The Tattler. Airstream Owners of California. April Message from Paula Poll, President. Dear CCCers,

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1 The Tattler Airstream Owners of California Central Coast California 2017 Officers President Paula Poll #8252 Co Vice Pres. - Judy & Walt Bremer #3884 Secretary - Carol Cunningham #4895 Treasurer - Bob Minder #4195 Past President- Pam Lindsay #4585 By- Laws Committee Chair-John Thornton #2011 One Year Directors Bruce Yeoman #4917 Cal Meuser #2727 Two Year Directors Mark Griffin #1872 Mike Gross #4169 Membership Director - Gary Mellinger #2002 Web Master Walt Bremer #3884 Tattler Editor Linda Minder #4195 For more information, including rally coupons, please check out our website: Dear CCCers, Message from Paula Poll, President Spring has sprung like gang busters and the deserts are alive with wild flowers. We are reminded about how lucky we are to live in Southern California so close to the deserts, mountains and ocean. We need a plan and out on the road we can go. Just ask our members, Vickie and Adrian Corbett. They go camping almost every weekend and sometimes post on our closed Central California Unit Facebook page the place with an invitation to join them for a flash rally. We have two more scheduled rallies coming up before summer Jalama Beach and Moss Landing. While our rallies often fill up, we do maintain a waiting list and things sometimes get in the way to force cancellations.don t hesitate to check with the rally hosts. The WBCCI has created a new calendar for all members to find places to visit. Open the Activities Menu on access the Events Calendar. Use Calendar Information for instructions on using the calendar. Remember, as a member of the WBCCI, you can attend other unit rallies if they have an opening. It is a great way to make new friends. [Starts on Page 17] Planning is in progress for our 395 Caravan that starts on September 5 and culminating in Jackson, CA at our September rally on the 15-17th. This is a flexible caravan that can be attended at either end for 1

2 those who cannot make the whole trip to explore the Eastern Sierras, my personal favorite part of California. While we won t be climbing Mt. Whitney, we will be able to see the highest point in the Continental United States with an elevation of 14,505 ft. (I think it is taller than when we climbed it in the 80 s).and you will be only 100 miles from the lowest point in the USA at Badwater in Death Valley at -282 feet below sea level. Route 395 is one of the most geologic active areas of our country. There is so much to see and do Devil s Postpile, Alabama Hills, Whitney Portal, Manzanar, Bristlecones, Mono Lake, Bodie Ghost Town to name a few. Please let me know if any of you are planning on attending the International Rally in Escanaba, Michigan at paula@;awbiz.com. We are looking for Delegates to represent us at the Delegates Meeting on July 26, Also if any of our club members are planning on caravanning to the International Rally, we need to let them know. Thank you all of our members who contribute to make club so much fun! Paula Poll, President Contact your Board and other information: The Central Coast California Unit encompasses the scenic California coastal counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura but our members come from all around Southern California! We are an active, social group which participates in local, regional and international rallies. We are dedicated to the Creed created long ago by the Airstream founder, Wally Byam. Though Wally has passed, the words and wisdom of his Creed lives on in the many Airstream Clubs which remain active to this day. Established on April 10, 1965, we continue to enjoy "Fun, Friendship & Camping" throughout California. President - Paula Poll #8252 Co Vice Pres. - Judy & Walt Bremer #3884 Secretary - Carol Cunningham #4895 Treasurer - Bob Minder #4195 Past Pres. - Pam Lindsay #4585 One year Director - Bruce Yeoman #4917 One year Director - Cal Meuser #2727 Two Year Director Mark Griffin # 1872 Two Year Director - Mike Gross #1469 Membership Director - Gary Mellinger #2002 Web Master - Walt Bremer #3884 Tattler Editor Linda Minder #4195 Central Coast California Website CCC Facebook Page Region 12 Website paula@lawbiz.com wbremer@me.com carol_cunningham@mac.com rkminder@msn.com lindsay7043@sbcglobal.net cyeoman4@yahoo.com calmeuser@aol.com mjgriffin@aeraemergy.com mjgross7@gmail.com photofire@earthlink.net wbremer@me.com lmminder@msn.com WBCCI WBCCI International Website 2

