riding spots, off-road racing and custom builds. From sand dunes to mountain peaks, from canyon rides to mud pits, Destination Polaris is your authority for all terrain travel.

Our adventure begins roadside on the 117 North Road, were we meet up with Lindsey Hayes and her team of photographers/editors: Gram Krause and Cole O’Brien. After a brief “formal” introduction session, we setout to our first destination: Mekoos outfitters.

We pulled into Mekoos outfitters in early evening and got the Destination Polaris team settled into their accommodations. Mekoos outfitters are located approximately 3 hours north of Montreal and Ottawa. The last 27 kilometers (16.8 miles) consist of unpaved road, however the road is so well maintained that it can easily be navigated, even by car. The outfitter sits on 346 square kilometers (215 square miles) of exclusive territory and hosts 135 lakes.

The Mekoos is an exceptional location for families and trail riders wanting to vacation in this remote backcountry setting. The Mekoos is primarily an outfitter, so it does offer different plans and rates for fishing and hunting packages. The rates depend on the activity you will be doing, number of persons and duration of stay, for complete rates we encourage you to visit the Mekoos website: www.mekoos.ca.

Once the Destination Polaris team got settled in, we meet up for a round of refreshments and started planning our first day or riding and activities. Planning the logistics for “Day 1” couldn’t have been easier, as Eric Mervicini our sales Manager and I had already scouted out the area for several points of interest.

After a great dinning and socializing experience in the tranquil settings of the Mekoos dinning room, it was time to call it a night. It was obvious that our friends from Destination Polaris were consumed by the long day of travel they just experienced.

We awoke well-rested and to cloudy skies, hoping that Mother Nature would be co-operative today. After a most satisfying breakfast we started packing the units for our daylong adventure. We left Mekoos and after a quick ride made our way to “Rat Lake” where we would try our hand at speckled trout fishing.

Once we caught a few nice speckled trout and the Destination Polaris photographers captured the scenes they needed for the show, we hit the trails once again. The rest of the morning was spent capturing more riding footage, which ultimately led us to our lunch destination.

We rode to “Baker Lake”, a magnificent lake with a sandy beachfront and that place would be our lunch area for today. As we arrived, Sebastien Dumoulin, owner of Mekoos Outfitters and his team were busy preparing a wonderful shore lunch for us. Fresh Trout and Walleye were on the menu along with some great side dishes. Not a bad way to spend a few hours amongst friends.

After a plentiful and most satisfying meal, we hit the trails once more. We took the Destination Polaris team up a nearby mountain which hosted a fire lookout tower for this area. The Destination Polaris photographers were able to capture some great vistas from this location. We soon found ourselves back on the trails and the rest of the day was spent riding with frequent stops to capture more footage.

Feeling content from a great first day, we found ourselves once again sitting around the table enjoying more great food in the Mekoos dinning room. After too much food, we spent the remainder of the night exchanging in pleasant conversation around bonfire with our friends from Mekoos and Destination Polaris.

We woke once again to cloudy skies and still wondering if Mother Nature would play nice with us today. Today was the day we said goodbye to Mekoos and made our way to our next outfitter: “Les 100 Lacs”.

After breakfast and thanking the whole team at Mekoos outfitters for their gracious hospitality and excellent service and accommodations, we hit the “Summon Trail” for our 88 kilometers (55 Mile) journey to “Les 100 Lacs Outfitters”.

As you are reading this, I am sure some of you must be thinking: “He is calling an 88 kilometers (55 miles) ride a journey?” The scouting ride Eric and I did took us about 1.5 hours to reach our destination. When we did the same ride with the Destination Polaris team, it took almost 8 hours to reach our destination “Les 100 Lacs” Outfitters!

When filming for the television show, the guys behind the scene (cameraman) have a huge responsibility in not only capturing ample footage but also the best footage possible. This involves frequent stops, setting up their gear (camera, tripods & drones) and making sure that the shots captured represent the experience we are living at that moment. This is a long and repetitive process for them but I must say that after watching Gram Krause and Cole O’Brien work, these guys are exceptional at what they do!

After many hours on the trail, everything was going great until we heard a loud yell coming from the unit behind us and so we stopped to investigate. Sure enough, the Polaris RZR S 1000 punctured a tire! We were well equipped to repair a puncture but not on the sidewall! Since the units were all loaners, we had no spare tires on hand. We tried to repair the tire with plugs, but as we all know, a tear in the sidewall is not repairable with plugs.

