A local company offers adventures that go off the beaten track, yet leave little impact on the environment

A5

by Paul Merrigan
This Week Staff

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

Many people enjoy the rush of adrenaline that exciting or even extreme sports can give them. Others prefer to move a little more slowly and to take their time to smell the roses along the roads they travel.

Enlarge Photo

Photo Contributed

Michael Henrichs, owner of Zero Impact Off-Road Adventures, with his dog and his trusty Jeep.

A few fortunate people have had the chance to get their adrenaline kick while moving slowly, something that an off-road adventure with Zero Impact Off-Road Adventures offers. As their website states "What other activity can give you goose bumps at 2 km an hour?"

"I have a love of the outdoors and a love of jeeping and when my wife and I were doing some modifications to our jeep, I thought I saw a niche here that could be explored a little more," explains Michael Henrichs, the owner and guide for Zero Impact. "I always had people asking 'Oh, take me with you' and that's where the idea started brewing."

The variety of trails and diversity of views and wildlife in the area give adventurers a lot to choose from.

"Being located where we are (Riverview) is great," says Michael. "You can literally drive 10-15 minutes in any direction and be on a trail, taking in the scenery and wildlife. We offer jeep tours of all different kinds from mild to relatively wild - I don't go too extreme.

"I've also got some scenic tours that are really just along dirt roads but take you to places with hidden gems or amazing views."

Given that the off-road industry is relatively small, many people have little knowledge or experience regarding what jeeping is all about.

"The biggest challenge has been to overcome the stereotypes that people have about off-roading," says Michael. "That really has been the biggest hurdle. People have a preconceived notion about what we do without having really tried it themselves."

Knowing that this lack of knowledge or belief that off-roading is often careless or destructive is out there, Michael has made it a priority to help educate and promote the positive nature of the activity - hence the "Zero Impact" part of his company's name.

"It's being smart and sensible," he explains. "You can have extreme fun and it can be quite exhilarating. It's not pedal to the floor and rip and destroy everything. There's so much to explore and you really don't need to do any damage to get there."

Although only in it's third year of operation, Zero Impact Off-Road Adventures has seen hearty folks from across the Maritimes and beyond.

"We've had a diverse group of people that have tried our adventures," says Michael. "It's very family friendly. Young kids like it a lot because it's a modified vehicle and it's a place the family car can't really go.

"We're about responsible off-road activities. We want to promote that there are responsible people out there. The best part has been just sharing the experience and seeing peoples reactions over and over has been really amazing."

For more information about Zero Impact Off-Road Adventures, visit www.zeroimpact.ca or contact Michael at 850-6427.