Berlin ATV trails connector between Jericho and Success opens
November 10, 2009
Berlin Daily Sun
BERLIN — ATV riders from around the state and Massachusetts showed up for Saturday’s big opening of the connector trail between the trails in the Jericho Mountain State Park and Success.
Bob Rutledge, of Litchfield, and John Elie, of Pelham, both longtime ATV riders, made the four-hour trip north together, and when their day of riding the some 100 miles of trails now open in the Berlin area was over, they planned to look around for places to stay with their families. “It’s a good day trip, too,” they said. They definitely will be back. “We both have kids who ride,” they said.
The Amaral brothers, David of Gloucester, Mass., and Russell, of Rockport, Mass., are already members of the Androscoggin Valley ATV Club. They said that they plan to continue to head north with their families “quite a bit,” especially now that there are some 100 miles of ATV trails in the Berlin area, thanks to the connector through Berlin.
Rochester City Councilor Rick Healey eyed the celebration jealously. He plans to “talk it up” when he returns home, specifically to work to promote something similar in his area. “There is an ATV club there and trails in Southern Maine and along the border,” he said. He said Rochester “is called the gateway to the mountains” and noted that there are a lot of ATV riders in his area.
He has been riding himself since 1972 and has been instrumental in seeing that the Rochester police are equipped with an ATV and a designated ATV police officer. Next step, he hopes, may be something in the Rochester area like the ATV Mecca that Berlin has created with the facility at Jericho Mountain State Park and the trails connector to Success.
“Now we need legal trails and better monitoring. The trails here are outstanding,” he said. “The trails in Rochester would be mild compared to the trails here. They’ll be good for beginners.”
The day’s celebration began at the Jericho Mountain State Park where some 120 ATVs and perhaps 200 people gathered. After welcoming remarks by local officials, the group rode from Jericho to the Tondreau Park in Berlin.
By an imposing but unfinished sign-post, still being built by students from Berlin High School, Berlin Mayor Dave Bertrand welcomed the riders and read a proclamation declaring the opening of the cross town connector ATV trail “a grand beginning of another great recreational asset and opportunity for the many people in New England who enjoy trail riding, and I wish to warmly welcome these people to the finest trail riding venue in New England.”
While guests and riders enjoyed plenty of hot coffee provided by the city, Bertrand cut the ribbon on the new connector.
Also on hand was Chris Gamache of the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails, with his wife, Kristin, daughter Katiana, 8, and son, Sandor, 9. Gamache has been shepherding the Jericho Park plans since the beginning.
“This is a great thing for the city and Success,” said Gamache, “a great step in the development of recreational trails in the North country.” Gamache noted that an ATV festival in Jericho (July 10-11, 2010) is being planned by The Glen Group, of Conway, in conjunction with the North Country Council. “They are working on a mud pit for competitions, poker rides,” he said. “All (the competitors and their families and friends) will need places to stay, to eat.”
The MIllsfield ATV Club trailmaster, Emile Croteau, said “This is a great day for the city of Berlin. It will be a big plus for the economy. We’d love to have links from Berlin, Success, Errol, Pittsburg and the rest of the North Country. We need more of this.”
He noted that Millsfield has 140 miles of trails and owed a great debt of gratitude to the owners of the land that “let us use it. We are appreciative.” He and his wife cover 10,000 miles a year on four wheelers, he said, adding “This year the club added five to six miles to the system.”
“The club’s always looking for new members to help support the club. We’ve received $100,000 in the last ten years through grants to spend on the ATV trails,” he said. “The big thing to remember is to thank the landowners for the use of their land. Without them, we’d be nowhere.”
Berlin Mayor Dave Bertrand cuts the ribbon Saturday on the new ATV connector through Berlin between the trails in the Jericho Mountain State Park and trails in Success. Witnesses to the historic ribbon-cutting were, l to r at the ribbon: Berlin Police Chief Pete Morency; Sen. John Gallus; Dave Malone, president of the Androscoggin Valley ATV Club; Bertrand; Executive Councilor Ray Burton; Berlin City Manager Pat McQueen. The second row behind the ribbon includes: Dave Osgood, AVATVC trail administrator; Eric Anderson, AVATVC trail master; Randy Cicchetto, AVATVC safety coordinator; Rene Bouton, AVATVC vice president; and Bobbie Aversa, AVATVC membership coordinator. Behind them is the unfinished ATV sign post, being built by students at Berlin High School. (GAIL SCOTT PHOTO)
Berlin Deputy Police Chief Brian Valerino led the some 120 ATVs from Jericho Mountain State Park for ATVs on Route 110 to the Tondreau Park where Mayor Dave Bertrand cut the ribbon on the new ATV connector on Saturday, joining the Jericho Park with trails in Success, opening up some 100 miles of trails for ATV riders. Behind Valerino, Sen. John Gallus was at the wheel of a red ATV with Executive Councilor Ray Burton as his guest (Gail Scott Photo).
Riders Bob Rutledge, of Litchfield, and John Elie, of Pelham, show thumbs up as they cruise toward the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new connector trail between the Jericho Mountain State Park and ATV trails in Success. Both a long time ATV riders and think the new ATV trails in the Berlin area are great. They drove four hours to attend the ceremony and try out the new (to them) trails. They have done most of their riding in the Claremont/Rockingham area. (Gail Scott Photo).