The Longest Day – DACRE Rally 2022

Lessons Learned Part I

It was my longest day in a long time, not because we finished the 24 hour rally but because we did not. One of the main reasons we did not finish is I broke the golden rule I learned in Scouting, which is “Be Prepared”.

We found out about the DACRE Rally when we met Jarrod and Mac at the 70th Toronto Sportsman Show while in the Segway Powersports Canada booth. The rally intrigued me as the previous summer we filmed a 2300+ KM ride that took us 15 days around the Province of New Brunswick. We circumnavigated the province on a GPS track that none of us had ever ridden and was made up of hodgepodge of GPS trails and Google maps guesses that we mashed together. So I was looking for the next adventure and the Rally was perfect.

We built a 2016 Kawasaki Brute Force 750i with the help of Kimpex Canada, DaveSports, and L1fe Outdoors ATV. That bike ran so good and Jacob (the driver and my son) drove it like a pro until gremlins took it out of the event. (But that bike has another story coming soon!)

Christian and I ran bone stock 2021 Segway Snarlers 570 LX. His bike only needed to plug one tire but the stock 6 ply tires on mine got shredded multiple times. Before I had to bow out, I had plugs in all 4 tires including sidewalls. Any stock tire on any ATV I have every bought have not been great so I should have known better to run stock tires. Even my 2018 Polaris Scrambler I wrecked those tires the first week.

But what a thrill! Running in the dark at 4 am trying to follow a GPS track on a trail you never been on before is a rush. It is killing me not to load the bike, drive to Ontario, and just run the loop solo but will have to wait until next year.

If you want a challenge riding your ATV/SxS then I would seriously look at the DACRE 2023. I am starting to get ready now! How?

  1. Get in shape. This event has made me want to get in the best physical shape I can. This definitely breaks the mold of a slow ride at 11 km/h with a cooler of your favorite beverage in the back, this is a technical trail, requires good hand eye coordination, ability to read the GPS all at the same time. Epic!
  2. Get the machine ready. I thought with only 600 km on my Snarler, it was ready! It is not! Get the BEST tires you can afford. Go over your bike with a fine tooth comb.
  3. Be ready for disaster. Truthfully if stuff breaks you don’t have much time to fix things to make the mandatory checkpoints, but you need enough stuff to get your machine out of the woods. Tow ropes, ratchet straps, duct tape, tool kit, and headlamps. Plus water and food in case you are stuck for a bit. I had bead lock tires on the Segway Snarler so I could limp out in shame as the other teammates went ahead, but was better than walking out without the bike.
  4. Communications. We had our trusty Cardo headsets so everyone could communicate, which is critical for a team. Garmin InReach. There basically was very little cell service in much of the area so I used my Garmin Montana with InReach to send updates to the team via satellite email.

So what is next? The whole story will be part of Trekkit ATV Season 4 on TV this winter. Now I am starting to get ready for DACRE 2023 already.

Ready? Already? Yes!

  1. I would like to put Jacob and Ben in a crazy SxS and film Jacob’s journey, so we are looking for a sponsor for that. I think a Segway Villain would be perfect. Be a great story. Jacob can drive!
  2. I have been thinking about what bike to run personally in 2023. I have a Polaris Scrambler 1000 XP that would be perfect, but that is a garage queen and don’t want to abuse it. The Segway Snarler 570 is my family bike so that is out. I have abused it enough. I have a Polaris Sportsman 850 with 7500 km on it and needs a ton of TLC. I think I am going to build that bike into my ultimate trail bike unless someone has an ATV they like me build.

I going to write a few more blogs about the experience in the next few weeks but I think I will sum it up with the TXT message my son sent to me after we got home:

I have never felt so much home until that rally. I am !@#$% winning next year. Either crashing the bike or winning

– Jacob Groom

Thanks to Lee Martin at Rally Connex for being such a great host. We loved just being there. Mac Foy, thanks for being part of the team (sorry man!). Julian (aka AdrenalineJunkieProd) it was great to meet you and congrats on 1st in SxS Gold Class and congrats Jarrod Burton at Hell Fury Motorsports on the Bronze Class 1st place SxS win on the Segway Villain.

Thanks to our sponsors who helped us get there: Kimpex and DaveSports are the primary sponsors for the event.

Monster Motorsports Atlantic and Kutvek Kit Graphik wraps made us look pro! Shout of to Klim helping us with the gear. Derek Sullivan at AC Powersports leaning us the Power Pack and Segway Powersports Canada which is the overall presenting sponsor of Trekkit ATV Season 4.

