ATV Certified

We finally are certified on ATV's.  Wallace is already certified but left his certification back in Texas in storage so he needed to take it again today with me.  This class was quite rigorous and we both learned a lot...much better training, in fuller detail!!!  Jeremy Jones from Ouray NWR in Utah taught the course and now even I can trailer an ATV and back it off a pick up truck or trailer...he left no stone unturned.

All lined up and ready to go...Jeremy, Matt, Charles and Wallace.  There are four of us taking this class...me being the only female, I was determined to do well!!!  

Here I come around the cones.  The training lasted all day.  We started out with this obstacle course driving around cones, doing slaloms, backing up, doing figure eights with all of us on the course at the same time and going clockwise as well as counterclockwise.  

Next, we were taught how to navigate over obstacles, driving straight over the first one, then one wheel at a time...up and back.  Next, we were taught how to handle the atv on a hillside.  Then how to trailer it driving up onto a pickup truck and trailer using a ramp.  

That's me again ladies.  We were also taught how to roll it off if we were'nt comfortable driving it down...we all opted to learn to drive it off.

He also showed us how to strap down the ramp so it stays in place while we go up into the pickup, and safely strap it down when transporting it down the road.


We also took turns driving a utv.

as this refuge will soon be getting one.  This one was borrowed from the forest service with their fire fighting equipment on the back, making it harder to see.  We had to do slaloms using this utv as well, quite a bit harder to manuever.  

My little white Honda is automatic, but Jeremy wanted me to learn how to use the other kind as well.  I have put my claim on this one.


The utv is bigger, has six tires, and clumsier to drive.  A little trick that Jeremy taught us is to speed up on the turns making the rear whip around, missing the cones.  I did not hit even one cone!!!  All the while, Jeremy is grading us.


Now for the written course.  We all passed with 100's.


This class for me was a lot like taking the gun class with the Border Patrol.  I was so timid in the beginning but my confidence was gained.  Good teachers make the difference!!!  I have a photo of one of my targets from the gun class.  Wallace says you better not mess with me!!!  ha ha.


I can't even begin to explain how much fun this class was.  I appreciate and thank this refuge for offering this training to us.


Until next time...