connections: integrated meanings of atv riding among club members in maine

This article was downloaded by: [California Poly Pomona University]On: 14 November 2014, At: 03:34Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Leisure Sciences: An InterdisciplinaryJournalPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ulsc20

Connections: Integrated Meanings of ATVRiding among Club Members in MaineMarilynne J. Mann a & Jessica E. Leahy aa School of Forest Resources , University of Maine , Orono, ME, USAPublished online: 23 Jun 2009.

To cite this article: Marilynne J. Mann & Jessica E. Leahy (2009) Connections: Integrated Meaningsof ATV Riding among Club Members in Maine, Leisure Sciences: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 31:4,384-396, DOI: 10.1080/01490400902988317

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490400902988317

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ulsc20

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1080/01490400902988317

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490400902988317

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Leisure Sciences, 31: 384–396, 2009Copyright C© Taylor & Francis Group, LLCISSN: 0149-0400 print / 1521-0588 onlineDOI: 10.1080/01490400902988317

Connections: Integrated Meanings of ATV Ridingamong Club Members in Maine

MARILYNNE J. MANN AND JESSICA E. LEAHY

School of Forest ResourcesUniversity of MaineOrono, ME, USA

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding is one of the fastest growing recreation activities inthe United States. Little research has examined the nature of recreational activity fromthe perspective of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riders. Understanding leisure and recreationactivity involves exploring how people interpret experiences and how experiences areviewed as meaningful. Nineteen semi-structured interviews with members of ATV clubsin the state of Maine provided data for analysis. The three themes that emerged areconnecting with nature, others, and self. This study demonstrates that ATV riders sharemeanings with other types of outdoor recreationists. Future research should expandinto the social aspects of ATV riding and address meanings in the context of relatedconstructs.

Keywords ATV (all-terrain vehicles), leisure meanings, outdoor recreation manage-ment

Off-highway vehicle riding (OHV), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), is one of thefastest growing recreation activities in the United States (Cordell et al., 2005). Yet littleresearch has been conducted toward understanding the nature of this recreation activity.Some leisure and recreation researchers have argued that “too much emphasis has beenplaced on determining what people do to the exclusion of a more accurate understanding ofwhy they do it” (Buchanan, Christensen, & Burdge, 1981, p. 255). This study examined whatthis recreation activity meant to ATV riders and the role it played in their lives. Meaningshave been defined as interpretations of phenomena based on knowledge constructed inpersonal and social environments where the foundations of meaning-making are motivatedby learned experiences (Davenport & Borrie, 2005; Watkins, 2000).

A key to understanding any recreation activity includes exploring how people interprettheir experiences and how experiences come to be viewed as important (Bruner, 1990;Davenport & Anderson, 2005). The meanings of specific outdoor recreation activitieshave been studied with the assumption that meanings differ by activity (Driver, 1976;McIntyre, 1989; Warzecha et al., 2001). In addition to developing meanings theory, knowingmore about experiences and meanings of outdoor recreationists enables recreation plannersand managers to provide better opportunities, improve services, and tailor managementstrategies. It also allows outdoor recreation interest groups to understand and give voice tothe importance of their activities.

Received 30 May 2008; accepted 10 March 2009.Address correspondence to Jessica E. Leahy, Ph.D., School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 219

Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469. E-mail: [email protected]

384

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14

Meanings of ATV Riding 385

Similar to snowmobiling, ATV riding activity is surrounded by a paradox of con-sequences. ATV recreation potentially provides quality of life for the recreationists andpositive economic development for rural areas (Silberman & Andereck, 2006), while alsostressing ecosystems (Ouren et al., 2007) and creating conflict for recreational resources(Davenport & Borrie, 2005). Little research has been conducted on the recreation expe-rience of ATV riders or the meanings of ATV riding. The purpose of this study was toexamine meanings of ATV riding in order to better understand the ATV experience usingmembers of ATV clubs in the State of Maine.

Study Context

ATV riding in Maine is growing in popularity with a reported 136% increase in registeredATVs between 1992 and 2002. Retail sales in the state rose 574% over the same timeperiod (ATV Task Force, 2003). ATV riding is estimated to have contributed $230 mil-lion direct and indirect economic activity in 2007 (B. Bronson, personal communication,2007). Maine’s ATV clubs, with financial support from the Department of Conservation,have more than doubled trail mileage from 2,200 miles in 2003 to more than 5,500 milesin 2007. With 94% of Maine’s land privately owned, most of these trails are located onprivate forest lands. ATV-related concerns include environmental impacts, recreation con-flict with snowmobiles and nonmotorized users, health and safety, law enforcement issues,and landowner and community reluctance to support trail-building efforts. A statewideumbrella interest group, the Alliance of Trail Riders of Maine (ATV Maine) has orga-nized to unite the 130 ATV riding clubs in the state. Managers, planners, recreation in-terest groups, and landowner interest groups are interested in sustainably managing ATVriding.

