Appalachian Adventures

Since I will be out of town for a week personal vacation, I kindly request additional time to respond to this complaint.I will take care of this matter as soon as I get back

Dear Ms [redacted] - sending to you my special greetingsThank you for forwarding this complaint to Appalachian Adventures It is with the greatest of respect that I must confess that when people do not read the contracts that they sign and the commitments of responsibility entered when booking an activity with us, they place demands and prejudicial expectations on the Revdex.com These are costly for you, and for usMs [redacted] came to us and booked only a one hour all terrain expedition; One ATV for herself and One UTV for MrHarris and children – total amount $When booking, she knew that 50% of the total amount is non-refundable – policy implemented for “lessons learned” – people would book, and then they would just not show-up, situation that has prevented us from making other sales and invest time and money in preparation – we try to recover some of those expenses with the 50% non-refundable deposit There is also a $roll-over fee – clearly stated in the contract These fees are for the purpose of providing specific maintenance procedures when situations such as this occur to one of our machines Ms [redacted] and MrHarris saw this in the contract that they signed prior to taking the trip This issue is specially mentioned as a “red flag” to deter the risky behavior of some of our customers Ms [redacted] is not qualified to understand all the mechanical processes and inspections that we must follow to assess damages to the rented equipment this money is for this purpose She says that “this company is ripping people off,” let me assure the Revdex.com that we are notShe also mentioned that when she came up for their appointment, she wanted to change the activity and we denied that There is a lot of paperwork that we must completed at the office when someone makes a reservation; we prepare with all necessary logistics to provide a good service in relation to the scheduled activities We cannot change the schedule of the day, and all preparations done because Ms [redacted] changed her mind at time of arrival Her complaint about this issue is invalid – it shows that this lady is very demanding and difficult to pleaseOur side of the story is that we are very unhappy with this situation First, we have to endure poor behavior from her partner, MrHarris, who claimed that he was going too fast in our machine, reason for which, he went into a ditch and rolled the machine over We are extremely upset that he knows that this is a risky activity, and he was in charge of the children, who were the passengers in the UTV !!! Customers as these two, put our business at risk, damage our equipment, and then, they get angry when they have to pay for damages MrHarris stated in the Accident/Incident Report that “he had fun and he and the kids enjoyed the roll-over” he left the office saying that he would be back Please let me know if the response here provided will be enough for the Revdex.com or if additional documentation should be provided MsHarris says that she wants the $back, we will not give it She needs to remember that that particular machine was sent to be serviced at the dealership for additional inspections It is one of our most costly equipment and it suffered more damage than she thinks She wanted to be the one responsible for any damages, and we think that she wants this amount back, she should get it from him, for having caused the incidentI will be contacting her on other issues also related to the incident Please let me know if you'd want to be informed, or if you only need to concentrate on this complaint at this timeThank you so much for your patience and understandingPatricia L [redacted] Appalachian Adventures ###-###-#### and ###-###-####

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
They are twisting words trying to paint this picture of unreasonable and irresponsible peopleNot only did I try to switch activities upon my arrival but also two hours after I initially booked the activity, and that is when she told me I couldn't even though I had just booked it and paid for it, she said to try to talk to someone at the time of the tripI'm not just trying to get my money back, I'm trying to ensure fairness for myself and othersFar as the incident report goes my husband signed a form to acknowledge that there was a rollover only, anything else is untrue
Regards,
*** ***

Since I will be out of town for a week personal vacation, I kindly request additional time to respond to this complaintI will take care of this matter as soon as I get back

Since I will be out of town for a 2 week personal vacation, I kindly request additional time to respond to this complaint.I will take care of this matter as soon as I get back.