3 MEMBERSHIP REPORT The Central Coast California Unit is happy to have two more of our 2016 members join us again in I would like to welcome back our friends and members, Dave and Diane Bolduan in San Luis Obispo and Steven and Christina Kensrue from Cambria. Their renewals brings our wonderful unit to 63 regular members and 12 affiliate members for a total of 75. That means more members to enjoy our wonderful and exciting rallies and a shot at going to our upcoming 395 rally this September. This is such a fun unit and it is always great to welcome back all of our friends for another year of Airstreaming adventures. Cheers fellow CCCers. Gary J. Mellinger Membership director, CCC, WBCCI Members APRIL BIRTHDAYS April 1 Tom Smithson April 3 Lora Knepp April 6 Randy Gates April 7 Karen Jones April 9 Paul Mock April 13 Lynne Valley April Jimmy Duceshi April 22 Pat Totten Want your birthday in the Tattler. If you have not listed your birthday on the Membership Roster, we cannot list it here. To make sure, contact the Tattler Editor, Linda Minder, lmmminder@msn.com or the Unit Treasurer Bob Minder, rkmnder@msn.com 3

4 WHAT IS IT? They are two examples of inexpensive fuse removers (under $3.00 each!). If you lose power in part of the electrical system, check the trailer s fuses. To check a fuse pull it out with one of these handy-dandy pullers and hold it up to the light. You will see a curved wire inside the colored plastic. If the wire is broken or you see a burn mark, the fuse has blown and you ll need to replace it with the same color fuse. The amperage rating will also be printed on the flat edge of the fuse (usually a number between 5 and 30). Tattler always needs information...if you has any info, pix, "good" comments, articles...please submit. to the Editors of the Tattler. Images should be.jpg of a reasonable size. Please submissions lmminder@msn.com In the Subject Line...please add Tattler + subject or nature of entry. If there are versions or resubmissions...add version 1, 2, etc. Also include version # on files. Coupons should be formatted. PDF files are great. Articles don't need to be formatted unless it's important. Often I make changes to formatting to make things fit. Don't forget submissions are due before the end of the month. Travel safe... Linda Minder 4

5 Rally Schedule 2017 / 395 Caravan-Pg. 6 / October Flash Rally in works Participation is the key to a successful rally. Past rallies in January, February and March are listed to give credit to the hosts. January Ventura Ranch KOA, near Santa Paula, CA Hosts: Joe and Myung Deering & Mike and Roxy Gross February Morro Bay Dunes, CA Hosts: Keith and Lynn Valley & Carol Cunningham & Bruce and Carol Yeoman March Wine Country RV, Paso Robles, CA Hosts: Vickie and Adrian Corbett & Mike and Roxy Gross (Don t forget Edward) April Jalama Beach County Park, Lompoc, CA Hosts: Mike and Roxy Gross & Bruce and Carol Yeoman May Moss Landing KOA Express, Moss Landing, CA. Hosts Gary and Christa Mellinger & Dan and Karen Jones. September Jackson Rancheria, Jackson, CA Hosts: Judy and Walt Bremer & Paula and Ed Poll & Pam and Stuart Lindsay October 6-8 (October Rally TBD) Lone Pine Film Festival, Lone Pine, CA No Host FLASH RALLY DETAILS SOON! November 3-5 Pismo Coast Village, Pismo Beach, CA Hosts: Bob and Linda Minder & Brad and Linda Bailey December 8-10 Flying Flags Resort, Buellton, CA Hosts Tom and Teresa Tighe & David and Mary Lawson Rally help just around the corner i.net/files/2013/07/rally- Planning-Guide-2014-v4.pdf 2018 Preliminary Rally Schedule on Page 7 5

