The early days
High Mountain Dirt Riders Inc was chartered in 1972 by a small group of off-road motorcyclists based in the Hazelton, PA area, working together and riding enduros.
Around the same time, the East Coast Enduro Association was forming alongside AMA District 6. HMDR was active in the enduro series, hosting the Shotgun Run, one of almost 20 enduros being organized under the new ECEA. The Shotgun Enduro covered over 100 ground miles starting near Hobbie, PA and running near Wapwallopen, Sugarloaf, and Dorrance. Regarded as one of the tougher rock runs in the series, our races in the late 70’s and early 80’s would draw as many as 800 entries!
Picking up speed
Not only was HMDR about the enduros, they dabbled in Hare Scrambles too. The AMA had the National Hare Scramble Series and HMDR ran nationals out of the Scout Camp in St Johns, PA close to our enduro location. The Shotgun Hare Scramble was a true grass roots off-road event - tough but fun, remembered for the impossibly small tunnels under Interstate Route 80. Stories of bar banging and helmet scrapes have become folklore.
In the mid to late 80’s, HMDR was based in Mountain Top, PA and kept the events rolling by helping neighboring clubs like VFTR with the Moonshine enduro.
In the late 90s, the club found fresh land near Catawissa, PA. A few HMDR members, including the Rehatchek family, blazed new trail at the South Side Conservation Club and the Shotgun Hare Scramble was reborn. This new property only allowed riding on the event weekend, and soon this spot became a series favorite.
Into the 2000s
That relationship at Southside in Catawissa lasted for 20+ years til 2019 when a family from the founding days of our club reached out to find the motorcycle group that their grandfather belonged to and the enduro that passed by their property in Sugarloaf, many years ago. A new bond was formed. 2019 Started a new beginning at LaRocks Grove in Sugarloaf, Pa on their families 4000+ acre property for our Hare Scramble and more.
Not to forget our roots in Enduros, after a small layoff in the 90’s and the beginning of Y2K. The HMDR group started to talk enduros with a trail system up north near Tunkhanook, Lawton, PA and some trail near Delano PA. The Delano area was once shared or ridden by HMDR, VFTR, RORR and Lehigh Valley Dirt Riders in the early years. The VFTR Moonshine had a moon rock section close by.
Many club rides and gatherings ran thru the mid 2000s. Lenson of the Rehatchek family always pulled off Sunday rides near our enduro turf. One such fun ride was an invitational called the Wallow in the Hollow. This grew into a 2 day full on enduro-style ride from Nesquehoning to neighboring areas.
Around 2005-2006 the Rehatcheks had mapped some trails and a couple other members from Barnesville, Delano and Grier city with the club had made the Return of the SHOTGUN ENDURO. We kept this going and built great relationships in the surrounding communities.
And beyond
The future of HMDR is promising with our land relationships and opportunities. The club has such a mix of members that each gives diversity and a uniqueness to HMDR. We have been and will continue to be a hard working group that has fun on or around offroad motorcycles.