Sierra Nevada Airstreams -|- Memories -|- Sierra Nevada Unit

Enjoyment of the whispering winds, the zephyrs, the airstreams of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin areas of the United States in a recreational vehicle.

Sierra Nevada Unit, Rally & Luncheon Reviews 2008

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 2008 - Bavarian World Lunch

The SNU started off 2008 with an excellent German lunch at Bavarian World in Reno. Once again the weather cooperated and we had a good turn out. Participants included the Roger and Jan Jeppson, Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Randy and Vicki Grossmann, Gary and Anita Haskett, Scott and Icyl Mulligan, Bryan Leipper, Diane Leipper and Dave Gmur. We were also delighted to have Jim and Jane, friends of the Haskett's join us for lunch. As much as we enjoy the lunches I think we will all be glad to get back to the rallies. Lunch just barely gives you time to say hi. Rallies on the other hand give you plenty of time to swap stories, catch up on adventures and just sit and relax and enjoy each other's company. In the meantime our February will continue our international trend – Mexican food in Carson City. Hope to see everyone there.

February 2008 – Lunch at El Charro

February continued our international trend – Mexican food at El Charro Avita in Carson City. It was a great lunch. Good food and excellent service. Another place to add to the SNU list of favorites. Thanks Randy and Vicki for finding this place for the SNU. Other SNU members who enjoyed this lunch were Roger and Jan, Dyann and Jerry, Bryan, Diane, and Dave. Were were also glad to have Larry Clark from MFRV and Mike Gower who saw Randy's PSA for the lunch in the Carson Appeal. Mike has a 1977 25ft Airstream Caravanner. He and his wife Cindy have taken a couple of short trips with it and discovered the assets of towing and Airstream. We hope they both will make it to the Rally at Pyramid Lake. Larry filled us in a little on some of the new models and features Airstream is planning. We hope he can also make it to Pyramid and show us a new Airstream trailer. All in all another great SNU gathering.

March 2008 - Pyramid Lake Rally

If the March SNU rally is any indication we are off to a great start for 2008! We had a total of eight Airstreams including two first timers. The first timers were Mike and Cindy Gower with their 1977 Caravanner and Scott and Cindy Roller with son Carson and their 2008 Safari Special Edition. The Gower's haven't had their Airstream very long and they are planning several projects to spruce it up a little. It will be interesting to follow their progress. The Roller's just purchased their Airstream and this was their second night in it. Three year old Carson seems to totally approve of Airstream camping. After a good nights rest, he enjoyed watching the sun come up through the skylight and windows of the trailer. In addition to the first timers other rally participants included Wes and Roylaine Warn, Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Bryan and Diane Leipper, Dave Gmur, Roman Kreminski and Melissa Wong, and Dave Strode who came all the way from Mendocino and surprised us. Rachel Strode had prior plans so she wasn't able to come. We also welcomed guests Gene and Carmen Balme. According to Melissa she had been suffering from ASA (Airstream Separation Anxiety). This was caused by the fact that neither of their Airstreams were parked in their yard due to snow and also that she hadn't been to a rally since last October. I think this rally ensured she is well on the way to recovery as are any other SNU members suffering from ASA. This was the first trip since Wes and Roy built a dog palace on the back of their truck. It is insulated, has a great window in the back, a view out the front of the truck and a nice comfy cushion to lounge on. Lilly and Sam are pretty lucky pooches. Jerry, Dave S. and Roman spend most of the weekend fishing. It seems the fish and the rocks were part of a conspiracy with Crosby's store as both Roman and Dave had to make several trips for more lures. Everyone caught some pretty nice sized fish, a few of which were kept but most went back into the lake. Two people, who shall remain nameless (but have a dog named Indy) celebrated birthday's at this rally. We all wish them Happy Birthday. Thanks to various members for bringing enough wood to keep a fire going all weekend. It was very much appreciated as the weather was a little windy and cold. The fire also made some great coals for marshmallows, hot dogs, and for Jerry to experiment with his new toy. He recently bought a battery operated rotisserie. He set it up by the fire and put a beef roast on the spit. After a few hours we all got to sample some delicious roast. As usual the primary activities at this rally (other than fishing) were keeping the campfire going, eating, sharing stories and information, and checking out each others Airstreams all interspersed with some inspirational naps. For a buffet table, we used Jerry's truck for an SNU version of tailgating. The food as always was diverse and delicious. Dave Strode brought some soup which really hit the spot with the weather we had. A great time was had by all and I know we are all looking forward to our April rally at Ft Sage. We look forward to seeing the Gower's, and Roller's again soon as well as other SNU members who weren't able to make it to Pyramid. Check Melissa's blog for her stories of the Pyramid Lake rally.

