By Heather Skinner
ESPERANCE — For anyone looking to enjoy family time camping with a beautiful view, fishing in the pond, watching deer in nearby fields, and riding your ATVs and teaching your kids to ride in a positive and professional atmosphere, New York State Off-Road Park is sought out by people from around the Country and is the place to call!
Some may know the venue by one of its event names, Mountain Maddness, that takes place at New York State Off-Road Park. From July 24th to 27th the Park hosted an Empire State Beatdown SXS competition. Mike and the Monsters took to the band stage on the 25th for Music on the Mountain, there was Tug O War at the concrete pad, trails were open all weekend, food trucks and merch vendors were on site, and visitors sang karaoke. The RJR Offroad crew participated in pro class races, including a 4-hour, 8-mile course endurance race of side-by-sides. Race winners with their award trophies can be found in a post on New York State Off-Road Park’s Facebook page.
Park owner, John Scrima, has been a race enthusiast his whole life; riding three wheelers, dirt bikes, go karts, and dirt track pro mega trucks. He built a strong work ethic and appreciation for the outdoors as a young man working hard to bail hay and mow lawns to buy school clothes. Since buying the land in 2000 when it was a blank slate without roads or parking lots, he has continued to work hard to provide the maintenance equipment, on-site crews, activities, events like pro mega truck racing and pro side-by-side racing, and experiences that can be found within the 300 acres New York State Off-Road Park sits on.
Today, the Park hosts professionals for National events. Crews travel the Country going from park to park and come here from Texas, Michigan, South Carolina, etc. after word of the Park’s quality events spread.
Most events Scrima hosts at his Park loses money, but he continues to run the longest lasting open Off-Road Park in NYS and does it for the sport, for the community, and he loves seeing families come out to enjoy the venue together and wants them to know they have this place to go to for outdoor recreation.
Despite profit loss, Scrima prioritizes donating to fire departments, The Boy Scouts, and to achieve the restoration of old properties in Esperance. Scrima takes pride in very good relationships with the Park’s neighbors. He donates to, and does work for, Landis Arboretum. He hangs thank-you letters from those he donates to on his wall, and one friendly neighbor even brought Scrima a Rhubarb pie last week!
Scrima says facilities like his Off-Road Park close down all the time. In addition to the profit loss these facilities endure with high costs for maintenance equipment (like water trucks, irrigation systems on the race track, a used 2014 John Deer bulldozer that cost $85,000, etc.) and staffing needs (Scrima’s Park has a full medical staff, security, film crew, promoters, etc.), Scrima also shared concerns about Parks like his having to keep up with picking up litter and cigarette butts. “I hate litter!” Scrima said it upsets him everywhere in the world where he sees it- on the side of the road, etc. Scrima himself maintains the grounds at New York State Off-Road Park by picking up any litter left behind, making sure the showers are working, keeping the dust level down, watering, keeping power running properly, and assisting crews however they need. His philosophies include, “Put your garbage in the dumpster, not the ground,” and, “Life is really easy, just respect people and don’t lie.”
A self-proclaimed redneck, Scrima said he believes in doing what’s right, “We’re involved with the community, we’ve been here our whole lives, 56 years. We know everybody and everybody knows everybody, and we all help each other out.” Even those he doesn’t agree with one minute, the next minute he doesn’t hesitate to show up to help plow their driveway in Winter.
Also helping the community, Scrima mentioned his son’s (Joshua Scrima) business. For Cedar Ridge Well Drilling services, you can call 518-312-5581.
Adventures don’t stop for Scrima off the trails. He likes to ski and travel the world while the New York State Off-Road Park is closed for hunting season starting in November, through until their usual early season Jeep Club event in January (weather and snow depth depending).
Every event at New York State Off-Road Park is its own unique experience at the largest multi-use facility in the Northeast with its huge trail system, and it can be rented out for parties, weddings, and a couple was there celebrating their wedding anniversary during this past weekend’s events.
At the July 14th Esperance Village Meeting, concerns were brought up about the speed of drivers coming through for New York State Off-Road Park events. Scrima confirmed he and Mayor Royce Gage immediately made phone calls and got a mobile Schoharie County Sheriff Speed Enforcement flashing sign used for events added to the corner of Charleston & Church Street to address the problem.
New York State Off-Road Park’s next event listed on their website is Trucks Gone Wild Invades Mountain Maddness Aug 21-24. Get tickets through their website: nystateoffroadpark.com. They also have a Facebook page and are located at 301 Lape Road. Families can call John Scrima to set up reservations anytime at 518-857-8639; rent the cabin or bring your tent or your motor home, go fishing with your family, and enjoy your 4 wheelers and the outdoors with your kids.
Scrima said he always welcomes anyone with questions and concerns about his venue to come out, sit with him on his porch and have a beer, enjoy the facilities, ride around the course, and see what they’re all about!
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