With still 40 Kilometers (25 Miles) to go and Mother Nature starting to get temperamental, we had no choice but to make the hard call. We had to get the unit to our destination on the punctured tire even if that meant damaging the rim and possibly worse! Eric left the group and made his way to “Les 100 Lacs” Outfitters while we continued shooting.

At this point Mother Nature decided she had been nice enough with us long enough and the rain began. Gram and Cole quickly packed up the gear protecting it from the rain and we all squeezed the go-fast pedals on units until our destination.

Upon our arrival at “Les 100 Lacs Outfitters”, we were rejoiced to see that Eric made it and that no additional damage was done to the unit. He also made arrangements with a local dealer in the Mont-Laurier area to have a tire and rim shipped to us. A huge thank-you to: Stephane Venne from “Moto Des Ruisseaux” for coming to our assistance with such immediate response time.

Personally this is what I love about the “Summun Trail System”. The trails offer great riding for any level of rider and are clearly indicated; so getting lost is almost impossible. Plus if a mishap of any kind were to occur, help is never that far away. All outfitters along the “Summun Trail” offer assistance and fuel to any and all trail riders.

Now that our unfortunate mishap was under control, we introduce the Destination Polaris team to the owners of “Les 100 Lacs” Paul Ouimet and Alain Lamoureux. They quickly got us settled into our accommodations.

“Les 100 Lacs” outfitter is set in a rustic décor which offers luxurious rooms at the inn and 21 well-equipped cottages which are scattered throughout their property. “Les 100 Lacs” offers a vast variety of activities for the whole family, an ideal location for your next family vacation or riding adventure. Obviously, hunting and fishing are also on the menu with different packages to choose from. For more information on “Les 100 Lacs” Outfitters, we invite you to visit the “Les 100 Lacs” website at: www.pourvoirie100lacs.com

After a much needed shower, we regrouped in the dining area, which overlooks the lake. The rustic feel of the dining area and Inn was the perfect setting to unwind after a long and grueling day on the trails. Once again the food was exceptional and the hospitality from the staff was equally on par. The rest of the night was spent joking about our misfortunes that day and boasting that we still managed to get a good days work in nonetheless.

The next morning we awoke to more sun than cloud and were eager to tackle the trails once again. Our short overnight stay at “Les 100 Lacs” Outfitters had now come to an end. After thanking all the staff at “Les 100 Lacs” for the more than gracious welcome and hospitality, it was now time to set-out to our next and final destination: “Fer A Cheval” Outfitters.

We hit the “Summon Trail” for our 63 kilometers (40 Mile) ride to “Fer A Cheval” Outfitters. Today’s ride, although not that much shorter in distance, would be travelled at a much faster pace. The Destination Polaris team still captured ample footage, but since we had no mishaps, we reached our destination by late afternoon.

The “Fer à Cheval Inn & Outfitting Resort” is located just 2.5 hours north of Mont-Laurier, Quebec and is situated on an exclusive territory spreading over 238 square kilometers. Besides its 4 star inn, the outfitter also offers cabins surrounding the main lodge and rustic camps on the outskirts of various water bodies for the more adventurous. The outfitter offers many packages to choose from hunting, fishing, Quad and snowmobiling. For more information on “Fer à Cheval” outfitters, we invite you to visit: www.feracheval.ca.

We pulled into “Fer A Cheval” outfitters around 4pm and were greeted by the general manager Benoit Gladu, which quickly had us settled into our accommodations. Our early arrival gave us time to unwind and check out some of the aerial footage capture by Gram that day.

We regrouped for supper around 7pm and Ben, who is also the Chef at “Fer à Cheval” outfitter, served us an exceptional meal. Later that night, while we were enjoying some after dinner refreshments, Francois Thouin, owner of the outfitter, arrived and we planned the next day’s activities.

Immediately following breakfast, we hit the trails once more, as Gram and Cole wanted to capture more trail riding footage. We rode to some scenic locations close to the outfitter and were out on the trails until Gram and Cole felt they had the footage they required.

After our lunch break and again way too much food, we decided to take Lindsey out for some more fishing. Lindsey is an avid hunter and angler, so now she would try her hand at Northern Pike and Walleye.

So our guide Jean Philippe Larocque loaded up the pontoon and we set out for an afternoon of fishing. Eric and I were the first catch walleye, nothing to write home about, but some nice catches just the same. Lindsey being an avid angler was eagerly waiting her turn jigging on the bow of the pontoon.

