The Clayton County SxS Riders had another successful CALISA ride, drawing several hundred people from four different states for the multi-day event July 31 to Aug. 2.
The group started at the Elkport Campground, but rode different routes in the area each day, weather permitting, said Jayme Honkomp, president of the Clayton County SxS Riders.
“People filled the campground and the hotels and Bnbs in Guttenberg,” Honkomp said. “We rode a lot of private land we have landowners’ agreements with.”
The Clayton County SxS Riders is a community-driven non-profit focused on enhancing safe and responsible riding, educating the public on UTV and ATV topics, promoting land stewardship and developing trails for responsible ATV and UTV riding in Iowa.
They started the ride—named for the daughter of the group’s secretary, who passed at a young age—several years ago. Plans then included riding across Iowa. Participants later suggested bringing it closer to home.
“People said, ‘You’re in the most beautiful corner of the state. Why not have it in Clayton County or close by?’” Honkomp recalled.
The CALISA ride is an opportunity to recreate, socialize and spread the group’s mission. Raffles each day award participants prizes from among the group’s 76 area sponsors. Funds raised through the raffles and donations go into the Clayton County SxS Riders account for future trail development in Clayton County.
“We’ve been working with the supervisors and sheriff’s office. It’s a long-reaching goal,” Honkomp said, “but we have to start somewhere.”
Additional contributions were made to both the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and Strawberry Point Police Department, who helped with traffic control, as well as to landowners.
Honkomp noted the CALISA ride draws many returners. A group from Wisconsin came back and wants to keep coming back—even beyond this ride.
“They want to explore the whole area,” he said.
That economic impact is not to be discounted.
Although the final tallies from this year’s event aren’t finalized yet, “we asked people how much they spent on lodging, food, fuel,” Honkomp said. “There was a lot of positive feedback.”
The Clayton County SxS Riders themselves include around 160 paying households. Their membership, along with business sponsorship, pays for the yearly maps the group distributes.
“We’re working to help tourism,” Honkomp said. “We also enjoy volunteering and land stewardship. That’s part of our mission.”
Learn more at claytoncosxsriders.com or follow the group on Facebook.