Conceptual Framework

The study of experience is important as a precursor to the study of meanings becausehumans derive meaning based on personal and social experiences. Wyman (1982) notedthat “recreation experience is individual, subjective and cannot be planned for others” (p.282). Experience is the primary reality and comprised of actions combined with feelings,thoughts, desires and expectations. Also included are words and images that are “reflectionsabout those actions and feelings” (Bruner, 1986, p. 5). Meanings research is orientedtoward expressions as representations of experiences. Bruner made the distinction betweenreality (i.e., life as lived), experience (i.e., life as experienced), and expression (i.e., life astold). Davenport (2003) noted the same hierarchy of meanings as created (reality), rootedand maintained in experience, and shared through reflection and discourse (expression).Expressions of experiences reveal meaning and allow people to communicate and interpretmeanings (Bruner, 1986). One of our study’s goals was to explore meanings from theperspective of ATV riders with club membership to determine how meanings are constructedand whether or not they are divergent from other outdoor recreationists.

The lines between experience and meaning are unclear and often blurred. Shore (1996)stated “the idea of ‘meaning’ is at once intuitively obvious and frustratingly difficult topin down” (p. 316). In Acts of Meaning, Bruner (1990) stated that “the central conceptof a human psychology is meaning and the processes and transactions involved in theconstruction of meanings” (p. 33). Meaning-making is internal, personal, and cognitive yetsocial. Meanings are related to the development of a personal cognitive understanding ofthe world rooted in the cultural environment. As social beings, individuals want to relatewhat they have learned based on their experiences (Turner, 1986).

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14

386 M. J. Mann and J. E. Leahy

Ragheb (1996) proposed that leisure and recreation should provide humans with mean-ingful experiences based on research suggesting that people seek meaning in all aspectsof their lives. Outdoor recreation meanings can be individual perceptions or socially con-structed group perceptions. Meanings research in leisure and recreation is rooted in under-standing the social psychological experiences people seek from their recreation activities(McIntyre, 1989; Ragheb, 1996). Meanings research has focused on leisure in general(Ragheb), work and leisure (Kelly & Kelly, 1994), leisure and recreation for adolescents(Mobily, 1989), leisure for women (Henderson, 1996), outdoor recreation (Riese & Vorkinn,2002), and the meaning of place to individuals (Davenport & Anderson, 2005; McCool &Martin, 1994; Stedman, 2003). Activity-focused meaning studies have included camping(Garst, 2005; McIntyre, 1989), gambling (Jang et al., 2000), snowmobiling (Davenport& Borrie, 2005), whitewater river rafting (Arnould & Price, 1993), and wildlife-relatedrecreation (Bright & Porter, 2001). Our study extends meanings research by shedding lighton the salient elements of meaning for the outdoor recreation activity of ATV riding.

Bright and Porter (2001) discussed the evolution in recreation research from analyzingactivity to “examining the underlying meanings those activities hold for people” (p. 260).One component of this examination has involved documenting the meanings or values ofdifferent leisure and recreation activities to identify the items that connect or differentiateactivities. Meanings are sometimes assumed to change based on the particular leisureor recreation activity. Several researchers have compared nonmotorized and motorizedrecreation activities and found that goals were similar but priorities varied (Davenport &Borrie, 2005; Pierskalla, Anderson, & Lime, 1997; Warzecha et al., 2001).

Related Research

One meaning identified with leisure activity is connecting to nature. In the context ofsatisfaction derived from wilderness experience, Leopold (1966) noted that the purpose ofoutdoor recreation was to seek contact with nature. Outdoor recreation stories collected byRiese and Vorkinn (2002) demonstrated that Norwegians have a special bond to nature.In research of campers, Bright and Porter (2001) identified “recreating for the purposesof learning about and enjoying nature” (p. 273). The importance of being in contact withnature surfaced in a study of “extraordinary experiences” of white water rafting clientsas “communion with nature” (Arnould & Price, 1993, p. 31). The importance of viewingnatural scenery and wildlife in a natural setting also emerged in the study of snowmobilers(Davenport et al., 2002). Davenport and Borrie (2005) found converging environmentalattitudes between snowmobilers and nonmotorized recreationists especially in viewingwildlife and enjoying natural scenery in contrast to previous studies.

Meanings studies have demonstrated the importance of social relationships in leisureand outdoor recreation (Kelly & Kelly, 1994; Riese & Vorkinn, 2002). A social or interactivecomponent to recreation activity meaning was identified in a study by Bright and Porter(2001). It was expressed as being with and responsible for others in the outdoors. InArnould and Price’s (1993) study, communitas or connecting to others, was facilitatedby group closeness as an extension of living and boating in close quarters. The conceptof centrality refers to an activity being central to life to the extent that it includes theinvolvement of friends (Jang et al., 2000; McIntyre, 1989).

Interest in leisure and recreation contributes to the process people use to understandthemselves relative to the world around them. Leisure and recreation also help to main-tain self-consistency and identity affirmation (Haggard & Williams, 1992). Leisure andrecreation activities represent personal meanings that are important to people includingenjoyment or pleasure derived from the activity and the importance of self-expression

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


(McIntyre, 1989). Jang et al. (2000) identified self-identity or self-expression, along withthe importance of pleasure, to explain the personal meaning of gambling. Other meaningsrelated to connecting to self include satisfaction, commitment, and level of involvement(Kelly & Kelly, 1994). Arnould and Price (1993) suggested personal growth and redis-covery or an “extension and renewal of self” was a result of learning new skills, learningwhitewater rafting terms, and meeting challenges (p. 31). Norwegian outdoor recreationistsexpressed a desire for peace and quiet, the need for challenge, freedom of choice, and abreak from daily routines as “a balancing factor” of life (Riese & Vorkinn, 2002, p. 205).

