An Informational Newsletter from the
WBCCI Electronic Communications Committee
August 2015
Header image by Dan McDougall.
See his article "What I Learned This Summer" later in this issue.
The 2015 Farmington International Rally
Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time and expertise to making this rally a success.
There were so many memorable moments at the Farmington Rally it's impossible to choose just a few images to capture it all. Where do you start? Events, special presentations, Airstreams, tours, or the thousands of encounters with Airstreaming friends? Here are several albums of images from photographers who gave permission to use their work. Enjoy.
Summary of Business Meetings in Farmington
by Matt Hackney, Region 3
One reason for the International Rally (and Convention) is governance of the club. The WBCCI is managed by an Executive Committee with direction from the International Board of Trustees. Representatives from the Units meet each summer to elect both groups and to make any desired changes to the methods used to govern the club. Significant International Board of Trustees actions in Farmington included:
Updating Lifetime Membership Fee Schedule, after confirming the Fund is financially sound.
Increasing Lifetime Member discount on International Rally Fees from $5 to $20 and adding a 10% discount on Club Store purchases.
Streamlining wording in the Bylaws regarding the Lifetime Membership Fund.
Removing restrictions on who may serve on the Lifetime Membership Fund Committee.
Requesting that “Airstream Club International, Inc.” and “Airstream Owners RV Association, Inc.” be added to the list of names which may be used for ads or electronic media. This requires no further action and does not change the official club name.
Modifying the International Rally Site Selection Committee composition and charter to provide greater support in site selection and contracts.
Adding "Long Range Planning" as a Standing Committee.
Modifying how new member dues will be assessed. First year dues will now be pro-rated for all joining after March. Dues will be reduced by $16 per quarter.
The Delegates selected officers for 2015 - 2016, with no nominations or opposition to candidates reported by the Nominating Committee. Finally, the Delegates agreed to modify the constitution to allow waiving of a roll call vote on substantive matters when no delegate objects. This change will still allow debate on issues and will only be used when debate is ended.
Our new Corporate Manager, Lori Plummer, delighted everyone by spending several days in Farmington, meeting members and making plans for the club's future.
I’ve searched for a proper way to express my gratitude to you all for letting me be a part of this great Club, this family of friends. It doesn’t seem enough to just say “thank you,” but from my heart a sincere “Thank You” to everyone for this honor.
I am very fortunate to work this coming year with an efficient and progressive headquarters staff, a great group of knowledgeable officers on the Board of Trustees and skilled and dedicated members of the Electronic Communications Committee.
Together we will continue to implement advances in technology at headquarters and throughout the Club to facilitate the handling of the business of the Club.
We are a social club that is a corporation and the product of that corporation is fun, fellowship and lasting friendships for our members.
To that end, I will ask the Board of Trustees to consider the following:
1. Encourage the formation of more caravans, more special event and national event rallies and a new category, special rallies not linked to a specific event.
2. Encourage Units and Regions to plan rallies designed to attract and retain members.
3. Pursue expansion of the Club into countries where there is a significant Airstream presence.
4. Strengthen the Club’s ties with Airstream and with Thor.
5. Initiate dialogue and perhaps shared events with other RV organizations.
This will be a very challenging and very interesting year. With that in mind, I chose a theme or slogan for the
2015-2016 Club year, a simple statement of fact, “Because We Can!”
If we all work together, this family of friends, we can make this great Club even greater - “Because We Can!” Jim Schwerdfeger
"Eatery 66" - From Farm to Trailer on the Rockies' Western Slope
If you find yourself in Southwest Colorado (more specifically in Ridgway, between Montrose and Ouray) do NOT miss the newest restaurant in town. "Eatery 66" is owned by master-chef Spencer Graves and his wife Katie. Housed in a 1966 Airstream Overlander with a menu to die for, in a town with one of the most spectacular settings in Colorado, this is a must-stop for every Airstreamer on US 550 north of the San Juan Skyway.
Did you know that NPR's "Story Corps" travels the country in an Airstream? Read More...
What if...?
by Frank DiBona
"What I Learned This Summer"
Dan McDougall, whose photograph near Lake Holloman, NM heads this issue, says "I owned a great T@B trailer for 5 years. I returned from a cross-country drive in the summer of 2011 (check out the blog archives) and bought a 2009 19' International Signature. I travel a lot for my work as a free-lance classical double bass player. I love to camp. With the Airstream, I can do both. Whether I'm camping near Newark, NJ with the NJ Symphony, in Bethlehem, PA, or Key West."
My summers are usually fairly free after July 4th, so I like to put my bass in a corner and take long trips.I've made cross-country trips in 2011, 2012, and 2015. No reservations. Follow what's fun. See friends."
