August 2nd to 9th

 

 

Leadville/Twin Lakes, Colorado

 

 

Click on Santana, Top Gun, Bob Marley, Rocky, AC/DC, Mission Impossible,

 Peanuts, Floyd, Eye of Tiger, Beatles, Fly like an Eagle, Deliverance, Men at Work,

Beach Boys, Axle's Theme, James Bond, Van Halen, or the Eagles while you browse the ALL-4-FUN reports...

Click on the photo for a panorama of the 2003 All-4-Fun Base Camp

(Note: Some text repeated from previous reports.  If you would like an original of any of these photos just email me.  Enjoy!)

    All-4-Fun, spelled backwards is Fun-4-All!!  That's what the week is all about, fun for the whole family, and fun for jeepers of all skill and rig levels.  For 2003, the site was 18 miles south of Leadville, Colorado near Twin Lakes. What a week!!!  From high altitude (9,600') sun to afternoon showers some days and cool nights, the cool weather was a nice break from the redundant heat of Denver!!

to moderate/difficult trails like Iron Mike (and Wheeler Lake/Holy Cross)...

        This year, the 37th Annual MHJC All-4-Fun Leadville played host to almost 400 registered wheelers from Sat. August 2nd to Sat. Aug 9th.   Along with some 85-100 MHJC members, there were registered participants from all over the country.  Well over 1000 people attended the weeklong event.  Thank you for coming from afar, we hope you enjoyed the best family jeeping event in the country.  Each All-4-Fun every year would not be as successful as the last without the long hours of support and help of each committee member doing their part.

    Thanks to all who helped, and especially Co-Chairs Jeff Fish & Melody Mesmer, who can now sit back and accept this congratulations. It takes a lot of people to put an event like this together and make it work. Thanks to everyone for making this a fun and successful week.  Including Gary Moul and his team for keeping things running and organized. 

    Everyone was so upbeat and in a great mood all week. Was it the beer? Nope, just friendly people, all with the same hobby-----jeepin'.  After a long day on the trail, it was great to hang and swap trail stories in camp and under the big top. There was NOT a ban on fires this year, so the campfire stories were flying off the trail.

    Rob of 4x4 Used Parts Inc. was on hand once again (every year since 1989!!) to help out anyone in need of repairs. Discount Tire, Warn and Clemson 4Wheel Center, provided adult refreshments, and Saturday's Gas provided sodas.  Thanks also to Dirk and Sue Ballinger (the Trail Bosses) for organizing trips everyday, and making the Trail Leader's job easier.  They even made up tickets for each trip (thanks to Doug H.)!  It takes a lot to please over 400 Jeepers with fun trails for all skills and wants-great job!

    Jeepers from all over the country come to enjoy a week of jeepin' (5 days), and the social functions held every night under the big top year after year.  Bring your best lawn chair to show off.  This year in Leadville was no exception, Sat. night: Orientation Night, Sun. night: Leadville Appreciation Night, Tue. night: Bestop Ice Cream Social & entertainment, Wed. night: MHJC's BBQ/Show-N-Shine/Kids Games/Awards, Thur. night: MHJC's DOOR PRIZE NIGHT, and finally, Fri. night: Warn Night/BBQ/Live Band.

    So, as every night was planned, all you had to do was figure out from the 15 or so trips run each day (except Wed.), (which included: Chinaman, Holy Cross, Wheeler Lake, Mt. Antero, Lost Canyon, Iron Mike, Iron Chest, S. Fork Clear Creek, McCallister, Mosquito Pass, Mt. Bross, Grizzly Lake, Hagerman Pass, Hancock/Alpine Tunnel, & Ghost/Gold Mine Tour)  what trail you wanted to do!  Sign-up sheets were up at 6pm the day before the run to sign up, and tickets were handed out to remind you the time and place to stage.  Trips met up at staging areas and leave on ½ hour intervals from 8-10am.  I was a trip leader all week, and lead 4 trips to some great trails covering the whole area around Leadville/Buena Vista: (Sunday: Mt. Antero Trail, Monday: Iron Mike Mine Trail, Thursday: Lost Canyon Trail, and Friday: Mosquito Pass/Mt. Bross Trails. 

Even Molly--my jeepin-sidekick enjoyed the week!

Here are the general  trail locations of

the trails offered at All-4-Fun 2003

based out of Leadville/Twin Lakes.

  click on link below to a

personal daily trip/event report

 from All-4-Fun 2003...

