Off-Roadin’ at Dubuque’s Sundown Mountain
Sundown Four-Wheeling at "Music on the Mountain"
It was Music and Jeeps on the Mountain Saturday at Dubuque's Sundown Mountain Resort. It was a day for new experiences -- not too many people had been off-roading at Sundown -- it's a ski resort, after all. But on Saturday, four-wheelers, mainly in Jeeps made the most of the opportunity to experience the slopes.
A Jeep show including off-roading was added to the event this year. Dubbed "Jeeps on the Mountain," the event drew hundreds of people in Jeeps who came to experience the trails and obstacles including a creek crossing, log jam, and mud pit. Some even came the night before and did some primitive camping near the base of the hill.
Sundown General Manager Mark Gordon told me he thought the mix of Jeeps and Music on the Mountain seemed to fit nicely. "It really just exploded" he added.
Four bands were on hand to perform through the day at the event, which also featured a petting zoo, a bounce house, and chairlift rides on a beautiful, clear, breezy October day. Vendors offering food and drinks were joined by vendors selling Jeep-related merchandise and accessories, and a variety of Jeep displays. There were great vistas, views of the foliage changing to fall colors, and Jeeps in just about every color you could think of.
I was lucky enough to bump into my old friend Charlie who was quick to offer a Jeep ride. It was a genuine thrill, and I felt a type of joy I hadn't experienced in a long time; a combination of challenge, risk, motion, and exuberance. So, with my thanks to Charlie, and kudos to Sundown's Mark, Chrissy, Andrea, and everyone involved in putting together a top-shelf event, here's a gallery of photos and a bit of video from the day.
A short video I took (well, tried to take) from the passenger seat of Charlie's Jeep as we got a little mud on the tires (and windshield, and pretty much everywhere else).
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