Researchers reported that one of the highest rated desirable experiences from leisureand recreational activity was exercise or physical activity while rest or mental change wasrated lower (Driver, 1976; Hughes & Morrison-Saunders, 2003; Jackson & Wong, 1982;Manfredo, Driver, & Tarrant, 2001). Connecting to self for a healthy lifestyle also includesexperiences of self-realization found in meaningful opportunities and activities when aperson has freedom to choose and pursue activities that give value to life (Becker, 1992).A sense of purpose, expressed as a search for meaning, is an important moderator betweenstress and well-being (Ragheb, 1996). Combined with a sense of personal growth, purposeis a critical feature of positive mental health and essential for positive physical health (Ryff& Singer, 1998). Enhanced levels of purpose and personal growth can contribute to themaintenance of physical health over time. The loss of health is connected to the loss ofhope and meaning, and can be seen in older people who possess less positive qualitiesin their lives. Research about “successful aging” and the importance of leisure for lifeenhancement, particularly during retirement, has increased (Samdahl, 1999, p. 120). Theappeal of motorized recreation to older adults may, in part, be because it is a less physicallydemanding compared to traditional sports (McMillan, 2006). The “speed and ease” ofmotorized recreation offers “a feeling of exploration, adventure, and ‘getting away from itall’ with a relatively small investment of time and physical exertion” (McMillan, p. 36).

Having identified meanings common to many recreational activities, it was the goalof this study to uncover the meanings for one recreation activity in order to understand theATV riding experience. The purpose of this study was to examine meanings of ATV ridingin order to better understand the ATV experience for members of ATV clubs in the state ofMaine.

Methods

The foundation for an interpretive approach to the study of leisure and recreation is wellsupported, particularly in studies where the intent is to describe and explain rather thanquantify or predict (Hultsman & Anderson, 1991; Watkins, 2000). Interpretive researchhas been identified as an appropriate way to understand and examine meanings peopleconstruct and use to make sense of their experiences within a phenomenon (Henderson,2006; Merriam, 2002; Patton, 2001). Hemingway (1990) stated “the act of finding meaningis interpretation” (p. 304) and explained that in-depth interpretation goes beyond forcingexperience to accommodate methodology by opening up to experience as an “open horizonof human activity” (p. 307). Our study is rooted in an interpretive paradigm, that assumesthat “social reality is multiple, divergent, and interrelated” (Henderson, 2006, p. 26). Wefurther assume meanings are important and best understood through accounts from partici-pants themselves (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Henderson, 2006). The interpretive qualitativeapproach of this study, by ontological definition, assumes the construction of reality isrooted within individuals’ perspectives.

Our study used ATV club members from three clubs in Maine as the sample. Purposiveselection of the ATV clubs was based on trail building history, representation from popular

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


ATV riding regions within Maine, and the recommendation of the executive director of ATVMaine. Star City ATV Club (Presque Isle, Aroostook County) was selected because it is alarge, well-organized club with approximately 400 members with 110 miles of maintainedtrails. Moosehead Riders ATV Club (Greenville Junction, Piscataquis County) maintainsapproximately 75 miles of trails with a handful of Maine residents and a large numberof second-home owners from out-of-state. Airline ATV Riders (Eddington, PenobscotCounty) has approximately 300 members who maintain 200 miles of the 800-mile DownEast Sunrise Trail System, a multiuse corridor connecting eastern Maine.

Informal semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of sixmembers from each club. A network sampling method began with club presidents andelicited recommendations for an additional officer and four general club members repre-sentative of club membership. Nineteen interviews were conducted with ATV riders whoranged in age from 35 to 73. Four participants were female and eight considered themselvesretired. Some participants were new to the sport (i.e., less than one year of participation),while others had ridden for 30 years. Occupations included a car detailer, carpenter, driver,farmer, housewife, lobsterman, machinist, maintenance worker, manager, mechanic, andnursing assistant.

Interviews ranged from 45–75 minutes in length using an interview guide. The inter-view began with a descriptive question and led to focused questions concerning specificdetails about the ATV experience (Patton, 2001). The interview began by inquiring aboutrecent riding behavior and explored a “normal ride” including when, where, and with whomeach person rode. Sensual aspects of ATV riding including smells, sights, sounds, and feel-ings were also explored. Accounts of memories connected to ATV riding were solicited byasking participants to explain what was special about ATV riding. Participants were askedto relate the circumstances surrounding their most special ATV experience, including howit came to take place. A postinterview form was used to collect demographic information.

Using verbatim interview transcripts, NVivo 7 software facilitated and linked data.Data were open coded and recoded according to the constant comparative method (Strauss& Corbin, 1998). As patterns and themes began to emerge, member checks were conductedwith all participants to confirm substantive significance. Categories were evaluated forconvergence and divergence, including the use of negative case analysis (Patton, 2001). Thedata analysis was completed independent of the literature review. The analysis proceduresdid not attempt to confirm theory from the literature but rather to allow the possibility ofnew theorizing to emerge from the data. Strategies to increase validity in this study includedusing club members representative of club membership, source checking (e.g., member andinter-coder reliability checking), reflexivity through journaling, and triangulation of data.Triangulation was done through field observations, photography and document analysis.These secondary sources were compared to the primary interview data for consistency.

Study Findings

When participants were asked to explain what was special about the ATV experience, salientelements included environmental, social, and personal themes. The emergent themes fromthe data included the importance of connecting with nature, connecting with others socially,and connecting with self.

