Photos courtesy of Dick Parker The students and instructors in the first AT V safety training course held in Grand Portage on September 26, 2009. (L-R) students Erik Carlson, Cody Carlson, Emma Carlson, Rhonda Silence, DNR Conservation Officer Mary Manning, Instructor Gideon Silence, 1854 Authority Clay Rumph, student Beckley Rumph (front), Instructors Chuck Silence and Dick Parker.
The first-ever all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety training course was held in Grand Portage on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Although attendance was less than instructors had wished, organizers were pleased to see several adults complete the training.
The Grand Portage Reservation Tribal Council and the 1854 Treaty Authority sponsored the training, with the assistance of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. June Evans coordinated the various agencies involved.
Students ranging in age from 11 years to adult took part in the training, which started with classroom instruction at the Grand Portage Trust Lands office. DNR Conservation Officer and ATV safety instructor Mary Manning gave an overview of state laws. Volunteer DNR instructor Dick Parker gave a presentation stressing the importance of safe riding.
Parker explained why he is so committed to ATV safety training. “Statistics show that 47% of all persons involved in ATV accidents are in their teens, 10-19 years old. Themajor cause of accidents is rollovers and hitting fixed objects. Speed is frequently the cause,” said Parker.
Top: Beckley Rumph, 11, practices traversing a hillside on the AT V safety training obstacle course under the watchful eye of DNR volunteer instructor Chuck Silence. Lower: Emma Carlson, a novice rider, gets some last minute instruction before the obstacle course from DNR Conservation Officer Mary Manning.
After completing the written test, students maneuvered ATVs through an obstacle course set up by volunteer instructors— Parker, Gideon Silence, Chuck Silence, and 1854 Authority Conservation Officer Clay Rumph.
Cook County ATV Club Secretary Rhonda Silence was one of the adults who participated in the course. Although she is an experienced ATVer, she said she was surprised by how much she learned from the safety training and she encouraged other adults to take the training the next time it is offered. If that is inconvenient, she suggests that adults take the CD training course. “The ATV Safety Training CD, with interactive features is actually really interesting. It is a good refresher for adults who may forget to think ‘safety first,’” said Silence.
Completing the training were Beckley Rumph, Cody Carlson, Erik Carlson, Emma Carlson, and Rhonda Silence. All of the students who completed the course received a Cook County ATV Club T-shirt.
TheATV Club also has ATV Safety Training CDs available for anyone who would like to take the at-home course. Call (218) 387-9844 to obtain a CD.
Leave a Reply