October 14, 2014BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[redacted] called Appalachian Adventures and requested to book an ATV and Horseback riding for a group of 12 of her friends to celebrate her birthday. As the day approached, she changed the number of people to 9. We made the changes...

and waived the 50% booking of those who cancelled.On June 14, 2014, at the time of arrival, each person paid for their activities in different forms; credit cards, cash and checks. Usually, the coordinator is responsible for the payments, and he/she deals with each of the people in the group; but in this case, she didn't want to do this, and we accommodated again. We are now having to deal with these individual 9 payments, and issues from various individuals, not one single issue from a group. As it turned out, we are very sorry now.For example, one of [redacted]'s friends ([redacted]) did not have a credit card to cover expenses in case of damage and [redacted] wrote and signed in the contract that she would be responsible for her expenses. It turned out that [redacted] wrote us a check with insufficient funds, and [redacted] did not have enough money in her credit card to do suffice her commitment.
The issue at hand is what occurred on that day with one of her friends who fell off a horse and how everyone in the group wanted full reimbursement for a day of booked activities.
In principle, once an activity is scheduled, 50% of the amount is non-refundable. Once the guests sign a contract, none of the money is refundable. Most small business such as ours, operate and manage all bookings under the same principles and procedures; is common practice as a way to protect ourselves from the investment in trying to provide a good and reliable service.
CONTRACT SIGNED AND LEGALITIESHere are parts of the contract that each member of this group signed in our offices and applies to [redacted]'s complaint of Appalachian Adventures with the Revdex.com:1st Page of Contract:• I release all responsibilities of unforeseen occurrences while on the premises or on the properties reserved for recreational purposes for Appalachian Adventures.• Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for acts of God or severe weather conditions with regards to my safety, and if becomes necessary to conclude the activity, I should not expect reimbursement.• In case of horseback riding, classified as a “Rugged Adventure Recreational Sport Activity” I am in primary control of the horse. Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for total or partial acts, occurrences, or elements of nature that can scare a horse, cause it to fall or otherwise react in some unsafe way. In case of pregnant women, the “mother to be" assumes all responsibility; or in the case that the “mother to be” is a minor, the responsibility falls into her parent/guardian who signs this contract. Appalachian Adventures is protected by the equine liability laws.ASSUMPTION OF RISK. I expressly and voluntarily assume all risk and liability for the loss or damage to any equipment/livestock obtained from Appalachian Adventures, for the death or injury to any person or property and for all other risks and liabilities arising from the use, condition and possession of the above identified equipment received or obtained from Appalachian Adventures.
One of her friends fell off the horse (we don’t know the reasons, for we received no explanation), he went to the hospital (accompanied by a friend), and the rest of the group became scared and decided to back out of all booked activities. They expressed that they are not outdoors enthusiasts and many of them stated their anxiety since they've never done any of the activities that [redacted] booked.
Because we needed to discuss how to proceed, we asked that the entire group should get together at the office. At the office, some were confused as of what decision to make, others told us that they were going to come back on another occasion, and others were very confrontational and aggressive, that the staff at our offices told them that their manner was so disrespectful and threatening, that we were going to call the police.After an hour of deliberations with the group, everyone agreed to pay 50%, while Appalachian Adventures was to return the other 50%. Since each person paid in different ways, Appalachian Adventures wrote a check to each individual for the proper amount. Because we run a small but ethical business and take pride in the personalized manner of each expedition; and because we are not a resort where people come and go, and because we try to provide quality of service not the quantity of bookings that we can obtain, we could not waive the entire amount that this people were demanding.Whilst many of them changed their minds, Appalachian Adventures was ready to provide a good service as scheduled, and they just backed out of their deal, they did not want to take the option to continue with the scheduled activities.
In this case, [redacted] is not appreciative of our gestures, even though while at the office, she was the most agreeable with the solution of returning 50%; but now she wants to dishonor the agreements made on that day.Based on the issues presented by [redacted] here are our responses:1 — She claims that a friend and another friend and herself were badly injured. The one friend went to the hospital and was released the same afternoon after a check-up; they didn't think it necessary to keep him under observance. With regards to her “injuries” we facilitated a couple of Band-Aids, and she as happy and thanked us afterwards, who is the other friend that she writes about?2 - She claims that they could not participate in ATV riding. They chose not to go, some in the group were undecided, and told us that they would come back on another occasion, but that they felt that they wanted to keep the group together. Some were very graceful; others apparently, were just followers and took this opportunity to back out of their expenditure.3 – She claims that Appalachian Adventures would not work with them and refused to give them their money back. She fails to remember that we graciously returned 50% of their money, as a kind gesture. The agreement that they signed clearly indicates that there are no refunds if the activity comes to a halt. Why while she was at the office she was kind and agreeable, now she complains to the Revdex.com24 - She claims that she didn't authorize any additional payments to her credit card. She did it in writing; These are the expenditures related to making herself responsible for one of her friends, because she didn't have a credit card. She now wants to disregard the contracts with her signature. (Please see Annex 1.)CONCLUSIONSThe group of friends that [redacted] brought to our business to celebrate her birthday, have caused us a lot of grief. Some of them are not used to honor written agreements, verbal agreements, are vindictive and are unfairly demanding. Having to deal with the entire group was one of the most challenging situations that Appalachian Adventures have endured in our many years of business.1. One of the people in this group wrote a check knowing that she didn't have enough funds to cover her activities. Now we are dealing with bounced checks from this person, and she even took our check written for the 50% refund! She made money from us, because of fraudulent practices.2. [redacted] booked for the entire group, but did not want to be responsible for 50% of the booking fees, as it is the customary system when a person books for a group. She asked us to please deal with each individual. She had her reasons, and we complied and became affected.3. When they paid us, some paid cash and two of them in this group, presented us with credit cards that had very little amount that didn’t even cover the expenses of the 50% that they were supposed to pay. We had to try twice and three times to obtain the money promised! They deceived us and we are going to deal with them through another venue.4. Another person in the group took it upon himself to write a bad review on the internet, visible to all and damaging to us only because we would not return his 50% agreed as a group while at the office. This toxic behavior is vindictive and not honorable; these are not fair professional practices.5. We have incurred in additional fees at the bank for these bounced checks.6. We are still investing time and efforts to deal with these issues brought upon us by some of themembers.As you can see, I think that Appalachian Adventures did not fail but helped this group more than necessary. We feel that some of the members of this group are trying to take advantage by practicing unethical norms of professional conduct. I do thank you for your time, and for reading my explanations. I wish I could have summarized this experience but was compelled to try to cover most angles to facilitate all related information. I do thank you again for your understanding, and will remain available in case that you’d have any questions.
Patricia L