April 2008 – Rally at Ft Sage

Once again, eight Airstreams at Ft Sage. Also, once again we got to indulge in a favorite SNU activity – inaugurating new Airstreams and new Airstreamers. This time it was Robert Sobsey and Yvonne De Marco and Norman Wong. For all of them it was their first rally. Robert and Yvonne in their new 16ft DWR, (their first Airstream). Norman in his new to him 1994 BVan. Robert and Yvonne and Norman are also the newest members of the SNU. Welcome to you all. I think this time, we might have overdone the initiation to Airstreaming and SNU rallies a little though. Sunny nice mornings with windy afternoons is OK but a snow storm on Saturday night and a drop in temps might be a little much. Despite this, they all seemed to enjoy the rally and we are sure we will see them again soon.

Other Rally participants included Melissa and Roman and Melissa's niece Daniella. That meant we had three generations of Melissa's family – Daniella, her father Norman, and Melissa. Melissa got to practice her towing capabilities. Norman's BVan arrived on Thursday morning and all they had time for was a preliminary check and throwing in some basic supplies before heading to Ft Sage. They didn't have time to get the wiring and other things checked out so that they could tow the Airstreram with the BVan. This meant that Melissa drove their truck pulling the Airstream and Roman drove the BVan with Norman.

Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Wes and RoyLaine Warn, Dave Gmur, and Bryan and Diane Leipper made up the rest of the roster for the rally. We were delighted that Don and MaryLou Damoth were able to come up for the afternoon on Friday. We haven't seen them since December and it was nice to catch up. Larry Clark from Mt Family RV brought a Safari Sport to the rally for us to investigate. He also brought some donuts for our morning coffee. Thanks Larry! The weather, in particular the wind, caused us to cancel plans for meals outside. As usual, SNU members are good at adapting and last minute change of plans. Nobody starved. Saturday the weather started getting really threatening. We had what Jerry described as a “Go Around” dinner. In other words everyone took their contribution for what was supposed to be a pot luck around to everyones Airstream. Not long after the last dish was delivered to each Airstream it started to snow. Really wet heavy snow. So we all hunkered down and watched out the windows. Sunday morning though was clear, sunny and beautiful with a fresh coat of snow on everything. We built a campfire and enjoyed our usual morning coffee and conversation before heading home.

Friday night we got our only non SNU campers at Ft Sage. A big toy hauler came in around midnight and managed to shine lights in almost everyones trailer. Then as soon as they got parked they started up their generator and kept it going 24/7. It gave us all an opportunity to reflect on how much we appreciate camping with SNU members who are more respectful of each other and understand general camping courtesy.

Saturday, Bryan and Jerry headed over to Portola to check on the 42ft Airstream. For the most part the tarps we put on last fall were still in place. Several more windows had been broken out. Jerry and Bryan talked with the people at the museum and it looks like everything is still on target for the SNU to spearhead restoration of that Airstream and also for us to hold our June rally at the museum.

Mother nature was the primary entertainment at this rally. A full moon made for some spectacular evenings. Everyone had a great time regardless of the fact that we spent a little more time in our Airstreams rather than outside. I think we all are looking forward to Unionville and hopefully improved weather so we can spend more time outside and get back to pot luck meals.