6 Preliminary itinerary and highlights. Boulder Creek RV Resort 4 nights: The Lone Pine Movie Museum, The Alabama Hills, filming location of many, many movies. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Mt. Whitney Portal. The Manzanar Internment Camp. SAVE THE DATE Hello! Central Coast Airstreamers. Your Route 395 Eastern Sierra Caravan Committee has been considering for years, a mini-caravan to a location that many of us hold dear to our hearts. Finally, we ve put together a committee to make it happen this year. Dates: September 5-17, 2017 Number of rigs limited to 15. CCC Members first, Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. Lakes Mary, George, and Horseshoe, Obsidian Dome. Soaking at either Hot Creek, Buckeye Creek, or Travertine Hot Springs. Trout fishing. Off road exploring. Mammoth Lakes RV Resort 5 nights: Tioga Pass, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite. Bodie Ghost Town. Mono Lake and Tufas. The Volcanic Trail. The caravan will terminate at the location of our September Rally, the beautiful Jackson Rancheria in Jackson California. Highway 395 Eastern Sierra Caravan Committee members: Paula Poll, Judy and Walt Bremer, Pam Lindsay, Bob Minder, Bruce Yeoman, Gary Mellinger Reservations will be taken when the coupon is published before June. CCC Affiliates second, WBCCI members third. There will be a waiting list. No Early Birds. LOOK FOR SIGN UP SHEET COMING SOON! 6

7 PRELIMINARY 2018 RALLY SCHEDULE JANUARY Morro Bay State Park FEBRUARY Death Valley (Furnace Creek) MARCH Betabel RV Park (Clubhouse March is a Unit Business Meeting) APRIL Pinnacles National Monument MAY San Simeon State Park (Washburn Campground) SEPTEMBER Big Bear Lake (Holloway s Marina and RV) OCTOBER Lake Casitas Recreation Area (Fox campground) NOVEMBER Chula Vista KOA (San Diego) (Clubhouse Business Meeting/Election of Officers) DECEMBER Pismo Sands RV (Clubhouse Officer Installations for 2019) Thank you so much Walt and Judy Bremer, Co-Vice Presidents and Chair of the Rally Committee and to the entire Rally Committee and the Membership at large for their contributions. Rallies are what makes having an Airstream, meeting up with friends and seeing new and interesting places. 7

8 The Tattler Classified s $27, ' Airstream Sovereign Oak interior, large ref/freezer, large tanks, solar, new faucets and batteries, day/night shades, forced air and catalytic heater, Sony AM/FM/CD player, corner bed plus couch/fold out bed, custom wheels, alum. LP tanks Contact Keith Valley, klvalleyfamily@gmail.com,

9 RALLY NEWS LOOK WHAT S COMING YOUR WAY Jalama Beach rally in April. All of our sites are filled. There is currently a sizeable standby list. If anyone need to cancel, please notify Roxy Gross as soon as possible Jalama is a wonderful outdoor adventure with ocean tide pools, rock & fossil hunting, hiking & biking trails. Plus, we have some fun activities planned: chili cook-off, camper Olympics, famous Jalama burger picnic, and hopefully a tour of Vandenberg (still in the works). Moss Landing rally in May. The Central Coast California Unit is heading up North again. You have an opportunity to spend up to four wonderful days at this small, beautiful KOA oasis. Near Salinas, Monterrey, Santa Cruz and Castroville, there is much to see and do. Take advantage of a group tour of the Elkhorn National Estuarine Reserve, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and a fantastic array of seafood at Phil s Fish Market, near the RV Park. You can hear the seals and watch otters by the dock. This is an adventure worth the travel up north. This rally is bound to fill up fast. Delay is never the best option. Send your rally sheet in today. Dan and Karen Jones and Gary and Christa Mellinger are waiting to welcome you. SEE RALLY SHEETS ON PAGE 10 The International Serenity is built for relaxation. It s a premium travel trailer, available in eight different floorplans. The Serenity is perfect for those who yearn to set out on the open road, yet also want to enjoy the peace and comfort of home. You ll feel its calming spirit from the moment you enter. 9

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11 PRODUCTS FOR YOUR AIRSTREAM Airstream Stainless Steel Fire Ring $ Airstream Flamingo Logo Magnet $

