Introduction:

I'd been promising myself that I'd have this meet report done in time to start work on the report for Daktoberfest 2003 with a clean slate. So much for that idea.... I still haven't dealt with video - in fact, I'm still short one tape, and I haven't quite finished dealing with the stills, but after a concentrated effort, they're about 95 percent complete. I just need to finish commenting those that aren't and re-export them. So within the next few days, I'll be out of excuses to put off working on video. Sorry for the delays! Anyway....

Welcome to the meet report for the Fifth Annual Dakota Mailing List Barbecue, held July 25-6, 2003 in Forestville, NY. Many thanks to Jon Steiger, our gracious host, and of course to all the attendees, whithout whom this simply wouldn't be possible.

While this was my first BBQ - in fact, at the time I'd only been on the list for about a month - I'd certainly looked over the previous meet reports with excitement as soon as I heard of such a beast. It seems that every year, the group tries to outdo the previous years' incarnation. This year was certainly no exception. However, rather than the fruits of the attempts being bigger and better than ever before, the damage done this year - through no intention at all - was far more severe than in years past. This year's events' most lasting effects were the near-complete death of one attendee's truck, and the unfortunate passing of another attendee's dog, Bobby.

This meet report is dedicated to Bobby Bleazard. Norah and Jason's dog of 11 years lost his life at this year's barbeque to the wheels of a friend's Dakota. Bobby will always live on in their hearts, and in those of those who knew him. Rest in peace, lil' guy.
Jason and Norah's tribute page seems to have fallen off the Intarwebnet when they changed service providers, but I'll link back to it as soon as I can.

An introduction to this report would be severly lacking without introducing those involved....

DML Attendees:

• Josh Battles - Blue '00 V6 CC
• Neil Bellenger - Green '99 V8 CC 4x4
• Adam "The Adam Blaster" Comartin - White '98 4 door Cherokee 4x4
• Jason & Norah Bleazard - Black '01 V8 QC 4x4
• David & Jan Henry - Blue '94 V8 CC 4x4
• Jim Knox - Red '91 V8 4x4 ( drag truck )
• Andy Levy & friend, Eric - Blue '03 V8 QC 4x4
• (me) Michael Maskalans - Red '98 V8 CC 4x4
• Ed McCarrick - White '00 V8 QC 4x4
• Barry Oliver & Josie - White '99 V8 CC 4x4
• "Terrible" Tom Stack - Silver '89 V6 RC 4x4
• (host) Jon Steiger - White '90 V6 convertible, Black '96 V8 CC, Gray '92 Ram V8 4x4

SCORE Attendees:

• Mary and Rich Ayre - Black '94 Wrangler
• Paul, Chris & Nathan Ayre - Red '48 Willys ( Trailered by an F-150. Yes, that F-150, and that F-150, too [BBQ '02 MPEGs] )
• Remo Bianco - Black '91 Wrangler
• Rick & Melissa Burt - Red '94 Wrangler ( Trailered by an Avalanche )
• Mike Cooper - Red '89 Cherokee
• Bob Fetter - White '87 Wrangler
• Chris & Dee Graff - Aqua Blue '46 Willys ( Pulled by a Caravan )
• Mike Leonis - Black '95 Wrangler
• Dave Metrick - Blue '01 CC Dakota ( "This is the only meet they'll let me come to!" )
• Don Metrick - Teal '92 Wrangler
• Nate McPherson - Silver '03 Wrangler Rubicon

How To Read:

I've broken the meet report into several sections for ease of linking and of reading. On all pages, see above right for links to photos and videos, and to each page of the report. I'm also including sectional navigation at the bottom of every page: