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Sierra Nevada Unit, Rally & Luncheon Reviews 2005

These are the reviews of SNU luncheons and rallies that were published in SNU newsletters. Most were written by Diane Leipper unless otherwise indicated.

January 2005 – Lunch at Bavarian World

Those of us who attended the January luncheon at Bavarian World in Reno not only had a great time and a great meal, we decided that this luncheon was our salute to the international rallies and caravans that have been part of WBCCI's history since the beginning. In addition to enjoying great German food, we discussed other ways the SNU could celebrate WBCCI's 50th anniversary, and SNU's 30th in 2006. We also passed out the member directories and "official" name tags. Fred Hersey did a great job of printing the name inserts for the tags and everyone was pleased with the results. Ann Hersey, the SNU treasurer, said the Unit is in good shape financially and our membership stands at 17 paid so far this year. It's not too early. The first SNU rally of 2005 will be March 24th through 27th at Rye Patch reservoir. Now is a good time to start thinking about what needs checking, what needs lubed and oiled, what needs rotating, and pressurizing, and what needs fixing or replacing to get your tow vehicle and trailer ready to hit the road and join us at the rally. The most important thing is to make sure your rig is road worthy. There are plenty of tool boxes, and usually some spare parts, along with people with great ideas who have "been there – done that" at our rallies to help you with those many little projects that Airstreams tend to need, especially the older ones. So come as you are and plan on sharing ideas, brainstorming problems, discovering creative solutions, and just enjoying the Airstream experience with other devotees. Look for more details on the rally in the next newsletter and plan to join us at Rye Patch.

February 2005 – Lunch at Sandwinds

The SNU February luncheon Friday February 18th in Fallon was great despite the gloomy weather. We were delighted to have two guests join us for lunch. JerryThornburg and Dyann McDonald have a 31ft 1983 International. Wib and Pat Stephens have a 19ft 1977 Argosy. We look forward to seeing them all at further SNU events, including our upcoming rally at Rye Patch. After lunch we adjourned to the Douglas's where we had pie and ice cream - Thank you Bonny and Roy! At a short business meeting we discussed the upcoming rally, an opportunity to participate in the Gatsby Festival at Lake Tahoe, some PR ideas to promote the Unit, and member updates. We also discussed the possibility of a joint rally with the Nevada Unit after Diane mentioned that she had received a call from that Unit's president, Bette Leal and discussed the idea. Diane also handed out copies of a commemorative booklet on WBCCI history.

March 2005 – Rally at Rye Path

The SNU first rally at Rye Patch was a big success. Typical Nevada spring - we had a little snow, a little rain, a little wind, a little sun, and a LOT of fun. We had a nice fire most of the day and a great pot luck on Saturday. Everyone cooked hot dogs or polish sausage on a stick. As a special treat Rich Jaggard made sopapillas in his Bambi and the Thornburg's cooked us apple and cherry pies with their pie irons. The group area at Rye Patch, recommended by the Thornburg's, is a great spot for a rally. Right on the bend of the river with lots of trees. We will definitely be holding future rallies there. The rally was held on a full moon weekend which was great for nighttime walks but not so great for star gazing. Rich brought his high powered binoculars so we got to see the moon close up. We also got to view Jupiter and some of it's moons as well as some other stars. Roy Douglas has been busy polishing his 1972 Globetrotter – Wow! The reflection from the sun as well as t he full moon was almost blinding. Roy withstood numerous bribes from the rest of us to polish our trailers. He figures one is enough. Last but not least, we wish welcome Jerry Thornburg and Dyann Mcdonald who joined the SNU at the rally, as our newest members.

April 2005 – Rally at Fran’s near Lahontan

The SNU April rally at Fran Reid's place off of Hwy 50 near Lake Lahonton was another mixed weather event. We had lots of clouds, some wind, some sun, some warm temps andsome periods of colder temps. We didn't have any precipitation though. We could sit and enjoy the beautiful Nevada vistas, watch the ducks and geese flying overhead on their way to Lahonton or take a walk through the playa and find all sorts of plants blooming or getting ready to bloom. A short walk also provided a great overview of the Carson River and the bluffs above it. We had a great pot luck lunch on Saturday and were joined by guests Randy and Vicki Grossmann. They are considering purchasing an Airstream and thought it would be a good idea to talk to people who own and enjoy them. I think we convinced them that Airstreaming is the way to go. During lunch we also discussed a little business. Topics included the newsletter distribution, the offer from Linx Leveler's, upcoming rallies, a possible joint rally with the Nevada Unit, and a membership update. We also passed around the Unit's copy of the Safety Program distributed by WBCCI. Thank you Fran, for providing a nice place for the SNU to hold a rally

