WBCCI Region 12 Unit 13 Issue 15 May/June 2017 GLAAC Club Officers President: Lynda Polk President.GLAAC@gmail.com 1st Vice President: Alan Amundsen 1stVP.GLAAC@gmail.com 2nd Vice President: Tim Murphy 2ndVP.GLAAC@gmail.com Treasurer: Dennis Pall Treasurer.GLAAC@gmail.com Secretary: Jennifer Goldsmith Secretary.GLAAC@gmail.com Membership Chair: Nancy Murphy Membership.GLAAC@gmail.com Webmaster: Helen Perri Web.GLAAC@gmail.com Newsletter: Jean Amundsen Newsletter.GLAAC@gmail.com Social Media Chair: open SocialMedia.GLAAC@gmail.com Event Chair: Pamela Pall Events.GLAAC@gmail.com Interested in serving as GLAAC s Social Media Chair? Contact Lynda at President.GLAAC@gmail.com Upcoming Events June 15-19: Bristlecone Pine Forest Flash Rally. Hosts: Ralph & Helen Perri September 14-17: San Simeon State Park Flash Rally. Hosts; Dennis & Pamela Pall October 6-8: Airstreams on Main, Carson City NV Wait list only- mail-in form. October 10-14: Region 12 Rally, Jackson, CA Wait list: http://region12.wbcci.net October 31-November 5: Refugio Beach State Park. Hosts: Kevin & Maureen Wallace, Alan & Jean Amundsen November 30-December 3: Holiday Event Newport Dunes RV Resort (details to come) President s Message Summer has arrived and I hope you are heading down the road to create some beautiful memories in your Airstream. Whether it s a few short trips around the West or a multi-month adventure, it s time to get rolling! Jim and I, along with Boonedocker and Piper, left home mid-may for a Coast to Coast to Coast excursion across this amazing country. This is our first exciting trip to Maine and we re hoping to take in as much of the beauty and history as we can along the way. After Maine we ll head to Escanaba, Michigan for the International Rally before making our way west where we ll see several club members at the Blackout Rally in Bend, Oregon. One of the highlights of our trip has been attending the 8th annual Alumapalooza event held at Airstream, Inc. in Jackson Center, Ohio. What we both enjoy about this gathering of aluminum from around the United States, among many things, is the ability to connect with the people who are responsible for creating and building our iconic Airstreams. Airstream s Vice President of Sales, Justin Humphreys, joined us a couple of evenings and shared with us current sales stats and information relevant to us as Airstream owners. The plant has more than doubled in size over the past few years to meet the current demand and today there are 120 units/ week leaving the factory that are already sold. This includes 85 trailers, 20 Basecamp models and 15 Interstate vans. Sales have increased by 30% and the backlog is now well into November 2017. Much of this volume is accredited to Airstream s international business, which is growing. A new distributor with six dealers was recently opened in the United Kingdom along with Australia, which will have dealers in five major markets. In addition, a new dealer was recently signed in Taiwan. Airstream has become a global brand, with dealers in the UK, Australia, Taiwan, China, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Korea, said Humphreys. The U.S. market can be cyclical, so expanding business is good for Airstream, Inc. and the 830 families that are employed here. An announcement from the recent dealer meeting shared by Humphreys is the Five Rivet Program. This program, welcomed and endorsed by the dealers, will be put in place to raise the level of service and sales provided to us by Airstream dealerships around the country and will ensure service, Cannot be refused on any Airstream customer, period, stated Humphreys, to a round of applause from the audience. Not every dealer will achieve Five Rivet status, he said, but certainly those that provide outstanding sales and service will be recognized. Airstream owners, did you know there are HowTo videous just for us? Head over to the Airstream Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/airstream/playlists. A few additional noteworthy items shared include an Airstream motorhome in the works and Airstream s collaboration with Pedago electric bikes to bring to market the Pedago Airstream bike. Two lucky members had their names drawn at Alumapalooza to win this electric bike with both winners placing their bikes up for auction, which in turn raised $5,000 for the Jackson Center Food Bank. Well played, Airstreamers, well played! I am happy to extend a warm welcome to our newest members, Lauretta & Pierre of Winnetka, Robert & Bonnie of Acton, and Mike & Debbie of Celebration, FL. We hope to see you at an event soon! Best wishes to everyone for some new and exciting adventures as you roll this summer. Be sure to bring home a few good stories to share around the campfire! Lynda
