Ocala forest OHV Jamboree

[dansummersill]

I was very disappointed in the turn out for the Ocala OHV jamboree. You atv riders grip about wanting more trails and better trails, and then you don't show interest when the forest dept has a jamboree. When there is no interest they take the money they have and put it somewhere the people show interest. You have to show up and show interest.
  How many of you have E-mailed your Email address in to sign up for the newsletter they now have. They are useing this letter to see how much interest there is in the Ocala trails. We need everyone to E-mail thier E-mail address in and sign up  for the new OHV newsletter. 

  Now that I've said that, I was also very disappointed in the the forestry dept. They did not have much to offer for a jamboree. I at least expected a ranger in a dunk tank. Maybe a band. maybe barrel races with atv's. they had a trail ride. they had hotdogs but they were gone by the time the trail ride got back and they didn't get any.
I drove 5 hrs total and spent $80.00 dollars in fuel for this jamboree. I think think that the forest dept didn't work to hard at this Jamboree and could have done better.

[FishaHallic]

The reason people don't show up is because they have ruined Ocala as a riding spot, which is probably what they wanted anyway.  Over 400,000 acres and all the riders got was a hundred miles or so of whooped out trails?  I was there as were many people on this board for the first ride/jamboree several years ago and to be honest I was embarrassed. I got several friends to go and felt like crap for dragging them up for what they had.  No shaded parking, we had to park in this big brushy lot with NO shade.  The trails were so whooped I was whooped after riding them, we literally rode the one trail ride which may have been 10 or so miles came back and loaded the quads and left. 

I remember there was a lot of input of what people wanted from this site and we got nothing, no one way trails, no mud, NO FUN.

[zman03]

I havent been back to Ocala since it became lame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chillinthemost]

The reason people don't show up is because they have ruined Ocala as a riding spot, which is probably what they wanted anyway.  Over 400,000 acres and all the riders got was a hundred miles or so of whooped out trails?  I was there as were many people on this board for the first ride/jamboree several years ago and to be honest I was embarrassed. I got several friends to go and felt like crap for dragging them up for what they had.  No shaded parking, we had to park in this big brushy lot with NO shade.  The trails were so whooped I was whooped after riding them, we literally rode the one trail ride which may have been 10 or so miles came back and loaded the quads and left. 

I remember there was a lot of input of what people wanted from this site and we got nothing, no one way trails, no mud, NO FUN.

Yep

I havent been back to Ocala since it became lame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me either, and I logged a LOT of miles in them woods before the Nazis took over.

[digginfool]

To understand, you would have had to go to Ocala before all the 'improvements.'  I won't go back just so I don't ruin the excellent memories I have of the old ONF.   

[dansummersill]

Listen, I rode the Ocala forest in the old days, when you could ride anywhere and ride at night. Camp anywhere. I've done it all.
 But those days are gone. Now they have a good trail system which they are trying to improve all the time with the limited man power they have. They are about to add additional trails starting this winter which will go by gas stations and places to get food
along the way. I for one enjoy the Ocala forest for atv riding and the improvements they have made and continue to make.
It is better than no place at all to ride and you can basically do what you want as long as you stay  on the trails. I will continue to ride the Ocala trails and support them. Maybe one day I'll see you there.  I'm going to have fun.

[Chillinthemost]

You talk about improvements, name just ONE.  EVERYTHING that they have done takes away from the enjoyment of riding there.  There is WAY fewer trails and LOTS of fancy new parking lots.

[sugarsand007]

Not many places to ride in florida. Dont understand why so many complaints about Ocala. If you cant handle a few woops maybe you should hit the gym and get into a little better shape.  There has to be some challenge to the trails.

[MadMudder]

Its not just a few. The whole trail is one big seciton of them. It may be all fine if you have a YFZ450 with suspension designed to just fly over them. Its a different story when you drive a heavier utility and have to ride them for hours on end. Its also less than enjoyable after about 5 minutes of them non stop.

Also, mabye they would have gotten a bigger turnout if everyone didnt have to buy some stupid expensive sticker to ride there in conjunction with fuel costs, food, and place to stay considering you dont live there. I mean, its just not worth it anymore. It was back in the day but now im not going to pay all that money to come out and ride the same 6 dusty trails ridden out with whoops when I can just drive an extra 30 minutes somewhere else and not have to deal with all of that.

[dansummersill]

Not as many whoops on the trails now. The yellow trail which is the longest and widest of the trails, the volunters
have leveled the whoops down pretty good. They use a tractor with disk and have attached tires and chains to
the back of the disk to level out the whoops. The other trails they can't get the disk down , so they drag tires behind atv's
to level them out. The yellow trail is the main trail and they will use this trail to get emergency vehicles down if they are ever needed.
  I enjoy the trails and it will be even better when Phase II is completed. They are to start this winter.

[Busta Nutt]

I thought the forest service bought a special little dozer just for maintaining the trail system?

[SpeedQuest]

They did...

And they do.  Trails have been very smooth almost every time out this year.  Even some of the really tight trails (purple).

[Busta Nutt]

it is almost time for another busta nutt pork and rubber must have a green sticker and pay 10 bucks don't f-ing complain no whiners ride.

[SpeedQuest]

Let me know when, I can probably round up a few people who wont whine.  Of course, they are directionally challenged though, so we have to make sure we give them maps if we are not going to stop occasionally and wait for them...  LOL!

[stacktester]

Listen, I rode the Ocala forest in the old days, when you could ride anywhere and ride at night. Camp anywhere. I've done it all.
 But those days are gone. Now they have a good trail system which they are trying to improve all the time with the limited man power they have. They are about to add additional trails starting this winter which will go by gas stations and places to get food
along the way. I for one enjoy the Ocala forest for atv riding and the improvements they have made and continue to make.
It is better than no place at all to ride and you can basically do what you want as long as you stay  on the trails. I will continue to ride the Ocala trails and support them. Maybe one day I'll see you there.  I'm going to have fun.

I wasn't able to ride the jamboree but wish I could've. I am a member of ONFA and I'm thankful for the volunteers for what they do. I rode the centineal trail today and it was pretty fun even though we saw a lot of hunters. I wish there were more trails too but there isn't what we had. I guess I'm the only person on here who is a rider that enjoys going 20 and seeing some nice trails. I look forward to more trails and hope to see Delancy tied into Big Scrub one day. I also want to thank Terry for all he does on his own time so we can enjoy riding.

[sugarsand007]

  I want to thank all the volunteers also. Rode wandering grass on Monday. Saw atleast a dozen trucks on the loop. I just wish Ocala National Forrest could fine a way to separate the atv's and hunters. I would be willing to give large parts of the forrest for the Hunters for 2 monhts of the year.

[Ida_Mann]

You talk about improvements, name just ONE.  EVERYTHING that they have done takes away from the enjoyment of riding there.  There is WAY fewer trails and LOTS of fancy new parking lots.

I feel ya brudda

the only riding up there I get in any more is in short spurts on the old Id@ trails cause I know it's ON if I see a green truck ;-)