Then BAM! Fish on for Lindsey! As she was reeling in her catch, you could tell it was something big by the fight that was ongoing. When she netted the fish, the screams of joy commenced, what a monster, a 29-inch Walleye! Still, even as I write this, I don’t know what was more impressive: the Walleye or her reaction! Lindsey’s reaction was the highlight of this trip for me; I sincerely hope it makes it into the episode.

That evening was spent admiring and shooting the sunset off the pontoon before returning to shore for, you guess it, more exceptional food! During our meal many stories were shared about our adventure. However Lindsey’s Walleye “Wally” or should I say her reaction over “Wally” was definitely the chart topper.

Did I mention that Lindsey is an avid angler? Oh yeah I did! But just to prove my point, let me share this with you. The next morning while we were all getting our beauty sleep, she was out back on the water with Jean Philippe. She didn’t land another monster, but she did catch a few she could boast about over breakfast.

All good things must come to an end and this is no different. After bidding our goodbyes to the entire staff of “Fer A Cheval” outfitters and thanking them for an unforgettable stay, we loaded up our gear on our trucks and hit the long gravel road, which returned us to reality.

SPECIAL THANKS

As you can imagine an expedition of this nature requires many partners to accomplish, so here we go:

We would like to thank the entire team of Destination Polaris: Lindsay, Gram and Cole. Thank-you for believing in our episode proposal and for the kind hospitality you have shown towards our team. Proud to now consider you as friends and look forward to working with you again real soon.

A big thank-you to Polaris Industries for the loaners (Polaris General 1000 DLX and Polaris RZR S 1000.

A very special thank-you to all the outfitters involved (Mekoos, 100 Lacs and Fer A Cheval), without you this would have been impossible to accomplish. Thank you for the warm welcome, hospitality and taking care of us during our stay. Readers, if you are planning to ride or vacation in this area, make sure to check out these awesome outfitters.

Thank-you to the following dealerships:

Stephane Venne from “Moto Des Ruisseaux” for your prompt actions for our replacement tire and rim.

Jamil Neal from “Moto Folie Vaudreuil” for the loaner – Polaris Ranger XP 900

Jean Yves Bilodeau from “Motos Illimitées” for the loaner – Polaris Ranger 500

Lastly, I would like to thank our Sales Manager Eric Mervicini, for all the help in planning the logistics of this expedition.

The post Destination Polaris – Exploring Quebec’s Upper-Laurentians appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

Fishing is a sport that so many enjoy. With a whopping nine percent of Canada being water, finding a place to fish isn’t difficult. Finding a remote spot to fish, however, can get a little tricky. Thankfully there’s a fun way to find those hard-to-reach spots, and it doesn’t involve a plane. Using your UTV to go on an adventure fishing trip takes two things you know you love – driving your UTV into wild places, and fishing on waters that seldom if ever see another angler – and combines them into a trip that you’ll remember for years to come.

Why a UTV?

A UTV is the perfect platform for a day-tripping fishing adventure. Oh sure, you can pack in a tent, sleeping bags and all the other camping gear needed for overnight trips to the wilderness, but for the sake of discussion, let’s just chat about a day trip.

The 2016 Can Am Commander Max XT is a perfect platform for adventure fishing. The 85-horsepower Rotax V-twin engine gives you enough power to haul you and three passengers, plus all of your gear just about anywhere. The cargo bed has ample space for a decent sized cooler, such as a Yeti 45 quart. The secondary cargo box is a great place for smaller things, like a tackle box, and rain gear.

The roll cage is a great place to strap down a rod tube. Using a rod tube helps in several ways. It keeps your fishing rods from bouncing all over the machine. Any UTV is going to have some vibration, and just about any rod can be damaged by the rubbing that can take place when it is against metal, plastic or other materials. A rod tube will prevent that as well. The most important reason to use a rod tube is simply to protect the rods from snagging on trees and other brush as you go on your adventure. It keeps them from being damaged, or being lost, either of which could ruin a fishing trip.