May 2005 – Rally at Boca Springs

Finally! We had great weather at our Boca Springs rally. Although we always have a great time, it was wonderful to sit out under the whispering pines without being bundled up to almost unrecognizable blobs. We were happy to be joined on this rally by Bob and Sarah Stover in their 1973 Argosy. To test out his new truck, Randy Grossman drove up on Saturday for a visit. He and his wife Vicki just bought a 2005 Safari which we are all anxious to see at our June rally in Kingston. Judy and Rich Jaggard also came by on Sunday for a nice visit. Soccer prevented their coming for the whole rally this time. Don Damoth decided to provide a little excitement and exercise our first aid skills. While innocently whacking a piece of wood against a tree to make smaller firewood, he somehow nearly took off the tip of his thumb. This precipitated a trip to the emergency room while the rest of us waited anxiously in camp. Don lucked out. The hospital found a surgeon who has gained expertise in repairing hands by treating people whose fingers end up in snow blowers or on the wrong end of a chainsaw. Don made it back to camp in time for dinner and of course his wife MaryLou, with support from the rest of us, wouldn't let him do anything with firewood or the fire except to sit and enjoy it. We did have a sacrificial burning of the offending tree limb - still at it's original length. On Saturday we had our late Cinco de Mayo dinner. As usual, it was a great buffet with more than enough good food. Another unexpected treat was that the new Airstream dealer in Reno, Mountain Family RV brought a new 28 ft Safari Slide Out to our Boca Springs rally. We all enjoyed meeting the owner Jon Whipple, and other members of his family. I think he found out that when it comes to Airstreams, SNU members are more than happy to talk his ears off. Of course, we all really appreciated his bringing the trailer up for us to spend time exploring. He also brought up lots of literature for us to browse through and a baseball cap for everyone.

June 2005 – Rally at Kingston

As Randy Grossmann said, it is going to be hard to top our June rally at Kingston. Randy and his wife Vicki are our newest members and this was their first rally in their new Airstream. We had a total of 7 Airstreams, 19 people, 6 dogs, and 3 cats, our largest rally in the last five years. Apparently we were the talk of Kingston. Our shiny aluminum trailers were very visible in the open country and created a lot of talk amongst the residents in the local bar and grocery store. The Thornburg's were also initiating their new Airstream, a 31ft Classic. Both the Grossmann's and the Thornburg's bought their Airstreams from Mountain Family RV. On the vintage side were the Root's attending their first rally in their 1956 26ft Cruiser, a beautiful old Airstream with many of the original appliances still in working order. Roy and Bonny Douglas our hosts, were the recipients of a special present made by Jerry Thornburg's cousin. It was a beautiful wood sign with two buzzards sitting on top. It was a big hit with the Douglas's as well as the rest of us. Jerry also had a hillbilly pink flamingo that was a great addition to the Unit's growing flamingo flock. I f you needed any incentive to drive all the way to Kingston then Roy Douglas's smoked brisket was without a doubt the perfect motivator. After smoking all day in his special Texas built smoker we all were treated to tender, juicy, perfectly done beef brisket. Beans, salads and deserts accompanied this. Wewere fortunate enough to enjoy a after dinner concert by Brian Jaggard. He brought his violin to practice for a recital he was attending on Sunday. What a way to top off a great meal and a great evening. Rich Jaggard brought his telescope so we were able to take advantage of the dark sky and view the stars and the milky way close up. Some of the other highlights included 7 yr old Nick Root catching his first fish and getting cleaning instructions from Rich Jaggard, visits to a nearby hot springs, trips to nearby ghost towns and other scenic attractions, an evening playing board games, and of course a few inspirational naps to recuperate from all the excitement. We are also happy to report that Don Damoth's thumb which created some excitement at the Boca Rally, is healing nicely and he will soon be able to remove the brace that still protects the mending bone.

