Keep Moving Forward!
Now 10 months into the role as President of AMR, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I am
grateful for the members, the volunteers, the committee chairs and my fellow board members
that deliver such enjoyment to my life. I hope that AMR delivers joy and friendship to each of
you.
As we enjoy the final warm days of the Colorado fall, and prepare for winter, let’s reflect on
2023 and think about what we want for and from AMR in 2024.
Our HPDE program was a success with five events (complete with a snowstorm and a solar
eclipse). The 2024 dates have been released (4 events; 2 each at La Junta and Pueblo). We
hope to see you there. Bring a friend.
Our Social program was a big hit, with new venues and new experiences such as the Colorado
Springs Vibes baseball game and the Reincarnation Murder Mystery dinner. For 2024 we are
working to build a larger Social Committee and to increase the number of events we host.
The Tour slate was impacted a bit by weather, but still delivered a nice variety of tours. The
Pikes Peak Hill Climb Tour was a smash hit, as was the Snowmass Heritage Fire Tour. I have
seen a sneak peak of the 2024 schedule and it looks fantastic.
We have had a number of members step forward with great ideas for the club (an AMR float is
in the works for the Monument 4th of July Parade). We are working with members in SW
Colorado (Durango and the surrounding area) to provide them greater support and a larger
voice in AMR. And we have re-launched our monthly newsletter (thanks to Wally for
volunteering to serve as editor)! Our financials are in good shape, our attendance and
participation has increased, and we have a lot of new ideas being offered which should come
to fruition in 2024.
All-in, I consider it a successful year. 2024 will be better. Invite friends to join you at an event.
Try a new offering to Volunteer to fill open roles. And share your ideas. This is your club.
Help make it be the best it can be. Keep it moving forward!
AMR Board of Upcoming Events*
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- Dec 11 AMR-RMR Joint Board Meeting (Tentative)
- Dec 17 AMR Holiday Social at the El Paso Club
- Dec 25 Christmas Day
- Jan 1 New Year’s Day
- Jan 17 MLK Day
- Jan 19 MR Membership Social at TBD
- Feb 14 Valentine’s Day
- Feb 19 AMR New Members Social at Porsche Colorado Springs (Tentative)
- Feb 21 President’s Day
Most events are still in the planning stage and may change or be cancelled due to various conditions and
guidelines; please check the AMR website at https//lk1.2b8.myftpupload.com
Tours recap for 2023
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- Pikes Peak Hill Climb Tour (15 July 2023)
Volunteers – Chris and Kathleen Lennon, Raimond and Gudrun Melkers
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- Heritage Fire Festival / Aspen – Snowmass Tour (28-30 July 2023)
Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
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- Pueblo Farmers Market Tour (13 Aug 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
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- Gold-Belt Byway Off-Road Tour (10 September 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
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- Troll Discovery Tour (01 October 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen, Randy Wait, Lou Morales
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- Milbergers Farm Fall Festival Tour (29 October 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
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- Gold-Belt Byway Off-Road Tour (10 September 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
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- Troll Discovery Tour (01 October 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen, Randy Wait, Lou Morales
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- Milbergers Farm Fall Festival Tour (29 October 2023)
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Volunteers – Raimond and Gudrun Melkers, Alex and Lisa Stoen
This year’s tours started relatively late in the season, in part due to extended winter/late
spring. One of our first big tours was the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with our dear friend Chris
Lennon, who gave us some great insight into racing up to the summit of America’s Mountain!
Some of the other tours we did included the Farmers Markets in Pueblo, our off-road tour
up Phantom Canyon to Victor, then down Shelf Road to Cañon City and finally, a leafpeeping / troll discovery tour to see Rita the Rock Planter in Victor and Isak Hearstone in
Breckenridge.Volunteers – Chris and Kathleen Lennon, Raimond and Gudrun Melkers
We followed up that tour with our ambitious overnight tour to Aspen/Snowmass coinciding
with the Heritage Fire Festival. Along with with 10 couples, we enjoyed a beautiful drive
over the continental divide and Independence Pass, stopping for lunch at Twin Lakes,
followed by a cocktail/dinner at the amazing Limelight hotel in the center of Snowmass
village. The next day, we drove another scenic route to Marble, via Carbondale, for a great
BBQ lunch. This year’s overnight tour was such a success, we’d like to plan for more next
year!! (Ideas and tour leads welcome!!!).
Some of the other tours we did included the Farmers Markets in Pueblo, our off-road tour up
Phantom Canyon to Victor, then down Shelf Road to Cañon City and finally, a leaf-peeping /
troll discovery tour to see Rita the Rock Planter in Victor and Isak Hearstone in
Breckenridge.The Year Of Endless Possibilities!