Saturday, August 2nd

LEADVILLE BOOM DAYS

Sunday, August 3rd

MT. ANTERO TRAIL

Monday, August 4th

IRON MIKE MINE TRAIL

Tuesday, August 5th

WHEELER LAKE TRAIL

(Guest Writer-Vivre Strid)

Wednesday, August 6th

All-4-Fun's VENDOR'S DAY

Thursday, August 7th

LOST CANYON TRAIL

Friday, August 8th

MOSQUITO PASS/MT. BROSS TRAILS

   I was the solo 'hobo' for the week.  It just worked out that way, as those who registered had a change of plans, while Paul's (Weiszguy) axle lay in some guy's shop not completed (not what he had in mind).  Molly and I walked around and saw most all the camps (Patrol's 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14) represented from MHJC patrols.  We were especially fond of Patrol 14's 'bonfire' and fireside chat on most nights.  It's fun to meet and get to know other MHJC members, along with wheelers from across the country in such an informal setting.

   Wednesday was a 'relax' day off from jeepin', and included a full day of FUN. One could enjoy some fishing nearby, a mine tour, check out historic Leadville, go rafting on the Arkansas River, or stay in camp for a full day of activities.  From the Show-N-Shine, Kid's Games, Manufacture's under the big top, food and refreshments for lunch and dinner, and the awards ceremony at night, it was a great day!

    On Thursday night--at 7pm sharp, the popular Door Prize night was run by Troy & Melody Mesmer's committee (great job!).  Everyone was ready to receive over 400 door prizes to registered jeepers who were present (some even took home 2!). How long does that take you ask?  Well, (at 11:30pmish?) we had the raffle (after the last prize was given away).   I got my $20 worth of Children's Hospital raffle tickets, and not a one even came close.  Who cares, it's all for the kids.  A big 'Thanks' to Fred Perry of Clemson 4Wheel Center, and Harold Ogden of Warn,  who bid the highest ($800!--matching bids!) for the "JEEP"-Toughest 4 letters plaque for 2003, with all the money going to Children's Hospital.  Jeff Fish proclaimed that this year's participants raised $10,000 (to go to the Burn Camp for Children's Hospital)!!.  Another fun night under the All-4-Fun big top!

    The week of FUN finished up on Friday night with the WARN NIGHT BBQ, free beer/soda, and the band (which has played in previous years) started up at 6pm as part of Warn Night, sponsored by Warn Industries.  During intermission, Harold Ogden of Warn handed out some Warn products. A big THANKS to WARN for their great support of All-4-Fun!

   The band (which played last year in Silverton, Salida, Central City, & Fairplay in 99') played on til 11:30pm Friday night!  By early Sat. August 9th, the camping sites were almost empty, as happy and content jeepers would make their own treks back home out of the Arkansas River valley, til they return for their annual migration in a year...

Here are some group photos of wonderful jeepers

I met and led on trails during the week...

     Everyday of the week, either on the trail or in camp, was a blast!  This was a great All-4-fun!  A toast to the hosts and the guests (for coming!!), for another successful All-4-Fun this year in LEADVILLE/TWIN LAKES!

I hope you enjoy my week-long adventures during All-4-Fun 2003, and the accompanying 120+ photos..."

"See ya on the trail"

BILL HALLINAN  HoboJeepers

See Ya next year for

ALL-4-FUN 2004!!!

July 31st to August 6th

in

GEORGETOWN, COLORADO!!!

(Space always limited!!!! Get registered ASAP!)  

Here are some other Hobo All-4-Fun Reports:

All-4-Fun Week 2005 Gunnison-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 2004 Georgetown-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 2002 Silverton-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 2001 Salida-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 2000 Central City-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 1999 Fairplay-HoboJeepers

Here are some other Leadville, Colorado sites:

Leadville, Colorado: http://www.leadville.com/

Leadville Chamber of Commerce: http://www.leadvilleusa.com/

Leadville's Newspaper: http://www.leadvilleherald.com/

Leadville's current weather: http://www.wunderground.com/US/CO/Leadville.html

(if you or your club has an All-4-Fun report from this year, or year's past, please send me the link)

Here are some links to other Mile-Hi ALL-4-FUN Reports:

All-4-Fun Week 2003 Leadville by Pat Gremillion

All-4-Fun Week 2002 Silverton by Rick Russell

All-4-Fun Week 2001 Salida by Kevin Nauer

All-4-Fun Week 2000 Central City-HoboJeepers

All-4-Fun Week 2000 Central City Willie Worthy

All-4-Fun Week 99 Fairplay by 4x4U.com

All-4-Fun Week 99 Fairplay by Two Rivers Jeep Club of TX

All-4-Fun Week 99 Fairplay-HoboJeepers

33rd Annual All-4-Fun 1999 Fairplay, Colorado by Flatlander

32nd Annual All-4-Fun 1998 Silverton, Colorado by Flatlander

32nd Annual All-4-Fun 1998 Silverton, Colorado by Truckworld.Com

32nd Annual All-4-Fun 1998 Silverton by Harold Ogden

30th Annual All-4-Fun 1996 Salida, Colorado by Flatlander

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