River Cities Business Journal: Cover Story

KINGMAN - Kingman resident Kenneth Blevins has ridden all-terrain vehicles for the past 14 years.

“I've seen more of the local area with the ATV, than I ever have walking,” Blevins said.

With his wife Eunice and six other fellow ATV enthusiasts, the Cerbat Ridge Runners ATV Club was formed in June 2000 after a nearby ATV club in Bullhead City capped their enrollment.

Now the family-orientated club is comprised of 52 members, mainly Kingman area residents ranging from their mid 30s to their 70s.

“I just enjoy getting out in the woods and hills enjoying the scenery,” Kenneth said.

Kenneth said that children have participated on rides with their parent or guardian present. According to the ATV Safety Institute, 70 percent ride ATVs as a family recreation activity.

With such a varyied makeup in age and experience of its members, Kenneth recommends everyone to take an ATV safety course. He added the ATV Safety Institute pays for a safety course when you purchase an ATV.

Kenneth said buyers should look into where they're going to use the ATV at when purchasing.

“It should be big enough to do the job and not overpowering,” Kenneth said.

For driving in the Hualapai Mountain area, he recommends a four-wheel drive vehicle. For sand dunes, Kenneth recommends a “hot rod” type of vehicle. But, he added, the sales people at the dealerships have the most knowledge and should help you find the right ATV.

Kenneth, who served as president of the club until the end of June, (2007) described ATV riding as the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Some truth to his statement may be found in sales of ATVs. According to the ATV Safety Institute, sales of ATVs have increase five-fold since 1993 to more than 847,000 units in 2002.

They also report 15 million Americans ride ATVs. The average ATV owner age is 40-year-old married man with a job in the professional/managerial industry and has a household income around $60,000, according to the ATV Safety Institute.

Eunice said the club doesn't actively recruit, but knowledge of the club is usually spread by word of mouth.

The club meets at 7 p.m. every fourth Tuesday of the month at the residence of the Blevins, 4355 N. Glen Road. Meetings have progressed from the living room to a pavilion built in the backyard of their residence.

Interested members must attend three functions before they can pay the annual $12 fee to become members.

“I think members get well more than their $12 in food,” Eunice said.

Beyond the monthly meeting, club members organize an official monthly ride in the Kingman area. But that doesn't mean they don't get together and ride other times according to Kenneth.

“We're enjoying the outdoors with people that enjoy the same thing,” Kenneth said.

The club also organizes campouts and potlucks and even does work to help the community.

They have adopted a ranch through the program developed by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish. The program started in 1992 and is used to mitigate problems associated with public recreational access.

The volunteer group visits the ranch one or two times a year to perform regular maintenance, such as rebuilding fence, hanging gates, picking up litter, or helping with various ranch improvement projects. Nearly 30 Adopt-A-Ranch projects are completed every year to help maintain access on about 2 million acres of land, according to the Arizona Department of Game and Fish.

Tom Blum, who took over as president in July, (2007) said the group became involved with the program to help develop a better relationship with the landowner and ATV rider.

Another project the group has worked on was using a global positioning system in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management to map the trails in and around Kingman.

“We put in a lot of hours,” Eunice said. “If it doesn't get inventoried and not signed, they're closed.”

Though their work helps out their club, Blum said that isn't their only motivation.

“These trails aren't just for us,” Blum said. “They're for everybody.”

The group also worked with the Chamber of Commerce on the Hualapai Hustle ATV Jamboree. They pre-rode the trails and led the groups on the trails.

All three members of the club expressed hope the jamboree would grow as they try to draw more individuals from outside the immediate area to participate in the annual ATV rides and rodeo.