A Western Weekend at Rancho Oso, April 6-9 by Jean Amundsen Like many campers, we have a few favorite places that we visit often-our camping comfort zone, so to speak. Being in GLAAC gives us the chance to visit wonderful places totally off our travel radar. Such a place is Rancho Oso. Nestled deep within the Los Padres National Forest near the top of San Marcos Pass and surrounded by miles of pristine scenery, it is, quite literally, a hidden gem. Our hosts, Maureen & Kevin and Jeanette & Barbara, organized a fun-filled long weekend for the lucky Airstreamers who made the trip. After settling into our riverside campsites on Thursday afternoon, we relaxed a bit before heading to the Chapel for a Meet n Greet and meal of heavy appetizers and beverages. It is always a treat to reconnect and catch up on everyone s adventures, Airstream or not. We went over the weekend s schedule and turned in for a quiet night, anticipating the fun to come. Friday morning, with its nice cover of clouds, was perfect for a hike into the mountains. It took a bit of maneuvering, but we finally got all the people and pups loaded into the trucks and we were off to the trailhead. We hiked through fields of wildflowers, especially spectacular after this past winter s rains. I have never walked among wild mustard that was 8 feet tall! Making it to the top of the hill, we were rewarded with spectacular views of the Rancho and the surrounding Los Padres National Forest. After all that exertion, it was nice to relax in the afternoon while our hosts prepared a tasty Western Barbecue with all the trimmings. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the sides were mouth-wateringly yummy. The well-stocked bar, set up by our gracious hosts, was a nice surprise. After a dinner filled with conversation and good cheer, Jeanette & Barbara took out their guitars and led us in a round of campfire songs. While we may not have been the most intune choir in the world, we certainly enjoyed the singing. The sound of raindrops outside added a wondrously cozy vibe to the evening. Saturday dawned with clear skies and the adventure of the day was a lunchtime trek to the historic Cold Spring Tavern, once a stage stop on the route from Santa Barbara to the Central Coast. It is a place just bursting with rustic charm and tons of happy tourists. The food s great, too! We stood in the long line to place our orders, grabbed seats in the bar and relaxed over a great lunch. Then, it was back to camp for more relaxing or exploring. I have come to enjoy GLAAC pot-lucks, and Saturday evening s gathering was no exception. It is amazing what culinary delights can come out of an Airstream kitchen! We arranged our tables and chairs on the patio near the Stone Cottage to enjoy our feast. It was a little chilly, so the party ended early. Maureen, the dutch-oven Wonder Woman, had scrumptious cinnamon rolls and Cowboy Coffee waiting for us on Sunday morning. We enjoyed our meal, said our good-byes, and made promises to meet down the road. Pulling out of camp, we took one last look at this great bit of California.
Pismo Beach Vintage Trailer Show, May 19-21 by Dennis Pall Well, the 9th annual Pismo Beach Vintage Trailer Show is now history, and once again the show, purported to be the largest of its kind in the nation, was wildly successful. In all, over three-hundred classic trailers and vintage automobiles nearly filled the 400-space Pacific Coast Village, and thousands came to view them. Similarly, the rally of Airstreamers that ran concurrent with the show next door at Pismo State Beach s North Beach campground seems to have again met everyone s expectation. Some familiar faces were conspicuously absent, being on their way to Alumapalooza in Jackson Center, Ohio. But despite our missing comrades, our club remained well-represented as 22 GLAer s in 11 Airstreams attended the event, many proudly sporting for the first time their new Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club garden flags. Overall, 22 Airstreams occupied the state park campground, meaning we GLAer s represented half of the Airstreams there. A few from our club arrived on Thursday, May 18, and were treated to a Margarita Social hosted by Franco and Judy Pellegrini. The rest pulled into camp on Friday and were greeted that evening with the GLAAC welcome event hosted by Helen & Ralph Perri. This appetizer event included GLA ers, NorCal and SoCal Streamers, and a few