Dear Ms. [redacted] - sending to you my special greetings.Thank you for forwarding this complaint to Appalachian Adventures.  It is with the greatest of respect that I must confess that when people do not read the contracts that they sign and the commitments of responsibility entered when...

booking an activity with us, they place demands and prejudicial expectations on the Revdex.com.  These are costly for you, and for us.Ms. [redacted] came to us and booked only a one hour all terrain expedition; One ATV for herself and One UTV for Mr. Harris and children – total amount $265.15. When booking, she knew that 50% of the total amount is non-refundable – policy implemented for “lessons learned” – people would book, and then they would just not show-up, situation that has prevented us from making other sales and invest time and money in preparation – we try to recover some of those expenses with the 50% non-refundable deposit.  There is also a $300.00 roll-over fee – clearly stated in the contract.  These fees are for the purpose of providing specific maintenance procedures when situations such as this occur to one of our machines.  Ms. [redacted] and Mr. Harris saw this in the contract that they signed prior to taking the trip.  This issue is specially mentioned as a “red flag” to deter the risky behavior of some of our customers.  Ms. [redacted] is not qualified to understand all the mechanical processes and inspections that we must follow to assess damages to the rented equipment this money is for this purpose.   She says that “this company is ripping people off,” let me assure the Revdex.com that we are not.She also mentioned that when she came up for their appointment, she wanted to change the activity and we denied that.  There is a lot of paperwork that we must completed at the office when someone makes a reservation; we prepare with all necessary logistics to provide a good service in relation to the scheduled activities.  We cannot change the schedule of the day, and all preparations done because Ms. [redacted] changed her mind at time of arrival.  Her complaint about this issue is invalid – it shows that this lady is very demanding and difficult to please.Our side of the story is that we are very unhappy with this situation.  First, we have to endure poor behavior from her partner, Mr. Harris, who claimed that he was going too fast in our machine, reason for which, he went into a ditch and rolled the machine over.  We are extremely upset that he knows that this is a risky activity, and he was in charge of the children, who were the passengers in the UTV !!!  Customers as these two, put our business at risk, damage our equipment, and then, they get angry when they have to pay for damages.  Mr. Harris stated in the Accident/Incident Report  that “he had fun and he and the kids enjoyed the roll-over”… he left the office saying that he would be back. Please let me know if the response here provided will be enough for the Revdex.com or if additional documentation should be provided.  Ms. Harris says that she wants the $300.00 back, we will not give it.  She needs to remember that that particular machine was sent to be serviced at the dealership for additional inspections.  It is one of our most costly equipment and it suffered more damage than she thinks.  She wanted to be the one responsible for any damages, and we think that she wants this amount back, she should get it from him, for having caused the incident.I will be contacting her on other issues also related to the incident.  Please let me know if you'd want to be informed, or if you only need to concentrate on this complaint at this time.Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.Patricia L[redacted]Appalachian Adventures###-###-#### and ###-###-####

