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DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
Thick mud covered every inch of the all-terrain vehicles and their drivers by the end of an annual event in Fort Providence, but it was all part of the experience.

Colin Bradbury stands beside his mud-coated Arctic Cat Prowler during the second-annual Dirt Bag Mud Run in Fort Providence on Aug. 31. - photo courtesy of Shawna McLeod

The second-annual Dirt Bag Mud Run took place in the hamlet on Aug. 31. The event drew in 19 riders from Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Fort Providence who drove 13 quads and three side-by-sides.

Vandell Ventures Inc. launched the event last June. The run takes participants down a former bush road, connecting Fort Providence with the Horn River. Last year, drivers were challenged by sections of water that were up to one metre deep.

"This year it was really thick mud," said Barrett "Sonny" Lenoir, who organized the administrative side of the Mud Run.

Everyone and every machine was quickly caked in mud and clay on the approximately 80-kilometre round trip.

"Everyone got stuck," he said.

Paul Simon of Fort Simpson, who participated in the inaugural event, was back again with his Polaris Ranger, a side-by-side.

"The conditions were really good," Simon said.

"There was tons of mud and lots of fun."

The quads and side-by-sides were getting stuck constantly so there was lots of winching, pushing and towing involved. If you aren't doing those things, however, said Simon, you aren't really quading.

A Can-Am Outlander 1000 brought in by Monster Recreational Products Ltd. of Hay River was quickly designated as the main towing machine for extracting other stuck quads.

It was great to see Monster participate this year, said Simon, who would like to see other NWT dealers use the Mud Run as an opportunity to showcase their vehicles. It gives people a chance to see the machines really perform, he said.

Most of the Polaris, Can-Am and Honda all-terrain vehicles that participants brought to the event had engines ranging between 400 to 700 cubic centimetres.

"It's hard work just trying to get through the mud," said Simon.

Although they were tired and coated in mud and beset by sandflies, everyone seemed to have a great time, he said.

Following the run, the participants enjoyed a meal at the house of Melanie Thom-Gargan and Darrel Gargan. Individual prizes were also awarded. Colin Bradbury won the best stuck competition for the situation he got his Arctic Cat Prowler into.

Lenoir hopes to see even more people participate in next year's Mud Run.

"We're looking to make it grow into a way bigger event," he said.

Organizers plan to keep the event on a long weekend and hold a quad competition on Sunday, following the run. The competition would be a timed event where drivers would race their machines against the clock through a mud bog.

Building up this event will help increase the tourism industry in Fort Providence, Lenoir said.

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