May 2008 - Unionville Rally

Snow one month, record heat the next! One thing about the Great Basin area and SNU rallies, you never know what to expect weather wise. Unionville was just high enough and with trees and a breeze we stayed pretty comfortable. Nights were cool enough that a campfire was enjoyable. We had a great attendance at this rally – 11 Airstreams! Participants included Dyann and Jerry, Wes, and Roy, Dave G., Bryan, Diane, Anita, Randy and Vicki, Roger and Jan, Robert and Yvonne, Kathy and Clint, Melissa and Roman and Gene and Carmen. We haven't seen Clint and Kathy since last year, It was great to catch up on all their travels and everything else they have been doing this past year. Other commitments have kept Randy and Vicki and Roger and Jan from attending earlier rallies so it was great that they were able to come to Unionville. The week before the rally the Old Pioneer called and canceled plans for our anticipated brunch. Dyann got busy and worked out an alternative. She asked Randy to make his famous waffles. Jerry and Dyann provided sausage and Melissa brought her blender for fruit smoothies. It may not have been brunch at the Old Pioneer but I think we all were in agreement that the SNU brunch was a big success. In addition, a new tradition was born – fruit smoothies. Melissa had brought a variety of frozen fruits so everyone could just about have whatever they preferred. They really hit the spot with the waffles. Later in the afternoon Melissa got the blender going again and fruit smoothies were just what was needed on a warm afternoon. Roman even delivered smoothies right to people's door for those who weren't out sitting in the shade of the trees. Jerry got out his propane grill and cooked sausage and bacon for the brunch. I think that grill is going to get a lot more use at future rallies. Roy might have also started something new. She had some flowers she hadn't gotten planted in the yard yet so she brought them with her along with decorative pots. She placed these outside her Airstream and stuck in the solar lights. This created a really nice garden entry area in front of their trailer.

To back track, Unionville's notoriously uneven ground provided the usual exercise in leveling. SNU is obviously getting more experienced at leveling as it seemed to take less time to set up than previous years and everyone comes better prepared with blocks, chocks, and other items needed to get the bubbles in the center. Leveling still provides a lot of entertainment for those who arrive first. We can sit in the shade and watch the other arrivals try to find a spot then watch their creativity at work leveling their trailer. While Randy was busy getting his trailer adjusted Roger and Jan arrived. They took one turn in the parking area, backed out, came in the upper gate and with no effort at all parked in a spot that was level side to side. All they had to do was jack up the hitch. This time Jerry gets the prize. The rear of his Airstream ended up on stilts. It looked a lot like a house you see in flood prone areas. Pretty amazing.

All in all it was a nice relaxing weekend. Various participants hiked all over the hills. Gene and Carmen took off exploring on their ATV. Most of us chose just to sit and visit and watch the peacocks and hummingbirds. Tim had put hummingbird feeders in the apple trees and the birds had no problem feeding with us sitting close by. Saturday evening a father and his three boys set up camp in the park. The SNU campfire provided them with a ready made fire for hot dogs and marshmallows. Sunday we had our usual coffee, goodies, and conversation before loading up and heading home. Unionville, once again proved to be one of our favorite rally sites.

June 2008 – Rally at the Railroad Museum in Portola

A level rally site. Fairly uniformed parking. Walking distance to downtown. Dinner at a restaurant. Flags flying. Was this really an SNU rally?? You bet! And a very successful rally at that. There were some elements though that are more standard for an SNU rally – the parking area was dirt and it was dry camping – so we didn't quite feel like we had ended up in the wrong group somehow. David and Linda in the gift shop, the Railroad volunteers, and the rest of the museum people made us feel very welcome. We could explore the museum and the trains to our hearts content. They even made the shower and bathroom facilities used by volunteers available for us. We all had a turn and driving one of the engines and several us took multiple rides in the cabooses and other cars. We also got another opportunity to check out the 42ft Airstream and began developing some ideas as to what it will take to get it restored. Jerry pulled the old mattresses out of it and took them to the dump. Probably one of the first things we will do is get some roof vents on it and cover up the window openings. We had lots of visitors to help us enjoy this special weekend. Several members of Gene and Carmen's family and several members of Jerry and Dyann's family visited us during the weekend. Both families included lots of kids who really enjoyed rides in the caboose and driving the train engines. We were also delighted to be joined by guests, Jim and Kathleen Hawkins from Sacramento in their Airstream motorhome – the good one that looks like an Airstream. Other rally participants included Wes and Roylaine, Diane, Bryan, and Anita, Gary and Anita, and Clint and Kathy. This was our first opportunity to fly the new SNU Unit flags. Everyone agreed that they turned out really nice. Bryan and Jerry had created brackets to attach to the front of their Airstreams. Each flies three flags. The flags looked great flying in the breeze.

At our Friday night potluck Gary Haskett treated us to a roast he cooked in his COBB cooker that uses only six briquettes. It was delicious! I think none of us would have objections to a repeat performance with that cooker. Other rally activities included visits to Gary and Anita's friend's shop in Portola, walks around the old downtown section of Portola, and the usual morning coffee and conversation gatherings. For those of us who prefer a slower pace, we could sit in the shade and watch Diane's tortoises checking out the weeds in our parking area. Saturday night we had dinner at the nearby Log Cabin restaurant. Sunday, under smoky skies we all headed for home from another great rally.