Airstreamers unaffiliated with any group. Thanks to the Perri s efforts our club gleamed like a highly polished Vintage, not only through the hospitality extended to all, but no one could possibly miss our new GLAAC banner that was showcased at the entrance to their campsite. Food and wine, as is our custom, was abundant, and good times flowed as we acquainted ourselves with friends new and old. Representing the Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club at the event were Alan and Jean Amundsen, John and Susan Barrett; Andy and Carolyn Binder, Dwayne and Laurie Brummett, Nowell Grossman and Jennifer Goldsmith, Dirk Gardner and Andrea Howell, Michael and Nancy Jackson, Dennis and Pamela Pall, Eric and Melita Parker, Ralph and Helen Perri, Joe and Ade Salzer, and David and Ari Neel & family who actually displayed their 19ft, 1962 Globetrotter in all its finery at the show next door. Saturday dawned clear and sunny and promised a perfect day for viewing the rolling art and artistry of 300-plus vintage trailers; some of the rigs so beautiful it was hard to imagine even camping in them; while others so funky, well, it was hard to imagine ever camping in them. The weather, so unlike Pismo this time of year, cooperated with near-perfection on Thursday, Friday and most of the day Saturday. It wasn t until mid-afternoon that the infamous Pismo fog rolled in, but it could not dampen the spirit or the mood of Cris and Kimmy Lilidahl s annual pot-luck dinner hosted at their 30-foot Avion. Of special note: Cris and Kimmy were leaving directly from the event for Alaska (as seven of our group had last year.) Let s just say there were a few who were more than envious and contemplated the idea of stowing-away. Sunday brought an end to our annual event, but not before the requisite goodbyes, farewells and commitments to see one another sooner rather than later. We truly do have a great club of warm, caring and really fun people. There is a full line-up of events scheduled for the remainder of 2017 and a calendar already filling with exciting stuff in 2018. If you haven t had the opportunity to attend this or any of your club s other events, please join us- we can almost guarantee -You ll have a BLAST.
ALUMAPALOOZA 8, May 30 June 4 by Nancy Murphy Heading north on the I-75 from the Great Smoky Mountains, we took the 274 towards Jackson Center, Ohio. Driving along the country highway and past some idyllic middle-american farms, it seemed as if we were going the wrong way, but soon we reached the outskirts of the tiny town and turned onto the factory grounds where we were greeted by what seemed to be miles of Royal Blue corrugated metal buildings surrounding a vast, shining aluminum lake.airstreams were parked everywhere. There were so many beautiful, glimmering new ones waiting to make their journey to dealers all over the nation, as well as 135 Airstreams of all sizes, models, and vintages inhabited by friendly, happy, adventurous people (and canines) from many states--all returning to the Mother Ship. Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club made a great showing: Rich Luhr, Eleanor O Dea and their daughter, Emma (event organizers); Jim and Lynda Polk; Barbara Howard-Jones and Jeanette Webber; Tim and Nancy Murphy; and M.A.L. (soon to be new GLAAC members), Bruce and Denise Morrow. Not bad for a 2,500 mile or so trek. The road warrior prize, however, goes to Barbara and Jeanette who pounded the miles out in just under a week! Alumapalooza is an energetic and fun event. There are factory tours, wine and cheese tastings, raffles, music, group dinners, yoga, and lots of great seminars given by experts in many areas: leak detection, propane system safety, riveting, battery and electrical maintenance, awning maintenance by Zip Dee, and Vintage trailer valuation presented by our own Jim Polk (he s been very busy doing valuations of the gleaming oldies since his talk.) Additionally, Jim and Lynda Polk gave a very informative, well-organized, and well-attended talk and slideshow highlighting the 2016 Alaska trip some of our GLAAC members undertook last summer (7 rigs, 14 peeps, and 10 canines). Three GLAAC member families who were on that trip attended this year s event in Jackson Center and we each enjoyed plenty of opportunities to visit with interested folks, share our own experiences, and encourage them to give it a go. That s the Airstream way: sharing information, ideas, and experiences; helping; encouraging one another; and making new friends along the way. Photo Credits: Nancy Murphy, Lynda Polk Please join us for fun, friendship and adventure! Visit our website regularly to find out about future events. http://greaterlosangelesairstreamclub.wbcci.net Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club (public) Greater Los Angeles Club Members Page (secret) Region 12 Facebook Group WBCCI