• Be flexible.
• Well-maintained and cleaned pit toilets are not that bad.
• Solar panels and glass mat batteries on a trailer are the best thing ever. Quiet. Take care of themselves.
I brought a 1,000-watt Honda generator (and gas) and used it solely to make toast and run a coffee-maker twice at a campground without electric hook-up. I can live w/o toast, and make coffee in a cone. Maybe I would have needed it on the Oregon Coast...
There are not enough jumbo Ziploc bags in the world you can put around a gas tank and generator to prevent the gas smell from getting in your car.
• Reservations are overrated.
o Get a good campground book, or the AllStays app.
o On weekends, stay away from the most popular parks.
o For a good walk-in site in a popular park, get there early. Like maybe 10am.
o Call ahead to the park office(s) to get a feel for whether it's a busy day.
o On short notice, go to popular parks when fair-weather campers cancel due to a less-than-ideal forecast.
• If you have a self-contained trailer, boondocking on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands can be amazing. And cheap. And a little scary, if you haven't done your homework. So do your homework.
• Campground hosts are great. And friendly. They know the good hikes, the best spots, and the best way to stay in one. If you want to stay in their campground, ask them a few questions the day before about how to get one of the walk-in sites (if any).
• In a pinch, Walmart camping is not that bad. Ask at the Walmart (or call ahead) to be sure it's OK. Don't put your awning out, you're just there to sleep. Buy a few things. Twice on my trip, it was a godsend to just have a simple place to pull over to sleep.
• People who camp all have interesting stories. Talk to them. Wave when you drive by. The deeper off the beaten track you encounter campers, the more likely they are to be friendly and helpful.
• Assume the best of people until proven otherwise.
• Everyone loves Airstreams. They usually want a tour, wonder what year it is, and how much they cost (not necessarily in that order).
• Do not leave your awning up when you leave.
o You will make mistakes and/or do something stupid. Don't beat yourself up about it. Move on.
• Faucets can work their way on in transit. Always turn off your water pump when not in use. This is a hard-learned lesson...
• Invite an old friend (or brother) to join you on part of the trip.
• Pack a good rain coat.
• Keeping speed down below 65 really helps with mileage.
• Going faster over a rutted dirt road seems easier on the car and trailer.
• No matter how many tools you bring, you will need the one you didn't. So don't over over pack tools. I'll write a blog-post later with what I bring, but...
o 52 cents worth of screws will fix a broken fridge door.
o Duct tape counts as a "tool" and there's always room for it.
o Check your tire pressure regularly. I've had a blow-out. It's not pretty.
o You will never need any spare part you bring.
• Anything that can vibrate loose, will. Especially in a single-axle trailer. Screws. Doors. Door catches. Ovens. Gas fittings. Look around and catch them before it's too late. If you find a screw on the floor, it probably came off something.
• Pack your fridge carefully. Heavy items on the bottom. Don't weigh down the door compartments more than you need to. Everything falls/rolls to its lowest point.
• You can make Jell-O in the morning, and even in a moving trailer, it will be firm in a few hours.
• There are some surprisingly beautiful state parks out there. Try them.
• There are some surprisingly awful state parks out there. Avoid them (see AllStay app).
• Pennsylvania roads are the worst.
• Rest Stops get scary after dark. So, avoid driving after dark.
o Truckers would rather pee next to their truck than walk fifty yards to the bathrooms.
• Eat/Stop before you get hungry/tired. By the time you need to eat/stop, there will be no place to do it.
• In most cases, use gearing (not brakes) to lower your speed on downward mountain slopes.
o Don't let others rush you. Smile and wave as they pass you. You're on vacation, towing a cool trailer.
Even if you're driving cross-country, you will see some of the same people at rest-stops and gas stations in multiple states. Be nice to them.
"What I Learned This Summer"
Dan McDougall, whose photograph near Lake Holloman, NM heads this issue, says "I owned a great T@B trailer for 5 years. I returned from a cross-country drive in the summer of 2011 (check out the blog archives) and bought a 2009 19' International Signature. I travel a lot for my work as a free-lance classical double bass player. I love to camp. With the Airstream, I can do both. Whether I'm camping near Newark, NJ with the NJ Symphony, in Bethlehem, PA, or Key West."
My summers are usually fairly free after July 4th, so I like to put my bass in a corner and take long trips.I've made cross-country trips in 2011, 2012, and 2015. No reservations. Follow what's fun. See friends."
• Be flexible.
• Well-maintained and cleaned pit toilets are not that bad.
• Solar panels and glass mat batteries on a trailer are the best thing ever. Quiet. Take care of themselves.