Connecting with Nature

Participants indicated overwhelmingly that ATV riding was important because it connectedthem with nature. Many expressed the belief using metaphors and rich descriptive imagery,

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


such as “if you like the woods, if you like the outdoors and the animals in the woods. . . you’d love it.” Often participants described themselves as “getting outdoors and doingsomething,” “if you’re an outdoor person, it’s the way to get to the outdoors,” and “I usedto do a lot more hiking before I got an ATV but this enhances the being out in nature.” Theparticipants related meaningful experiences that included wildlife, scenery, and the forestsetting. They also identified special activities in nature facilitated by ATV riding includingfamily picnics, hunting, fishing and trapping.

Within the context of a connection to nature, all of the ATV riders interviewed talkedabout being close to wildlife in a natural setting. One comment that exemplified the feelingsof participants was, “Every time I see wildlife I get excited.” Giving his child a specialexperience with wildlife was noted by one participant:

I almost run into the moose with my kid . . . he was in front of me because he wasonly four years old. . . . I said, “Look!”. . . a big moose with a big rack. It stopped. . . looked at us, and it walked right up the road in front of us . . . that is the ATVingexperience to me . . . I know he has seen moose before but that is one that he willremember.

Examples of watching wildlife in a natural setting included watching a bear cub for 20minutes “while it was pickin’ blackberries” or seeing “eagles up in the nest.” Many ridersreported stopping to watch wildlife: “I come upon a bear . . . (he) put his front feet up on alog. I shut off the machine . . . and I sat there lookin’ at him and he stood there lookin’ atme for probably ten minutes. And that was a thrill!”

All wildlife encounters were reported as significant whether it was a common species:“Flocks of partridge out there this summer, baby chicks . . . you had to stop and wait for themother to get them out of the trail. . . it’s really neat!” or rare wildlife:

A few years ago I saw a Canada lynx. Now I’ve spent my whole life in the woodsand that is the only time I’ve ever seen one . . . it came right across the trail infront of me . . . a big cat, mangy looking thing . . . I’m not sure if it even reallyrecognized me as a person because I was sitting on the machine . . . a big thrill. . . They are very rare.

ATV riding provided close access to wildlife for participants, which they attributed to alack of fear of the ATV: “[T]hey don’t have the fear of these machines” and “the wildlifeare not scared of ATVs, they are used to skidders . . . used [to] the sound of chain saws.”Another rider said that “if you are walking and they hear that crack of your foot . . . they’regone. But with an ATV, they’re a little more inquisitive . . . deer too . . . you just idle it andyou get up there quite close.”

Another experience connecting participants with nature was expressed as an apprecia-tion of the scenery. Participants often found both the spectacular and the everyday sceneryvisually pleasing as noted by these statements: “I just look at the country side,” “we stop alot, we stop wherever there is a view,” “we try to find some places where you can get upand see beautiful views,” “just the beautiful scenery,” “we do it for sightseeing,” and “youwould never see something like that if you were driving in your car.” For most participants,the landscape was interesting: “[T]he scenery . . . seeing something different all the time. . . it’s just fun.” Going to higher elevations had special significance to participants as well:

I went up the mountain . . . of course my wife is tapping me on the back not to gonear the edge . . . I get goose bumps, riding around, that tells you how it makes mefeel, looking down over that, it was just fantastic.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


The forest itself was one special type of scenery as one rider said:

You have a woods trail . . . see animals . . . birds . . . different things . . . and deer. . . it is more colorful than just riding the rail . . . In the woods . . . you can smell. . . I don’t know, woods-smells and that is kind of what I [like].

A special connection to the forest was expressed in sensory ways, such as “Saturday Iwas smelling raspberries, cause we went through the woods and raspberries was startingto ripen,” or “you know you can smell the pine trees, you can smell fir trees, and balsam. . . flowers and stuff like that, you can smell that, and if there is a skunk around you cansmell that!” and

It is almost like . . . . those sprays that they make for you to spray on and you go,like, “nature!”. . . . You smell the trees, the flowers on some of the trees in thewoods that you would never think would have a nice smell . . . . it’s really nice.

For many of the participants, hunting, fishing, and trapping were nature-based activitiesfacilitated by ATV riding. ATVs provided the way to reach hunting spots or find game andaccess to fishing spots in hard to reach areas or on frozen lakes. For one participant, fishingwas the beginning of seeing the machine as a tool rather than a toy:

When I first started, it [ATV riding] was just being out there raisin’ hell . . . I wouldadmit that. I was a lot younger and we used to get a group together and we wouldgo out and ride everywhere. Then I got into going fishing . . . it got to be more ofa way to get to the back ponds and streams.

Connecting with Others

The social meanings of ATV riding were evident in the data. Participants talked about specialconnections within and between families, friends, and other club members. Connectionswithin families were expressed on several levels. Most participants said they preferred toride with family members. One man said, “well, my wife there won’t fish with me but she’llgo ATVing.” Another rider said, “we got into this sport, bout ’99 . . . because we neverhardly ever did anything together before . . . We have been married 33 years . . . and thisis one sport that we kind of bonded together on.” In many accounts, children were activeriders on the trails with their parents and grandparents. One participant said:

To have that chance to be with the kids, away from everything . . . all the hustle andbustle of everyday life and see them interact with other kids, other adults, me andmy husband . . . it is just something that a lot of parents don’t have an opportunityto give . . . we are very lucky.