12 Mexican Spoon Bread Contributed by Marsi Peterson * 10" Dutch Oven, oiled or with parchment paper liner * Light Charcoal Briquettes * Mix batter in a large bowl: o 1: 17oz can cream style corn o 1: stick butter (soft or melted) o 4: eggs o 2: 8.5oz boxes - Cornbread mix (Jiffy works well) * Mix in smaller bowl and hold separate o 1-2: 4oz cans chopped Anaheim chilies or similar (drained) o 1 cups: grated Cheddar Cheese Preparation: Pour half the batter into the oven. Spread 1/2 of the chili-cheese mix on top. Cover with the remaining batter, top with remaining chili-cheese mix. Cooking: Cover and place over coals: 9-10 on bottom, on top, trying to achieve 330*F on top, 240*F on bottom. Bake for 25 min. Then remove all but two coals from bottom, leaving them in the center. Place removed coals on top. Finish baking for additional 20 min. (Test center for doneness.) o Rotate oven and top every 10 min. Serving: Cut into wedges, serve hot, and don t worry about it falling apart. It is spoon bread. 12

13 Grillin and Chillin. A recipe for great Tri-Tip. Contributed by Gary J. Mellinger I m disappointed and embarrassed to say that for years, I ve destroyed many, many wonderful and expensive cuts of meat. So a few years back I decided to make some changes and actually use a scientific approach to cooking almost all of our meats. The order of the grade of Beef that we buy here in the U.S. as graded by the USDA. #1. Prime is at the top of the list. The main factor being it s even marbling of the fat throughout the cut. #2. Choice being the next grade, perhaps our most common grade sold at grocers and membership stores. Costco sells both Prime and Select. Recently we started buying our beef at Stater Brothers Market. They sell Prime, but also sell Select grade, which is the 3rd and next grade down. Stater Bros butchers tell me that they buy the best of the Select grades, and from what has been my experience, it is every bit as good as beef that I ve bought at Costco, both Prime and Choice. Also on sale, you just can t beat the prices at Stater Bros., and their meat cabinets are always spotless clean, with no unpleasant odor. BBQs. All grills are not the same. Propane, charcoal, the egg, and a kinda recent entry the pellet grills. We have them all, except for the egg. About 18 months ago, we bought a Traeger Pellet Grill from a road show at Costco. It is about the smallest that Traeger builds. It is the perfect size for a family of 2-6, and also you can buy a model that is a travel model with folding legs for camping and tailgating. The BBQ uses wood pressed pellets to fire the grill and uses electricity to run a small motor that turns an auger to keep the consistent temperature, which you ve selected for your grill box. It also powers a small circulation fan that works much like a convection oven to keep all areas of the cooking chamber at the relatively same temperature. I am very fond of our Traeger and swear that it s hands down the best grill we ve ever had. I can smoke various meats, as well as cook at high temps without the smoke flavor. The wood pellets are very economical compared to using charcoal, and a bag lasts for many, many cooking s. Like I mentioned before, I ve done my share of over-cooking everything from steak, roast, chicken, fish, pork, and regrettably, fillet mignon. So 2 years ago I started using digital meat thermometers. What a difference this has made in my ability to grill and bake, and have the meat come out exactly as we like it. Here are the two models that we use. The model with the red on the meat probe which stays in the meat while cooking, monitors the center meat temperature, and sends a wireless Wi-Fi signal to my phone to let me know when the meat is 10 degrees from the preferred temperature. Another set of beeps alerts me, to when the meat reaches the final temperature. These temperature gauges also work excellently for chicken and turkey. 13