July 2008 - Sweetwater Rally

What a great place, especially for viewing sunsets and moon risings. Wow! We were glad to welcome Larry and Oonagh Cameron, their 10 yr old son, Forest and 5 yr old daughter Brook. They have a 1970 Trade Wind. Larry and Forest have done a lot of work restoring and fixing the inside. A lot of little maintenance projects got done at this rally. The float on the Jeppson's generator got fixed and their winch got tied down. The Thornburg's satellite TV system got straightened out and functioning. The Leipper's fold out step got fixed so that it works for the first time in years. The Cameron's got a lesson on the use of sway bars and also a short course on awing purchasing, installation, and maintenance. This was also a great rally to test out generators. During the heat of the day we all retreated to our Airstreams and used generators to run the air conditioners so we could stay cool. The mornings and evenings were fantastic. Most of the rally we spent catching up on Jerry and Dyann's stories of their trip to Bozeman and visiting relatives in Montana and South Dakota. Jerry almost brought home a new pet, a huge Hereford bull. It wouldn't fit in the Airstream though (it weighed near two tons) so they left it on the ranch. We also heard about Janet Jeppson's recent trip to Germany and Austria with a choral group. Between concerts and performances, they also participated in a local parade in one town. Sweetwater was near where they were searching for Steve Fossett who disappeared in his plane last fall. We had search planes fly over us several times over the weekend. We had pot luck dinners Friday and Saturday. Saturday we were on alert though as a nice thunderstorm started to build up and we weren't sure if we'd have to make a dash for cover or not. Some nice thunder and some lightning but we ended up with only a few sprinkles as the storm passed to the south of us. The storm made for a most amazing sunset. Clouds with the sun for back lighting, shadows on the mountains, really spectacular. Sunday morning we got an unexpected treat. We had seen some horse trailers come into the area the night before. As we were enjoying our morning coffee here comes a horse and cart up the road. Two women going for a morning outing with their Belgian draft horse named Alex. He was a huge but very friendly horse and he had a very deep and loud whinny. His owner has had him since he was six years old, he is now 19, and he has participated in several parades and shows. Alex will be at a Bodie Ghost Town celebration later this summer. Looks like we picked the perfect time for this rally. We just barely got out in time on Sunday because the weather service issued a flash flood warning for Sweetwater Summit on Monday evening. I think we all look forward to a return visit to Sweetwater in 2009.

August 2008 – Eagle Lake Rally

Eight rigs showed up for the SNU rally at the North end of Eagle Lake. We also had some special guests come for a visit on Saturday. Don and Gail Williams came the furthest. They traveled 530 miles in one day from their home in Riverside, CA. Other rally participants were new SNU members Doris and Richard (Wheels) Wheeler, Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Wes and RoyLaine Warn, Mark and Cary Seasholtz, Gene Baleme, Anita Leipper and Bryan, and Diane Leipper. Our special guests were Spencer Thomas, a long time SNU member who lives in nearby Adin and Don and Mary Lou Damoth who came all the way up from Reno to spend the afternoon with us. We haven't seen either Spencer or Don and Mary Lou in a long time so it was great to be able to spend some time with them and catch up on all the news. Other highlights of the rally included new lawn art, testing a dutch oven, dinner at a restaurant, oohing and aahing over the SNU poster and welcoming another 4 legged member.

Jerry and Dyann got the prize this time for lawn art. They found some new solar lighted glass ornaments – a dragonfly, a butterfly, and a hummingbird. At night each glows a different color. Really beautiful. Now it will be up to Randy and Vicki to see if they can come up with something to top the Thornburg's solar lights. Don and Gail got a small dutch oven on their recent travels and also a cookbook to go with it. Don decided on a unique chili recipe. We were the willing guinea pigs. This recipe called for sweetened condensed milk and cream of asparagus soup among more traditional ingredients. If an almost empty pot is any indicator, this recipe was a success. An unusual combination of flavors but really good.

Following up on a suggestion by Dyann at the recent WBCCI International rally, Don and Gail created a poster for the SNU to submit in the Unit poster contest. It is is amazing what they came up with on the spur of the moment, especially since there were certain colors and content elements that had to be included. Don had a great picture of last years Obsidian Dome rally and one of the Twin Lakes rally. They had these pictures enlarged at the local Wal-Mart and included them as well as a picture of their own rig on the way to Bozeman. They apparently got a lot of comments on the pictures.

