December 2008 news notes

Web links

to information discussed in this newsletter including Hope Valley Rally photo gallery, info for the November rally at Death Valley and info for the November luncheon in Fernley: http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/snu/2008/08news/

December Luncheon

Saturday December 13, 2008 is the date for the SNU Holiday Luncheon at JT's Basque restaurant in Minden, NV. It is right on US 395 on the south end of town. Lunch starts at 11:30 am. Cost is $15 per person. Family style dining and great food make J'T's a really fun place, especially during the holidays. Please RSVP Call Diane at 775 97s 9392 or email hq@SierraNevadaAirstreams.org

November in Fernley

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.


Death Valley Rally



Still Time to Shop

If you haven't checked it out yet and you still need some special gifts for the Holidays go to the SNU section of CafePress. See the URL on the links page listed in this newsletter. There is something for everyone including the SNU four legged members. T-shirts, aprons, stationary, hats, and a lot of other items.

Anita's Adventures

Notes from the SNU President

Traveling the Oregon Coast Highway 101 southbound, south of Coos Bay, and pulling the airstream, my truck blew the right front tire. There were no problems with steering or control. I just happened to have an intersection ahead of me, with plenty of room to pull off. Oregon highway 101 has many sections with no pull-offs, no shoulders, and no recourse in an emergency except to stop in the middle of the lane. So I felt very lucky that I had a safe place to pull over. I was 20 miles past Coos Bay, so I drove back there to get new tires, putting two new Toyos up front. The Coopers on the truck have around 23,000 miles on them. I turned around at Bullards Beach SP, to drive back to Coos Bay, and at the campground I met a couple from RI with a 2000 25' classic, and a diesel suburban. They want to take an Alaska caravan, and were trying to decide if they should keep the suburban or get a new tv. On my way back down the coast, I saw some airstreamers in Bandon. When I pulled into Cape Blanco State Park, they pulled in shortly after me. They are WBCCIers from Mass. They will be driving all the way down to Mexico. They had a 2007 25' FB.

Anita

Boondocking SNU Style

With the SNU boondocking isn't a special event, it is our standard rally preference. Boondocking is essentially a choice of rally sites that don't provide any amenities. Things like water, electric, or sewer hookups. Usually they are unpaved and dispersed sites, sites with no restrictions on where or how you park. If camping in this type of site is new to you or something you might not be totally comfortable with then we highly recommend you come to an SNU rally. We will introduce you to “off grid”, unstructured, boondocking Airstream camping like Wally Byam did when he designed this special trailer to travel the world. At an SNU rally you will have a whole support system to help you out if your batteries go flat, you run out of water, a few rivets come loose, you are not sure what to do about gray water, or you forgot to bring bread for your sandwiches. Boondocking isn't just for vintage Airstreams. Many SNU rally participants have brand new rigs. SNU boondocking rallies don't mean you have to do without. We all have what is needed to live in comfort without any hook ups. This includes, generators, solar panels, extra fresh water tanks, gray water disposal systems, tools, and spare parts. Participants at SNU rallies have the same comforts and enjoy the same amenities that would be provided in a full service site. We use microwaves. Some of us watch movies in the evenings or catch up with the latests sporting events on TV. We have plenty of water for showers, dishwashing, and other things. We've even had participants run their vacuum to do a little house cleaning. We can sometimes get cell phone coverage although we'd prefer that any calls are not around the campfire or at our pot lucks. We've used our generators to cook waffle breakfasts, mix fruit smoothies, and hook up computers so we can transfer and and look at rally pictures. Not being tied to facilities gives the SNU a broader range of rally sites to choose from. It also helps us keep costs to a minimum and reduces the need for advanced reservations. It gives us an opportunity to test the various systems of our Airstreams. Most important, it provides us the opportunity to enjoy some of the unique sights and scenery that the Great Basin area has to offer without the congestion and restrictions often associated with more structured sites. So don't let the idea of a boondocking rally inhibit your participation. The SNU has held rallies in all sorts of weather in all sorts of places. Granted there are a few things to keep in mind. For instance there usually isn't a grocery store or WalMart right around the corner. You do have to keep water and propane usage and battery charging in mind. That's where the benefits of boondocking with fellow Airstreamers pays off. Together we make sure that nobody spends a cold night, has to eat cold food, runs out of water, or has to deal with their black or gray water tanks overflowing. That said, the SNU is always open to trying new things so we'll be starting off the coming year with a rally at a full service RV park in March 2009. For those of us familiar with boondocking this will be a chance to see if we remember how to hook up to water and electric and how to have meals indoors out of the weather. For those of you who haven't come to a rally yet, this might be a great way to get started on some new adventures. There are lots of resources in the owners guide section of SierraNevadaAirstreams.org that will help you make the most of your boondocking experience. See the link listed in this newsletter. We have a great time and we hope that those of you who haven't come to an SNU rally yet will plan to join us in 2009.

Region 12 updates

Region 12 has been adding a lot of information to their website lately that will make it much easier for members in all Units belonging to the region to stay up to date on activities and news. Some of the recent additions inlcude a page with links to the resumes of everyone running for Region office, a link to a PDF file of the brochure for the 2009 Rose Parade rally and the 2009 Hobo Rally flyer. There are links to the Region President's summer and fall messages. Other information includes various documents, photos, and the Region Newsletters. Check the links page listed in this newsletter and find out what's going on in Region 12.

Upcoming 2008 and 2009 events

For more information on upcoming rallies check the website

http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/snu/2009/events/docs/09-rallyschedule.html