Essentials for inside the UTV

There are always things you should carry with you in the UTV whenever you’re adventuring. Making that adventure a fishing trip just adds a few more. You should carry with you a flashlight and spare batteries, basic tools, spare parts such as a drive belt, and a spare key. There are other items we could add, such as duct tape, zip ties, a tire pump and plugs, but you probably already have all of that, right? Another nice feature that makes the Commander XT package so appealing is the inclusion of the 4,500 lbs. Warn winch. A winch is one of those tools that you sometimes think you don’t need, and then find yourself really appreciating when you do need it.

For an adventure fishing trip, you should also bring along your cell phone and a way to charge it. If you’re thinking of having a shoe lunch, you should have fire starting materials, such as matches or a lighter. A small shovel, such as a folding pack shovel is nice for helping put of any embers when you’re done with the fire.

A basic first aid kit should be in your machine already. Make sure you have extra bandages, gauze and tape. The number one injury during fishing trips is a cut. The other is the dreaded hook-through-the-skin. If you inadvertently hook yourself, or a buddy, take a pair of pliers and turn the hook until the barb comes back out. Then clip off the barb. This will let you pull the hook back out. As long as you don’t hook something bad, like an eye, you should be able to take care of this with bandages and antiseptic. One of the many reasons you should wear sunglasses while fishing.

Make sure you bring along enough bait and tackle. You don’t want to work to get back into the perfect spot, only to run out of the one type of bait the fish were really hitting on, do you? Hey, it happens to all of us at some point. Plan ahead!

Know where you’re going too. A GPS is a great tool for navigating back into the wilds. Take a look at where you think you want to go and program it into the GPS beforehand. Yeah, you’ll undoubtedly get sidetracked, or drawn into a different spot. The real reason to plan out at least somewhat beforehand is to be able to give someone an idea of where you might be, just in case you don’t come back. It may not be for a bad reason, but there is always the unknown that can happen, especially if you add water to the mix. Let someone know, or at the very least, write it down and leave it where someone might be able to find it.

Things that will try to eat you

We’ve all seen the movie where the innocent family heads out for a fun day or adventure and fishing, only to be savagely attacked. Well, it may be a bit farfetched, but it is also a guarantee that something is going to try to feed on you when you go fishing, especially in the wild – mosquitos! Being near water means dealing with these micro-sized vampires, and it seems that the more remote you go, the more of them there are. Be sure to toss some serious mosquito repellant in your UTV. Another option too, is the Thermacell appliance. They offer several and they actually do work. You’ll find the Thermacell will work best on calm days, so you might have to use a combination.

As for anything toothy, you really don’t have much to be concerned with. Make some noise, let them know you’re there and if you have to run, only do so in your UTV. A Can Am Commander can outrun a bear most of the time.

Taking it up a notch

While the manufacturers never recommend it due to legal reasons, the roll cage, especially on a four-seat machine like the Commander Max, offers up ample room to tie down a small boat, canoe or even a pair of kayaks. The ability to get out on the water opens up more possibilities when angling for adventure.

A favorite technique with a kayak is to have a rod holder of some kind mounted to the boat. Cast a lure, such as a Rapala out. You then put the rod in the holder and slowly paddle along, trolling the lure behind you. Predatory fish, like northern pike or walleye, will smack the lure pretty hard. Ever been dragged around by a pike while fishing from a kayak? It’s a lot of fun. This technique also works in rivers. You drop the lure in and then use the paddle to slow the boat against the current. This lets you walk the lure down the river and it is very effective for trout, steelhead, and salmon, as well as the aforementioned pike, walleye and even muskies.

One thing to note, when you’re fishing in remote locations, be it if you are wading, using a small boat, or even alongside the shore, think very carefully about using a life preserver. One of the inflatable ones doesn’t add any bulk and is cheap insurance against not coming home. It’s like wearing a helmet. You wear it not for the things you can think of, but the things you can’t.

We all love to drive our UTVs because of the fun and freedom they provide. They can go places we wouldn’t take a truck, and have a ton of fun while getting there. They are the perfect vessel for an adventure fishing trip. You just have to plan accordingly. Know going into the trip that you are going to have to do some extra machine prep work, mostly to secure everything so that the trip is free of the drama that can come from damaged or lost gear.

The reward is the journey and the memories you’ll make. The best part of a trip like this is, once you do it the first time and see what you did right and wrong, planning out the next adventure is that much easier. And if you’re anything like us, the next adventure is always right around the corner.