A few participants explained that all their friends were ATV riders: “[T]he things that Ireally like are the friends that we have met . . . 95% of the people we are friends with arefrom ATVing.” They ride with friends and enjoy it because “4-wheeling is slower, moreenjoyable, you . . . talk with your friends more.” One rider said: “[Y]ou are with friendsand it is just a way to go out and have some fun . . . kind of like an adventure.” Some riderswere introduced to ATV riding by their friends or by other riders who had since becomefriends. One man said: “I hated 4-wheelers . . . this friend of mine, he and his wife went allthe time and he said, ‘you ought to try it.’ I finally decided to. . . ” For others, it was a way

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


of making new friends: “[Y]ou meet up with a group of people that you have never seenbefore and you stop and you act like you have known them forever.”

According to participants, clubs created a social atmosphere for riding that includedgroup rides, staging large events, potluck meals, club meetings, trail work, and commu-nity service. All participants in this study were club members, although two participantsindicated no social interaction with their clubs. Participants indicated that clubs created anatmosphere of camaraderie and a personally important social dynamic that did not existotherwise. Many participants reported riding exclusively on club rides or with other clubmembers. Examples of their comments included “we just formed a group within a groupthat we like to ride together and we might ride or we might be working on trails but it’s justlike a get together” and “you are with people you enjoy being with . . . we just poke fun ateach other like you wouldn’t believe . . . and we all just laugh at each other so bad and it’sfun!”

Connecting with Self

Some participants indicated that ATV riding gave purpose to their lives. They expressedchallenge and excitement that was balanced by an activity they found fun and relaxing.Participants indicated that they considered this activity a healthy lifestyle choice and aform of physical activity. ATV riding gave participants something to look forward to and ameaningful way to spend time. For example, “I just like to get out instead of sitting home,I would rather go out in the woods four or five miles, ride around and work on the trails, orjust look around.”

A recurrent theme among participants was that ATV riding represented a change of pacefrom normal life: “[I]t is just refreshing. You are away from work . . . the stresses of yourhouse, the cleaning, the cooking, and the every day life.” Comments demonstrated that theexperience included doing something meaningful combined with a sense of responsibilityand a focus for leisure time. One participant said: “I like it a lot, it has been enjoyable. . . it gives you a sense of good responsibility . . . it is a whole change of pace of the regulareveryday . . . you are outdoors . . . breathin’ fresh air, you are doing stuff.” Some said it wasabout “being free.”

Participants in this study said challenge gave meaning to ATV riding. Many indicatedtrails were challenging with constantly changing conditions. One participant stated:

When you are riding, mostly, you are concentrating on what you are doing. It’s. . . a dangerous sport and you gotta pay attention . . . focused on just a few feetabout, in front of your machine, for holes, rocks, stumps, logs across the trails. . . there are all kinds of obstacles.

A common theme among participants was that ATV riding was relaxing because it was achange of pace and a form of mental vacation. Comments included “I think it relaxes youa lot mentally, after an especially long week of working,” “it’s a stress reliever,” “I don’tabsolutely think of anything,” and “I try not to think about anything but the surroundings. . . the animals, the view, just the sound of the quietness, it’s just beautiful.” Anotherparticipants said “it is so nice to be out here and I don’t have to think about work or I don’thave to think . . . if the house isn’t clean who cares . . . I am out here having fun and it willbe there when I get back.”

Participants in this study considered ATV riding a healthy lifestyle choice. Participantsreported that it was a choice to be outdoors rather than inside, for children to be on thetrail with family rather than watching TV or playing computer games, and for people with

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


chronic illness to stay active rather than inactive. “Even after a day’s work, get out and goon a short ride . . . poking around . . . I get home and . . . I feel better than the guys that satin the recliner and had the beer.” Another participant said “if you are out there driving youare also working, you are not just a passive lump.” One participant discussed the physicalactivity involved in ATV riding:

It makes you tired. I mean you spend a day outdoors, you’re tired at night whenyou come home. You don’t realize it until you get home, but there’s not a person Iknow that can’t spend . . . 6-8-10 hours outdoors and then, not be tired. Oh yeah,you sleep better and you go to sleep quicker too!

Many participants were able to ATV ride despite physical health conditions that preventedother forms of activity. One participant had “a bad heart and arthritis” and another diabeticparticipant explained how eating often while ATV riding allows him to take part in clubrides. Participants described other riders with Fibromyalgia or back, shoulder, and hipproblems. One participant remarked about a fellow club member, that “he’s a little sickbut he goes out.” Further, it was inclusive for gender and age as well as level of health:“[A] couple of guys are 80 and they have a good time riding with us because we don’tride fast and hard. And one 80-year-old guy, I have to work to keep up with him.” Anotherparticipant commented that “the experience of getting out into nature . . . for people thatdon’t get out in nature very often or can’t walk . . . that have had triple bypasses and can’tget out there . . . riding in a vehicle is not the same . . . on the 4-wheeler you are out there inthe open.”

Discussion and Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that despite assumed differences between nonmotorized and mo-torized recreationists, the meanings ATV riders seek are often highly comparable to otherrecreationists. Further, our findings contribute to theory by demonstrating the need for care-ful conceptualization of theoretical constructs, including meaning. Although terminologyis not consistent across the literature, the meaningful components of activities as expressedby participants can be conceptualized in similar ways. Meanings in the ATV context and inother activity-based leisure settings are derived from meaningful connections with nature,others, and self.