Anita Leipper, who arrived at the Eagle Lake rally site on Tuesday, discovered a nearby restaurant that served beef from a local Susanville market that has been around for several decades. We all decided that dinner out would be a great idea. So Saturday we carpooled over to the Mariner's Resort Restaurant. We had dinner on the patio with views through nearby houses of Eagle Lake. Good dinner, wonderful ambiance, and a great way to relax and enjoy the evening.

The new 4 legged member of the SNU seemed to really enjoy his first rally. He – Hugo – is a pug who has joined Wes and Roy's family. Hugo makes the third dog for Wes and Roy. They have now caught up with Jerry and Dyann who also have three dogs. Wes and Roy have also joined the ranks of SNU members flying flags. Wes created a very nice flag holder for flag poles he bought at Harbor Freight, the same ones Jerry and Bryan had purchased earlier.

Speaking of the recent WBCCI International Rally in Bozeman, The SNU had five members in attendance, a new record. What's really special is that each member contributed to the rally in one form or another. Marge and Dale Grosch volunteered for various committees, Robert Sobsey carried the SNU flag in the opening ceremony, Von Gallion played in various musical groups, Don and Gail Williams created the Unit poster, Dyann Thornburg put together the SNU newsletters for entry in the Unit newsletter contest, and Jerry Thornburg carried out one of the most important tasks of a Unit President. He met with various officials and officers including the incoming WBCCI President, the Chairman of Airstream, and the Region 12 officers, promoting the efforts of the SNU and creating stronger communication links between the SNU and key people throughout the organization.

Back to the rally – we had our usual long list of tiring activities – morning coffee, walking dogs, watching tortoises, shared meals at lunch and dinner and most critical, inspirational naps. Friday, just before dark, Diane, Gail, and Anita spotted a bald eagle which soared almost right over their heads. Jerry and Dyann shared their adventures of their recent annual trip to Jarbidge. Gail showed off some of her souvenirs from their recent travels. This BLM campground is on a hillside so we got a little more exercise than usual walking up and down to various trailers. The weather was just about perfect although Saturday it did get a little warm in the middle of the day. This campground is an under utilized gem. We had the entire place to ourselves except for one or two overnighters. All in all another great rally. The consensus is that Eagle Lake is definitely a place to keep on the SNU rally site list.

September 2008 – Obsidian Dome Rally

A beautiful fall weekend at Obsidian Dome. Although it was a little cool and windy, we had a great rally. Nine rigs showed up including some special guests. SNU members at Obsidian included Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Rick LaBorde, Don and Gail Williams, Anita Leipper, Gene and Carmen Baleme, Wheels and Doris Wheeler, Bryan and Diane Leipper, and Roman Kreminski and Melissa Wong. We were delighted to be joined by Joe and Teressa Ten Berge from the Monterey Bay California Unit. Teressa is the current secretary for Region 12 and also chair of the WBCCI membership committee. We enjoyed hearing about the Monterey Bay Unit and how they do things and sharing SNU ideas with Teressa and Joe. Roman and Melissa get the prize for longest distance traveled for this rally although part of it was by plane. They arrived home from Hawaii just a few days before the rally. At the last minute they realized this was the weekend of a rally. They scrambled around, got everything in the Airstream and hit the road after 11pm to arrive at Obsidian on Saturday. We were happy to see them. On Saturday Ed and Paula Poll and grandson Lucas came by for a visit. Their Airstream is in the process of being totally refurbished. One of these days we look forward to seeing them at an SNU rally with their Airstream. In the meantime we were glad they could come for a visit and join us for our pot luck dinner on Saturday. In an email after the rally Paula said that Lucas had told his Mom that he had a great time at the rally. We are glad he did and hope he too will come with his grandparents to another SNU rally. Other than eating and inspirational naps, some of the more energetic people took hikes to the nearby meadow and up to the summit of a nearby mountain. Others visited nearby attractions such as Mammoth, June Lakes and the Devil's Postpile. We also did a little Airstream maintenance. Don had his pressure meter so he could test various gas lines. All in all another great SNU rally. Everyone is eager to return in 2009.

