ORV benefit ride Saturday draws 111 vehicles

Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter
With his wife at work, Cody Cronkite borrowed an ORV from his family to take his kids, ages 3, 5, and 8, on the ride. "I'm getting back into this."
With his wife at work, Cody Cronkite borrowed an ORV from his family to take his kids, ages 3, 5, and 8, on the ride. "I'm getting back into this."

BRANCH COUNTY — For six minutes Saturday morning, 111 Off-Road Vehicles with 243 people on board rolled from the parking lot of Planet Power Sports on to Lott Road.

That began the 60-mile trek around the county allowed by the new ORV ordinance passed by county commissioners on April 23.

Sales manager Ted Avra thanked those who helped lobby the county commission for the last eight months to make Branch the last rural county in southern Michigan to allow ORVs on non-state or federal roads.

Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Ed Rice told the crowd he rides an ORV off duty. "I want everybody to have fun. Safety is the biggest concern," he said.

All the vehicles require a state ORV sticker.

ORVs without tops or windshields require operators and passengers to wear helmets and eye protection.

The speed limit maximum is 25 mph. "It's gonna be hard. These machines are fast," Rice said. "As long as everybody does the right thing, we'll have a good time."

Prior story Branch County passes ORV law

Participants on the Branch County ORV Facebook page praised the run, which had no reported problems.

The organized event collected $15 per machine and driver, with an additional $5 per rider donated to the Branch County Sheriff Department Community Service Fund.

The route mixed dirt and paved roads, with stops at Bills Grill House off Narrows Road, the Seven Deuce in Tekonsha, Belle Vista Golf Course's Oscar Brown's, the Bent Prop on Coldwater Lakeside Drive, and Kick'n Kountry on Warren and S. Angola Road for a party.

Meijer allowed participants to use the parking lot for trailers.

Avra obtained special permits to allow the ORVs at Meijer, which is in Coldwater and the village of Tekonsha.

The county ordinance allows ORVs only on county roads unless municipalities allow them.

Coldwater area resident Carl Archie rides his ORV in northern Michigan, where they are common and popular. He headed out with his wife and another couple. "I'm super excited to ride down here," Archie said.

Cody Cronkite borrowed an ORV from his family to take his kids, ages 3, 5, and 8, on the ride.

His wife had to work, but his in-laws were in front in another ORV. "I've done this pretty much growing up. I gave it up for a while and I'm starting to finally get back doing it again," he said.

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Branch County ORV plans other events during the year.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Riders use new county ORV ordinance Saturday for 60-mile benefit ride

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