♪ ANTHON YOU WILL SEE THINGS NORTH OF THE NOTCHES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE.
>> WE’VE OPENED ROADS, WE ARE ATV FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES.
YOU CAN DRIVE TO THE RESTAURANT, YOU CAN DRIVE BACK TO YOUR HOTEL.
ANTHONY: AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT WASHINGTON IS THE TOWN OF GORHAM, A HANDFUL OF COMMITTEES IN THE NORTH COUNTRY THAT ALLOW ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES TO DRIVE ON SELECT TOWN ROADS.
>> I WORK IN THE CHAMBER AND MY CALLS ARE CONSTANTLY WHERE CAN I STAY THAT I CAN DRIVE MY ATV?
I REALLY WANT TO DO THAT.
I WANT TO DRIVE TO DUNKIN’ DONUTS AND GET A COFFEE.
THAT IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR WEEKEND.
♪ ANTHONY: PAULA IS WITH THE VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SHE SAYS ATV ENTHUSIASM HAS TOTALLY TURNED THINGS AROUND FOR GORHAM AND OTHER LONG-SUFFERING MILL TOWNS.
>> WE HAVE TO REINVENT OURSELVES.
WE TURNED TO THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE AREA.
THE HOTELS ARE BUSY, THE RESTAURANTS ARE BUSY.
THERE IS A TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT.
♪ ANTHONY: GORAM IS THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY TO A VAST 1000 MILE ATV TRAIL NETWORK CALLED RIDE THE WILDS.
THE CENTRAL EVENT OF THE YEAR, THE ANNUAL JERICHO ATV FESTIVAL.
THE EVENT IS HELD AT JERICHO MOUNTAIN STATE PARK WHICH FEATURES MORE THAN 50 MILES OF ATV TRAILS.
>> THAT STARTED OFF 10 YEARS AGO WITH ABOUT 500 PEOPLE.
LAST YEAR, WE HIT 8000.
ANTHONY: SOME WHO COME TO RIDE ARE LOOKING FOR SECOND HOMES AND PROPERTY VALUES ARE ON THE RISE.
>> WE ARE TRYING TO BUY A HOUSE AND WE KEEP GETTING OUTBID.
THE MARKET IS ON FIRE.
ANTHONY: JACK MOVED HIS ROA HOG OUR BQ RESTAURANT HERE FROM VERMONT, ATTRACTED BY WHAT HE SAW AS A TOWN WITH A FUTURE.
>> WE STARTED LOOKING AROUND AND SAID, GOD, THE ATV’S, THAT’S WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
ANTHONY: NO QUESTION THAT ATV MANIA HAS BEEN A BIG BOOST TO THE ECONOMY IN THE NORTH COUNTRY.
BUT IN GORHAM, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY IT IS TIME TO TAP THE BRAKES ON THIS RUNAWAY SUCCESS.
>> IT IS TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING GRINDING YOUR TEETH KNOWING THAT FOR 12 HOURS OR SO YOU HAVE TO PUT UP FOR THAT NOISE, ESPECIALLY ON WEEKENDS.
ANTHONY: SANDY LIVES NEAR THE ATV TRAILHEAD.
SHE FEELS HER LITTLE HOUSE ON LANCASTER ROAD IS UNDER SIEGE.
>> WE HAVE LOST OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ON THE STREET OR IN TOWN, PERIOD.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IT IS NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER BECAUSE IT MULTIPLIES.
THERE IS MORE AND MORE OF THEM EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND OR YEAR.
ANTHONY: THAT IS WHY A GROUP OF RESIDENTS HAVE SUITED TO MOVE THE TRAILHEAD AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES.
>> WE DON’T LEAVE THE CITY AND SUBURBS TO COME NORTH TO LISTEN TO 96 DECIBELS OF VEHICLES.
ANTHONY: ABBY SAYS THE DISPUTE HAS PITTED NEIGHBOR AGAINST NEIGHBOR.
>> THERE’S A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE ROADS AND TRAILS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED UP.
WHY DON’T WE DESERVE THE PROTECTIONS OF THE REST OF THE TOWN GETS?
YES, PEOPLE FEEL ABANDONED.
>> IT HAS EXPLODED.
WE’VE HAD GROWING PAINS.
ANTHONY: FOR HIS PART, RAY, OF WHITE MOUND ATV RENTAL, EMPHASIZES RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS RIDERS.
HE SAYS HIS UTV’S, A LARGER TYPE OF ATV, ARE GNOISE COMPLIANT AND LOW EMISSION.
A GPS SYSTEM ALLOWS HIM TO TRACK HIS VEHICLES.
>> I HAVE THE ABILITIES TO WATCH THESE MACHINES THROUGHOUT ALL THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
I GET HARSH TURN ALERTS, SPEED ALERTS, EXHILARATION ALERTS.
IF I SEE SOMEONE OUT OF BOUNDS, I COULD SHUT THE MACHINE OFF.
ANTHONY: SOME RESIDENTS WONDER WHERE IT WILL ALL END.
>> THEY ARE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY SHOULDN’T BE.
ANTHONY:D AN’S PRIMARY CONCERN -- SAFETY.
>> PULLING OUT TO MAIN STREET FROM OUR DRIVEWAY IS A REAL CHALLENGE.
THE ATV’S ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE.
THEY KIND OF POP OUT OF NOWHERE.
ANTHON THE STATE HAS THROWN ITS SUPPORT BEHIND THE NEW ATV ECONOMY.
THE IDEA OF MOVING THE ATV TRAILHEAD AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS REMAINS A GOAL THAT SEEMS BEYOND THE GRASP OF POLICYMAKERS.
>> THE STATE IS WORKING ON THAT, THE TOWN IS WORKING ON THAT.
THEY ARE WORKING ON A HAPPY MEDIUM.
WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.
♪ ANTHONY: SUPPORTERS OF ON-STREET ATV OPERATION IN GORHAM SAY BARRING THE VEHICLES FROM TOWN ROADS WOULD KILL THE GOOSE THAT HAS LAID THE GOLDEN EGG, BUT
OPPONENTS DISAGREE.
MEANWHILE, THE BIG ANNUAL ATV FESTIVAL AT JERICHO MOUNTAIN STATE PARK IS CANCELED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
NEXT, IT’S TIME TO GET BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THE WE