The post A Can-Am Commander Max And A Couple Of Fishing Poles appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

In the mountains of Northern Georgia you have to be very leery of wildlife and know that the chance of you coming in contact with something ferocious is a grand possibility in the more remote locations. I phoned a friend who is more familiar with the private landowners in the mountains here and he set me up on a 550-acre spot just a short drive from me on the Tesnatee River. Gaining permission to be on private land can be valuable for any venture and is a must no matter what. Also, it is always nice to let the owner know that you will be traversing the property in an off road vehicle. My plan was to leave no trace of my visit and if I could I would most definitely leave it better than when I arrived.

Just like any other adventure you have to plan a little ahead of time so you do not forget anything but when it is a spur of the moment deal your in for a crunch time, vital necessities only, run to the truck. When you are taking a UTV along as the mode of transportation to the actual camp location the packing has to be tight and precisely what you need otherwise you will run out of room quickly. Gathering the gear I needed I quickly realized the tent that was in the storage bin was for 6 people and I knew it would squeeze out vital room in the cargo bed of the General. I took a quick trip to the local Academy Sporting goods store where I found the store branded Compass three tents for twenty-four dollars! It was not only cheap for a tent but it was really compact as well.

After returning from Academy I packed everything into the truck and loaded the Polaris General on the trailer. Arriving at the main gate of the vast property I unloaded the Polaris general and began tucking all of the gear into the cargo area. Since I did not have a passenger I used the front seat to haul my sleeping gear and some light tools for pruning off tinder for my fire. So I loaded up the General, locked the truck and drove off into the property in search of a great spot for the night. After about thirty minutes I spotted a beautiful location on top of one of the peaks in the land. This place was in the middle of a grass field overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains but I quickly figured out that although good for camping scenery, a fire here could create a bigger problem than I could control so off I rolled towards the river.

I took a little known trail off into the woods that I had been told would bring me in close to the river access. I knew it could be a long shot but once I had arrived I knew if I was camping there I had to cross that Tesnatee River to the other side. I spotted a big sand wash area tucked right into the trees and immediately I knew that’s where I would park myself for the night.

Prepping a camping site can be just a bit of a job but luckily the sand off the riverbank had a smooth and somewhat plush little location ready for me. I knew I wanted to build a fire soon as the temperatures were going to get down in the fifties at night. On the river there were many river rocks and stones close by so I started by sitting all of my gear out against the trees. I gathered many large rocks in the bed of my Polaris General and built a nice little fire pit in about an hour. The sandy soil allowed me to dig with a nice flat rock to carve the hole in the center of my pit. From this point on it was time to set up my tent along with the Camp Chef stove and table I had brought along to cook on. I know a fire pit could have provided a good cooking source but not being extremely talented in the culinary field I decided that keeping ash out of my food would be best.

Setting up my new Academy Compass 3 tent was a breeze and as I had just finished getting it together I was surprised by three visitors. These young boys had been canoeing down the river and had to get out above the dam and come down around where I had set camp. Although they stayed around a bit casting their crank baits into the falls they were reluctant to allow me a photograph of them fishing. I then had one other guest drop in who was not only willing to have his photo made but actually owned the property and was checking to make sure I was ok. He proceeded to warn me of the wildlife there and to be leery of any snakes that could find the underside of my tent a good warm place to hide once I had gotten in and settled down. I was thinking to myself “well there’ll be no sleeping now.”

With a good fire going and a nice meal in the belly I found myself looking to fall into the tent for the night. I laid there and thought to myself about the rivers “white noise” and how peaceful it was. It was about the time when I was having all good thoughts that a terrible smell came running through the tent. Having been around bear hunts before I knew that smell and no it was not me! The Black bear in Georgia are a very populated species and as the slight crunching sound of leaves slowly faded along with that terrible odor I knew I had just had a visitor of the furry and potentially ferocious kind. Thankfully it moved on.

As night fell on the camp the temperatures did as well and man by about three in the morning it had gotten into the forties. It was 44.5 according to the small thermometer I had brought with me and it was 85% humidity right next too the river. I was not cold until I stepped out of the tent at about 7:30 that morning. I had wrapped up nicely in my double sleeping bags with a fleece liner to keep me dry.

I put on my Irish Setter Rutmaster 2.0 boots and began cooking breakfast. I was so glad I had brought my Camp Chef Rainier stove to cook on and the Camp Chef Sherpa table and organizer held all of the essentials for the feast. I even had some tunes via Bluetooth connection on my rugged NYNE Rebel speaker system. Heck, it was such a sweet setup that I was thinking of staying another few days!

