My opinion of the Hatfield McCoy Ride.

I feel that I need to step in and give my opinion about our ride at Hatfield McCoy. I know many of you are upset with the way things went but I feel that it is part my fault. I am making this post because I want to be as fair as possible.

I have had a phone call conversations with the Director of the Hatfield McCoy trails and the owner of the camp ground. It is my understanding that we did not have permission to ride after dark. I know that the majority of the night ride took place off park. However, we still had to ride one trail that was a part of the H/M system and some asphalt in Gilbert WV. Both of these are a very big NO NO.

Things could have been much worse then they were. Machines could have been impounded and tickets written to the owners. So I am grateful that that did not happen.

The check point on Saturday was to inform us that there is NO night riding in Gilbert. I can respect that. It is their rules and we can choose to ride there or not.
With that said, I do feel that we were harassed going into the trails on Saturday. Just because a few of us went out that night the whole group should not have lost an hour and a half of riding the next day. They could have simply found me and explained that there was to be NO night riding.


Twin Hollows:

Twin Hollows Camp Ground is a really nice place. Moreover, Wayne keeps it up very nice. It was the only place that was large enough to accommodate a group our size. Wayne is very strict about his own rules as well as the H/M rules. He has to be because he has a trail head leading into the Rock House system. It can be removed at anytime.

Now Wayne is in the hospitality business. He does an okay job at it. He stopped me Thursday night because I was riding a machine after 10:00 from one camp spot to another. He was not rude explaining that I should not be riding a machine after 10:00. Do I agree with him... No but it is his rules and it is his place so I need to respect that.

Many have already voiced their opinion about the events that happened. I just wanted to say that we were not completely innocent. But I do think things could have been handled a little differently by H/M and Twin Hollows. Communication is always necessary when a large group like ours comes to town. All three of us where at some fault in this case. But like I said, it could have been much worse and we did get a pass on the night ride.

Over all, I think it was a great ride. The trails are perfect for a large group. Moreover, the camp ground was nice. I still say it was a very successful event of the Southern SxS Riders.

Agreed

Gimpy wrote:

Agreed

Stealth, we totally agree with you. The event was quite successful in our opinions!! We can't wait until the next event!!

Cya,
Leah and Tim

but i still dont think i will be back there to ride.

Big R and orangecrush you guys may want to look into ashland resort if your going to have a 2ed ride with H&M. 2 trail systems and unlimited outlaw trails and night riding. its the only other campground that i know of that will hold everyone on a H&M trail

bush wrote:

but i still dont think i will be back there to ride.

Big R and orangecrush you guys may want to look into ashland resort if your going to have a 2ed ride with H&M. 2 trail systems and unlimited outlaw trails and night riding. its the only other campground that i know of that will hold everyone on a H&M trail

It will be three trail systems very shorty according to Jeff. 128 miles one way.

Big-R wrote:

bush wrote:

but i still dont think i will be back there to ride.

Big R and orangecrush you guys may want to look into ashland resort if your going to have a 2ed ride with H&M. 2 trail systems and unlimited outlaw trails and night riding. its the only other campground that i know of that will hold everyone on a H&M trail

It will be three trail systems very shorty according to Jeff. 128 miles one way.

true. the new trail should be open soon. with a trailhead in bramwell and a new campground there also.

if you guys pick ashland you better book 6 months in advance that place fills up fast. and if ashland fills up there is 3 or 4 smaller campgrounds within 3 or 4 miles and you can ride your machine to all of them. even at night

bush wrote:

Big-R wrote:

bush wrote:

but i still dont think i will be back there to ride.