14 Now getting on to the TRI-TIP smokin' and grillin recipe. Try to trim off most of the excess fat from the cut. When we buy meat at Stater Bros, they always ask us if we d like the meat seasoned. Sometimes I say yes and sometimes I choose to do it myself. The secret to a seasoning rub, is exactly as stated, RUB. Not just sprinkling on the seasoning, but actually massaging the meat, getting all of those spices into the muscle of the meat. Then we let it sit, preferably up to 24 hours. Alternatively, you can also freeze it. I like to smoke the Tri-Tip first for about 45 minutes on the smoke setting of the Traeger, the temp being about 165 during this phase. Then I crank up the heat to High which is about 425 to finish cooking. When the meat thermometer reaches the desired temperature- I like to pull my Tri-Tip off at pull it off the grill, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes on a cutting board. Slice it against the grain of the muscle fibers, in order to have a tender slice of roast. Happy grillin' friends, and have a cold one while chillin', waitin' for your meat to cook. ROAD FOOD Great places to eat along the way or where you are at a rally! Jalama Beach Grill What's happening in Lompoc at the Jalama Beach Cafe Wine maker dinners Thursdays Big screens NFL Sundays & Monday nites College football Saturdays great food, cold beer & local wines, great service As the home of the world famous jalama burger, all of our food has to meet the same standards of quality and excellence. The World famous Jalama burger starts with a 1/3 lb. lean ground beef, stacked with fresh sliced veggies on a grilled bun, AND made extra special with our secret Jalama burger sauce. Add cheese, bacon, jalapenos...it's all healthy at the beach! Other lunch offerings include grilled chicken breast, fish and vegetarian sandwiches, shrimp or fish & chips, our homemade chili beans in a bowl, on a burger or piled on a 1/4lb jalamadog 14

15 Appetizers include chicken wings, jalapeno poppers, onion rings and more. Kids menu includes nuggets, grill cheese, corn dogs, hot dogs, or good old fashion pbj. Our full breakfasts all include choice of eggs, meats, toast, a generous serving of our homemade breakfast potatoes and fruit of the day. We also serve monster breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches 812 North H Street Lompoc, Ca ( ) Monday Friday 11AM 2PM / 5PM 9PM Saturday -Sunday 5PM 9PM Got some favorite places to eat at along the road, where you re at, let the Tattler s editor know! lmminder@msn.com 15

16 The Central Coast California Unit Flag The Central Coast California Unit flag is now available to order. The more orders that are placed will give those who wish to purchase one a price break due to quantity. To get an expected price and to place an order for this 3 by 5 flag, please contact Pam Lindsay at lindsay7043@sbcglobal.net. Several members have already placed their orders. Don t be left behind. FLY THE UNIT FLAG PROUDLY AT OUR RALLIES. 16

17 Greetings, Many of you are aware of the new WBCCI Calendar as I sent you a notice of it a while back, but this is the official notice from HQ. Please get this information out to al of your Unit members as soon as possible so they can use it in planning their summer activities. I believe it was sent to all members whose addresses are on file, but for others you are the source. Please note the address of the person to be advised of changes in your Unit calendar, membership@wbcci.org, and make sure if you change something that the information is sent to HQ so the national calendar is kept current. This is much more efficient then the 3 month lead time currently used for the Blue Beret. Enjoy and use this new service of Your Club. Tom Smithson 17

18 One of WBCCI Europe's First Rallies Announcing the New Wally Byam Airstream Club Calendar on the Club's Web Site WBCCI.ORG! Many members have requested more information about club activities and now you can access ALL club events for an entire year, viewing individual Regions, National & Special Events Rallies, and Caravans separately. Click HERE to browse hundreds of club activities across North America and Europe. Open the "Activities" Menu on wbcci.org to access the "Event Calendar." Use "Calendar Information" for instructions on using the calendar. 18

19 Events can be viewed by year, month, week or day just by clicking the icon at the top of the calendar page. The Search icon allows you to find a specific event or all events sponsored by a specific unit. Here's a sample page of ALL club events. 19

20 You knew there would be a lot, right? Sometimes there are more than 10 events on a single day! In that case, additional events are displayed with an "X." Placing your cursor over the X will reveal those events. 20

21 Viewing "by week" will display all events each day of that week. Clearly there are too many events for a single calendar page, so by clicking on the Region, National/Special Events, or Caravan icons at the bottom of the screen you can refine what events are displayed. For example, clicking on "Region 10" will display all events for that Region. 21

