This time, ATV parade is a record

• ATV Parade

In June more than 2,000 people descended on Silver Bay to successfully break a record for the longest ATV parade. Official word of the World Guinness of Records feat was received this week. File photo
• Roy Ranum

Roy Ranum of Silver Bay waves to ATV paraders in June. File photo

Talk about it

It’s official, but likely not for long. It seems the All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota has found itself in an ATV parade war since breaking a world record in Silver Bay in June.

The association announced Monday it received word from officials at Guinness World Record that the June 13 event featuring 1,632 ATVs is, indeed, the “World’s Longest ATV Parade.”

“We’re excited,” association representative Jon Bohn said. “We’ll hold it as long as it takes for Utah to be recognized.”

That’s Richfield, Utah, home of a parade that featured 2,014 ATVs in September. And Bohn says there are plans in Kansas and Kentucky to better that mark.

The Minnesota group will wait a while before making another attempt, likely in 2011 or 2012, Bohn said.

It’s more than a stunt. The parade in Silver Bay was a way to draw its membership together, Bohn said, and involve state agencies and the region in efforts to educate people on ATV use and safety.

“A lot of people got a look at how the trails work along the Shore,” Bohn said.

Silver Bay City Administrator Lana Fralich said the June event was an opportunity to show off the area, saying the ATV riders “found a new favorite place.”

She said many parade riders didn’t know about trails in the area and said they would be back, meaning more tourism money spent in Lake County. “It created Silver Bay as an ATV destination,” she said.

Silver Bay fed off the event by hosting a fall ATV rally last month.

Bill Vlatupa, the “go-between” for Silver Bay and the ATV association, said the parade couldn’t have happened without volunteers in the community. The association seems sold on its pick of Silver Bay in 2008 to host the event. There was disappointment then at not reaching the record, but “we asked to try it again,” Vlatupa said. He’s as proud as anyone else in the area about officially getting the record and prouder that the event went off without any problems. “We thank all the riders,” he said. “They were courteous and clean. We had no mess to pick up.”

The Guinness recognition means the Harlan County Ridge Runners group in Everts, Ky., is no longer the official record holder with 1,138 ATVs in a parade. “We have a meeting this Thursday night. I’m sure it will be brought up and plans will start being made to go after it again,” said Bill Troutman, president of the Kentucky group.

The Minnesota association tried to break the Harlan County record in 2008 but fell short. If the Guinness verification system is consistent, Silver Bay will have the record for at least five months.

“We are thrilled to have the record certified and that so many ATV enthusiasts and their families could join us,” parade organizer Les Schermerhorn said. “Thank you to everyone that joined us and to everyone in the city of Silver Bay for their wonderful hospitality.”

Carol Youngberg helped to organize the vendors at the parade, making sure no one went hungry and local groups could raise some money. “We worked hard at this,” she said, adding that the world record is icing on the cake. “Everybody’s excited.”

News of the parade circulated around the world, Bohn said. He has news clippings from Australia, Great Britain, and Russia. He welcomes the new record seekers, saying the association has played a key role in promoting ATV use. “We’re part of the trend to catch new riders. It’s nationwide.”

Tags: two harbors, silver bay, northland, outdoors, rec, sports, atv