Special thanks to the crew: Kristy, Nicole, Ben and Paul for your support on location! Without a great crew nothing happens (and nothing gets filmed!).

So preparations are stating now. Mental, physical, financial and mechanical all need to be addressed. Plus we need to figure out how to film this and capture the excitement. I am excited! Coming next year with us?

Safe and Happy Trails,

Online Store Open!

We are very excited to open our first online store featuring our limited-edition Season 3 hoodie and t-shirt.

Click here for the Trekkit Online Store

To celebrate our crazy 2300+ KM loop around the Province of New Brunswick we wanted a way for the Trekkit team and the community to memorialize our attempt to blaze a trail and raise the awareness for the need of an official loop around the province for ATV/SxS adventures. Imagine being able to get on your quad and drive to any supportive ATV town from any other supportive SxS town? What a way to make memories with friends and family!

While waiting for Season 3 you can watch Season 1 & 2 either on Bell Fibe TV1 or online.

Our first item is a Trekkit Season 3 Hoodie/T-Shirt combo. Each Trekkit hoodie comes with a limited edition Trekkit Season 3 T-Shirt with most of the communities listed on the back that we traveled though while blazing our trail. If your community is not listed, we will be announcing soon a way to us to do an adventure in your town and nearby trails.

Fine Print: The hoodies are all in men’s sizes. The hoodies only come in black, and the shirt is light tan with dark ink. Due to the size of our operation, there is currently no exchanges or refunds. We have a limited run so these are only available while supplies last.

Safe and Happy Trails,

Thank You, I am home and editing

Its been a few weeks since we got home from the loop around the province. People ask me is there one thing that stood out on your trip? What really stood out was the acts of kindness from strangers, friends, and sponsors. I can’t thank them all here because it would give away too much of the story for Season 3.

We had an interesting issue this season which led to a new sponsor Atlantic Pacific Transport, without their assistance we would have not been able to complete our journey in 15 days. Thanks Donnie Filmore and Jeff!

One of the issues we had when planning the trip was getting around Moncton and Saint John. There was not a good way to loop around them without taking extra days which we did not have, so Donnie and Jeff came to the rescue.  Jeff their driver was very patient with us as we had a few unforeseen events – you will have to tune into Season 3 to find out!

So, Ben Cummings will be putting out some teasers but I am going to squirrel away as I have nine new episodes to cut. Looking forward to sharing the adventure on the small and big screen.

Our “thank you” list is long and looking forward to getting all those acts of kindness into Season 3.

Safe and happy trails,

Trekkit ATV Holiday Shopping Guide

In spite of the wrath of 2020, we  had a great time filming Season 2 of Trekkit ATV. We minimized our core group and instead of visiting many of the establishments on the ATV path, we looked for hidden gems and recommended trails in our area. The items below are from our sponsors and partners but we don’t do product reviews, we put them to the test on the trail. Here are the items that could be on the Christmas List of any avid ATV enthusiast.

  1. BioLite CampStove 2 – This thing is a miracle. Traditionally, I would have a gas-powered stove when hiking or ATVing but always worried about the constant bouncing around of the pressurized gas can. The BioLite runs on tiny sticks and the heat from the fire charges a battery that powers a fan to make the burning very efficient and almost smokeless. This stove can also charge your phone while on the trail. Its just the right size to pack with your ATV gear. Check it out : https://ca.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2


  2. Hennessey Hammocks – These hammocks are the perfect kit for overnight ATV runs. All you need are two trees and you have a comfortable off the ground place to rest for the night. It takes up less space than a tent and all the associated rigging  is easy to setup and conformable. Check them out: https://hennessyhammock.ca/collections/hammocks

    Hennessey Hammock
    The duo of a BioLite stove and the Hennessey Hammock are great gear for a comfortable night in the woods.

  3. Surface Go LTE. We gave one away at the end of Season 1 and this little rig is great to throw in the backpack to review video taken on the trail on the fly. As it has LTE, its does not need to hotspot with your phone or require Wi-Fi. Its tiny but the screen is much larger than a standard GPS so great for viewing maps while on the trail. Plus, you can offline many maps when you have no connectivity. No connectivity means you are in the best places! Check it out: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/business/surface-go


  4. Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss – This monster is equipped with the 6.2L and is the official truck of Trekkit ATV. It has hauled our ATVs to new locations, and we had the truck off road a few times. Thanks to Fox Chevrolet Cadillac and Travis Hovey for helping us decorate the truck for our second season. Check it out the https://www.chevrolet.com/trucks/silverado/1500



  5. Big Horn 3.0 – I put these on the 2018 Polaris Scrambler and love them. The directional front tread and the push oriented back tread with the extra side knobby grip is fantastic tearing up the trails. I got these from Dave Sports in Woodstock. They have a showroom full of Polaris, Kawasaki, Honda and lots of accessories including great Klim gear ready for under the tree.

