Over the years we've done a lot of dirt bike riding ranging from informal family rides to sanctioned Grand Prix and desert races, and many of the highlights of our OHV activities have occurred during family rides. Races and other events require a lot of formal organization, planning, and coordination with land managers, but even family rides require some preparation and planning. If you want to lead a larger group, you need even more preparation.
If you are new to the sport, you'll want to hook up with someone who knows the trails you want to ride and get them to let you tag along for your first few outings. Getting lost during your first few rides is likely to put quite a damper on your enthusiasm for the sport. Once you're familiar with the area, you'll feel confident in leading your own family or group. Whether you're leading a ride or following someone who is, there are basic rules your need to be aware of to have fun and make the most of your ride.
Before beginning any ride you should have a route or destination in mind. That gives participants some idea of how long and how difficult -- and how fun -- the ride is going to be. Choosing a route or a destination might be up to the ride leader, but sometimes it is a negotiation among the expected participants. Knowing where you're going can help you from getting lost or separated from the group -- or can help you reconnect if you do part ways.
Key positions for any ride are ride leader and sweep. The ride leader, obviously leads the ride. He (or she) chooses the route and sets the pace. It takes some knowledge of the terrain and experience leading rides to select appropriate routes and to set a good pace. It needs to be fast enough to keep the ride interesting and not too fast or too difficult for any novice riders in the group. You also need to consider the equipment and skills your riders have. Trails that are perfectly acceptable for dirt bikes aren't always passable on ATVs. Technically challenging trails are fun for experienced riders but scary and dangerous for newbies. Sweep is the last rider in the group. I kind of ended up riding sweep by default when my family first started riding. I didn't want to hold anyone up and I wanted to stay behind all of my kids and so I could help them out if they had any trouble. I felt more comfortable knowing, that as a novice rider, I wasn't holding anyone up. But usually you should choose an experienced rider to ride sweep, someone who knows the terrain and is capable of handling mechanical and medical emergencies and lending whatever assistance anyone he "sweeps" may need. I was flattered when I learned it was actually a kind of compliment that I was allowed to ride sweep so early in my off roading career. Fortunately I did have mechanical and first aid skills and a pretty good sense of direction. I was also paranoid enough about getting left behind that I kept a pretty good eye on where the group was going and did my best to keep up.
Regardless of whether you're leading just your family or a whole group of riders, your first step is to decide where you are going to go. That may mean choosing a destination or just a particular trail or trail system you want to explore. In choosing a route, consider the types of OHVs and the experience and expectations of the riders. If your group includes ATVs you will want to avoid single-track trails that are only suitable for dirt bikes and mountain bikes. If you have novices in the group, you will want to steer clear of extremely technical or difficult trails. That doesn't mean you can't still have fun. A trail doesn't have to beat you or your OHV to pieces to be fun. An experienced fellow rider and former desert racer once told me "If a trail isn't fun at 25 mph, it isn't a fun trail!" On the other hand, it doesn't have to be and shouldn't be completely mundane or boring. Look for interesting terrain: roller coaster hills, twisty-turny trails through the trees, brush, or rocks, maybe add an easy hill climb or two if everyone in your group is up to it. Including interesting historical or geological features make it fun and provide opportunities for an occasional rest stop. Abandoned cabins and mines, special or unusual rock formations, and even weird or especially picturesque trees are good points of interest. Whenever approaching especially difficult or technical terrain, plan an alternate route around the more troublesome portions for the less experienced or less adventurous riders. You can pretty much count on it being better and faster to wait for them to go around than to have to carry them back to camp if they break down or are injured. Your "destination" might be a specific landmark, like a cabin, ruins, rock formation, stream, a look out tower, mountain top, or sometimes even a town or a store. Or you might plan a ride to take advantage of a particular known trail. Or you might just decide to "go play around in those hills over there". Any of these are acceptable plans. Just make sure everyone in your group knows your intentions and that you leave your plans with someone at base camp before you take off, and then stick to the plan. Sometimes we choose routes that allow alternate paths for faster and more skilled riders to enjoy a little "hot dogging" to keep things interesting for them. In open riding areas they can ride a parallel course at their own speed -- and wait for the slower riders at pre-designated rest stops. In limited use areas it is important to keep all riders on designated trails. If you have riders of varying skills, you may want to break into more than one group so people of like skill can ride together without pressuring or inconveniencing those of other levels.