34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Dear Ms. [redacted] - sending to you my special greetings.
Thank you for forwarding this complaint to Appalachian Adventures.  It is with the greatest of respect that I must confess that when people do not read the contracts that they sign and the commitments of responsibility entered when booking an activity with us, they place demands and prejudicial expectations on the Revdex.com.  These are costly for you, and for us.
Ms. [redacted] came to us and booked only a one hour all terrain expedition; One ATV for herself and One UTV for Mr. Harris and children – total amount $265.15. When booking, she knew that 50% of the total amount is non-refundable – policy implemented for “lessons learned” – people would book, and then they would just not show-up, situation that has prevented us from making other sales and invest time and money in preparation – we try to recover some of those expenses with the 50% non-refundable deposit.  
There is also a $300.00 roll-over fee – clearly stated in the contract.  These fees are for the purpose of providing specific maintenance procedures when situations such as this occur to one of our machines.  Ms. [redacted] and Mr. Harris saw this in the contract that they signed prior to taking the trip.  This issue is specially mentioned as a “red flag” to deter the risky behavior of some of our customers.  Ms. [redacted] is not qualified to understand all the mechanical processes and inspections that we must follow to assess damages to the rented equipment this money is for this purpose.   She says that “this company is ripping people off,” let me assure the Revdex.com that we are not.
She also mentioned that when she came up for their appointment, she wanted to change the activity and we denied that.  There is a lot of paperwork that we must completed at the office when someone makes a reservation; we prepare with all necessary logistics to provide a good service in relation to the scheduled activities.  We cannot change the schedule of the day, and all preparations done because Ms. [redacted] changed her mind at time of arrival.  Her complaint about this issue is invalid – it shows that this lady is very demanding and difficult to please.
Our side of the story is that we are very unhappy with this situation.  First, we have to endure poor behavior from her partner, Mr. Harris, who claimed that he was going too fast in our machine, reason for which, he went into a ditch and rolled the machine over.  We are extremely upset that he knows that this is a risky activity, and he was in charge of the children, who were the passengers in the UTV !!!  Customers as these two, put our business at risk, damage our equipment, and then, they get angry when they have to pay for damages.  Mr. Harris stated in the Accident/Incident Report  that “he had fun and he and the kids enjoyed the roll-over”… he left the office saying that he would be back. 
Please let me know if the response here provided will be enough for the Revdex.com or if additional documentation should be provided.  Ms. Harris says that she wants the $300.00 back, we will not give it.  She needs to remember that that particular machine was sent to be serviced at the dealership for additional inspections.  It is one of our most costly equipment and it suffered more damage than she thinks.  She wanted to be the one responsible for any damages, and we think that she wants this amount back, she should get it from him, for having caused the incident.
I will be contacting her on other issues also related to the incident.  Please let me know if you'd want to be informed, or if you only need to concentrate on this complaint at this time.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.
Patricia L[redacted]
Appalachian Adventures
###-###-#### and ###-###-####

Review: On 6/14/14, Appalachain Adventure was to provide an outdoor experience (ie horeback riding and ATV riding) for myself and 8 other guests in order to celebrate someone's birthday. Each guest paid for their experience separately via cash or check. During the first excursion which was horseback riding the group of 9 was split into two samller groups. While the first group was out, three of the five horses became skiddish and began to run causing injuries to where 1 person was taken to the ER and others suffered minor injuries. Due to the nature of the horses upon their return to the stable after the accidents and that the state of those injured, the second group did not go horseback riding out of our safety.