The importance of connecting with nature paralleled previous studies in the importanceof “closeness to or intimacy with nature” (Davenport & Borrie, 2005, p. 156). Enjoyingscenery, experiencing nature, participating in recreation activities, and being close to naturewere strong motivations for snowmobilers or cross-country skiers in Michigan (Warzechaet al., 2001). Experiencing nature was the most important “expected consequence” ofColorado snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in Driver’s (1976) study. Scenic beauty,relaxation, enjoying the company of others, natural setting, and change of pace wereimportant to power boaters (Pierskalla et al., 1997). Viewing natural scenery, observingwildlife, doing something fun, and being in a wild/natural setting also were reported motivesfor snowmobilers in Yellowstone (Davenport et al., 2002).

Beyond sharing the stories and experiences about connecting with nature, participantsin our study indicated that connecting to people held meaning to ATV riders. This findingwas consistent with Patterson, Watson, Williams, and Roggenbuck’s (1998) conclusion thatpeople seek stories from their recreation experiences that “ultimately enrich their lives”(p. 449). In examining meaning domains, Bright and Porter (2001) pointed out the social orinteractive components to meanings, “where the enjoyment of the outdoors is a means to a

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


broader end of being with and responsible for other people one might be recreating with”(p. 273). In our study, husband and wife relationships and family relationships were reportedas stronger because of participation in ATV riding. This was consistent with research thathas shown both leisure and recreation activities improve communication and cohesivenessin families (Freeman & Zabriskie, 2002; Huff et al., 2003).

Finally, connecting to self was an important meaning of ATV riding that is like otherrecreation activities. According to Ryff and Singer (1998), factors that support positivehealth include having mastery over one’s own life. Participants in this study indicated thatATV riding was fun, made them feel happy, and was a way of connecting to self. Consistentwith Pierskalla et al. (1997), ATV riders said ATV riding was relaxing and a change of pacefrom normal life. Participants described personal benefits received from ATV riding thatincluded meeting a challenge, being excited about doing and seeing something, having afeeling of freedom along with a sense of power, and making choices.

The strongest disagreement between previous literature about nature-based recreationactivities and the findings of our study was in the meaning of healthy physical activity toATV riding participants. Our study participants spoke of a level of physical activity neededto operate motorized vehicles. In addition, other studies did not appear to include surveyor interview items related to physical activity when studying other forms of motorizedrecreationists (Davenport & Borrie, 2005; Warzecha et al., 2001). Including physical activityitems in future research would be appropriate as this study revealed that motorized recreationwas seen as an alternative to physical inactivity and accessible to people of all agesand abilities. Clear distinction may require identifying age-specific definitions of healthylifestyle and levels of physical activity that constitute a connecting to health for variedrecreationists.

Resonating throughout leisure and recreation research are shared meanings for recre-ationists regardless of their chosen activity. One explanation for this commonality acrossactivities is a lack of clarity in construct definition and in defining separate, but related,constructs. For example, researchers have used many terms to refer to the value, motiva-tion, satisfaction, experience, experience preference, benefit, and meaning that leisure andrecreation activities provide. Similar themes and attributes appear to emerge under theseconstructs, as well as across a diverse array of outdoor recreation activities. Our findingsshowed that motorized recreationists had similar meanings as nonmotorized recreation-ists from previous studies. Researchers may not be adequately defining and measuringseparate theoretical constructs as unique and distinct from each other. Similarities existamong a wide range of research studies addressing meanings such as attitudes (Hughes &Morrison-Saunders, 2003; Jackson, 1986), benefits received (Driver, 1976), experience(s)(Davenport et al., 2002; Patterson et al., 1998), motivations (Jackson & Wong, 1982;Kyle et al., 2006; Manfredo, Driver, & Tarrant, 2001; Williams et al., 1990), satisfactions(Hawes, 1978), and values (Borrie, Friedmund, & Davenport, 2002; Davenport & Anderson,2005). Careful consideration, measurement, and use of meanings and related constructs areimperative.

If the commonalities across leisure activities are an artifact of theoretical constructdefinition and measurement, then future researchers may want to adopt qualitative oropened-ended approaches that allow participants to bring forth unexpected findings. In thiscase of ATV riders, the limitations of this study provide insight as to how meanings shouldbe better defined and understood. We did not ask participants to contrast ATV riding toother forms of leisure. Additional qualitative inquiry could have ATV riders share theirexperiences in other activities and describe differences in meanings with other activitiesin order to better understand the uniqueness of ATV riding. Meanings may vary amongsubgroups of ATV riders. For instance, the social meaning of ATV riding could be stronger

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


among club members than those who are not active in organized groups. Other groups, suchas ATV riders who are not club members and riders with violations, were beyond the scopeof this study but represent groups of interest for future research. A quantitative approachto the study of ATV rider populations could also be employed to capture distinctions inmeanings through relative importance ranking. For instance, the importance or attainmentof different meanings from experiences could be gathered for several different kinds ofrecreation activities. This method of ranking has, at times, been shown to be significantbetween activities, and may be a more fruitful option for identifying the uniqueness ofdifferent outdoor recreation and leisure activities.