All the stuff below will be featured in Trekkit ATV Season staring February 1st 2021 on Bell Fibe TV1 and then Wild TV this spring.

Unofficially my snack of choice on the trails in Cliff Bars and Twizzles. Once the snacks got soaked in gas, but you will have to wait until Season 2 to see that story.

Happy Holidays,

Ryan, Rodney, Paul, Christian, Hamdy and the whole Trekkit Crew

ATV Experiences 2.0

Twenty and Three Thousand

Two seemingly random numbers.  No hidden meaning, no answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is contained within. To the average person, they are meaningless.

For me, those numbers represent something much more.  Give or take, they are the number of months since I have been an avid ATV rider and the total distance I have covered since purchasing a brand-new ATV last year (in km).

For ATV veterans, that may not feel like a lot.  But I don’t ride for the praise of others.  I ride my ATV for me. 

As a youngster, I was never around motorbikes, had only a fleeting interest in cars and ATV’s were used to haul wood or complete other chores around the yard.  So, you can imagine my shock when, at the ripe, old age of 48, a good friend suggested we should all get ATV’s to participate in a local TV show highlighting our native New Brunswick.  Incredulously, I asked myself “He wants us to get on ATV’s, drive 1000’s of km all around the province”?  Why not?

Until that time, my sum experience on an ATV was approximately 50km.  Lifetime total.  I was in fact, an ATV noob.  Power sports were not part of my life experience.

Growing up in Ontario, I knew very little about New Brunswick.  Other than the Fundy tides and Magnetic Hill, this Upper Canadian was ignorant to the wonders that lay hidden just below the surface.

I was about to be schooled.

As with all stories, my introduction to off roading has a beginning, a middle and an end.  Each of those phases contributed to my experience as the last 20 months played out.

The beginning.

20 months ago, I could not tell you what driving an ATV at 60 km/h down a dirt track felt like.  The New Brunswick woods were still covered in snow and the spring thaw was starting to make trails treacherous.  In fact, one of my earliest lessons was about what to do when (not if) the quad went through the ice (which it did) and how to keep dry in doing so (invest in good quality boots and rain gear). 

As spring gave way to summer, I encountered a growing number of experiences for the first time.  Discovering hidden waterfalls, caves, endless trails and mountains and out of the way places we could stop and eat lunch became a welcome addition to getting out in the woods with friends.

I say ‘we’ because nothing compares to the comradery of heading off on an adventure with friends and completing a 300km round trip through unknown territory.  Experiencing the wonders of New Brunswick is even better when you have good friends to share the experience with.

The middle.

This is the phase when I liken to removing the training wheels from your child’s bike.  I was able to start pushing myself farther to see how far I was willing to go on the quad.  Driving on flat trails is easy and you find yourself yearning for more adventure to push your limits.  Hills that seemed like mountains the year before, suddenly became doable.  Top speeds crept up by 30 km/h.  Ditches, logs, bushwhacking, quad swallowing puddles all became the new norm as we were able to go farther and farther an overcome all manner of terrain. 

Easily, the biggest obstacle for me was verticality.  I don’t like driving ‘up’. 

We did a run to Turtle Mountain in Saint John last year, which culminates in a 400 m run up the side of the granite face of the mountain.  It’s not incredibly high and is not incredibly steep, but from where I sat at the foot looking up, it may as well have been Mt Everest to me.  The encouragement (and occasional shaming) from the group pushed me forward to conquer that mountain.  And I have not looked back since.  In retrospect, I enjoyed beating the mountain.

Subsequently, we had revisited Friar’s Nose in Sussex New Brunswick this past summer.  Friar’s Nose is an impressive outcropping overlooking the forests but is only accessible by ATV from the back via a steep, narrow trail.  When we originally had visited the year before, there were not many of us prepared to risk riding up that trail.  It just wasn’t possible (to me).

A strange thing happened on that revisit.  When we walked up the trail before attempting to ride it, I knew it was possible and furthermore, I knew I was going to do it.  In fact, that day, the entire group made it up and it was a wonderful sense of accomplishment for all.  Riding an ATV is a great boost to your confidence.

The ending.