July 2005 – Picnic at Spooner

The SNU picnic at Spooner Lake was a welcome reprieve from the heat in the valleys. The temp was in the 80's rather than the 100's. The picnic was well attended and of course we had some great food to share. Chuck Fell discussed plans for our tour of Bodie in August. A day trip to Bodie will be part of our Twin Lakes rally. The Damoth's brought two of their grandkids to the picnic. They all enjoyed bike rides around the area. Jenny, Rich and Judy Jaggard's daughter was able to come. She will be heading to college in Missouri soon so it was nice to see her before she leaves. Others in attendance were Fred and Ann Hersey, Dyann and Jerry Thornburg, Bryan, Diane, and Virginia Leipper, Dave Gmur, Randy Grossmann, Judy Fell, Judy, Rich and Brian Jaggard. We missed Vicki Grossma nn at the picnic but look forward to seeing her at the Twin Lakes rally.

August 2005 – Rally at Twin Lakes

For the third year, the Crags group area at Twin Lakes near Bridgeport, CA was the site of the SNUAugust rally. What can I say about that rally but Wow! We set a new attendance record. We had a fantastic tour of the nearby ghost town of Bodie. We celebrated a birthday. We got to sample some tin foil charcoal cooking. We were serenaded by a 4 year old budding musician. We had great weather, great food, great people, and a great time. There were 9 Airstreams at the rally, including the LaBorde's who were able to join us for the first

Chuck Fell, a member of the SNU who works for the California Parks Service and has lived at Bodie, took us on a fantastic tour. Chuck took us into some houses and buildings not normally open to the public. He shared a lot of history and antidotes about the people and events related to Bodie. For instance, many houses have tunnels that lead to the outhouse so that you could make the trip even when there was over 5 ft of snow on the ground. The Leipper's drove the Bvan to Bodie and it was used as a sort of staging area, a place to sit in the shade and a gathering place for lunch.

Saturday night we celebrated Roy Douglas's birthday a few days early, complete with birthday cake a nd candles. Jeni Root put together some special treats. Oranges filled with cake dough and a very good apple, sweet potato and ham casserole, all wrapped in foil and cooked over the coals. Rick LaBorde cooked a nice big pot of gumbo. Rick and Jeanne LaBorde's 4 yr old son Guy, provided us with several impromptu seranades complete with air guitar and action. He already has a good voice and it will be interesting to see how his music interest progresses as he gets older. Dyann and Jerry Thornburg's 9 yr old niece,Taylor was also able to join us at the rally.

We also took care of some Unit business. We discussed the 2006 rally schedule, upcoming nominations and elections to the board, 2006 WBCCI International rally, and celebrating the 30th anniversary of the SNU in 2006. If anyone is interested in serving on the SNU board contact Diane 775-972-9392.

To see pictures of the rally and the day trip to Bodie go to: http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/memories/rallies/05-06rallies.html If you have pictures of this rallyor any other SNU gathering, please send copies to theLeipper's at 714 Terra Ct, Reno, 89506 or email hq@sierranevadaairstreams.org To make sure we have the whole picture of SNU events, we want to include everyone's pictures in the SNU archives and scrapbooks The SNU got a nice thank you email from the camp hosts at Crags. Although we will be checking out a new site in 2006, in my response to them, I told them that we will most likely be back in 2007 as the Crags is one of our favorite sites. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for your stay at Crags campground, Bridgeport Ca. It was good to see the gathering grow from year to year. I hope it will continue to grow even if we have to rearrange the group site to handle all of you. We hope all was well and the site worked out great for you and your group. Till next year hope all return and all have a great fall and winter. Thanks again. Tom and Mattie Paulsen (host) American Land and Liesure, Bridgeport Ca., Crags campground

September 2005 – Rally at Eagle Lake

What a neat site! The BLM campground on the North end of Eagle Lake has about 20 individual sites, great views of the lake, and lots of trees. We were delighted to welcome Spencer Thomas, SNU member from Adin, CA. Although he caught a flu bug and had to go home early we were glad we had the opportunity to meet him and hope to see him again soon. The weather was a little gray on Friday with a few sprinkles. The majority of the weekend was sunny, reasonably warm and only some light breezes - perfect weather for a rally! We had a great potluck lunch and potluck dinner on Saturday. Sitting around the campfire on Saturday gave us all a chance to enjoy a beautiful evening and discuss a wide range of topics, including of course, Airstreams. We confirmed the rally schedule for 2006 and also have most of the officers for the 2006 SNU board in place. All in all a great weekend.