The entire group was scheduled to ride ATV's later that afternoon but because we were in the ER plus the injuries experience from horseback riding the group simply was unable to ride the ATV's. Appalachian Adventures was notified while the group was in the ER that the group would not ride that afternoon and that we need to discuss refunds. We were initially told that the company does not have to give us any money back. Despite everyone's individual payment, as a group we were secondly told that Appalachian Adventures could only refund half of everyone's money for horseback riding and the ATV"s. The second half of the group that never had an opportunity to go horseback riding was forced to plead our cases as to why a full refund was necessary for that excursion. At the end of negotiations, Appalachian Adventure attempted to appease the entire group by refunding those that went horseback riding w/ half of their money back for that and for the ATV's. For those that did not go horseback riding, they offered a full refund for the horseback riding but only offered half of our money for the ATV's. Appalachian Adventure cut all members in the group a refund check. I have a check but have not cashed it or deposited.

This special occassion was marred by unsafe horses to ride, a long day in the ER and spending hours trying to get a refund. Overall I think this company provided poor customer service and was more concerned about getting paid then making customers happy. Since I paid for myself and my partner as a couple, I even offered that I receive a "store" credit so that my partner and I could come back at another time and enjoy the excursion. Appalachian Adventures stated that they don't want me and my partner to feel "obligated" to come back. I left Appalachian Adventures with nothing to show for my day, or for my money. I don't understand how someone pays in good faith for services, does not receive them but only gets a partial refund. That is unacceptable in my opinion.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund, not a partial one.

Business

Response:

October 14, 2014BACKGROUND INFORMATION[redacted] called Appalachian Adventures and requested to book an ATV and Horseback riding for a group to celebrate her birthday. On June 14, 2014, at the time of arrival, each person paid for their activities in different forms; credit cards, cash and checks. Usually, the coordinator is responsible for the payments, and he/she deals with each of the people in the group; but in this case, she didn't want to do this and we accommodated. We are now having to deal with these individual 9 payments and issues from various friends of [redacted], such as the case of [redacted]. We are very sorry now that instead of dealing with one person as is customary, we are now having to deal with the many individuals who don’t want to abide by the contracts signed with Appalachian Adventures, and the policies already explained.Originally, the group that was booked was 12, and as the day approached, the coordinator changed the number of people to 9. We made the changes and waived the mandatory 50% booking of those who cancelled.One of her friends (in the first group) who was going horseback riding, fell off the horse and we don't know the reasons, for we received no explanation to this day; our horses are gentle and are used to trail riding on a daily basis. Many in the group became scared and decided to back out of all activities.[redacted] needs to be reminded of the contract that she signed, and of the negotiations and decisions that took place when everyone regrouped at Appalachian Adventures' offices. The entire group agreed that Appalachian Adventures would return 50% of the booked activities, although there is no obligation from our part to do that; but we waved our policies to please and pacify them.At the office, some were confused as of what decision to make, others told us that they were going to come back on another occasion, and others were very confrontational and aggressive that the staff at our offices told them that because their manner was so disrespectful and threatening, we were going to call the police.After an hour of deliberations with the group everyone agreed to pay 50%, while Appalachian Adventures was to return the other 50%. Since each person paid in different ways, Appalachian Adventures wrote a check to each individual for the proper amount. Because we run a small but ethical business and take pride in the personalized manner of each expedition; and because we are not a resort where people come and go, and because we try to provide quality of service not the quantity of bookings that we can obtain, we could not waive the entire amount that this people were demanding. We invested time, money and efforts for this group, and declined other customers because of this booking.In principle, once an activity is scheduled, 50% of the amount is non-refundable. Once the guests sign a contract, none of the money is refundable. Most small business such as ours, operate and manage all bookings under the same principles and procedures; is common practice as a way to protect ourselves from the investment in trying to provide a good and reliable service.CONTRACT AND LEGALITIESHere are parts of the contract that each member of this group signed in our offices and applies to [redacted]'s complaint of Appalachian Adventures with the 1st Page of Contract:• I release all responsibilities of unforeseen occurrences while on the premises or on the properties reserved for recreational purposes for Appalachian Adventures.• Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for acts of God or severe weather conditions with regards to my safety, and if becomes necessary to conclude the activity, I should not expect reimbursement.• In case of horseback riding, classified as a "Rugged Adventure Recreational Sport Activity” I am in primary control of the horse. Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for total or partial acts, occurrences, or elements of nature that can scare a horse, cause it to fall or otherwise react in some unsafe way. In case of pregnant women, the “mother to be" assumes all responsibility; or in the case that the "mother to be" is a minor, the responsibility falls into her parent/guardian who signs this contract. Appalachian Adventures is protected by the equine liability laws.2nd Page of Contract:ASSUMPTION OF RISK. I expressly and voluntarily assume all risk and liability for the loss or damage to any equipment/livestock obtained from Appalachian Adventures, for the death or injury to any person or property and for all other risks and liabilities arising from the use, condition and possession of the above identified equipment received or obtained from Appalachian Adventures.Based on the issues presented by [redacted] (Revdex.com Complaint ID: [redacted]) here are our responses:1 – She claims that three of the five horses became skittish and began to run, causing injuries to various persons. All the horses that we use are well trained, have gentle personalities, have been trail riding horses for several years, they are exercised periodically and are well taken care of. To this date, we don't know what caused this person to fell off the horse. Horse's participants understand that some of the inherent risks include unpredictability of an equine's reaction to sounds, sudden movements, unfamiliar objects, persons, or other animals. 2 - She claims that the second group had to plead their cases, about the full refund. This relates to the same issue. They refused to continue with the scheduled activities, even after signing the contract. Our commitment was in place, as our intentions to make this group have a good experience. They made a decision not to go on the trip and disregarded our expenses and preparations to provide a good service. 3 - She claims that “I don’t understand how someone pays in good faith for services, does not receive them but only gets a partial refund. Same response as above. She and the rest of the group signed a contract, made agreements, but they backed out. This was their choice, while we were ready to provide a service in good faith; we offered that some would continue, but they acted as it was a group decision, and the option to continue with the day's plan was declined. it is illogical that they feel taken advantage of. 4 - [redacted] says that she tried to make a different approach and wanted a “store credit” so she would come back on another occasion. [redacted] and her partner came as a group, a booking made by [redacted], she did not book her own expeditions. Plus, the same principle applies to the fact that 50% of the booking is non-refundable. How come that now she expects that we would have complied with her request separately? If she is not happy with the group decision, she needs to speak to the person who booked her, [redacted].CONCLUSIONSMany of the members of this group of people are not used to honor written agreements, verbal agreements, are vindictive and are unfairly demanding. Having to deal with the entire group was one of the most challenging situations that Appalachian Adventures have endured in the many years of business.1. One of the people in this group wrote a check knowing that she didn't have enough funds to cover her activities. Now we are dealing with bounced checks from this person, and she even took our check written for the 50% refund! She made money from us, because of fraudulent practices 2. [redacted] booked for the entire group, but did not want to be responsible for 50% of the booking fees, as it is the customary system when a person books for a group. She asked us to please deal with each individual. She had her reasons, and we complied, we now understand why, we are now affected. 3. When they paid us, some paid cash and two of them in this group, presented us with credit cards that had very little amount that didn't even cover the expenses of the 50% that they were supposed to pay. We had to try twice and three times to obtain the money promised! They deceived us and we are going to deal with them through another venue. 4. Another person in the group took it upon himself to write a bad review on the internet, visible to all and damaging to us only because we would not return his 50% agreed as a group while at the office. This toxic behavior is vindictive and not honorable.5. We have incurred in additional fees at the bank for these bounced checks 6. We are still investing time and efforts to deal with issues brought upon some of the members.At Appalachian Adventures, we are very sorry that we had to experience this situation with the members of the group, for they are causing us grief, time, and money. Not just to our business, but to the Revdex.com. I do thank you for your time and for reading my explanations. I wish I could have summarized this experience but was compelled to try to cover all angles to facilitate to you all necessary information. I do thank you again for your understanding, and will remain available in case that you'd have any questions.Patricia L