22 Clicking on "Oregon" at the bottom of the page will display just Oregon Unit Events. 22

23 Let's try just "Caravans." Now you can see caravans listed in chronological order and easily determine which caravans might articulate well. When the desired category opens, you can view the sponsoring unit/region and dates by HOVERING OVER the desired day with your mouse or tracker pad. To see the SPONSORING UNIT, event location, contact persons, etc. PLACE THE CURSOR OVER THE EVENT, THEN CLICK on the EVENT NAME. 23

24 The Electronic Communications Committee hopes you find this addition to the club's technology offerings useful. Please contact with questions regarding the use of the calendar. For corrections or additions to the event information, contact 24

25 Photo by Cindy Berden Copyright 2017 Wally Byam Caravan Club, All rights reserved. You are receiving this because you are a member of WBCCI - The Airstream Club International Our mailing address is: Wally Byam Caravan Club 803 E. Pike Street Jackson Center, OH Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these s? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list 25

26 Why we joined the CCC By Pam and Stuart Lindsay When we first purchased our foot Safari from someone at the golf course (where I work) and mentioned they had seen an airstream club insert about a rally in the newspaper; that was our first inkling that there was an Airstream community. We didn t get the paper, so any other follow up just didn t get done. Then, in May of We were camping at Flying Flags in Buellton and met Paula and Ed Poll who were also solo camping my gosh! In an Airstream! They told us about their Airstream club..but we had reservations and lots of questions. We both work, will we be able to get enough out of it, be able to participate very much, Answer: Certainly! Many of our members still work. Most of the rallies are on weekends so more can participate! Ques: But we have dogs; is that ok? Answer: Certainly! Many of our members have dogs and they are most welcome! Question: will I be required to host a rally? Answer: only if you want to; it s easy and there are many people to help you. Still on the edge the Polls invited up to attend the September rally at Flying Flags to give it a go/try it out. We did, and were welcomed by all! What a positive experience!!! The rally was very organized, coordinated and the people were really great! The Polls still provided many answers to our questions?! Ultimately, we thought this was a great fit. So.we joined. The rest is history. Yes, we did end up hosting rallies and were impressed with all the help from everyone in setting things/cleaning up/ etc! We got pretty comfortable with it and hosted more. Then I became involved with being a Director.then Vice President and eventually President (2016). Who would have known!!!!? Joining the CCC has been the highlight of owning an Airstream!!! It is community centered on friendship and camping! It is helping each other in times of need and lending advice where needed/requested. It s about sharing life and its experiences and always reuniting with friends..people you have not seen since the last rally, but they are FRIENDS just the same. Friends such a strong word with deep meaning.it is what we have found by joining the CCC, and memories! Memories are to be treasured.and something we hope to continue to make. They are life. They are the treasures that remain when all else is gone. They contain the happiness for us to relive our experiences, loves, pleasures and highlights!!! Life is an adventure..and CCC is there to add to it! 26

27 North to Alaska By Michael and Nancy Jackson Have you ever wanted to take a long trip in your Airstream, but were a little intimidated. Don't be. With a few things in mind, your journey will be as easy as our weekend getaways. Last May, seven couples and ten dogs ventured all the way to Alaska. The key element to organizing a trip like this, is participation by all involved. That way all parties are buying into the experience. You don't want to have one person plan it all. That wouldn't be fair for anyone. We had multiple meetings with the entire group to discuss routes, campsites, what people wanted to do, ideas about trailer preparation, and any other things that might bring a little nervousness to all. We had a great asset for this trip in the "Milepost". This publication is broken down in tenths of miles and kilometers. It has everything you can imagine and then some: from the nearest Wal-Mart to the closest diesel fuel to the nearest post office. It was invaluable. Even if you choose to venture somewhere else, there are guides to help plan and organize your adventure. We traveled together sometimes and sometimes by ourselves. That seems to work itself out. But the security of having someone else in the vicinity was a nice feeling. We had radios that had a limited range but that was also a plus. Cell phone coverage in Canada was spotty at times and expensive. But we set up a plan with Verizon and for $2/day we could use our phones. Very cheap. Groceries were everywhere, as was fuel and diesel. A good rule of thumb was when your fuel gauge was near 1/2, fill up. Although fuel stations were plentiful, their hours were not. Here in the states, we can get fuel 24/7. Not up there so keep an eye on your tank. Lot of people are afraid of the roads and conditions. Don't be. The Alcan Highway as it is called is mostly paved. There are sections that are gravel and under construction during the summer travel months but they are well marked. The thing to remember is to go slow. Our trailers are made to take a lot of abuse and they do very well. We had no flat tires on any 27

