By Dean Schliek
When seeking the great outdoors as our recreation, it’s easy to focus on the thrill of the adventure and overlook the most important part of off-roading: being prepared. A lot of ATV riders will think to bring the “normal stuff” like food, drinks and toilet paper, but for backcountry trips it’s wise to be a little more prepared.
The Kentucky Adventure Tour or “KAT” is a challenging 1000-mile, self-guided dirt, gravel, and paved loop that travels through the hills of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia.
The Appleton Area Recreational OHV Park, which opened in 2003, is one of only two designated, signed off-road riding areas in southwest Minnesota. That, and the fact that it’s open year-round and to all types of off-highway vehicles, helps it draw families from hundreds of miles. It also brings the small town of Appleton, Minnesota, much welcomed tourism activity.
The weather outside is frightful and it has more than likely been snowing on and off for weeks. At this point, you may miss the fun times of summer and want to get outside in your off-road rig. Good news, winter wheeling can be a fun “cabin fever” breaker for some and, for others, a first and last time experience.