Paul Archer ATV Level 2

The term ‘ending’ for this little missive is inaccurate.  I’m nowhere ready to call this an ending.  The past 20 months have allowed new friendships to cultivate, existing ones to strengthen and all while experiencing sights and sounds I never thought possible…especially in my home province.

This year the quad is not getting put away for the winter (as it did last year).  In fact, I am eagerly awaiting the first snow so we can get a run in before Winter settles in.  Then we will be off to find some groomed trails, so we can whittle away the winter months until spring.  Rinse and repeat.

The ending, at least for now is a distant point in time, not even being considered.  I neither fathom it, nor worry about it. Instead, I am enjoying the quad, my friends and my adventures for as long as I am able.

Safe and Happy Trails,

Paul Archer
2019 Kawasaki Brute Force 750

History Channel’s ALONE Alumni on Trekkit ATV

Trekkit TV and Wayne Russell from Maritime Wilderness Skills is teaming up for an episode for the upcoming Season 2 of Trekkit ATV to help prepare the crew for an unexpected night in the woods.

Wayne is also a participant in the debut season of History Channel’s ALONE and is ready to show us how to survive in the wilderness should we get stuck in the woods for the night due to an ATV breakdown or another mishap.

The Trekkit team will learn what to take for bare minimum equipment and prepare what they need and apply a minimalistic approach for a night in the forest. As on Trekkit ATV Season 1, there was a few mishaps, and those accidents and breakdowns in the wrong place or late in the day could have warranted a night in the woods. We thought with Wayne’s experience and our ATV adventures, that it would be interesting to our viewers to see how to pack your ATV for that unexpected night in the woods.

Wayne also teaches classes on wilderness survival to the public and can be booked at https://maritimewildernessskills.ca/ .

Season 2 of Trekkit ATV will focus on the thrill of riding an ATV plus explore multi day rides off the beaten path thus learning what to take for 2-3 days on an off the grid adventure will be a learning experience for the crew and our viewers.

So who will survive, who will thrive and who will be miserable? Coming soon!

The crew is looking forward to this adventure! Thanks Wayne!

Safe and Happy Trails,

Season 2 & 3 Sponsorship Opportunities

What is Trekkit ATV?

When the world has recovered, we are heading out to start filming! We are looking for sponsors and partners that would like help with the adventure and production. We are open to creative ideas and even a few partners to emblazon on our new riding gear.

The Trekkit crew has filmed adventures for Canadian television since 2012 ranging from Iceland, Norway, Scotland and North America and excited to continue filming in Atlantic Canada our ATV adventures.

Check out Trekkit ATV: Exploring New Brunswick the full feature film online at: https://www.trekkit.com/video/trekkitatv/movie

Our Adventures Require the Ultimate Equipment and Partners

In Season 1, we successfully traversed trails that many ATV riders would not attempt We are bold and courageous and would be great brand ambassadors. We are open to discussing involvement of brands that follow our mantra of adventure and finding new paths to fantastic destinations.

The Opportunity

Trekkit is mainly made up of every day working professionals which appeals to the new and grassroot ATV enthusiasts. The target audience is regular people that enjoy riding an ATV on weekends. We are not professional riders but push the envelop for our skill level and demonstrate to everyday people that ATVs are fun and adventurous for anybody.

Sponsorships

We have a range of sponsorship opportunities to have partners showcase their products and services in a meaningful way, on the trail, used by real ATV riders in fun situations. We are open to discussing unique opportunities to best showcase your brand. All packages include production fees as we have hard costs in producing the show.

  • Global Presenting Sponsor
  • Dealer Demos
  • New Brunswick Dealership Presenting Sponsor
  • Global Closing Sponsor
  • Product Placement

What Viewers are Saying!

“I’m 47 years old and have been ATVing since I was 12 years old. I love to see the progress that was made in this wonderful sport…”Can’t wait for season 2!!!!”

“Great video – my type of riding – keep up the good videos and ride on.”

“This is a great show. I’ve seen a lot of places I didn’t know existed. Thanks Ryan and company. Watch it people. You will learn lots.”

“Job well done by all. Great picture and video. Very nice to see different little areas of our province. We need to appreciate what we have compared to other parts of the world!”

“Such a great expectation of what NB has to offer ATV enthusiasts. Thanks for all you do Ryan & crew.”

“Wonderful show Trekkit team! Such a skill for storytelling and capturing the sport of outdoors and ATVing. You can’t watch this and not fall in love with our beautiful province!”

Contact Us

If you have any questions please fill out the form below or send us a message on Facebook.

Broadcast Partners and Reach

Thanks,

Welcome St. Stephen Outlawz ATV Club!

