- Location
- Bourbonnais IL.
Couple weeks ago, when I arrived to my English class, my instructor informed us that we were to write a reflective 1 page paper. We had about 40 mins to think of what we wanted to write, write it, and turn it in. At the time, Winterfest was about the only thing on my mind, so I just started typing.
Thought you guys might get a kick out of what I wrote, just in time for the coolest event :
: puts on.
Thought you guys might get a kick out of what I wrote, just in time for the coolest event :
: puts on. SAMSET said:WINTERFEST
Once a year, for 2 or 3 days, a very large group of great people get together. Every March there is a gathering of Jeepers called Winterfest at an off-road park called the Badlands. During these festivities there will be games of all sorts, food that you can only handle eating once a year, and a large amount of adult beverage consumption. 70 or so guys and girls show up, to have what I consider, one of the best weekends of the year.
I belong to an online based jeep club called North American XJ Association. For the most part it is an online forum where I go to learn tech, ask and answer questions. Most of my Jeep knowledge has come from this group of people. Once involved you end up becoming close friends with everyone. Daily conversations on the web lead to group garage visits, where you can help build up a member’s Jeep. These lead to meet and greets. Eventually you are attending events these guys are hosting at their houses. During the unofficial “Off-road Season”, we try as hard as we can to gather up and go off –roading together. Sometimes you may meet up with four or five, sometimes you may get lucky and there could be ten or fifteen Jeeps. But once a year, the first weekend in March, we gather in flocks. Winterfest has arrived.
There is a special connection that comes from camping with a bunch of other guys you only see once a year in twenty degree weather. I call it a family reunion amongst Jeepers because these are people I conversate with often but see rarely. Every year we all try our hardest to make it to Attica, IN. for this event. Slowly people start to trickle in. Some arriving on Wednesday, some Thursday. By Friday there can be as many as 30 people and their Jeeps in a campground called Attica Family Campground. A trail run is organized for Friday morning and many go out and have a great time. Friday night there is a very large potluck dinner organized, a decent bon fire, and some drinks and good times are had by all. Saturday morning is the main event, 50 to 70 Jeeps in attendance, most with passengers along for the ride. There is a driver meeting and then a morning full of trail riding ranging from easy trails, to very difficult, each leads and is followed by experienced wheelers. Around lunch time, there is a big group photo taken and everybody hangs out and has a good time, and discusses all of the carnage that happened. Then most will go on another afternoon run.
When the evening arrives, there is a large catered dinner. Lots of good conversation is had and everyone has a great time. Then we have a raffle. Off-road companies from all over have donated parts and gift cards to this event. Tickets are sold and prizes are won. Afterward there is an award ceremony, mostly jokes (ugliest Jeep, dumbest move, etc.) but also some things that are appreciated (best Jeep built). After the dinner we head back to the campground. A bon fire of epic proportion is made and many drinks are had.
By the wee hours in the morning, the last few stumble back to their tents. By eight in the morning most are packing up and saying their good byes. You begin to hear the rumble of the Jeeps as some leave and others load up their trailers. By ten everyone is just about gone and all we can do is say “I can’t wait till next year.”