Our findings may have implications for outdoor recreation managers, planners,landowners and clubs. Decisions made by managers and planners about future policiesand programs can be based on information rather than speculation about what ATV ridingreally means to those who participate. While it is obvious that connecting to nature isresource dependent, it is less obvious that connecting to others can be facilitated within theresource. In the management setting, trail spurs to ponds, lakes, and vistas may improveconnections to nature. Designated areas along trails where riders could stop to rest andconverse, or facilities such as picnic areas, primitive outhouses, and primitive campingavailability would improve the experience for these recreationists and allow meaningfulopportunities for connecting to others on the trail. In Maine, where most land is privatelyowned, recreation managers can use this information to encourage landowners to allowpublic access by explaining the meanings ATV riding creates for individuals, families, andcommunities. For clubs, the meanings emergent from this data can help to explain theATV perspective of club members and the importance of ATV riding in their lives. Bettercommunicating the meaning of ATV riding can help stakeholders understand the purpose,function, and importance of ATV riding opportunities and provide a platform for promotingclub membership and engagement.

References

ATV Task Force. (2003). ATV solutions: Recommendations of Governor John Baldacci’s ATV TaskForce. Augusta, ME: Author.

Arnould, E. J., & Price, L. L. (1993). River magic: Extraordinary experience and the extended serviceencounter. Journal of Consumer Research, 20, 24–45.

Becker, L. C. (1992). Good lives: Prolegomena. Social Philosophy and Policy, 9(2), 15–37.Borrie, W. T., Freimund, W. A., & Davenport, M. A. (2002). Winter visitors to Yellowstone National

Park: Their value orientations and support for management actions. Human Ecology Review,9(2), 41–48.

Bright, A. D., & Porter, R. (2001). Wildlife-related recreation, meaning, and environmental concern.Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 6(4), 259–276.

Bruner, E. M. (1986). Experience and its expressions. In V. W. Turner & E. M. Bruner (Eds.), Theanthropology of experience (pp. 3–30). Chicago: University of Illinois Press.

Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Buchanan, T., Christensen, J. E., & Burdge, R. J. (1981). Social groups and the meanings of outdoor

recreation activities. Journal of Leisure Research, 13(3), 254–266.Cordell, H. K., Betz, C. J., Green, G., & Owens, M. (2005). Off-highway vehicle recreation in the

United States, regions, and states: A national report from the National Survey on Recreationand the Environment (NSRE) (p. 90). Athens, GA: Southern Research Station, USDA.

Davenport, M. A. (2003). Mixing metaphors: A community-based vision for the Niobrara NationalScenic River. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Davenport, M. A., & Anderson, D. H. (2005). Getting from sense of place to place-based management:An interpretive investigation of place meanings and perceptions of landscape change. Societyand Natural Resources, 18(7), 625–641.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


Davenport, M. A., & Borrie, W. T. (2005). The appropriateness of snowmobiling in national parks:An investigation of the meanings of snowmobiling experiences in Yellowstone National Park.Environmental Management, 35(2), 151–160.

Davenport, M. A., Borrie, W. T., Freimund, W. A., & Manning, R. E. (2002). Assessing the relationshipbetween desired experiences and support for management actions at Yellowstone National Parkusing multiple methods. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 20(3), 51–64.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2000). The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In N. K.Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 1–28). ThousandOaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Driver, B. L. (1976). Toward a better understanding of the social benefits of outdoor recreationparticipation. In Proceedings of the Southern States Recreation Research Applications Workshop.Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-9. Asheville, NC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, SoutheasternForest Experiment Station, pp. 163–189.

Freeman, P. A., & Zabriskie, R. B. (2002). The role of outdoor recreation in family enrichment.Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning 2(2), 131–145.

Garst, B. A. (2005). An exploration of developed forest camping experiences and meanings in theMount Rogers National Recreation Area. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Virginia PolytechnicInstitute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.

Haggard, L. M., & Williams, D. R. (1992). Identity affirmation through leisure activities: Leisuresymbols of the self. Journal of Leisure Research, 24(1), 1–18.

Hawes, D. K. (1978). Satisfactions derived from leisure-time pursuits: An exploratory nationwidesurvey. Journal of Leisure Research,10(4), 247–264.

Hemingway, J. L. (1990). Opening windows on an interpretive leisure studies. Journal of LeisureResearch, 22(4), 303–308.

Henderson, K. A. (1996). One size doesn’t fit all: The meanings of women’s leisure. Journal ofLeisure Research, 28(3), 139–154.

Henderson, K. A. (2006). Dimensions of choice: Qualitative approaches to parks, recreation, tourism,sport, and leisure research. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc.

Huff, C., Widner, M., McCoy, K., & Hill, B. (2003). The influence of challenging outdoor recreationon parent-adolescent communication. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 37(1), 18–37.

Hughes, M., & Morrison-Saunders, A. (2003). Visitor attitudes toward a modified natural attraction.Society & Natural Resources, 16(3), 191–203.

Hultsman, J. T., & Anderson, S. C. (1991). Studying leisure perceptions: A need for methodologicalexpansion. Leisure Studies, 10(1), 63–67.

Jackson, E. L. (1986). Outdoor recreation participation and attitudes to the environment. LeisureStudies, 5(1), 1–23.

Jackson, E. L., & Wong, R. A. G. (1982). Perceived conflict between urban cross-country skiers andsnowmobilers in Alberta. Journal of Leisure Research, 14(1), 47–62.

