We volunteer 3000+ hours each year maintaining the trail system and hold the Smuggler Run. The club incorporated as the Tacoma Trail Cruisers (TTC) in 1964 with 68 charter members. Active riders varied in age from pre-teen to folks in their seventies. Part of the original credo was to put more back into environment and community than they took away. With that credo in mind, TTC has became involved
with community affairs such as spending thousands of hours assisting Pierce County Search and Rescue, assisting with the Daffodil Parade and helping with Walk-a-thon and Ride-a-thon charity events. Every year a group of the young members formed an ATV demonstration team that toured Pierce county and conducted seminars. The team stressed rider safety and environmental awareness to fifth graders during annual school campouts. The club was the first and only motorcycle club that volunteered to assist with the first statewide "Earth clean-up day" On that day and every year since, the club has cleaned up litter along the roads in Capitol Forest area. The club has volunteered many man-hours to various local and DNR causes, including the Fish and Game Department in planting fish in mountain lakes. So, in 1972, TTC purchased the small ten acre parcel of land that belonged to the Sloan family- early settlers of the Sherman Valley. On the property sat an old barn that had been used as family feed and milking barn. Upon purchase, members got together and cleaned out the hay and the farm equipment that was left behind. Then TTC had a old fashion barn dance! The club immediately held this get-acquainted event at which all their country neighbors were invited so neighbors could see TTC was not a hoodlum motorcycle gang moving into their area. The barn became a landmark in our community and a real source of pride for TTC. In 1973, the club started holding its annual "Smuggler Poker Run" to generate funds to pay for the property and improvements. Once the property was paid for the club continued holding this popular event. It has become the premier ATV event in the Pacific Northwest, attracting riders from various states. The difference in recent years, however is that much of the proceeds are donated to various area charities such as the Black Lake and the Little Rock Fire Departments, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and the American Red Cross.
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