There have been several things in my life — good and bad — that made me feel as if I were experiencing life to its fullest. At the top of the list was riding a mountain bike down a volcano in Maui. Being catapulted 1,400 feet into the air above the desert floor on top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas was another.
Just last fall I commandeered an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) all over some privately owned property in Madison County in southwest Illinois. My friends could not make me climb off their ATV as I continued to pass by our campsite, waving at them, dipping through mud holes, dangerously circling a lake and venturing into tight trails with branches that made me duck for life. They said that I was driving way too fast.
Speaking of ATVs
Earlier this week I met with a couple and two of their friends who have turned a pastime into a business.
Dennis Ming of Artesia started out owning his own trucking company and then became a diesel mechanic. Currently he and his wife, Mary, are owners of a fairly new business called Mad Mud Trails & More LLC, located in Artesia.
“We were thinking ahead a few years,” said Mary, “about what we could do when we retired.”
“We had done some traveling,” said Dennis, “and had visited several RV parks and liked the friendly, laid-back atmosphere.”
The Mings had a vision about turning their land into something similar to where they had visited. It made sense.
Friends had been coming for years on weekends to their Artesia location, bringing their ATVs and riding the trails on their 347 acres.
“About 100 acres had been leased out for farming,” said Dennis. “We now have over 18 miles of trails, most of which are about 10 feet wide. Our three-part business plan will see many more miles of trails, additional parking spaces, and perhaps a swimming pool.”
“It”s all about families,” seemed to be their theme. That was evident in the video clips I watched. Entire families formed mini-caravans and headed out across the fields, into the woods with its trails galore. Smiles and mud-covered bodies in some cases, were plentiful.
It certainly isn”t for every family, but there is definitely a growing number of people who use recreational vehicles on a regular basis. It”s big fun … and big business.
“We have mud pits and even a limestone rock pit. We didn”t really plan on the rock pit being a part of the trails, but when some of the first riders discovered it, they went wild,” said Dennis.
Easy to find
Finding Mad Mud Trails is fairly easy. If you do not have a GPS program, hang a right onto Artesia Road, called 789 on Mapquest and on some GPS programs, just a few miles down Highway 45 South, and follow it all the way into Artesia (789 becomes 788). Take a right onto Ole Mayhew Road (all of this is marked), and look for the office, which is on the right about a mile from your last turn. The physical address is 1256.
How much does this cost?
All fees are for daily entry to the park. Currently cash is the only method of payment, so bring some green.
The ATV and UTV fee is $15, along with $5 per person. Young riders under 12 years of age are free. However, parents must be present to sign in any child 18 years or younger. All riders must sign a waiver, which can be picked up at Mad Mud Trails or mailed to you. There are also substantial discounts if you decide to stay for two or three days.
Tent camping is $5 per person, and RVs with generators (no hookups at this time) are $15. Hot showers are $2 (free for military law enforcement, and firemen), and there is food for purchase, even though coolers are allowed. No pets, please, or glass bottles.
The business plan
I saw evidence things are beginning to happen near the office of Mad Mud Trails.
A new parking will soon be born there, and as time passes, it will grow.
The Mings and their two friends, Robert Miller and Brian Fridly, are preparing for monthly competitions after the weather feels more like summer.
“Yes, we will host local competitions each month,” said Mary.
“Oh, our grand opening will be on Memorial Day weekend,” said Dennis.
Dennis reminded me although the RV spots have no hookups at this time, there are 36 spots available with hookups about a mile away. Arrangements have been made with the owner.
The office phone number is 251-9586. Current hours of operation are from noon until 6 p.m. Fridays and from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
John Dorroh is a semi-retired high school science teacher, who writes a business column for The Dispatch.
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