Jang, H., Lee, B., Park, M., & Stokowski, P. A. (2000). Measuring underlying meanings of gamblingfrom the perspective of enduring involvement. Journal of Travel Research, 38(3), 230–238.

Kelly, J. R., & Kelly, J. R. (1994). Multiple dimensions of meaning in the domains of work, family,and leisure. Journal of Leisure Research, 26(3), 250–274.

Kyle, G., Abscher, J., Hammitt, W., & Cavin, J. (2006). An examination of the motivation-involvementrelationship. Leisure Sciences, 28(5), 467–485.

Leopold, L. B. (1966). Comprehensive planning and the dragon to slay. In B. M. Kilgore (Ed.),Wilderness in a changing world (pp. 40–47). San Francisco: Sierra Club.

Manfredo, J. J., Driver, B. L., & Tarrant, M. A. (2001). Measuring leisure motivation: A meta-analysisof the recreation experience preference scales. Journal of Leisure Research, 28(3), 188–213.

McCool, S. F., & Martin, S. R. (1994). Community attachment and attitudes toward tourism devel-opment. Journal of Travel Research, 32(3), 29–34.

McIntyre, N. (1989). The personal meaning of participation: Enduring involvement. Journal ofLeisure Research, 21(2), 167–179.

McMillan, L. (2006). Guiding back from the precipice: Leveraging the power of recreation users toprotect mountain environments. In L. A. G. Moss (Ed.), The amenity migrants: Seeking andsustaining mountains and their cultures (pp. 34–54). Cambridge, MA: CAB International.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14


Merriam, S. B. (2002). Introduction to qualitative research. In S. B. Merriam and Associates, Qual-itative research in practices: Examples for discussion and analysis (pp. 3–17). San Francisco:Jossey-Bass.

Mobily, K. E. (1989). Meanings of recreation and leisure among adolescents. Leisure Studies, 8(1),11–23.

Ouren, D. S., Hass, C., Melcher, C. P., Stewart, S. C., Ponds, P. D., Sexton, N. R., Burris, L., Fancher,T., & Bowen, Z. H. (2007). Environmental effects of off-highway vehicles on Bureau of LandManagement lands: A literature synthesis, annotated bibliographies, extensive bibliographies,and internet resources. Open-File Report 2007-1353: U.S. Geological Survey, p. 250.

Patterson, M. E., Watson, A. E., Williams, D. R., & Roggenbuck, J. R. (1998). A hermeneuticapproach to studying the nature of wilderness experiences. Journal of Leisure Research, 30(4),423–452.

Patton, M. Q. (2001). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage Publications, Inc.

Pierskalla, C. D., Anderson, D. K., & Lime, D. W. (1997). Characteristics and opinions of Isle RoyaleNational Park visitors. Research Summary No.11, Department of Forest Resources, CooperativePark Studies Program (p. 7). St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota.

Ragheb, M. G. (1996). The search for meaning in leisure pursuits: Review, conceptualization and aneed for a psychometric development. Leisure Studies, 15(4), 245–258.

Riese, H., & Vorkinn, M. (2002). The production of meaning in outdoor recreation: A study ofNorwegian practice. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift – Norwegian Journal of Geography, 56(3),199–206.

Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. (1998). The role of purpose in life and personal growth in positive humanhealth. In P. T. P. Wong & P. S. Fry (Eds.), The human quest for meaning: A handbook ofpsychological research and clinical applications (pp. 213–236). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Samdahl, D. M. (1999). Epistemological and methodological issues in leisure research. In E. Jackson& T. L. Burton (Eds.), Leisure studies: Prospects for the twenty-first century (pp. 1119–133).State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc.

Shore, B. (1996). Culture in mind: Cognition, culture and the problem of meaning. New York: OxfordUniversity Press.

Silberman, J., & Andereck, K. L. (2006). The economic value of off-highway vehicle recreation.Journal of Leisure Research, 38(2), 208–223.

Stedman, R. C. (2003). Is it really just a social construction? The contribution of the physicalenvironment to sense of place. Society and Natural Resources, 16(8),671–685.

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures fordeveloping grounded theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Turner, V. W. (1986). Dewey, Dilthey, and drama: An essay in the anthropology of experience. InV. W. Turner & E. M. Bruner (Eds.), The anthropology of experience (pp. 33–44). Chicago:University of Illinois Press.

Warzecha, C. A., Anderson, D. H., James, E. B., & Thompson, J. L. (2001). Visitor use at PicturedRocks National Lakeshore: Comparison of snowmobilers and cross-country skiers or snow-shoers. CPSU Research Summary No.25, Department of Forest Resources, Cooperative ParkStudies Program (p. 8). St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota.

Watkins, M. (2000). Ways of learning about leisure meanings. Leisure Sciences, 22, 93–107.Williams, D. R., Schreyer, R., & Knopf, R. C. (1990). The effect of the experience use history on the

multidimensional structure of motivations to participate in leisure activities. Journal of LeisureResearch, 22(1), 36–54.

Wyman, M. (1982). Substitutability of recreation experience. Leisure Studies, 1(3), 277–293.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Cal

ifor

nia

Poly

Pom

ona

Uni

vers

ity]

at 0

3:34

14

Nov

embe

r 20

14

connections: integrated meanings of atv riding among club members in maine

Documents