ATV Florida Forum

It looks like the county commissioners are back taking a look at opening a riding park in Polk County

This article was in the Lakeland Ledger today.

http://lakelandledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060705/NEWS/607050351/1134

Isnt river ranch in polk county?

Yea, you can go to river ranch. If you want to get shot at. Itook my family there a few months back with a friend who owned property there. He stayed at his camp working while we went wheeling. About an hour later while resting we heard a gunshot. A few seconds later shotgun pellets rained down on us. Just to let you know my daughters are 7 and 12 years old. We were not racing around, just cruising. We went back to the camp and told my friend. He and I went to a place that he knew we wopuld find out who did it. Got there and asked around, and low and behold one guy there admitted it was him. That he didn't want outsiders riding in his area. Of course a fight ensued. I will not put up with anyone doing any type of harm to my family. This idiot got his jaw broke and arm broken. I stopped there. I have taken martial arts for 20 years and have never really had to use it until now.  But this was the additude I had to deal with at river ranch.

Kick azz man,I wouldn't of let him off that easy!! I hope none of your family got hurt.

Amen,

  You did the right thing!!!

Thats terrible!
It's ashame you had to experience something so bad at such a great place. I've only been their once, and it is bt far my favorite place to ride.
Where were you riding? I thought their was a side divided for riders and hunters.

Was this during hunting season or did ya just get too close to his camp and he went nutz? I have never been there but a guy I know had property out there and said anything he ever left out there got stolen from his camp. I really cant blame you for beating the guy up. Hunting area, hunting season, gives nobody the right to shoot at people. So the azz whoopin sounds proper to me.

Looks like this committee will actually get something done. Randy is a great guy and I have talked to him quite a bit about this. He really wants to see something setup in the county. Jack Terrell of course is the coordinator for the National OHV Conservation Counsel and he will fight for this. Mark Osborne who is also on the panel owns the Honda Powerhouse in Winter Haven so he sells quite a few atv's and will help out alot. I stopped and talked to Mark today asking what we can do and he said just show up at the meetings as citizens and give our opinions. I sent an email to Randy Wilkinson to find out meeting dates and times.

My family and I were riding in the riding area. Not even close to any private property. This idiot just didn't like the idea of anyone being out there that wasn't an owner. I am not a bad a** in any sense of the word. I will go out of my way to help other people, and I am usually referred to as Quiet and stoic. Butmess with my family and I will react. As would any father/husband would do. My youngest got a couple of pellet burns on her arm, but was okay.  It would be nice if the new proposed riding area was more centrally located. I live in Winter Haven and would like to only be an hour from a riding area at the most. But wherever it is, if I can I will volunteer as much as possible.

Sorry to hear about your run in out there.... your friend was wrong in letting you ride alone out there as guests are to ride only with the person that brought them in.

Maybe we can get back on topic here. I also live in Winter Haven and it would only be a 30minute drive to the Phosphate Pits in Mulberry. Unless it is in the extreme northwest corner of the county the riding area will be within 30 minutes of here. Once Mr. Wilkinson replies to my email I let ya'll know when the meeting is.

OK let us know.......... would be nice to be trails also not just round in circles

So when is this site supposed to open ? :M

Trails for the family to ride on would be great. A shaded picnic area would be good also. I told my kids about the proposed park and they are more excited than I am.

It looks like this may be where they are talking about...

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can't wait to hear more

where is there? inrelation to 75  i can see manatee and polk co line  and ft green rd but cant access it on map quest

On google earth it shows that its about 30 miles from 75 and s.r. 674.

I hope this works out. It seems like that location would benefit other counties more then Polk though. I am going to keep in touch with Randy Wilkinson and let ya'll know when the meetings are so we can show up.

That would be great. Its alot closer to us than Croom.

It's not even under construction yet, but I hope they take a page out of Durhamtown Plantations book.

That's the best place to ride.  Brings in riders from all over the south east. Good for the tax base and tourism dollar.

I hope if they do it, that they go ahead and do it RIGHT.

Any new news on this yet ?

I fired off an email to Randy Wilkinson. He is the boardmember who is spearheading the effort to bring an off road park to Polk County. I invited him to view this thread.


Hopefully, he will pay us a visit this week, and return my email with an update on status.

That would be nice...

burp

so does any body know if they going open this land for atv