Review: On June 14, 2014 I paid $244.85 in cash to participate in horseback riding, and ATV riding. Their "policy" was for everyone to give a copy of their credit card to have it on file in case of damages. While on the trail with the horses one of my friends were thrown off the horse coming down a hill and badly injured. As well as another friend and I were injured, falling off of the horses we were on. Naturally everyone was shaken up and the one thrown for the horse had to be hospitalized. Due to the situation we could not participate in ATV riding since our friend had to get x-rays of his head, chest, and leg. Appalachian Adventures would not work with us to spite the fact a few of us were injured. After a long bout, finally they gave us a refund of half ($78.00) the money for the ATV riding even though I couldn't ride because I was hurt. They still took out gratuity for services we didn't receive.

Recently (two weeks later), my bank contacted me of several attempted charges made to my credit card for $400.00, $200.00, and then $100.00 by Appalachian Adventures. My representative stated this seems to be fraudulent behavior and advised me to cancel my card immediately. I paid in cash on the day of service and didn't authorize any additional payments to be rendered from my credit card.Desired Settlement: I want the other half of my money back from the ATV activity and gratuity which I could not participate due to the fact I was injured. In addition, I want an written apology to my party for the hassle, poor quality of service and fraudulent behavior this company has displayed. This is completely unacceptable.

Business

Response:

