Atons Gopher Run History
- 1972: The Atons of Minneapolis were founded in the spring and held our first run that summer — AQUA-I, July 21–22, 1972.
- 1976: GOPHER I, co-hosted with the Norsemen at Kingswood Methodist Camp.
- 1977: GOPHER II, co-hosted by the Norsemen at Kingswood Methodist Camp.
- 1978: GOPHER III, co-hosted by the Black Guard at Kingswood Methodist Camp.
- 1980: GOPHER IV, held on our own at Kingswood Methodist Camp.
- 1982: GOPHER V, held in town after the Methodists discovered we weren’t “just another church group.”
- 1984: GOPHER VI, also held in town.
- 1986: GOPHER VII, returned to the great outdoors at Whitewater State Park near Altura, MN — a literal high water mark when we were flash-flooded out during Midnight Madness.
- 1990: GOPHER IX, the Egyptian-themed run Valley of the Pharaohs, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 1992: GOPHER X, the Roman-themed run The Age of the Empire, celebrated our 20th anniversary at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 1994: GOPHER XI, traveled to Renaissance Italy for Inquestus Maximus, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 1996: GOPHER XII, Going Down… On the Farm, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 1997: Atons 25 – A Renaissance: Renewing the Ties That Bind, held September 26–28 at the Regal Minneapolis Hotel. The highlight was a trip to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.
- 1998: GOPHER XIII – Gopher Broke: The Wild Ones, looked back to the beginnings of the biker clubs, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2000: GOPHER XIV – The Legend of Paul Bunyan, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2002: GOPHER XV, marking the 30th anniversary, this run was styled as XXX (Triple X), at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2004: GOPHER XVI, a military-themed run, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2006: GOPHER XVII – Trailer Park Reunion, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2008: GOPHER XVIII – The Close Encounters Run, celebrating science fiction, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2010: GOPHER XIX – Gopher U, a leather higher education theme, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2012: GOPHER XX – 40 Years of Devotion, at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN.
- 2014: GOPHER XXI – Tails of the City, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Minneapolis.
- 2017: GOPHER XXII – Minnesota Nice Naughty, at the Hilton MSP Airport.
- 2022: GOPHER XXIII – 50th Anniversary Run: Celebrate the ’70s, at Whitewater State Park near Altura, MN.
- 2024: GOPHER XXIV – Kink In Space, at Whitewater State Park near Altura, MN.
