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LOWVILLE Rain on Saturday may have canceled a few outings, but all-terrain-vehicle lovers thrived at the second annual Tug Hill ATV Expo.
Rain isnt going to keep the ATVers away. ... We love mud, said James E. Hall of Copenhagen. And boy, was there a lot of mud. No rider came back clean after trekking across the Lewis County trails, especially those who worked through the ATV obstacle course at Flat Rock Inn, Lowville. The final obstacle was a mud pit.
But the real challenge in the course was the teeter-totter.
The goal of the teeter-totter is to get it balanced. But riders get to a certain point and it just tips, said Joseph Z. Onyon, president of Tug Hill Adirondack ATV Association. Anyone who maneuvered the entire course and kept the teeter-totter balanced for 10 seconds won a free helmet.
We cant even do it, Mr. Onyon said, referring to the expos organizers.
Despite the odds piled against them, according to Mr. Onyon two undisclosed riders left the expo with free helmets.
Timothy Ridley of Newark said his favorite part of the expo was the ATV sales. I like to look at the newer stuff, he said. In particular, he was eyeing a model from Yamaha. His 8-year-old son, Jonathan, enjoys four-wheeling and camping.
Its the last week to ride before the trails close, said Kevin J. Trumble of Central Square. He and his 7-year-old daughter, Chelsea K., came out to support ATV clubs like the Tug Hill Adirondacks and Tug Hill Wheelers. He is a member of Oswego County ATV Club.
Cayla L. Mussot, 17, and Jonathan E. Yancey, 15, came out because they feel the expo supports new ideas.
It brings people together. (ATV riding) is like a religion around here, Mr. Yancey said.
Its something new. It hasnt been done here before, said Ms. Mussot, who is known in the Tug Hill region for her snowmobile watercross skills.
Watercross racers such as William Nash, Chittenango, came to the expo to get in some practice now that the season is winding down.
Its an upcoming sport that a lot of people dont know about, Mr. Nash said. Its really fun, really awesome.
Held at both Flat Rock Inn and Timberview Lodge, Turin, the event continued into Sunday. All-day activities included modified garden tractor pulls and the obstacle course at Flat Rock, mud bogs at Timberview, Yamaha and Polaris demo rides and a number of vendors and ATV dealers between the two locations. An ATV safety course for kids was also held at the Towpath Lodge, Turin.
There was also a meet and greet with the star of Outdoor channels Fishers ATV World. Mr. Fisher led an ATV ride in the afternoon for children between the ages of 7 and 17.
The kids had a ball, said Mr. Onyon. He added that he has already received e-mails from vendors expressing their interest in participating again next year.
The free event, with support of the Lewis County Legislature, was sponsored by Tug Hill Adirondack ATV Association and supporting clubs. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people attended between the two days and two locations.