CrossTimbers Off-Road Vehicle Park: Fun for the Whole Family!
Those of us who love riding off-road have a great resource here in Oklahoma City: the CrossTimbers ORV Park at Lake Stanley-Draper. The old riding area on the north side of the lake has been closed down due to erosion. It may eventually reopen after a “re-vegetation” period, but in the meantime a wonderful new area has been added on the west side of the lake, near the CrossTimbers Campground. The new area is inexpensive, well-designed, and great fun for beginners and experienced riders alike.
Within minutes of Oklahoma City, CrossTimbers ORV Park offers a variety of trails, from basic ATV trails to tight, motorcycle-only single-track through the oak and cedar forest surrounding Lake Draper. A 3-mile “Grass Track” presents some challenging elevation changes and affords more experienced riders with the opportunity to catch some air-time and work on their flat-tracking skills, while beginning riders will appreciate the course’s forgiving, wide-open nature and its highspeed straightaways. The motorcycle-only forest trails offer plenty of challenges in the form of tight corners, deep gullies, logs and roots that must be crossed, and the ever-popular sand ruts. Nature lovers will appreciate spotting deer, squirrels, and the abundant variety of birds that call this part of Oklahoma home.
CrossTimbers was been particularly exciting for me this past year, because I started riding there with my daughter.
I started my daughter Summer riding at the age of ten by buying her a used Honda XR70. With three gears and a centrifugal clutch, the XR70 is reliable, affordable, and easy-to-operate, making it a great first bike. Initially, Summer wouldn't do more than ride around our house. I'd encourage her to ride out into a field at the front of my acreage, but she complained that the field was "too bumpy." She liked the manicured lawn (if you've seen my grass, you'll recognize that for sarcasm). Eventually, though, she started ranging farther afield. One day I went out and cut a trail through the woods for her. It was so dark and gloomy down through this trail -- all leaf-shadowed and loamy-moist -- that it kinda scared her. We dubbed that trail "The Dark Passage." We even hung a sign. It wasn't long before the Dark Passage was part of the normal around-the-house and out-through-the-field circuit. We needed more trails! "The Rifleman's Route" was born (so named because while I was cutting the trail, I found an old rusted BB gun), as was "Blood Alley" (so named because I ripped open my hand on an old strand of barbed wire there), and these were quickly supplanted by others, each hacked out of the brush by yours truly, braving the chiggers and poison ivy, so that my daughter would have a place to learn to ride.
My daughter and her first bike, a Honda XR70.Eventually, Summer outgrew the little Honda, so we bought her a brand new Suzuki DR-Z125. (She'll tell you that "outgrew" is a relative term, as she couldn't touch down very well on the 125 when we bought it. Even now, at 13, she can't flatfoot the bike. Think of it as "growing room.") We progressed to more difficult riding lessons: logs that I'd have her practice jumping, exercises such as climbing and descending hills, turning on uneven ground, and navigating drop-offs. In time, what had once seemed a rather daunting complex of trails on our own property no longer presented a challenge to her (How interesting can it be when you pass the house at least once every couple minutes?), and it was time to take the next logical step. She had outgrown our trails, same as she’d outgrown the little Honda.
I had plenty of help taking her to CrossTimbers for the first time. You don't think my riding buddies were gonna miss out on the chance to roost a little dirt, do ya? This was great for Summer, as it gave her a lot of other riders from whom she could learn and absorb experience. My friends enjoyed it, too, because as all true riders know, there’s nothing as satisfying as passing on the motorcycle experience. The fact that she’s a girl just made it all the more rewarding; I admit that we all get a certain satisfaction at the surprised look boys give when they see they’re sharing the trails with a girl.
Summer and her current bike, a Suzuki DR-Z125.The fact that CrossTimbers has such a variety of trails and terrain makes it a great place to learn. My friends and I have enjoyed watching Summer’s progress, and I think riding has helped her grow in many ways. When she falls, she doesn’t get discouraged. She doesn’t complain or think about packing it in for the day. She simply picks herself up, brushes off the dirt, shrugs off the bruises, and gets back on her bike. She doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit. I believe this attitude will accompany her throughout her life. As with the difficult sections of trail that she’s faced on her bike, the challenges she encounters in life will be met with confidence, determination, and the will to succeed.