October 14, 2014BACKGROUND INFORMATION[redacted] called Appalachian Adventures and requested to book an ATV and Horseback riding for a group of 12 of her friends to celebrate her birthday. As the day approached, she changed the number of people to 9. We made the changes and waived the 50% booking of those who cancelled.On June 14, 2014, at the time of arrival, each person paid for their activities in different forms; credit cards, cash and checks. Usually, the coordinator is responsible for the payments, and he/she deals with each of the people in the group; but in this case, she didn't want to do this, and we accommodated again. We are now having to deal with these individual 9 payments, and issues from various individuals, not one single issue from a group. As it turned out, we are very sorry now.For example, one of [redacted]'s friends ([redacted]) did not have a credit card to cover expenses in case of damage and [redacted] wrote and signed in the contract that she would be responsible for her expenses. It turned out that [redacted] wrote us a check with insufficient funds, and [redacted] did not have enough money in her credit card to do suffice her commitment.The issue at hand is what occurred on that day with one of her friends who fell off a horse and how everyone in the group wanted full reimbursement for a day of booked activities.In principle, once an activity is scheduled, 50% of the amount is non-refundable. Once the guests sign a contract, none of the money is refundable. Most small business such as ours, operate and manage all bookings under the same principles and procedures; is common practice as a way to protect ourselves from the investment in trying to provide a good and reliable service.CONTRACT SIGNED AND LEGALITIESHere are parts of the contract that each member of this group signed in our offices and applies to [redacted]'s complaint of Appalachian Adventures with the 1st Page of Contract:• I release all responsibilities of unforeseen occurrences while on the premises or on the properties reserved for recreational purposes for Appalachian Adventures.• Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for acts of God or severe weather conditions with regards to my safety, and if becomes necessary to conclude the activity, I should not expect reimbursement.• In case of horseback riding, classified as a “Rugged Adventure Recreational Sport Activity” I am in primary control of the horse. Appalachian Adventures is not responsible for total or partial acts, occurrences, or elements of nature that can scare a horse, cause it to fall or otherwise react in some unsafe way. In case of pregnant women, the “mother to be" assumes all responsibility; or in the case that the “mother to be” is a minor, the responsibility falls into her parent/guardian who signs this contract. Appalachian Adventures is protected by the equine liability laws.ASSUMPTION OF RISK. I expressly and voluntarily assume all risk and liability for the loss or damage to any equipment/livestock obtained from Appalachian Adventures, for the death or injury to any person or property and for all other risks and liabilities arising from the use, condition and possession of the above identified equipment received or obtained from Appalachian Adventures.One of her friends fell off the horse (we don’t know the reasons, for we received no explanation), he went to the hospital (accompanied by a friend), and the rest of the group became scared and decided to back out of all booked activities. They expressed that they are not outdoors enthusiasts and many of them stated their anxiety since they've never done any of the activities that [redacted] booked.Because we needed to discuss how to proceed, we asked that the entire group should get together at the office. At the office, some were confused as of what decision to make, others told us that they were going to come back on another occasion, and others were very confrontational and aggressive, that the staff at our offices told them that their manner was so disrespectful and threatening, that we were going to call the police.After an hour of deliberations with the group, everyone agreed to pay 50%, while Appalachian Adventures was to return the other 50%. Since each person paid in different ways, Appalachian Adventures wrote a check to each individual for the proper amount. Because we run a small but ethical business and take pride in the personalized manner of each expedition; and because we are not a resort where people come and go, and because we try to provide quality of service not the quantity of bookings that we can obtain, we could not waive the entire amount that this people were demanding.Whilst many of them changed their minds, Appalachian Adventures was ready to provide a good service as scheduled, and they just backed out of their deal, they did not want to take the option to continue with the scheduled activities.In this case, [redacted] is not appreciative of our gestures, even though while at the office, she was the most agreeable with the solution of returning 50%; but now she wants to dishonor the agreements made on that day.Based on the issues presented by [redacted] here are our responses:1 — She claims that a friend and another friend and herself were badly injured. The one friend went to the hospital and was released the same afternoon after a check-up; they didn't think it necessary to keep him under observance. With regards to her “injuries” we facilitated a couple of Band-Aids, and she as happy and thanked us afterwards, who is the other friend that she writes about?2 - She claims that they could not participate in ATV riding. They chose not to go, some in the group were undecided, and told us that they would come back on another occasion, but that they felt that they wanted to keep the group together. Some were very graceful; others apparently, were just followers and took this opportunity to back out of their expenditure.3 – She claims that Appalachian Adventures would not work with them and refused to give them their money back. She fails to remember that we graciously returned 50% of their money, as a kind gesture. The agreement that they signed clearly indicates that there are no refunds if the activity comes to a halt. Why while she was at the office she was kind and agreeable, now she complains to the Revdex.com24 - She claims that she didn't authorize any additional payments to her credit card. She did it in writing; These are the expenditures related to making herself responsible for one of her friends, because she didn't have a credit card. She now wants to disregard the contracts with her signature. (Please see Annex 1.)CONCLUSIONSThe group of friends that [redacted] brought to our business to celebrate her birthday, have caused us a lot of grief. Some of them are not used to honor written agreements, verbal agreements, are vindictive and are unfairly demanding. Having to deal with the entire group was one of the most challenging situations that Appalachian Adventures have endured in our many years of business.1. One of the people in this group wrote a check knowing that she didn't have enough funds to cover her activities. Now we are dealing with bounced checks from this person, and she even took our check written for the 50% refund! She made money from us, because of fraudulent practices.2. [redacted] booked for the entire group, but did not want to be responsible for 50% of the booking fees, as it is the customary system when a person books for a group. She asked us to please deal with each individual. She had her reasons, and we complied and became affected.3. When they paid us, some paid cash and two of them in this group, presented us with credit cards that had very little amount that didn’t even cover the expenses of the 50% that they were supposed to pay. We had to try twice and three times to obtain the money promised! They deceived us and we are going to deal with them through another venue.4. Another person in the group took it upon himself to write a bad review on the internet, visible to all and damaging to us only because we would not return his 50% agreed as a group while at the office. This toxic behavior is vindictive and not honorable; these are not fair professional practices.5. We have incurred in additional fees at the bank for these bounced checks.6. We are still investing time and efforts to deal with these issues brought upon us by some of themembers.As you can see, I think that Appalachian Adventures did not fail but helped this group more than necessary. We feel that some of the members of this group are trying to take advantage by practicing unethical norms of professional conduct. I do thank you for your time, and for reading my explanations. I wish I could have summarized this experience but was compelled to try to cover most angles to facilitate all related information. I do thank you again for your understanding, and will remain available in case that you’d have any questions.Patricia L