January 2008 news notes

Web links

to information discussed in this newsletter including Holiday luncheon photo gallery and the January luncheon site:

http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/snu/news/2007/index.html

Luncheon at Bavarian World

Saturday, January 19 will be our first luncheon of 2008. It will be at Bavarian World which is right on the corner of Sixth street & Valley Road in Reno. Lunch starts at 11:30 am. Bavarian World offers German cuisine. There is also a bakery and store with German and other continental items so come prepared to do a little shopping after lunch. Please RSVP Call 775 972 9392 or email hq@sierranevadaairstreams.org

What a finale to 2007!

The holiday luncheon at the Damoth's was full of special treats. First, we want to thank Don and MaryLou for hosting our lunch at their home. Second, we must have all had our fingers crossed the right direction as the weather cooperated. It was a beautiful sunny day. Perfect for enjoying the Damoth's sun room. We were delighted to see Jack and Lindi Schroeder. Although they have been members for several years this is the first event they have been able to attend. We hope the Schroeder's can work around their busy schedules and come to more activities in the future. We were also glad to see Don and Gail Williams. They must have had something to do with the weather as it provided the perfect window for them to travel to Reno from Riverside. CA without having to drive through ice and snow. Special guests were Ann and Fred Hersey. It has been a few years since we have seen them and it was great to catch up and to introduce them to all the members who have joined the SNU recently. Other guests at the lunch included Brian and Jeni Root and their son Nick. Their girls, Erika and Sidney were involved with the school ski program. Also in attendance were Randy and Vicki Grossmann, Roger and Jan Jeppson, Scott and Icyl Mulligan, Donna and Tom Faker, Bryan and Diane Leipper, Anita Haskett, Dyann Thornburg and our fearless leader, Jerry Thornburg. We missed Gary Haskett as he was out of town taking care of his son who had broken his leg while playing with his kids.


With the attendance of the Hersey's, this was the first time that three and a half past president's of the SNU have been in the same place at the same time. Jerry only counts as half as he has another year to serve before he officially becomes a past president. These president's, Fred (02 & 03), Diane (04 & 05), Don (06), and Jerry (07), are the leaders that have brought the SNU through a period of major transition. It is their belief in the SNU that has kept the unit going and helped set the stage for the success it has become.

Another thing to thank the Damoth's for were the special Christmas sand dollars. They had collected a bonanza of sand dollars on a trip to Florida. They attached green or red ribbons to each dollar so that they could be hung on a tree and wrote Merry Christmas on the front and the year on the back. Each of us took a few as a remembrance of this luncheon. The Damoth's had decorated their Christmas tree with sand dollars and it looked really spectacular.

Needless to say, the food as usual was abundant, varied, and very tasty. We all had a great time enjoying the food, sharing stories, and just relaxing with great company. The only thing that resembled business was that Don W. and Randy discussed the Death Valley rally planned for November 2008 and decided on the location. They also brainstormed some ideas as to plans and activities.

We missed those of you who were unable to come to the lunch and hope that we will see you all in 2008.

A Heartfelt Thanks

The December luncheon was the first time in several years that the Damoth's, Hersey's and Leipper's were all in attendance. We remember how the SNU was in the late 1990's. We remember sitting at a picnic table in 2003 at Davis Creek determining the fate of the SNU. It was teetering on the edge and the general advise was spend the Unit's remaining money then fold or merge with another Unit. We decided we wanted to get back to what we felt WBCCI was all about. We liked camping together in our Airstreams in Northern Nevada and we decided that we would continue to do so, at least till the money ran out. Well, the money didn't run out and after a few lean years with rally attendance at one to three Airstreams, the SNU has rebounded. The SNU is heading into 2008 with 35 current members, with rally attendance increasing and with member participation in all aspects of the Unit on the rise. Speaking for all of us, seeing the turnout at the December lunch and the enthusiasm and camaraderie we can't help but feel we made the right decisions in 2003. We are very thankful to all SNU members for helping make the SNU the healthy and vibrant group that it is today.

President's Ramblin's

Another month another column. The get together at the Damoths was very nice. It is very upbeat to see so many of the unit members come together for the month. Even if I’m only half a pres yet. You can read more about this in another part of this newsletter. The one interesting thing I did learn at the rally was that Don and Mary Lou went to extreme danger to gather the sand dollars to give away. According to one person who will remain a mystery (Jeni Root), that you can open up a sand dollar and a dove is inside. Jaws made you not want to go back in the water, now the CARNIVOROUS SAND DOLLARS make you not want to go to the beach. Thanks Jeni (she did say she would clear this up though). Oh that’s right, she is to remain a mystery, so forget I wrote this.