October 2008 – Hope Valley Rally

SNU members participating in the October rally at Blue Lakes set two new records. One for the fastest tear down and move of a rally site and the other for the shortest SNU caravan on record. Before this is explained further, lets start at the beginning. The rally started off like a normal SNU rally – whatever that might be. People arrived at the designated site and set up camp as usual. Thursday arrivals included Wheels and Doris Wheeler, Roman Kreminski and Melissa Wong, and Bryan and Diane Leipper. Friday Jerry and Dyann Thornburg arrived. We spent most of the time in typical SNU fashion, catching up on news, enjoying the views, throwing balls for Cody, walking Jack, and untangling Indy's lead from around chair legs. Since fire restrictions are lifted we also kept a campfire going. We enjoyed our usual pot luck meals and morning coffee and treats. Saturday the weather got a little cloudy and windy. Melissa decided to get creative and started collecting and stacking rocks around the campfire to make a chimney so the smoke would go up instead of on us. Bryan discovered that one of the bolts holding his hitch on had sheared off. After some discussion he decided to drive to South Lake Tahoe for a bolt. Jerry had also called his son Eric to bring one up. Then just about noon, things began to change. We were low on firewood so Roman and Melissa went to gather some more. They got back and unloaded the truck. Then it was decided this was a good time to go check out some future rally sites. Dyann and Diane hopped in the truck with Melissa and Roman and headed up the road. Melissa and Roman showed us another spot right on the banks of a stream in the pine trees. We all took one look and decided why wait for another rally. Lets move now!

So we headed back to our rally site. When we got back we found that not only Eric and his family had arrived, Gary and Anita Haskett had also stopped by for a visit. Bryan, with help from the others had replaced the bolt on his hitch. We announced the decision to move to a somewhat stunned but willing group. We set a speed record that included loading up all the wood Roman and Melissa had gathered, putting out the campfire, hitching up the rigs, battening down the hatches, loading up the dogs and people and in less than 30 minutes we were heading up the road. We had a four Airstream caravan for the whole three miles to the new rally site in the trees and protected from the wind. Eric's wife Traci was pretty amazed. She is more used to tent camping and she couldn't believe how fast we picked up and moved. Bryan determined though, that this was really an SNU evacuation drill. To see how fast we could break camp and move in case of fire or other natural disaster. I think we passed the test with flying colors. Bryan also suggested that our first rally site was just the SNU following the WBCCI procedure of parking in the bullpen until everyone arrives. Then the parking committee – Roman and Melissa – moved us to our real rally site. Needless to say, the whole adventure left us all chuckling. We all agreed though that the move was definitely worth it. We built a new campfire, but got caught by the Ranger because we had forgotten to get a permit from Rick while we were at Obsidian. That taken care of we had our Saturday potluck and spend a delightful evening around the campfire. Eric, Traci and kids Sidney and Cole stayed for our potluck and campfire gathering. When they left we could let go of our pretenses of being a bunch of late night party animals. Everyone headed for their Airstream to watch a movie, read a book or just relax after such an exhausting day and get ready for a well deserved rest.

Other rally highlights included initiation rights, homemade salsa, and fish. The Wheelers passed the final SNU initiation rights. They added a pink flamingo to their décor. A pretty little plaque painted by Doris. They also got their first Nevada pin striping from a pine tree that wouldn't fold up enough branches to allow easy access to their parking spot. The salsa was a contribution from the Root Family. Jeni and Brian Root, kids, Erika, Sidney, and Nicholas all chip in on the families canning business making all sorts of goodies. The salsa was a treat and enjoyed by everyone at the rally. I think we will have to stock up for next year. Another Sidney, Jerry's granddaughter caught her first fish at this rally. Jerry helped her prepare it and roasted it on the fire. Nothing like a little fresh trout to finish off a perfect evening. The October rally proved yet again that flexibility is a hallmark of the SNU. In addition we have added even more great stories to the lore of the Unit. All in all a great way to end the rally season for 2008.

