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Mud, rocks, trails, and even an oversized teeter-totter are just a few of the surfaces off road enthusiasts will be playing on this weekend as the Mettowee Mud Boggers club presents its third annual Spring Fling.
The event, which is open to spectators and participants alike, will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15, at the Mettowee Off-Road Extreme Park, located at 607 County Route 12 on the Granville-Whitehall border.
“The event will feature every type of off-road vehicle from monster trucks to mini bikes,” said Clare Jameson, who owns the park along with her husband Ralph. “It’s not just mud bogging. There is rock climbing and trail riding. There’s so much going on, you can’t put your finger on just one thing.”
The roughly 200 acre park features several mud pits of varying size and depth, dozens off-road trails-some of which owners say no one has successfully navigated-a giant dirt funnel for dirt bikes and four-wheelers, rock climbing trenches, a pull pad for truck tug of war and much more.
“You really have to see it to believe it,” said Jameson.
Unlike some off-road events, Spring Fling is less about competition and more about enjoying the elements.
Anyone who pays the fee and signs a waiver can take their vehicle and dive into one of the mud pits or navigate one of the trails that bisect the property. There is no set schedule. All of the obstacles and courses (with the exception of the pull pad) will be open throughout the duration of the event and participants can spend as much time in the mud put or driving the trails as they wish.
Of course if you feel the need to prove your truck’s worth you can always hook up to another vehicle on the tug of war pull pad. Jameson said there will be several size classifications and competitors will have the chance to win trophies and prizes.
If you decide to leave the truck in the garage, there is ample space to sit back and watch. There will also be several different kinds of vendors, food and refreshments, hiking, and camping.
“It’s a lot of excitement,” Jameson said. “Children no matter their size will enjoy it, as will all the big kids.”
The park, which has been open since 2010, has generated a lot of enthusiasm among the off-road set in a relatively short period of time.
In its first year, Peterson’s 4Wheel and Off-Road magazine visited the site and mentioned the park in its December 2010 issue. And then last May the Trucks Gone Wild film series visited the park and used some of the footage they shot in one of its productions.
Jameson said the park has attracted visitors from as far as 300 miles away and she and her husband have received phone calls from people throughout the northeast asking about the park.
For this year, an increased parking area has been created, more camping sites built, a vehicle teeter-tooter added, as well as continued improvements to existing trails and obstacles.
Spectator admission cost $5. The cost for drivers who want to enter a vehicle is $20 plus $5 admission. Camping rates range from $10 to $30 depending on the style of camping desired.
“The event is about getting people out and getting rid of those winter blues and anxiety. There is a lot of excitement and it’s lots of fun,” Jameson said.
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