Setting the pace. Once again, the experience and equipment in the group you are leading and the difficulty of the route will determine what is an appropriate pace. Experienced dirt bikers like to go fast. However, as I mentioned before, a seasoned rider friend of mine and former desert racer said, "If a trail isn't fun at 25 mph, it isn't a fun trail!" That means, you don't have to be going "flat out" all the time! Sometimes it is more fun to actually see the scenery instead of just a blur, especially if you've chosen your route well. You don't have to be full throttle all the time! ATVs are typically not quite as maneuverable as dirt bikes so you may need to adjust speed to ensure you don't leave any of your group behind if ATVs are included. ATVs also require wider trails and are not stable crossing steep slopes that dirt bikes take in stride. Likewise, the experience level of all riders must be considered. Give it a little more time and take it easy if you have young, novice, or timid riders in your group. Gender is not usually a necessary consideration. My younger daughter was perfectly able of keeping up with the adults when she was 12. Perceptions of difficulty change as riders develop more skills and confidence. When my kids were young they often begged to go along on the "daddy ride" with me and my adult friends. By the time they boys were teens, it changed dramatically to "I don't want to go on that old man's ride!" -- speaking of the same group of riders on the same kinds of machines and the same proposed routes.
Manage the size of your group. Large groups are difficult to keep track of out on the trail and can present hazards for other groups of riders. One of the best ways to ensure safety is to manage the size of a group of riders and if you get more than about a dozen, break it up into sub-groups, each with its own experienced leader.You can head to the same destinations and follow the same trails. All riders should know that, if they should get separated from the group, to wait at the last confirmed trail intersection that they know where the group went. Sometimes, in desert terrain, you can locate your group by riding to the top of a nearby hill and looking for riders or dust trails. Just don't lose track of where you need to return to get to that known intersection if you have to stop and wait for them to come back for you! You can keep both groups close together, but having two separate groups divides the responsibility and makes it easier to keep track of everyone on the trail. It is good to have a general idea where your group is headed so you don't follow the wrong dust trail. Finding out you've caught up to the wrong group is embarrassing and wastes a lot of time and by then you will have lost any chance of finding the right dust trail again.
Hands signals. Ordinary driving hand signals are applicable to OHV riding: left turn (left arm straight out), right turn (left arm at the square), slow/stop (left arm down or moved in a downward patting motion). In addition, you will see people holding up a number of fingers (hopefully not just a raised middle finger) when approaching another group of riders coming toward them on the same trail. The number of fingers held up indicates the number of additional riders behind the rider giving the signal. The last rider in the group should raise his hand with all fingers closed and the palm facing the oncoming rider, indicating "zero riders behind me" -- end of the line. Turning the back of the hand toward oncoming riders may be interpreted as an aggressive gesture, especially if you punch the air! Since you only have 5 fingers on one hand it is difficult to represent larger numbers of riders behind you. Displaying an open hand lets the on coming rider know there are AT LEAST 5 more riders behind you. As each rider continues to display an open hand until there are fewer than 5 riders behind you. I've seen guys try to signal 18 riders behind them by repeatedly opening and closing their hands, but it is time consuming, the rider watching you probably isn't counting, and most likely you have better things to do with that hand to keep comfortable control of your machine as you approach oncoming traffic. You always need to know where you are in the group. Not everyone knows or cares to use this technique, but it is definitely good trail etiquette to do so and even if you don't use it you should be able to recognize the signals when someone else gives them.