October 2005 – Rally at Davis Creek

Absolutely great weather for an October rally! Clear blue skies, warm days with no wind, and cool nights. The SNU rally at Davis Creek also included visits by some special guests. The first was Larry Chapen, the Landscape Architect with the Nevada Division of State Parks. The second was from Jon Whipple, his wife Jelaine, their daughter Brook and the newest Whipple Bambi, 1 month old Ellie. Jelaine's Mom Soldi and Linda McCardy from Mountain Family also came along. Jon who is the owner of Mountain Family

RV also brought the brand new Quicksilver 16ft special edition Airstream. This Airstream has a surfer theme interior design, complete with tiki head handles on the cupboards. To see pictures of this Airstream go to http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/commerce/mfrv/index.htm Saturday several of the SNU members who weren't able to bring their trailers came out for a potluck lunch and the SNU business meeting. As usual, great food, lots of good conversation, and we even got a lot of business done, including the election of our 2006 Officers. In addition, we had an adhoc pet show. I think it was Mary Lou who thought we should get a picture of all the SNU members dogs since there seemed to be just about as many dogs as there were people. We were missing a few, but I think the dogs present represented the SNU pretty well. Saturday evening we had another potluck dinner and then a nice evening sitting around the campfire swapping stories and brainstorming ideas for future SNU events.

November 2005 - Pyramid Lake Rally

The SNU Rally year ends with another success. Eight trailers and one B-van attended the November rally at Pyramid Lake. Quite a change from 2003 when there was 1 trailer and a Bvan. In 2004 there was 4 trailers and a Bvan. Participants this year included Tim Kendziorski and Kimber Moore, and Mike Okamoto and Shelly Fallon who were attending their first SNU rally. Mike and Shelly also brought their 7 month old daughter Zoey and their boxer/pit bull mix, Edgar. Tim and Kimber brought Lolita, their 20 inch telescope. The weather was great for November, a little breezy at times and a little cool in the morning, but for the most part it was perfect for hiking in the hills, fishing in the lake, or just sitting around the campfire. Saturday evening, even with the moon, was great for checking out the stars with the Kendziorski's telescope

Jerry Thornburg caught a fish which he cooked over the fire and passed around for everyone to sample. Fresh fish, what a treat! We had our usual morning coffee and social time as well as excellent pot luck lunches Friday and Saturday. A surprise visit by Bonny Douglas gave us an opportunity to catch up on her and Roy's move to Missouri and their Airstream travel plans. Dave Gmur, a new member of the SNU also came out for a visit. His Airstream is still in the refurbishing mode and not ready for the road just yet. By spring we hope to see Dave and his Airstream at rallies. Another visitor was Woody who happened to be staying in a nearby RV park. He has a 1975 Airstream that his dad bought new. Jerry saw Woody's Airstream when he went to pay his camping fee and left a note for him to stop by. Woody shared stories of his trips to Alaska in his Airstream as well as other information and stories

Saturday, we had a short SNU business meeting. Among the items discussed were plans for the 30th SNU An iversary, including the announcement of the donation from Mountain Family RV to assist the SNU to purchase commemorative travel mugs. A draft of the invitation for the February luncheon and an SNU Anniversary booklet were passed around for review. There was discussion on the menu, price range, and other details of this luncheon. Arrangements are being handled by Randy and Vicki Grossman. Other items were the proposal to amend the bylaws to include provisions for carrying out SNU business via the internet the on line vote for the 2006 rally schedule, and an update on membership and the SNU financial status. A current 2006 rally and events calendar and flyer for the December, January, and February luncheons were passed around.

December 2005 – lunch at J.T.’s

We had a great luncheon on December 3, at JT's in Gardnerville. The Hersey's, Jaggard's, Thornburg's, Grossmann's, Fell's, Leipper's and Gmur were there. JT's was beautifully decorated for the holidays and the food was great as usual. We had a good time visiting as well as eating. After lunch a few of us went over to the Jaggard's to see the 1947 teardroptrailer Rich had purchase d recently. It was in pretty good shape for it's age



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