28 trailer or tow vehicle, but that can happen. So make sure your spare is in good shape and aired up. Some people take an extra trailer tire with them. Probably not a bad idea, because your selection of tires and repair facilities is somewhat limited. If you are an owner who does not want your trailer to get dirty, I would not recommend this journey. The rain and dirt and mud cover everything, but there are an abundance of truck and trailer wash stations all over Canada and Alaska. One thing we all did was wrap the front and curved windows of our rigs with rubber yoga mats for protection from flying rocks and debris. They worked great. Make sure you secure everything in your trailer very well. If you have a microwave, I would suggest screwing up from the bottom into the little metal feet to secure it in case that cabinet opens and launches your microwave onto the floor. Take lots of toys. Kayaks, bicycles, hiking poles, fishing poles, good hiking shoes. The opportunities are endless and the scenery is some of the most fantastic you will ever see. Unspoiled vistas and wildlife that is usually reserved for National Geographic abound everywhere, so don't forget the camera. One absolute must see is Denali National Park. It fills up very fast and there are only three campgrounds in the park, so book your reservations 6 months in advance. Sounds problematic, but with some planning it is well worth it. We usually traveled about 200 miles and then would camp for a couple of days. If you are in a great spot, stay longer. There are great provincial parks all through Canada that make our parks here seem pretty ragtag. Free firewood all through the Yukon, cut and stacked. All you have to do is split it. Don't forget your axe. These are just a few tips and ideas. If the spirit moves you, discuss a possible caravan with friends around the campfire on one of your rallies. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call me or and I will be glad to chat. You have nothing to lose except a possible bucket list item being crossed off your list. Happy streaming and we'll see you on the road. 28

29 Sunshine News On March 28th, Christa had outpatient surgery on her thigh to remove a large mass. During our post op appointment, her surgeon/oncologist said that the biopsy of the tumor was a liposarcoma. She is recovering nicely and walking the day after its removal. We will be seeing another oncologist/radiologist for a second opinion and see if she needs radiation on that thigh. Her surgeon said that he removed it all, that this type of fatty tumor almost never spreads to other parts of the body, organs or blood and that it didn t have any fingers or its own blood supply which is good news he said. We were watching grandchildren a few days later and God willing it s only a little dip in the road. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the April rally at Jalama Beach. God Bless everyone, Gary and Christa. said. We were watching grandchildren a few days later and God willing it s only a little dip in the road. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the April rally at Jalama Beach. God Bless everyone, Gary and Christa Please keep all of our fellow members in our hearts and prayers, thankful for each recovery, encouragement for all who continue on road to complete recovery FLASH RALLIES They are not official rallies. These are spontaneous events triggered by one or more members asking other members to join in an adventure, pay as you go! NO HOSTS. Scheduled in between scheduled rallies. Invite and welcome others to join in. Plan a trip, invite others, and use our Facebook page. Have a different Airstream adventure!! WATCH FOR A FLASH RALLY COMING IN OCTOBER 2017 DETAILS IN FUTURE EDITIONS OF THE TATTLER. 29

30 2017 EVENT PROGRAM Curious about what s going to happen at Alumapalooza 8? We re hard at work on the 2017 program right now. In the next few weeks we ll post a preliminary program. For now we can tell you that there will be a whole new lineup of hands-on workshops (2 different ones every day) to help you learn more about your Airstream. We ll also have fresh new entertainment, and lots of old favorites (like the Aluminum Gong Show) coming back! Check back here, like the Alumapalooza Facebook Page, or sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on what will be happening at Alumapalooza in 2017! For more information, alumapalooza.com 30