Keeping track of everyone. The larger the group, the more difficult it is to keep track of everyone. Make sure that every rider knows he or she is responsible for the rider behind them. Each rider must look back at every intersection to make sure the rider following them saw where the group went and makes the correct turn. It is always good to remind even experienced riders to keep track of the rider behind them. Some "hot dogs" have a tendency to take off on their own and totally forget about and lose track of the riders behind them. I'd a lot rather make sure slower riders are staying with the group than waste my gas and time having to go back and look for them while the rest of the group bakes in the desert sun! Sometimes we "allow" a group of hot-doggers to run a parallel course as long as they keep the main group in sight. That way they can set their own speed on each section without having to wait for slower riders in front or behind of them. The only downside is they are usually rested and raring to go by the time the rest of the group catches up with them at each rest stop. You should always to be able to count on following your group by staying on the trail or road you're on. If they leave the trail or branch off, each rider should wait for the one behind him to make the turn before heading off to catch up with the group. If you lose sight of the rider in front of you, just keep going on the same trail. If you come to an intersection stop and wait there for someone to come back for you.
"Sweep" rider. Choose a competent rider who knows the area to ride "sweep". That is the last rider in the group and he/she will be responsible for "picking up the pieces" -- looking out for anyone who as fallen behind or gotten lost. There are many reasons someone may fall behind. They may not be able to keep up with the group due to inexperience or lack of confidence or perhaps they've experienced mechanical problems or may have had an accident and/or been injured or become ill. In spite of my personal history, riding sweep isn't a job for the slowest or newest rider. Ideally, the sweep rider should be fully capable of dealing with any emergency (navigational, medical or equipment) and be able to lead stragglers back to camp, on to the destination, or to help if necessary. Sometimes the sweep rider may have to race ahead to catch up with the ride leader to communicate with them about a rider who has fallen behind and may need help. For added safety and convenience, when possible, the leader and the sweep rider could carry two-way radios to keep in touch. We've even used them in the desert to communicate between two different ride groups on different routes.
NEVER push any rider to ride beyond their limits. It is good to encourage new riders to develop and improve their skills, but pushing them too far too fast is a proven recipe for disaster! I'd a whole lot rather wait for someone to catch up than have to carry them back to camp when they break down or get hurt going faster than they should or trying to navigate a technical section that is beyond their abilities. When my oldest son was a teenager, he took a couple of inexperienced friends riding with him. One of them crashed so hard trying to keep up with the more experienced riders that he had to be air lifted out to the nearest hospital. When we reach a particularly difficult section, I break the group into two sub-groups and provide an alternate leader for an alternate route around the difficult section. There is a time and a place for new riders to push their limits, and unless you design and promote a ride specifically as a "skill builder" and everyone knows what to expect, you don't want riders forced into pushing their personal envelopes too far to where they may injure themselves or someone else in the group. Skill builder rides are an excellent tool for introducing new riders to the sport and improving everyone's skill level. Just ease into it so they can actually build the skills they need before you lead them into extremely technical terrain. Its OK for riders to choose to push themselves a little bit and more experienced riders should support them and mentor them. That is how they develop their skill. But don't put peer pressure on them to tackle technical sections or speeds that are way beyond their current capabilities. That is a sure recipe for disaster -- and having to carry an injured rider and/or broken machine back to camp. And THAT can spoil your whole trip in a big hurry. My teen age son had a novice friend (mentioned above) who, being an invincible teenager, thought he could keep up with the group and ended up being airlifted to the hospital instead when he lost control and crashed hard. And it wasn't even a particularly difficult section of trail. You may have to form your own judgements about a rider's capabilities and not take his/her word for it. Some new riders will be vastly over confident, some grossly timid about their skills. It will likely be up to you to mediate behavior of both types.
