Event promotes safety for off-road enthusiasts

By Chester Allen | The Olympian • Published March 15, 2008

• Comments (0)

About 200 dirt bikers and all-terrain vehicle riders arrived at the Straddleline ORV Park in Grays Harbor County on Saturday morning, but they weren't there to race or explore the trails in nearby Capitol State Forest.

On this day, everyone arrived with a idea of starting the ORV season April 1 in a safe way.

Most ORV riders do everything they can to stay safe and be good neighbors, but "we had seven fatalities on DNR lands across the state last year," said Larry Raedel, chief of police services for the state Department of Natural Resources. "The deaths were primarily on quads on forest roads — not on trails."

Saturday's first ORV Safety Summit at Straddleline was the start of a new tradition: yearly safety gatherings before the off-road season begins, Raedel said.

The goal is to get riders safety updates on riding and equipment, Raedel said.

Many local ORV businesses and clubs were on hand to listen to safety talks, watch demonstrations and get a free vehicle-safety check.

Many riders also got a chance to test new motorcycles, quads and other off-road vehicles.

Chad Bergman, who drove down from Puyallup, pulled on a helmet to test-drive a new Honda quad as the day began.

"This is a good idea," Bergman said. "I've been riding for a year, and I can come here to learn new things, such as where I can ride and when I can ride."

Many ORV club members proudly showed off the well-kept grounds at Straddleline. Grays Harbor County owns the land, which borders the motorized trail portion of Capitol State Forest, but the clubs maintain and improve the area.

Entire families of riders attended the seminars, ate a free hot dog lunch and tried out new equipment.

Roy Puchalski of Roy came to give newer riders safety tips.

He helped two younger riders master turns and shift gears as they steered between cones on a short course.

Puchalski, a rider for 32 years, said the new models of off-road vehicles are as quiet as a car on the highway.

"We do not promote noise," Puchalski said. "You don't have to be loud to be fast."

Chester Allen is outdoors reporter for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-4226 or callen@theolympian.com.