Gettin' A Dustin' At Croom

By TONY HOLT

Published: March 23, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - A 2007 Honda CFR 450R? $7,000.

Helmet? $300.

Pants? $200.

Chest protector? $135.

Finding a safe haven to ride your motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle on 2,600 acres of dirt trails and sandy pits without being chased away by property owners?

For thousands of riders, it's priceless.

"I bleed 10w-40 oil in my veins," said Derek

Eveleth, of Leesburg. "Once you get started, you can't quit."

Eveleth and his 11-year-old son, Zachary, spent most of their Easter Sunday at the Croom Motorcycle Area. Several more of their friends came with them.

The winding trails and sandy pits draw thousands of dirt bike enthusiasts to the 159,000-acre Withlacoochee State Forest — the second-largest state forest in Florida.

The motorcycle and ATV area runs along a ribbon of land to the east of Interstate 75. IOt makes up a large section of the park's Croom tract.

Eveleth has been riding the trails at Croom since he was in the first grade.

"It used to be $5 a year to use this place," said the 41-year-old. "Now it's $50. But it's still worth it."

To use the Croom Motorcycle Area, riders have to purchase a permit, which lasts for one year and expires every June. If one buys a permit in

August, the cost is $50. The prices drop $5 every quarter. A rider could buy one today for $35. By next month, it will be $30.

The 2,600-acre tract of land used to have a lot of open-pit mining, which explains where the depressions, rolling hills and large sections of sand come from. It also borders several major highways — including I-75, U.S. 301 and State Road 50.

"That was best to have it there instead of putting it in some pristine place," said Withlacoochee State Forest spokeswoman Lynne Bolton. "It's noisy at the interstate anyway, so it's not as unpleasant on the ears."

When Croom was established in 1973, it was a hot spot mostly for young, male dirt bikers. Today, it is a place for men, women, children and families.

On Sunday, there were riders of all generations maneuvering through the rows of trees, doing laps along the edge of the pit and kicking mud 10 feet in the air.

"Jump in there, let's go," Eveleth said to his son.

Zachary waited for an opening. Two motorcyclists were zooming by him as they rode along an oval-shaped dirt trail.

He accelerated forward in his four-wheeled Yamaha and did about five laps while his father laughed.

"He loves this stuff as much as his dad does," Eveleth said.

Bolton said visitors come from as far north as Georgia and as far south as Miami. There are few places for recreational dirt bikers to go to ride. If they don't own a lot of private property or know anyone who does, they are hard-pressed to find someplace to go to indulge in their favorite hobby.

"This type of venue is not common," she said.

"There's also an inherent danger, so that leaves (landowners) open for liability. There aren't many of them jumping and volunteering their land for something like this."

Justin Hoffman, 23, and Darlene Caruthers, 23, brought their four-wheelers with them from Hudson. It's long been a favorite routine of theirs.

On Sunday, they brought along a couple of friends – Nick Colella and Bill Moran, both 19 – who had never been to Croom before.

"It's a stress-reliever," Moran said as he puffed on a cigarette.

"You can go and not worry about people yelling at you to get off their property," said Colella.

Avoiding the dreaded property owner or anyone else who is ready to invoke the local noise ordinance is high on the wish list among Croom riders. If anything, the park is meant for those looking for an escape.

It is also ideal for those who like to get dirty.

The four friends from the Hudson area joked about how long it takes to get the mud off their clothes, bikes and skin.

"It takes all day," giggled Caruthers.

Colella looked down at his Yamaha, which looked as though it had been driven over wet sand hundreds of times.

"My bike was brand new before I brought it here," he said.

The large tract of land has plenty of winding trails, but the fences make it virtually impossible for bikers to get lost. Local motorcycle clubs have pitched in to help preserve and secure the property.

"It can be quite spectacular," said Bolton, who used to ride at Croom herself and bring her son and his friends with her. "It's a very busy area.

There's more recreational use (at Withlacoochee) than any other state forest."

Doug Godfredson, of Palm Coast, is working in Zephyrhills for the next two weeks. He wrecked his bike earlier this month and his left leg was bruised from his hip to his calf. The swelling and pain subsided and he was clamoring to get back on the bike and ride again. He decided to give Croom a try.

Godfredson, 35, is a competitive racer. He has been on tracks across the country, from Daytona Beach to California.

He was not used to sharing the pit with hundreds of motorcyclists and ATV riders, but he looked relieved to be active again. He has suffered worse injuries in his life – including (but not limited to) broken noses, fractured legs, dislocated shoulders and cracked collarbones.

Did any of those injuries make him want to hang up his helmet and gear?

"No, I love it," he said.

Godfredson was sitting shirtless on a cooler for some much-needed rest Sunday afternoon after riding for several hours on his Honda.

His torso is covered in tattoos. He has motorcycle chains etched in ink in several places and the word "confidence" across his upper back.

He prefers the individual tracks around Florida, but he was relieved to have been riding again, even if he had to share the dirt.

"It's a great arm pump," he said as he pointed toward the hills located in the pit. "It gets you in good condition to ride on a track."

For others, it is just a means to play in the mud.

Meagan Greer, 22, of Wildwood, accompanied Eveleth and his friends Sunday.

The petite brunette was wearing a protective suit and a blue bandanna over her head. Her voice was
soft and when she laughed, she let out a soft giggle that made her sound more than a little out of place among the macho types who often visit the park.

Looks and sounds can be deceiving. Greer was no girly girl.

"I love to go muddin' down here," she said. "I'm definitely a muddin' kind of girl."

Withlacoochee Raked In $1.1 Million Last Year

Since permits became mandatory in 2002, the Croom Motorcycle Area has become a major source of revenue for the Florida Division of Forestry.

Depending on which time of year they are purchased, permits for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles can cost up to $50 per machine.

For fiscal year 2006-2007, the state collected $792,215 from those who used the Croom Motorcycle Area, according to figures obtained by the Division of Forestry.

That does not include the fees for Withlacoochee State Forest overnight campers who pay for access to the motorcycle area.

The state park brought a total of more than $1.1 million in revenue during the last fiscal year, according to the Division of Forestry.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283.

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