Once I had cooked breakfast and gathered some more firewood I started to figure out how I would spend the rest of my day. I found out that the dam on the Tesnatee river here is actually a hydro-dam and was used to power a water pump originally. Its estimated that it was built around 1935 by a former property owner named Graham Dugas who was trying to feed water to strip-mining equipment for gold in the hills there. This was so interesting and it just begged to be investigated. After a wading across the river and a slight climb up the steep wooded bank I found myself standing in a little bit of the states history. Water from the river used to be directed into the Hydro-dam wheel and spun a 300kw generator of some kind. I bet this thing could have powered a small city in its day. I would love to see it in action but unfortunately I think I was about 45 years too late.

Camping for me is filled with time to reflect on life and the simpler ways of living. While I do enjoy exploring the wild in my Polaris General I did find myself simply sitting on that riverbank thinking about how the next 30 years would affect not only the outdoors but everyone who enjoys them. I decided that I would take this Polaris General 1000 and dig around the rest of the property before I had to leave because I once again realized as the sun was setting that time waits for no one. Enjoy it while you can!

The post Roaming The Outdoors In Our Polaris General 1000 appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

Having an off road machine like the Polaris ACE 900 gives the adventurous outdoorsman a way to get to the really far out places, hidden fishing holes even if the trails get tight. The process of planning a fishing trip was a little more than I had remembered but excitement began filling my mind and with a visit to the storage shed I began to find all of my gear as well as some of my fathers. I picked up Dads old tackle box and when I opened it the memories of each item inside just seemed to grab me. I remember so many times when Dad would hook these long cork floats on the catfish lines and when we caught a whopper he would use the handy multi-tool to get that mud cat off the hook. He loved the simple baits and seemed to stay away from the “fishing propaganda”. I have to admit, there were more memories in that one old box than I could take in.

When I began planning for my trip I knew I needed to think small gear and compact everything into a few bags to make sure I didn’t overload the cargo areas on my Polaris ACE. I mean, how do you carry a complete fishing rod on a machine in tight woods without it grabbing every branch in the trails? I could not find even one case or rod reel holder for the off road. Maybe someone will see this and produce a case for the masses. I wasn’t really worried though as I knew I had the will to find a way to get the fishing rod to the pond carefully.

I love the lighter action rods myself just because it makes even the smallest catch feel exciting and honestly I was taught with this set up to keep me excited about fishing as a young boy. I visited the local bargain store to find a new reel for my Berkley lightweight rod as I had broken the reel on my last trip and had never replaced it. These smaller rods and reels are fairly inexpensive and I knew that if I were to break it or loose the combo it wouldn’t kill the budget. The items I knew I needed to take were a compact version of a tackle box, a good cooler for snacks and drinks as well as my trusty rod and reel but one thing I didn’t think of until I walked to the checkout was my fishing license. After another $17 I had both regular fishing permit and my trout stamp. Of course riding off road as well as fishing is potentially messy so I needed to get a protective cover to keep them dry. And then there were the worms that would make the final key ingredient for the trip.

It was now time to load all of the gear on our Polaris ACE 900. The cargo box in the rear of the ACE seemed to hold our Yeti cooler and Tackle bag/box fairly easily. I knew I wanted to relax on the bank but I did not know exactly how clear or clean the bank would be so I brought one of my Browning Turkey hunting blind chairs to rest my tail on. It was also snug in the cargo bed. Knowing that the weeds on the banks might be severely grown up at the private lake I had in mind I knew there might be a few slithering reptiles and that just reinforced my need for a chair. It seemed like I had to lay everything out on the trailer and then cut it by half to get to the real bare essentials for the trip in my Polaris ACE.

Taking in the scenery on the way across the ponds Dam I noticed a lady and her horse coming right at me. Not knowing how the animal would react to the noise or presence of the machine I shut off the ACE and waited until they had come right up beside me. Ms. Carolyn was her name and “Dixie Echo” was the beautiful horse she was riding. Carolyn is a horseback riding instructor and guide in the area that had recently started giving trail rides on the same trails of this private land we would ride on in the SXS or our ATV’s. I love meeting people in the outdoors who enjoy and appreciate nature in the wild. She mentioned that she had spooked up a “gang” of turkeys just out the trail a bit and there were also fifty or more doves in the planted food plots right around the corner. As I went on my way I never spotted the doves but a few turkey were still hanging around at the food plots.