Randy did ask those at the lunch table to take a vote on if he liked to expound on different subjects. It was very quiet, I don’t know if that was a yes or no vote. We will have to see. Just so everyone will see that I just don’t pick on Randy and now Jeni, I was reading a post on the Air Forums about the installation of the new WBCCI Prez. According to the site if I want to go to the Installation dinner I have to wear a white tuxedo. So this is a request for a vote on if a pair of white painter overalls to replace my normal worn out blue ones will qualify. In all honesty I did try to go around town here and find a white tuxedo, but everyone started to talk behind my back and wonder if I needed to go see a shrink. I’m not saying we’re backwards out here but I was told that if I wanted a white one to just take a trip across the 40 mile desert and anything I wore would be white. Even living out here in the desert I am still not partial to alkali covered clothes. So I guess the dinner is out for me.

Back to business. Our next meeting is to be at Bavarian World in Reno, I hope everyone can join us at the meeting. We have been there before and the food is good. For those of you that are interested Randy and Don Williams are setting up an excursion to Death Valley. More will be forthcoming. Remember March is closing in on us and that is to be the first trailer rally of the year. So start thinking of what it takes to get your rigs ready. As Von would agree, keep the wheels down and the shiny side up, if you don’t, you’ll have to buy another trailer. See you all at Bavarian world.

Jerry

A Classic Lady

My first experience with an Airstream was a 1950's vintage 24' model used in mineral exploration projects in the southwest. Having appreciated the Airstream qualities, I naturally went looking for a second used Airstream, shopping at Valley Trailer Sales in Sacramento. They had several, but most were 32 feet or so in length and more upscale than desired. The dealer mentioned that he had a brand new 28 foot Argosy, described as a painted Airstream that someone had special ordered, but with the customer changing their minds buying a longer Airstream. Since the Argosy had been on their lot for months, the dealer was anxious to sell. It was the right size, and more fancy than originally wanted, but it was love at first sight, Argosy has been with us ever since..

Argosy officially was purchased on September 25, 1975, with the only dealer change being the trade of the stereo for the bunk bed so my three boys had their own beds. (Argosy has surround sound, but no stereo system for it yet) That done, it was on the road for vacations, weekends, square dances trips and work; throughout the years it has been used as living quarters in the field, most recently by Scott, while working at a mine out of Valmy, Nevada, that is until the insulated Bronze line and the water pipes froze up inside the heated coach. (Way below zero) Since then Argosy has been used to store assorted items and grandchildren’s Christmas presents.

Argosy was manufactured in Santa Fe Springs California in February 1975, when Airstream/Argosy was part of the Beatrice Foods conglomerate. I have not seen an Argosy exactly like ours, since they differed within the model year and from year to year as they were used to test different amenities prior to incorporating them into future Airstreams. Argosys described as “painted Airstreams”, do differ slightly from Airstreams in that they have galvanized steel crowns (less likely to be damaged by attack tree limbs). Our Argosy does not have the overhead Vista windows, some Argosys do, but again ours was special ordered. We do have a TV antenna which has never been used, and air conditioning which seems to work OK.

I still have the original 1975 Argosy owners Manual and the product literature for both the Argosy and the Airstream for 1975.

Over the past two years we have been in the progress of repairing and rehabilitating Argosy to make her road worthy and usable again. Scott has replaced nearly all the copper tubing of the water system to repair freezing damage, and has replaced the hot water heater. The curtains (original) were all sun rotted into shreds, so I made patterns for the curtains and made new curtains all around by recycling our bedroom and our dining room drapes. Scott cut panels of the mylar bubble insulation for each of the windows, so the curtains will not suffer sun rot again, and it insulates against the sun and cold. Scott has repaired the brakes and has started on the job of repainting. The paint did not adhere well on the steel crowns on the Argosy while the paint on the aluminum held up remarkably well. We hope to find someone who does aircraft type painting and the facililties to do it.. Argosy has new propane tanks and new tires, new brakes and such, but other than that it is all original. It really looks much like it did brand new, only the carpet is a little faded and it has a few small dents and such. She is still a classic lady.

Scott and Icyl Mulligan, Carson City, NV WBCCI #3771

Forum Postings

A big thanks to Don Williams for posting the SNU rallies on the Airforum.com rally calendar. This calendar is another way to inform people of the great events the SNU has planned for 2008

Remember also to check the interactive calendar on the SNU website. Add your own trips and camping adventures.

Uh Oh!

You see mouse droppings in your rig. You hear mysterious scurrying noises when camping. You may actually see a small mouse diving for cover. You find small holes chewed in various containers. You've been infested! What can you do? A common problem when trailers are stored over the winter. Check the Owner's manual maintenance section for ideas and solutions.

Upcoming events


For more information on upcoming rallies check the website

http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/snu/2008/events/rallydocs/08-rallyschedule.html