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Sierra Nevada Unit

SNU Rally at Silver Springs – Lyon County Fly-In

May 2009 – Rally Review

10 SNU, 1 Guests - Total Rally Participation

Diane Leipper

The only thing typical about the May SNU rally was the dirt parking area and dry camping. The week before the rally we discovered we were to be parked right smack in the center of all the activity of the air show. So when we arrived we parked our rigs fairly parallel and for the SNU, close together in the front corner of the parking area. Ten rigs from the SNU participated in this rally. Our rigs just about covered the gamut of Airstream RV's. We had a class A, a Bvan, several vintage, and several post 2000 era Airstreams. Rally participants included Randy and Vicki, Anita, Jerry and Dyann, Mike and Cindy, Gene and Carmen, Vaughn, Bryan and Diane, Dave, Roman and Melissa, and Roger and Janet. Friday morning we got to work. Bryan and Dave helped set up some of the vendor tents. Dyann, Diane and Anita fixed up the pilot goody bags. The rest of us helped out as needed. Saturday was the big day for the air show. Jerry, Eric, Wheels, and Anita pitched in on the pancake breakfast set up. When things really got going, everyone chipped in. Among other things, Jerry and Eric were the primary cooks. Wheels cooked, served and assisted in other ways. Dyann helped serve breakfast. Janet, Sidney, and Melissa helped out taking tickets, Vicki and Anita made sure there was enough syrup and butter and that the tables were clean. Everyone helped out one way or another. Jerry experimented with making Airstream pancakes with the special cookie cutters made by Wes Warn for the SNU's 30^th Anniversary. While it is possible, Airstream pancakes are a little difficult for mass production efforts. See pictures of the pancakes in the photo gallery link in this newsletter. The team effort made for an efficient and well organized breakfast. Most of us had on our SNU nametags and many of us were wearing SNU aprons. Jerry wore his special Redneck (past)President apron. Along with that, his nametag and his SNU shirt, it was clear that the chief pancake flipper was a member of a pretty unique group.

As it turned out it was an eventful weekend for Jerry and Dyann. Jerry had quite a surprise. He ran across two men who were in the same military unit that he had been in, at about the same time. Because of the nature of the unit, it is rare to run across other members. Dyann ran across her old boss whom she hadn't seen in quite a while. They also ran across the former owner of the truck that is their current tow vehicle.

Gene and Carmen took advantage of a special opportunity to take a ride in a WWII AT6 military airplane. Gene decided to be a little daring so he got strapped into a parachute and the pilot did a few rolls and other maneuvers. Gene got some great pictures of the air show, our Airstreams and nearby Lahonton reservoir from the air. He even got some pictures while the plane was upside down. Check out the photo galleries.

Vaughn has a 39ft Class A Airstream. For most of us, we hadn't seen one of those before so we kept Vaughn busy giving tours. He was having some problems with his amateur radio antenna so he and Dave spend some quality time figuring out the problem and fixing it.

Randy and Vicki have been busy refreshing and enhancing the diorama. We set it up during the air show and people who passed by were very impressed. The diorama started out to be just the topping for a cake for the SNU's 30^th anniversary in 2006. It grew too big for a cake and has since taken on a life of it's own. The diorama has been displayed at Open Houses at Mt Family RV, at the 2006 WBCCI International Rally, and it has been to several SNU rallies. If you haven't seen it be sure to check the link to the photo gallery listed in this newsletter.

Friday night we had a potluck to inaugurate the new tailgate on Mike and Cindy's truck. We used the tailgate as our buffet table. Recently someone who was busy sending a text message ran straight into the back of their truck causing quite a bit of damage. The repair job got done just in time for them to get to the rally.

Saturday, along with all the activity at the air show, we had a few visitors stop by. It has been a while since we have seen Fran Reid. She pitched right in and helped with the pancake breakfast. Madelyn Cutler stopped by and had a nice visit with everyone. We hope to see her at a rally soon. Robert Hartman, a friend of Roman and Melissa's stopped by. He is in the market for an Airstream. As soon as he finds one, we hope to see him towing it to SNU rallies. Bryan and Diane's neighbor George stopped by for a visit and Mike and Cindy's grandkids came out Saturday night after their ball game.

We made good use of our generators during the day as Silver Springs was getting close to record high temps. Air show festivities ended by about 3pm. This provided us with an opportunity to relax and enjoy nice quiet evenings when it was a little cooler.

All in all a very successful weekend. Despite heat and having to get up at 6am to cook pancakes, despite being parked in close formation on hard packed ground everyone had a great time. I think the consensus is that we all wouldn't mind participating in the Lyon County Fly-In again. A special thanks to Jerry, Vaughn and others who stayed till mid afternoon on Sunday. Although we weren't scheduled to volunteer on Sunday, they cooked hot dogs and did other things to help out.

2009 Silver Springs Participants

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