As I reached the “private pond” the weeds had over grown the bank but the property owner had cut some of the trail along the bottom of the dam for a little better passage along there. Finding a good spot to fish was not really tough because as I rolled across the dam I could see the many bass beds in the water. Now this doesn’t mean an easy catch but it did mean that where Mama was hanging out, big Papa could be as well. The reeds along the bank would also be a great place for anything from small mouth bass to large blue gill or sunfish to hang out.

After finding a great spot to park my rig I unloaded the chair as well as my tackle and began flipping a deep diver crank bait through the water. The reeds had shown some promise as the rolling of the underwater action, taking place began to spill out onto the treble hook on the rear of said crank bait. A few misses and then it was on. The small Bream had taken on a little more than he could have even fit in his mouth but the valiant effort was surely recognized by this guy. It wasn’t long before I had caught and released several of the little bluegill and after hooking a couple of these nice 1lb smallmouth bass I was realizing the sun had started to set. It was about a 3 mile ride through the woods to the truck and in bear country you just need to get a good start before dark.

The trip that started out in my mind was indeed much longer and took some effort that I was not expecting. But when I look at the entire day and the stroll down memory lane while plundering my fathers old gear with thoughts of him it was all well worth it. The fishing for me was an exciting end to a very excited day and actually contained zero stress. I was happy to be planning for the trip and I was blessed to meet up with Carolyn as well as her horse “Dixie Echo.” I also could not have made it to the shore of the small pond without the help of my trusty steed the Polaris ACE 900. This little machine is an adventure waiting to happen and if you get a chance to ride one you should never turn that down.

The post Adventurous Polaris Ace appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.

Since 2004, Mekoos outfitters is owned and operated by the Dumoulin family. The Dumoulin family and their staff pursue objectives of sustainable development, ecotourism in four seasons and ensure that proper management of native wildlife is supported, allowing you a harvest of exceptional quality.

We arrived at the outfitters late in the afternoon under cloudy skies and frigid temperatures. The unusually low temperatures for this time of year, are not ideal, but still more than adequate for riding and fishing. After we settled in to our accommodations, we met with Sebastien Dumoulin, Owner of Mekoos Outfitters. Sebastien gave us the rundown of the “Mekoos” and helped us plan our itinerary for the next few days.

Mekoos outfitters can accommodate up to 100 guests and offers three types of lodging accommodations: rooms at the main lodge, on-site cottages and off-site lakeside cottages for the more adventurous type. The rooms in the main lodge are exceptional spacious and can accommodate 3 persons, offering a double and single bed. The outfitter also offers 9 on-site rustic-looking cottages that can accommodate from 2 to 16 persons. You will also find 2 remote (off-site) cottages that can accommodate 2-6 persons. All cottages feature full amenities and pet owners can rejoice as you’re four-legged friend(s) are welcomed here.

For those of you that “getaway” means getting away from the kitchen as well, no worries the Mekoos has you covered with their “American Plan” which includes lodging and all meals. While on the subject on meals, let me warn you, bring loose clothing, as the food is not only exceptional but also plentiful. The Mekoos is proud of its dining room, which is headed by an experienced chef who can satisfy even the fussiest palate. Breakfast, lunch and finally toped off with a “five star” four-course dinning experience with an enviable wine list. Surprisingly the Chef can also prepare you your fresh catch of the day if you wish to have it as an entrée. If you are planning on a day-long adventure on the trails or lakeside, the chef will also offer to prepare you a picnic basket saving you the need to return to the main lodge for lunch, how’s that for service! However, if you would rather be your own chef the outfitter also offers a “European Plan” which includes only lodging.

The Mekoos is primarily an outfitter, so it does offer different plans and rates for fishing and hunting packages. The packages offered: Fishing (Pike, Walleye, Lake and Speckled Trout), Hunting (Small Game, Black Bear, White-tailed Deer and Moose). The rates depend on the activity you will be doing, number of persons and duration of stay, for complete rates we encourage you to visit the Mekoos website: www.mekoos.ca.

The Mekoos is also an exceptional location for families wanting to vacation in the marvelous surroundings this wildness area can provide. Substitute your child’s cellphone and/or gaming device by a set of binocular’s or possibly even a fishing pole, introduce them to nature, it does the body good! The Mekoos offers many activities for the whole family to enjoy and spend quality time to together, because of course isn’t that what life is all about.