By Kathleen Lennon, Operations Director
More variety, bigger venues and endless possibilities were the challenge and theme for
2023 Social Chairs Karen Garbee and Kathleen Lennon. After not having a January
social, the attendance for February started out with gusto at The Old Spaghetti Factory
with 64 in attendance for the “Feel the Love” social. And love everyone felt. Coming out
of our comfort zone after being quarantined for so long it was great to see familiar faces
as well as new members to meet and greet. It was like old times having everyone gather
around the large tables, introducing the board, hearing about events coming up and
winning door prizes once again. We were back!
March, while we tried hard to keep to the theme of the month, The Great British Food
Company brought out the Irish in all of us. We hit a few bumps in the road with slow
food service but once again, everyone seemed to enjoy the camaraderie and went with the
flow. Rumor has it the Irish beer flowed freely! Note to the social chairs, make sure to
have space for the door prizes! The fireplace hearth had to do!
March also brought a New Member Social, at Porsche of Colorado Springs. We can’t
thank them enough for their support for this event. The New Member Social (which
really is always open to ALL AMR Members) highlighted Tours, Autocross, Socials,
High Performance Drivers Education and Charities to introduce everyone and answered
questions from many to all the 2023 events that were to take place once the snow melted!
So much food and drink – who knew?!?!
April, an open house at Big Mission Motorsports, thanks to our President, Steve Smith
was a huge success with over 120 people in attendance – about 35 more people than
registered. Scramble Steve to get more food in. Broken Bones Catering came to the
rescue. Lesson learned here – free food and drink brings out the members.
May brought two events: Ladies Tea at Glen Eyrie and a taco bar (keeping with the theme
Cinco de Mayo theme of the month) at Mi Mexico. The Glen Eyrie event was wonderful.
We sold out the event and all the ladies came dressed for the occasion, including little hats
to borrow for everyone provided by Gudrun. The food was excellent, and the tea was
outstanding. The ambiance and company were the highlights for all. We’re hoping to go
back next year. Both were successful and kept with our goal to think out of the box and
have endless possibilities. While the price of a taco seemed high at Mi Mexico, the
attendance was low, it was the cost of having a room to ourselves, and multiple options
for toppings for our tacos. Yes, we now realize that the language barrier for “usual
toppings” like rice and beans etc. did not exactly translate.
June, time to try to be more creative and stretch the boundaries. How many of you all
shared a pizza at Parry’s Pizzeria? Several I would say. Not often at a social do we share
meals or have great views of our own Pikes Peak, with a floor and bar to ourselves July, a time to finally not worry about snow, but the rain did make a visit to Fox Run
Regional Park with the Shop Dog BBQ food truck from our AMR Member Suzie Williams.
Note to ourselves, make sure that there is internet service so that lines won’t be so long (this
was an issue for the food vendor). Long time member Fred Veitch used to say, “We are a
club of drinking with a car problem” well, with no alcohol at the park allowed, we did
pretty well!
August it was soccer or baseball. Soccer became too costly per ticket and we were well
aware that our attendance would suffer and we would be unable to make the quota so a little
local baseball with our home team Rocky Mountain Vibes at UC Health Park seemed to fit
the bill. While we didn’t get the attendance we had hoped for – we did get two new
members that had just signed up with AMR that day to come out and join us for the game.
Win or lose, the fireworks were a hit (get it – baseball bat hit the ball?).
September was Flying W and so many of you that attended mentioned that in all the years
you had been living in the Springs, you had never been. This event was unfortunately our
lowest in attendance although there seemed to be great enthusiasm for it at the New
Member Social in March. Could price have been a deterrent? Flying W and the Flying
Wranglers offered up a Chuckwagon spread and timeless tunes from the open range.
October brought beautiful cars at Reincarnation, and a wonderful who done it Murder
Mystery by Red Herring Productions to help us get in the mood for Halloween! Update…
Red Herring Productions did an awesome job with their murder mystery and each table was
tasked with trying to figure out who dunnit. We didn’t get enough people to sign up for the
German food truck to provide dinner but a gracious, anonymous donors offered to provide
pizza. salads, sugar cookies, Halloween candy as well as wine, beer, sodas and water was
also available. Hopefully more people will come out for a similar event next year. Everyone
who attended had a great time.
While we give thanks for 2023 with family and friends in November, there will be no
social. Family time is the best time.
December 9th we will gather again at the annual AMR Holiday Party. This year at
Briarhurst Manor. Great food, a string quartet, awards and swearing in the 2024 Board of
Directors will be in store, along with an ugly sweater contest (optional), as we close out our
year of Endless Possibilities.
In summary, 2023 brought highs and lows in attendance to our socials. Maybe our
expectations were too high to try to have more variety, bigger venues etc. We know we
could not please everyone, but we worked hard and tried. Everyone who came out
appeared to have a good time. What is in store for 2024? You tell us. What would you like
to see differently in socials for the new year? What would make you want to come out for
socials? Feel free to come and talk to us at any time, we are always open to suggestions.
Next year there will be a Social Committee. If you would like to join the committee to help
us think outside the box, please let us know that too.
Thank you all for your patience and kindness as we ventured out trying to create Endless
Possibilities 2023. -
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