Take frequent breaks. Stop every few miles at the very least to make sure you haven't lost anyone and to see how every one is doing and if the pace is satisfactory. You may be encouraged to pick up the pace or, on rare occasions, to back it down a bit. Either way, you won't know unless you take time to find out. If you find you are frequently waiting a long time for slower riders to catch up, you may need to slow the pace or choose less difficult trails. Perhaps you can pair novice riders with experienced partners to help them improve their skills. Each time you stop, ask the newer members of the group if they can point the way back to camp, to your destination, or some prominent landmark. This helps riders learn the terrain and ensure they can find their way back if they should get separated from the group. Knowing they will be asked will encourage them to keep better track of where they are as they go. It is also a nice confidence builder for young and novice riders and can be kind of a fun game. All too often riders get tunnel vision and focus on just following the person in front of them. When they do that they quickly lose track of landmarks and any sense of direction for the way back to camp. Frequent checks on their observations is a good way to help them remember to pay attention to their environment and the route.
Skill builder rides. To help new riders develop their skills you WILL want to schedule skill builder rides. The route you choose for a skill builder depends on type of equipment, new rider existing skill levels, and what particular skills you want to work on. Hill climbing techniques are very different from those required to negotiate sand washes. Even riding flat smooth terrain, such as a dry lake, has its own specific techniques. A skill builder ride might include any or all types of terrain, but make sure your riders know what to expect so they don't find themselves not only in unfamiliar territory, but in over their heads! No one is going to build any useful skills by tumbling down a mountain side, only by learning the right way to successfully negotiate it. Falling may dramatically point out what NOT to do, but it is an unnecessarily painful way to learn. Much better to start with moderately difficult terrain and work your way up to the tougher stuff as folks are ready. I first learned to negotiate drop offs by "jumping" off a 1' bank into a sand wash. Over time I developed the confidence and skills to handle much larger drop offs of 6'or more. Since deep rain ruts and sand washes are common surprises in desert terrain, being able to handle them is an important skill. Technical tip: keep the front wheel up when landing from any jump. Landing front wheel first will increase the likelihood of crashing!
Before embarking on any ride, check your equipment and safety gear. Top off your fuel, check the oil, check coolant (if applicable), check tire pressures, check your on-board tool kit. Check your OHV for any loose fasteners. They can be easily tightened in camp and may cause serious problems if you loose part of your machine out on the trail! Make sure every rider is properly equipped with the right safety gear and has sufficient water and fuel to accommodate their needs for the intended length of the trip.
Let someone know where you're going and how long you expect to be gone. You or someone in your group could encounter unexpected medical or mechanical problems or have an accident out on the trail. Even if you are just taking a short family ride out away from camp on local trails, let someone in camp know. That way, if you don't come back at a reasonable time, they'll have some idea when and where to come looking for you.
More formal rides. Some folks like the spontaneity of last-minute rides to local attractions near a base camp. A carefully chosen base camp will offer a variety of rides. We usually count on 2-4 hours per ride. Most of our family OHV activity has been of that type. Others may prefer more formal activities, like the week-long rides sponsored by the Utah Trail Machine Association. Some of these rides include Copper Canyon and Baja in Mexico, their Utah 500 (from Mapleton to St George), and a ride to Ouray, Colorado. They schedule a ride in Utah on a trail called "Five Miles of Hell" that is designed specifically for expert riders. The trail is actually about 20 miles long but it is indeed, ONLY for Class-A, top-notch technical riders and includes at least fives miles of hell. In any case, proper planning and preparation are essential to having a safe and enjoyable ride. Multi-day rides may require overnight motel accommodations or bringing along some camping gear, depending on the route, the terrain, and the weather.
Mental preparation is also part of putting together a good ride and enjoying it. If you're familiar with the trail you can remember the most enjoyable parts and look forward to them again. If it is new to you, you can anticipate seeing new territory and conquering new challenges. Either way, set your mind to have fun -- and then go do it!
Most important of all: HAVE FUN! Afterall, we go riding for the fun of it, so make every ride fun. Try exploring new trails or new destinations. Sometimes just riding a familiar trail backwards adds interest. Some downhills may now become hill climbs and who knows what you might see while riding from a different perspective.
Happy riding!
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