November 2008 – Chuckars Lunch

The SNU had a great turnout for our November luncheon at Chuckars in Fernley. We were delighted to see Von Gallion and Yvonne DeRoule as for one reason or another they hadn't been able to attend a rally this year. Other luncheon participants included Jerry & Dyann, Wes & Roy, Gene & Carmen, Roger & Jan, Don and MaryLou, and Bryan & Diane. Jerry and Dyann also brought their granddaughter, Sidney. We didn't have any business to attend to so we spent the time catching up on news and activities. Diane did mention she had heard from Don Williams and that the SNU rally in Death Valley was a success and that the participants had a great time. Three rigs showed up. Not bad for a first effort. Don and MaryLou are back in Reno having had their planned winter travels cut short by a run in with a tree with their Airstream. Roger and Jan have been having fun getting a controller replaced on the slide-out of their Airstream. Gene and Carmen have been doing a little tweaking with their Airstream and making plans for what else needs done before the first SNU 2009 rally next Spring. Jerry and Dyann have been busy getting Jerry's Mom moved to Washington State. They have also been helping their grandson Eric (Sidney's dad) get set up to park Jerry and Dyann's SOB in his yard so he can use it for outings next spring. Von has gotten his new to him Airstream all squared away. He and Yvonne alternate between using his Airstream or hers on their travels. We look forward to seeing them at a rally next year in one or the other of their trailers. All is quiet for the most part with Wes and Roy and also with Bryan and Diane. Everyone is looking forward to next years rallies and we hope those of you who weren't able to come in 2008 will join us in 2009. Thanks to Wes and Roy for coordinating our lunch at Chuckars. The food was good and all in all it was a great place for our luncheon.

November 2008 – Rally at Death Valley

Don Williams

Wheels and Willy made it to Death Valley and we had a surprise guest; a surprise to him too! Jim Dodd, Jimmini on the AIR Forums, Four Corners Unit member and Squarestream owner, was camped at Mesquite Spring Campground when Gail and I arrived Tuesday night. Zorro and I walked over in the morning and greeted Jim who we met at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, was there expecting to have a quiet leisurely week. We invited Jim to our Rally which brought the total attendance to 3 trailers, 5 people. We had great weather the entire time, some wind but nothing that interrupted our activities. I have lots of pictures, some of Jim's Squarestream which is in nice condition and several stories

December 2008 - Luncheon at J.T.'s

The dire predictions for a major storm didn't quite meet expectations and the SNU December luncheon at J.T.'s had a great turn out. 19 in all! We were delighted to see several people we haven't seen much this past year. We were especially glad to meet John and Sandra Shields. The have been members for several years but scheduling conflicts have made rallies hard to arrange. We certainly hope to see them more often in the future. We were also delighted to welcome guests Ken and Judy Bechthold. Judy is the 2nd VP of Region 12. They came to our November 2007 lunch and it was really good to seem them again this year. Mike and Cindy Gower have had a busy year which has included getting ready to do some plumbing and water pipe work as well as other repairs on their Airstream. Scott and Icyl Mulligan have also been busy sprucing up their Argosy. Among other things they have been repainting the exterior and have a new rock guard to put over the front window. Randy and Vicki have spent a lot of time with family this year so we had a lot of catching up to do at this lunch. Gary and Anita Haskett have also been busy with family and other commitments. A special surprise was Fran Reid. She has been involved with the SNU off and on for four years and she came to the lunch with Jerry and Dyann. Other luncheon participants were Jerry and Dyann Thornburg, Don and MaryLou Damoth and Bryan and Diane Leipper. The only business type activity conducted at this lunch was passing out copies of the SNU 2008 Achievements and a thank you to members. Go to the links page listed in this newsletter to see both of these documents. As usual, the food at J.T.'s was great and the holiday decoration made it very festive. Lunches are a great way to stay in touch during the winter. I think though, we are all looking forward to March and our first rally so we have plenty of time to share stories, catch up on news.



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note: all photographs on this site are for personal, private, and non-commercial use only. All other copyrights are retained by the individual photographers. See our policy. Disclaimer: any advice or suggestion presented is provided for informational purposes only and is correct and accurate only to the best of our knowledge at the time it was written. Anyone using such information does so at their own risk. Errors or omissions may exist and additional sources of information or appropriately licensed or qualified personnel should be consulted in deciding a course of action. We assume no liability or obligation by providing this information and warn any users of this information that they do so at their own risk. All links or references to commercial vendors or other sources of information and equipment do not intend or imply or convey any endorsement of that source or the product. They are provided strictly for informational purposes to illustrate the topic at hand. Sierra Nevada Airstreams Enjoyment of the whispering winds, the zephyrs, the airstreams of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin areas of the United States is a personal, nonprofit, noncommercial web site intended for educational and recreational use only. This site is supported by volunteer effort and contributions. Donations accepted thanks to the Amazon.com