Campers Info Source

Driving and riding an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV)  or Four Wheeler is one of the most fun activities you can do outdoors for young and old.  Many people will debate the age when kids should be allowed to start driving but most laws

Justin and McKenna Riding A Four Wheeler

require kids to be at least 16 years old before driving a four wheeler.  Some state laws vary but regardless of law, what’s more important is that the child be mature and practice safety all the time.

And parents need to model safe driving habits because children do what they see.  My son-in-law Justin recently took my grand daughter McKenna for a very short ride on a four wheeler.  Just seeing her in this picture was amazing.

Even at this age, she had so much fun.  Grandpa is probably going to have to buy her a four wheeler when she grows up.  The next time you plan to go outdoors and play with mother nature, consider buying and using four wheelers vs hiking or biking and remember, “The Joy is in the Journey”.

While the phrases backpacking and hiking are almost the same to most people and offer great exercise when exploring the great outdoors, there is another way to explore wilderness that is also very enjoyable.  This brings me to my last and final Tip #10.

Tip # 10 – Try Four Wheeling in the Wilderness

Four Wheelers are a lot more durable and affordable than they used to be.  They are also available for adults and children.  What I really like to do and recommend you try is getting a couple of four wheelers and setting them up near your base camp somewhere in the wilderness.   The study your maps or use your GPS to determine exactly which areas you’d like to navigate through when exploring.  Put your backpack on the front or back rack of your four wheeler along with one of your camping chairs, jump on and take it for a slow ride through the woods.  Stop every once in a while to walk around and when you find an area you really like, do a little bit of hiking in that area.  When you get hungry, set up your chair and have a bit to eat.  Four wheeling is a fun way to enjoy mother nature and once you’ve tried it, you’ll be hooked.

Lastly, one of the most important tips I can give you is to “ALWAYS LEAVE THE WILDERNESS THE WAY YOU ENTERED IT”.  I can not emphasis this enough.  When you go into the wilderness, it feels like you are the first one to every be in that place and that’s often times why it is so fun.  You feel like a pioneer.  So please make sure that when you leave, the wilderness will feel the same for the next person and for you on your next return.  Remember, “The Joy is in the Journey”.

When I was about 12 or 13 years old, my mom and dad took me and my 6 other brothers and sisters to my uncle Bill’s home in Illinois.  We visited with Uncle Bill, his wife Connie, and my two cousins, Brook and Brad.  I will never forget that trip as long as I live because they had a motorized mini bike and back in the 70′s that was a big deal.  More importantly, they let me drive it all by myself.  I was so excited and had so much fun.  Things have evolved so much since then.  We now have four wheelers and ATVs for adults and kids.  Today’s four wheelers hold 1-3.5 gallons of gas, giving your four wheeler a range of 70-115 miles, depending on the rider’s weight and terrain.  So even in today’s economy, a four wheeler is very efficient.  If you’ve never tried four wheeling, I encourage you to get a four wheeler for an adult and a kid and when I say kid, I mean someone who is at least 16 years old.  I’ve driven many different kinds of cars, trucks, boats, scooters, bikes, sailboats, wind surfers etc and nothing compares to the thrill of driving a four wheeler; except driving one by yourself and having your 16 year old son or daughter drive one right near you. 

Four wheelers can be used or exploration in the woods or for towing trailers filled with logs, leaves and trash.  They can also be used to plow snow.  They make an excellent utility vehicle.  Today’s four wheelers are easier then ever to drive because they have automatic transmissions and electric start.  They are also safer than ever as you can set the maximum speed according to your child’s age and experience.  Four wheelers are available in various sizes including 110cc, 125cc, 150cc and 200cc for kids and 250cc, 300cc, 350cc, 400cc, and 500cc for adults.  Make sure you pick the size that is best for you and your family.

A couple of years ago my wife and I attended a high school football game at the Metro dome in Minneapolis.  While watching the game we noticed kids and teenagers walking all over the place and talking on their cell phones.  We couldn’t believe how young some of them were.  Some looked like they were under 10 years old.  Although My wife Kay and I are just as concerned as others about knowing where our kids are all the time and what they are doing, we didn’t let our kids have cell phones until they were 18 years old.   We still knew where they were and what they were doing.  So when is it really to young for kids to have their own cell phone?  That’s up to you but for us, it was when they were able to afford paying for it by themselves.

The same question applies to four wheelers.  When is too young realy too young for 4 wheelers?  Kids mature at different ages.  A kid who lives in the big city and gets a chance to ride a 4 wheeler 2-3 times a year should probably wait until they are 16 years old to drive a 4 wheeler; the same age as is required to drive a car.  But for kids who live in a rural area or country area and have terrain to drive on that’s easily accessible from their home can probably drive a four wheeler at age 11 or 12 years of age; not on city streets but on personal property, state forests etc.

The bottom line is this.  It’s really up to the parents to determine what’s the best age for their child to start driving a four wheeler and there has to be an element of trust between the child and parent plus a close supervision during the first few months of driving the four wheeler.  Beyond my opinion above, I can tell you this.  Driving a four wheeler in the woods is a blast.  You see so much and learn even more about wild life, wild animals, survival etc.  You also learn responsibility and sharing.  If you have never tried four wheeling, buy yourself one or more four wheelers; maybe one of an adult and one for a child and enjoy the great outdoors.  Take one on your next camping trip.

Snowmobiling in the winter used to be the only real way of navigating the woods and trails in the winter time.  Groups of family and friends would head out on a Friday or Saturday for a trek through the woods, across lakes, rivers and streams and explore the great outdoors.  But Four Wheelers soon gained popularity because they could be used to do the same things in the winter but could also be used in the spring, summer and fall.  And they took a beating much better than a snow mobile.

Today, four wheelers are much more popular because they are a four season vehicle and can be used to do so much more.  They can be used to:

• Shovel snow
• Tow boats at marinas
• Tow trailers for leaves, branches and trash at home
• Haul deer out of the woods
• Travel to a deer stand deep in the woods
• Plow new trails through the woods
• Explore the great outdoors
• Help Dept of Natural Resources personnel get to spots where they can study animals in their natural habitat

The number of things a four wheeler can be used to do is virtually unlimited.  What often goes unsaid is just how fun it is to drive a four wheeler all by your self.  It’s a blast.  It’s a lot different than driving a car, moped, bike or motorcycle.  You feel a real sense of power and control when driving a four wheeler.

My most enjoyable time using a four wheeler is when camping.  My family pitches a tent with friends and we bring a couple of four wheelers with us.  The older kids enjoy the freedom of four wheeling by themselves because they feel like they are being trusted with something special and they feel more grown up.  The younger kids enjoy riding on the back or pretending they are driving when sitting right in front of an adult and going slow.

A 250 cc Four Wheeler  is just what you need.  You can get a camouflage four wheeler or other colors like red, blue and black.  Four Wheelers also have areas to hold a Camping Tent  or some Camping Accessories if you want to take them back to the deep woods or far away from the camp site. 

One thing I highly suggest bringing on your four wheeler is some hot cocoa or hot coffee when driving in the winter.  And with really warm mittens, choppers or snowmobile gloves; not gloves with fingers because your fingers will get much colder than with warm mittens. 

Also make sure you bring a GPS or compass.  It’s unreal how easy it is to get lost in the woods when it is blanketed by snow.

I also suggest you consider ice fishing.  You can easily drive your four-wheeler out on the frozen ice of a lake and fish while sitting comfortably on your four-wheeler or a bucket with a cushion.  And you can tow fishing supplies and food in a sled behind the four-wheeler.

So if you have never gone four wheeling in the winter, give it a try this winter and you’ll be hooked.