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Enjoying a break at one of the Smith Creek Lakes, an adventure ride because a ride to the lakes is challenging.

Courtesy Lynn R. Blamires

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Enjoying a view from the top, just a ride.

Courtesy Lynn R. Blamires

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Riding the road to the radar towers, just a ride.

Courtesy Lynn R. Blamires

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When I get an opportunity to show people Utah’s beautiful backcountry, sometimes I get overly excited. It is hard to remember that not everybody enjoys an adventure as much as I do. I am always thinking about an ATV adventure when people just want a ride without the adventure.

Several years ago, my friends, the Averkamps from Arizona, were staying at the BYU Aspen Grove Family Camp, an all-inclusive mountain getaway on the Alpine Loop Road in Provo. They brought their machines with them and wanted me to take them on some mountain trails somewhere close to Aspen Grove. I chose to stage from the Taylor’s Fork ATV Campground on Highway 150 out of Kamas, Utah. (That has been moved east and is now the Shingle Creek ATV Campground).

We started the ride, and I was so excited to show them these trails that we took most of the day. As we were finishing, I remembered another trail that climbed into the mountains on the other side of the highway. I talked them into letting me take them on that trail in addition to the full day we had already experienced. By the time we loaded and they headed back to Aspen Grove, they missed their mealtime, and I realized that my exuberance caused a problem.

On another occasion, my wife and I were staying at a hunting lodge in Junction with a group of riding friends. I wanted to take a loop over to Marysvale and back in the afternoon. My wife asked me how far it was, and I said about 35 miles, not having any idea how far it really was. 35 miles has now become a code word for, “Lynn doesn’t know what he is talking about.” We rode back in the dark and got back late – bad idea.

I would call the people in the NUATV club more serious adventure riders. They joined the club because that is what they love to do. However, there are still different levels of adventure that members are willing to take. One group likes to take rides where they see a lot of a little scenery, and another group likes to see a little of a lot of scenery.

I always enjoy a ride with Dean Eborn of Layton. He is higher on the scale when it comes to adventure. We have enjoyed some great adventures together.

He led a club ride on the Grassy Mountain Trails. His favorite part of the ride was a steep climb to the top of a knoll, a sharp right turn, then a steep descent back to the starting point. It really didn’t need to be a part of the trail. Not everyone on the ride agreed with his choice, but they still enjoyed the ride.

I just finished an adventure with members of my family on the Arapeen Trail System. It wasn’t a ride – it was an adventure. Well, it was part ride and part adventure.

This was the third annual trip my wife and I have made with my nephew, Kent Porter, and his family. Two of the trips have been on the Arapeen Trails. This family likes the adventure trails.

This year, other members of the family, my niece, Kym (Kent’s sister), and my sister, Kat, wanted to join the fun. After the first day, Kat had had enough. I think she was okay with the riding trails – they were fast and smooth, but not the adventure trails – they were slow and not so smooth. The others were ready for the second day’s adventure.

This is all leading up to an event with another part of our family – my wife’s son’s daughter’s husband and his family. Okay, my grandson-in-law from Texas wanted to do an ATV ride during their stay. I kept suggesting ATV adventures – Curtis Creek to Randolph, Hardware Ranch to Randolph, or other exciting adventures.

We finally settled on Farmington to the radar towers, but I wasn’t finished – let’s include the Farmington Flats Loop. The vote was four to one – no, just a ride – not an adventure. We rode up Farmington Canyon to the radar towers. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

It reminded me of the rides we took on afternoons when we were younger. The temperatures cooled from 97 to 65, the wildflowers were beautiful, and the views were wonderful. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down, and consider mixing in regular rides with your adventures.

Lynn R. Blamires can be reached at quadmanone@gmail.com.