Notes from the Events Chair Hi Everyone, September is wide open for streaming opportunities. Thus we decided to set a date for a flash event at San Simeon State Park on Thursday thru Sunday, September 14th-17th. San Simeon State Park is located close to Hearst Castle and Cambria with the availability of wine tasting nearby at the Paso Robles wineries off of Highway 46. To make your reservation, simply go to https:// www.reserveamerica.com and reserve a Nonspecific campsite in the Washburn area. It is listed as: WA Primitive 31 FT Nonspecific Standard 8 31 available (59 sites) Once you ve made your reservation, email me at Events.GLAAC@gmail.com Come join us for a fun, casual and beautiful camping experience! Do you have your flag yet? They are available now! Contact Pamela Pall at Events. GLAAC@gmail.com The October Region 12 Rally at the Jackson Rancheria RV park is wait list only. If you still wish to attend, however, please see the coupon on page 5 for directions on how to apply. We already have 7 from GLAAC attending! Hope to see you there! If you are planning on attending the Region 12 Rally on October 10 14 at Jackson Rancheria or even if you are not, you may want to add this to your list of camping adventures! This is a rare opportunity to experience Urban Camping in Carson City, Nevada. The Lake Tahoe Airstream Club has worked hard to create this unique event that will occur On October 6-8, just prior to the Region 12 Rally. It, too, is wait list only. The attached coupon has all of the information,cost, planned events, and form to send to get on the waiting list. Pamela Pall, Events Chair Have you recently been on an Airstream adventure? Can you share your pictures (with short descriptions) for publication in the Urban Update?. Send your photos and Word documents to Jean Amundsen at Newsletter.GLAAC@ gmail.com or text them to (818) 653-2395. Thanks!! News Flash from Lynda! Looks like Boonie (our cover pup) is a star! Rich used Boone s photo on his blog. I highly recommend Rich s blog, informative and humorous! http://maze.airstreamlife.com/2017/06/
Lake Tahoe Airstream Club Presents Carson City Nevada Urban Rally "Airstreams on Main" October 6-8, 2017 The Airstreams on Main rally will be held in downtown Carson City, Nevada on or near the Main Street (aka Carson Street or Hwy 395). This is a dry camping rally and generator use will be limited. Activities will include: Musical concert Wine Walk Hosted Happy Hour Bicycle Tour Through Historic District Elks Breakfast (non-host) Airstream Rig Open House And More Due to space and parking requirements in Carson City, you will need to arrive in our preparking bull pen on time and plan to stay the entire length of the rally. We cannot park anyone late or have early departure. Wait List Only. Early replies will receive priority on the waiting list. NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CELL PHONE LENGTH OF AIRSTREAM FEET WBCCI # UNIT/CLUB NAME: Fee: $50.00 Make check payable to: Lake Tahoe Airstream Club (We do not have online registration available) LTAC and Affiliates Mail by June 15, 2017 All Others: Mail after June 15, 2017 Mary Diamond, LTAC Treasurer 1240 Sugar Creek Trail Reno, NV 89523 Any Questions: Contact Bob Stansbury at burytone@yahoo.com
Region 12 Rally Get Your Groove On Waiting List Only The 60 s Theme bring your tie-dyed Jackson Rancheria RV Park, Jackson CA Tuesday October 10 Sunday October 15, 2017 Host: NorCal Unit: Contact: Pat Lazzereschi @ (209) 712-5884 or plazzereschi@gmail.com *Name (s): Address: *Email address: 1 st Time to Region Rally? *Phone: Trl or MH? Length *WBCCI #: Member of Unit *Must Provide PARKING Check Rally nights you will attend: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat RALLY FEE Rally Fee: # @ $70.00 / Person $ Children under age 12 Rally Fee: # @ $25 / Person $ Total Nights Parking: # @ $35.00 / Night Total Enclosed $ $ Registration and Payment can be made through PayPal, with a $3 convenience fee. See Region 12 Website region12.wbcci.net for online registration. You may also mail a check for the total amount, with the coupon, to the registrar. Refunds after the closing date will be subject to vendor s policy for cancellations. Make check payable to: WBCCI NorCal and mail by 9/15/17 to: Vicki Gallagher 211 E 2nd Street The Beat Goes On Benicia CA 94510