Great news! The St. Stephen Outlawz ATV Club is now an official satellite of NB ATV Club #39.

It was super fun riding with this group while filming Trekkit ATV Season 1 and looking forward to filming more great stories while riding in Charlotte County filming Season 2.

In celebration, we have posted the Outlawz segment from Episode 6. Watch until the end to see how they got their name.

See full episodes on Channel 401 in Bell TV1 under lifestyles category and Wild TV very soon.

Watch the movie version of Trekkit ATV: Exploring New Brunswick by clicking here.

Congrats folks, cya on the trails real soon!

Trekkit ATV: The Movie

Thanks for everyone that came to this event!
Watch the film Trekkit ATV: Exploring New Brunswick online, click here.

Click here to buy tickets. Tickets only available in advance.
Showing in Woodstock, New Brunswick at the Atlantic Cinemas.

Trekkit ATV Season #1 is now on Bell Fibe TV1 Channel 401 under the Lifestyle category (more viewing options will be announced soon).

Like we did with the Iceland series we have cut a PG version of the show into a 90-minute feature just for the theatre! ATVs in NB on the big screen!

We are showing this at the Atlantic Cinemas in Woodstock on February 22 at noon. Tickets need to be bought in advance from this link. Atlantic Cinema has donated the theatre, which is just epic.

All proceeds go to local ATV club projects and anyone that brings canned goods for the food bank get additional door prize tickets.

Come join us in Woodstock to see how wonderful ATVing in New Brunswick really is!

Thanks,

Door prizes by:

Visit Wild TV
Visit Dave Sports

Trekkit ATV: Exploring New Brunswick

Watch the film Trekkit ATV: Exploring New Brunswick online, click here.

Trekkit ATV is a group of mainly first time ATV owners which head out to see the splendor of New Brunswick off road. The inexperienced crew tackle mud, mishaps, and witness the majesty of remote places by ATV. The team packs along a drone to get a bird’s eye view of the ride. 

Non Crazy – Official Trailer

The conditions range from managed and unmanaged trails which consist of dirt, dust, muck and brutal rocky trails.  Come for a ride and witness the marvelous sites in New Brunswick Canada on an ATV.

The Crazy Trailer – Worst Accident of the Year

Trekkit ATV is now on Bell Fibe TV1. If you already are a Bell Fibe TV customer, go to channel 1, or watch Trekkit ATV on demand with the Bell Fibe TV App for Android or iOS. If you are not a Bell Fibe TV customer, click here to learn more about Bell services.

Season One

Trekkit ATV

Turtle Mountain
Turtle Mountain is a 10 KM hike up a rough rocky trail which the crew decided to tackle by ATV and spend the night at the top. This brutal ride for an inexperienced ATV is tough, do they all make it to the top? Plus, a flashback of how our off-road adventures began in Iceland.

Sussex
The crew rides with the Sussex ATV club on a set of well managed and picturesque trails. The ride included the coastal beauty of Martin Head, the quaint covered ATV bridges and get a firsthand look at the worst accident of our riding season.

Bathurst
The crew heads to the Northern section of New Brunswick where we get to legally ride on the public streets in the City of Bathurst and head to the trails. After night driving, we wake up to a spectacular view. Plus, a flashback on Ryan’s inspirational adventure in Scotland.

Long Lake
We assemble of large group of family and friends and head to Long Lake Adventures for the weekend. We ride the trails in the middle of New Brunswick. The crew is brought to a somber site of an Air Force plane crash from 1967, enjoy a salmon science project, view from Mt Carleton, and treated to the remoteness and hospitality of the area. Music featuring Clay Harrison.

Rusagonis and York County Trails
The crew heads out to experience a wide range of trails. These range from trails managed by the local York County West ATV and Rusagonis clubs and unmanaged trails which can lead into interesting situations for an inexperienced rider. This ride we tackle mud, dust, dirt, smooth, and rough trails. We recount the worst mud hole of the year and the young buck challenge the old guard to a water hole duel. Plus, a flashback of our Mount Katahdin climb.

Ramble 2019
We close the season by heading off to Ramble 2019 and ride with the local Woodstock ATV club and celebrate the end of the ATV season. We circle back to highlights including riding with the St. Stephen outlaws, a bird’s eye view of a historical site, our safety course, and Jewetts Creek bridge opening.

Thanks to Bell Fibe TV1 and our partners Dave Sports and the Province of New Brunswick in helping us share this adventure with you.

Stay tuned over the next few months of other places to tune in to watch Trekkit ATV.