Big R and orangecrush you guys may want to look into ashland resort if your going to have a 2ed ride with H&M. 2 trail systems and unlimited outlaw trails and night riding. its the only other campground that i know of that will hold everyone on a H&M trail

It will be three trail systems very shorty according to Jeff. 128 miles one way.

true. the new trail should be open soon. with a trailhead in bramwell and a new campground there also.

if you guys pick ashland you better book 6 months in advance that place fills up fast. and if ashland fills up there is 3 or 4 smaller campgrounds within 3 or 4 miles and you can ride your machine to all of them. even at night

That is another option.

well BigR you just might have got things right for once i agree to

mason wrote:

well BigR you just might have got things right for once i agree to

Wright it down because it is not very often.

now if you could learn to spell we'll work on that later

Oh well. It's behind us and we had fun all the same.

mason wrote:

now if you could learn to spell we'll work on that later

My spelling is fine. Word meaning is my problem........ write is the word. I get typing fast sometimes.

just jerking your chain a little

Good post Ronnie. You are right on most points you made. But.........

I had heard about Twin Hollow Campground from a few people who had been there before we went. They experienced the same type of "Surveillance" by the campground owners that we did. That uncomfortable feeling of being watched the whole time your there. You just didn't get that, "Were glad your here, ENJOY your stay! " feeling.

We had a good time except for missing some of our friends that could not stay for the Saturday ride and Saturday night fellowship, and we have never experienced problems like this on any ride before. Because of those two reasons I have no desire to return to Gilbert or Twin Hollow campground again.

On the next West Virginia ride ( and i feel we should have one each year) my vote goes to Ashland Resort and the Indian Ridge and Pinnacle Creek trails.

Marty, I agree with you. Wayne told me several times that he was not rude to anyone. I truly believe that is what he feels is the truth. But some people are not meant for the hospitality business.

I too felt that I was on eggshells. That was before Friday night.

Well, no one has to convince me not to visit this place (Twin Hollows). I have stayed more than once at Ashland Resort and I have always been treated like I was family up there. I am not crazy about the Wagon Wheel trails, but I have been told that there are a lot more trails that we have not even ventured onto yet. I would consider another trip up there if we had a good group thing lined up.

AIRBORNE wrote:

Well, no one has to convince me not to visit this place (Twin Hollows). I have stayed more than once at Ashland Resort and I have always been treated like I was family up there. I am not crazy about the Wagon Wheel trails, but I have been told that there are a lot more trails that we have not even ventured onto yet. I would consider another trip up there if we had a good group thing lined up.

Ashland even let us use thier water-hose to wash our machines......

Twin Hollow has bad people skills

No use making excuses for ass-hats, even if you are in the wrong about the night-riding .


. No coolers in the cabins because you might scratch the .50 a sq ft linenolem?? No riding on the grass??? Can't ride from one friends camp to another??? Taking a pig-trail beside the gravel-road.....Who cares about the sob-story about almost losing the property, not the riders/guests problem. These people are not off-roaders and do not know the culture and should have been more prepared. They need to turn it into a daisy-farm, IMO. I was'nt even there and I'm pissed.

Dito .ride.Ashland.he has his rules.I have my money to spend elsewhere.period.water under the bridge.EVerett here we come looking foward to the next ride

Well said Big R. Ashland rocks.not only HM also crazy miles of outlaw trails. We rode 70 some miles in beckley the 21. Parked 30 sxs in the middle of town, Trails were amazing.

Well said big r! Those people shouldn't of been so mean though. You can't be mean to people if they didn't know!

well , I cant say I wont be back there because I will , been staying there for about 5 years now and never had a minutes problem !

He needs to learn some people skills and quit worring about about a parking pass in your windshied when you are packing up to leave. I will not stay anywhere where the owners watch you and walk around in the dark trying to catch people and then call and report you to someone. I too was not welcomed in a frienldy manor or said have a nice stay. Just my 2 cents I guess I am biased because I live and ride at brimestone and know the people that owns trailend and when they welcome you they mean it and when the sign says receration and fun that is what you have. Hated that I did not make the Saturday ride but enough was enough. I feel everyone involved from Gilbert to HAtfield to twin Hollow is trying to do damage control.