I can’t adequately express how much I enjoy time spent riding with Summer and how proud I am of her. Our father-daughter relationship, already built on a solid foundation, has grown in leaps and bounds. More and more, as she’s grown older, I’ve lost time to activities like cheerleading, slumber parties, and shopping trips with her mom, but motorcycling is something unique and exciting that we two share alone. As with all my other riding experiences, the comraderie -- whether it be between friends or family members -- extends beyond the time actually spent on the bikes. As riders, you understand as well as I do that motorcycling is an experience that touches every facet of our lives. How utterly great to share it with the ones that you love!
“Why I Ride” by Summer Hopkins
I ride because I think it is a lot of fun! I enjoy it so much and like to go different places and try new things. It is challenging for me, because the places I go can be really difficult. There can be lots of turns, or tight places, and whether I crash or not, I am just proud that I tried to do it and wasn’t scared.
It is a great workout for me! Usually later that day I feel sore, but I never really care.
It gives me time to spend with my dad, doing what we both love to do! I love dirt-biking and so does he, so we enjoy going to Draper or just around our house together.
I like to meet all the different people that come and ride with us, they help me out a lot and tell me what I do wrong. My dad has a lot of friends and they all are so nice and are good riders that help me out a lot.
It’s just a great way to spend time outdoors in the great state of Oklahoma! Going down to the lake or just around my house. It just makes me so much better!
I get to see lots of different places and experience new things like jumps or something hard that someday I will do or get better at. I get to meet all these different people that ride different motorcycles that someday I would love to ride too!
Additional Information on CrossTimbers ORV Park
Website:
http://www.lakedraper.com/OffRoadRiding.htm
Facilities: 640+ acres of riding area; ORV trails ranging from ATV trails to motorcycle-only single-track; tight forest trails, wide-open grass track, and a small motocross circuit; the parking lot provides spaces with trenched areas for unloading bikes; adjacent campground.
Location: Lake Stanley-Draper is located on the southeast side of Oklahoma City, south of Tinker AFB and the General Motors plant, just minutes from I-35 and I-240. While Lake Draper covers a large area, the marina is located at 8301 SE 104th St; the CrossTimbers Campground and ORV Park are just south of SE 119th on the west side of Draper Drive. The marina's phone number is 799-0870. There's a recorded message for trail conditions at 945-1938.
Rules: http://www.lakedraper.com/orv_rules.htm
Trail Map: http://www.lakedraper.com/images/Trailmap_Apr2006.pdf
Permits: Available at the marina, $10 adult/$2 junior (under 16 years of age) daily or $60/$12 annual
Hours of Operation: Mon - Fri, 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM; Sat - Sun, 8:00 AM - 8:45 PM
Best Time for Riding: In the summer, early or late in the day are the most bearable times to be out in the heat. At any season, these are the hours when there are fewer riders sharing the trails. Aggressive riding is a great workout and the energy expended is generally enough to keep you warm without wearing expensive winter gear, even into the mid-forties, so don’t think once spring and summer have passed that it’s time to put away your motorcycle. Just be sure to have warm, dry clothes waiting in the parking lot.
Off-Road Safety: Never ride offroad without a DOT-approved helmet, sturdy footwear (motocross boots highlyrecommended), goggles, and gloves as a minimum. Knee guards, elbowguards, and a chest protector are also recommended. Nothing cuts into your riding time worse than an injury, so make your protection a priority. There is no substitute for good riding gear.
Don’t ride alone if you can help it. Some of the CrossTimbers trails are long; if you were injured and unable to ride out, it could take a considerable amount of time before someone found you. Riders you meet at CrossTimbers are generally a friendly bunch, and if approached would probably be happy to ride with you. Group riding comes with its own rewards.
Riding in the heat takes its toll. Be sure to stay hydrated. Remember that you’re out to have fun and it’s not a race. Take breaks as needed; just be sure to pull off the trail for other riders who might come up behind you. Never ride opposite the indicated direction of travel on any trail.
Labels: CrossTimbers, motorcycles, oklahoma, young riders