For us off-roaders the Mekoos is situated on the “Summum Trail” which offers 475 Kilometers (296 miles) of magnificent trails to discover. This new trail system was created with the combined efforts of the following outfitters: Notawissi, Mekoos and Fer a Cheval in 2010. For more information on the “Summum Trail”, please visit: www.sentiersummum.com.

After two days of having to deal with Mother Nature’s bad temperament, we awoke to a crisp overcast morning. Once the breakfast ritual was complete we proceeded to load up The Honda Pioneer 1000-5 with our gear, as it was time to ride. We hit the trails with our guide Sebastien with speckled trout fishing on the agenda for the day.

This area provides for some exceptional trail riding with clearly marked trails, which consist mostly of hard packed surfaces. Once we got closer to our fishing destination however the conditions suddenly got more interesting. We faced water, mud traverses, roots, stumps, rocky terrain as well as tight passages. The Pioneer 1000-5 handled these conditions with extreme ease. The steering always felt tight and precise and suspension seemed to soak up anything in its path. The Pioneer 1000-5 was nimble enough to allow us to squeeze through some tight passages and it was also reassuring to know that if needed, the 999cc engine would come to life with a simple tap on the accelerator. As I mentioned in my review of the Honda Pioneer 1000, I love to drive it in MT (Manual Mode). The manual mode gives you more driver-focused control in my opinion and definitely enhances the overall drive experience.

The Pioneer 1000-5 also provided us with more than ample storage for all of our gear when we folded down the Quick-Flip seats. In the cabin we where comfortably seated and always felt in control as we navigated over the various trail conditions. Overall the Honda Pioneer 1000-5 is in its element in this type of excursion, a pure pleasure to drive, nimble and responsive especially in MT mode.

As the picturesque décor revealed the body of water in front of us we were eager to get out on the lake. We grabbed our Honda BF2.3 outboard and fishing gear from the Pioneer 1000 cargo bed made our way towards the dock. Once secured on our boat and with one pull the BF2.3 outboard easily started and we were on our way. For the size of body of water we were fishing in, the BF2.3 was an ideal outboard. It provided for adequate speed and maneuverability, precise throttle control and best of all its lightweight and compact.

Great thing about trout fishing is that it doesn’t require a huge investment in gear and tackle to take up the sport. We had a basic line and spinning reel setup with a sliver and bronze “Lake Clear” lure and worm bait on a trailing hook. This setup worked great for us as we managed to pull out some monster speckled trout.

After a great morning of fishing we anchored the boats in the middle of the lake and had lunch and of course exchanged old fishing stories that seem to get better every year. Once we had our fill of food and stories we proceeded back to shore and spent that afternoon exploring more trails before calling it a day. After a day well spent trail riding and fishing, we enjoyed a few cocktails and great food amongst friends.

The next morning after yet another hearty breakfast, we were ready hit the trails once again. Before we had a chance to leave camp, Sebastien stopped us and told us to meet him at a nearby lake for lunch; he said he had a surprise for us. Intriguing indeed but in the meantime we had riding to do. Since this was our last day we wanted to explore this area as much as possible and also enjoy our seat time in the Honda Pioneer 1000-5. It seemed that every trail we hit was crafted just for us as every turn unveiled its own vista for us to explore.

After an extensive riding session we pulled into the lake area where Sebastien had instructed us to meet him. A magnificent lake with a sandy beachfront would be our lunch area for today. Sebastien had invited some of the guest from the lodge and he and his staff were now busy preparing a wonderful shore lunch for us. Fresh Trout and Walleye were on the menu along with some great side dishes. Not a bad way to spend a few hours and end our trip!

There are those that live for speed and racing. I have nothing against them and I respect them fully, however this is what UTV off-roading is all about for me. Exploring new areas, setting out on different excursions and spending quality time with friends and family.

In closing, this is also an opportune time to mention that Mekoos outfitters also offer UTV rentals. This is a great service for someone who doesn’t want to haul their own unit or possibly someone who doesn’t own a UTV and would like to try one. It’s highly recommended to reserve your unit when booking your trip.

I would like to take this moment to thank Sebastien Dumoulin and all his family and staff for the most gracious welcome and hospitality. If the adventure I briefly described sounds like something you wish to partake in, I highly recommend that you check out Mekoos Outfitters.

The post The Ultimate Fishing Excursion Powered By Honda appeared first on UTV Planet Magazine.