Rad Riders like Dannon Kruse are stoked to interact with human beings on four-wheeled machines again

Socializing with others has been painfully distant this past year. Fortunately for ATVers like Dannon Kruse, director of the Calgary ATV Riders Association, it’s finally time to get out of the house and interact with human beings on four-wheeled machines again.

“What I love most about this sport is that you get to meet people of all walks of life,” said Kruse. “My goals for the summer are to get out as much as possible and meet more fellow riders.”

Kruse’s favourite interaction with fellow ATVers came during the Calgary ATV Riders’ annual Stewardship Days.

“We were busy draining some water holes when two young women drove past in their side-by-side,” Kruse said. “We continued draining the water when we looked up and saw these two girls walking towards us completely wet and muddy. We asked them if they were ok and what happened to them. They told us they drove into a water hole that was four feet deep and got stuck. We all packed our shovels up and headed towards where these girls got stuck. When we got there, we all had a good laugh. Then we drained the water so we could winch the side-by-side out. It took a little while to get them out but we managed. After the girls cleaned the mud out of the side-by-side, they headed off.”

Waiparous: What a view

Kruse’s favourite place to ride near Calgary is Waiparous, the first place he ever rode when he got into ATVing. Waiparous boasts fantastic views and a great diversity of trails for all skill levels.

“Waiparous has some rocky areas that can make it a real challenge to climb but that’s what makes it so much fun,” Kruse said. “Some of the trails can be open with few trees on the sides. Then there are lots of trails that are densely treed in and it gives me a great feeling of being close to nature. The Calgary ATV Riders do lots of trail maintenance to keep it sustainable for everyone to enjoy.”

Mud bogging in McLean Creek

Another popular ATVing destination just outside of Calgary is McLean Creek. This massive riding zone affords ATVers the convenience of camping onsite with the ability to ride directly onto the trails. McLean Creek is a wonderful opportunity for riders of all skill levels to get out and play in southern Alberta.

“If you're looking for lots of mud to ride in, McLean is a good place to ride with lots of deep holes to get stuck in and let the mud fly everywhere,” said Kruse. “If you are looking for a long day of riding, you can get to some amazing lookouts. The one lookout that I love riding to is called Cork Ridge. I’ve been looking forward to getting to the Top of the World this year. Everyone has told me what an amazing ride it is and I can’t wait to get up there and see it for myself.”