I brought a 1,000-watt Honda generator (and gas) and used it solely to make toast and run a coffee-maker twice at a campground without electric hook-up. I can live w/o toast, and make coffee in a cone. Maybe I would have needed it on the Oregon Coast...
There are not enough jumbo Ziploc bags in the world you can put around a gas tank and generator to prevent the gas smell from getting in your car.
• Reservations are overrated.
o Get a good campground book, or the AllStays app.
o On weekends, stay away from the most popular parks.
o For a good walk-in site in a popular park, get there early. Like maybe 10am.
o Call ahead to the park office(s) to get a feel for whether it's a busy day.
o On short notice, go to popular parks when fair-weather campers cancel due to a less-than-ideal forecast.
• If you have a self-contained trailer, boondocking on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands can be amazing. And cheap. And a little scary, if you haven't done your homework. So do your homework.
• Campground hosts are great. And friendly. They know the good hikes, the best spots, and the best way to stay in one. If you want to stay in their campground, ask them a few questions the day before about how to get one of the walk-in sites (if any).
• In a pinch, Walmart camping is not that bad. Ask at the Walmart (or call ahead) to be sure it's OK. Don't put your awning out, you're just there to sleep. Buy a few things. Twice on my trip, it was a godsend to just have a simple place to pull over to sleep.
• People who camp all have interesting stories. Talk to them. Wave when you drive by. The deeper off the beaten track you encounter campers, the more likely they are to be friendly and helpful.
• Assume the best of people until proven otherwise.
• Everyone loves Airstreams. They usually want a tour, wonder what year it is, and how much they cost (not necessarily in that order).
• Do not leave your awning up when you leave.
o You will make mistakes and/or do something stupid. Don't beat yourself up about it. Move on.
• Faucets can work their way on in transit. Always turn off your water pump when not in use. This is a hard-learned lesson...
• Invite an old friend (or brother) to join you on part of the trip.
• Pack a good rain coat.
• Keeping speed down below 65 really helps with mileage.
• Going faster over a rutted dirt road seems easier on the car and trailer.
• No matter how many tools you bring, you will need the one you didn't. So don't over over pack tools. I'll write a blog-post later with what I bring, but...
o 52 cents worth of screws will fix a broken fridge door.
o Duct tape counts as a "tool" and there's always room for it.
o Check your tire pressure regularly. I've had a blow-out. It's not pretty.
o You will never need any spare part you bring.
• Anything that can vibrate loose, will. Especially in a single-axle trailer. Screws. Doors. Door catches. Ovens. Gas fittings. Look around and catch them before it's too late. If you find a screw on the floor, it probably came off something.
• Pack your fridge carefully. Heavy items on the bottom. Don't weigh down the door compartments more than you need to. Everything falls/rolls to its lowest point.
• You can make Jell-O in the morning, and even in a moving trailer, it will be firm in a few hours.
• There are some surprisingly beautiful state parks out there. Try them.
• There are some surprisingly awful state parks out there. Avoid them (see AllStay app).
• Pennsylvania roads are the worst.
• Rest Stops get scary after dark. So, avoid driving after dark.
o Truckers would rather pee next to their truck than walk fifty yards to the bathrooms.
• Eat/Stop before you get hungry/tired. By the time you need to eat/stop, there will be no place to do it.
• In most cases, use gearing (not brakes) to lower your speed on downward mountain slopes.
o Don't let others rush you. Smile and wave as they pass you. You're on vacation, towing a cool trailer.
Even if you're driving cross-country, you will see some of the same people at rest-stops and gas stations in multiple states. Be nice to them.
FIRST EVER AUTUMN RALLY for VAC Midwest
The Region 8 Vintage Airstream Rally of the WBCCI September 24-27, 2015 Council Grove Lake KS Group Site Loop S-1, Richey Cove
The Group Site at Council Grove Lake, Kansas has been reserved from Thursday, September 24 thru Sunday, September 27. All attendees will need to register by phone with Lee Cantrell785 564-0190 (P. O. Box 25, Olsburg, KS 66520). The group site has been filled, so attendees will now need to make their own reservations at www.recreation.gov/camping/richey-cove. Sites at Richey Cove in close proximity to the Group Site are 034 thru 043. These sites have both water and electric hookups and are $20 per night. This is a Corps of Engineers campground.
The maximum number of trailers allowed is 20.
Join us! Lee & Joyce Cantrell #4241 Kathy & Scott Allen # 3534
40' Vintage Airstream that once "rode the rails" sells for $200,000 in Denver.
Read More....
Databases, FileMaker, and You
The club is becoming more user friendly and efficient. You will first see this through online membership renewal, and your Unit officers will see it through their communication with the WBCCI Office. These features all depend on implementing databases at the corporate office. But this is not why I am writing today.
We have created a forum for club members who are FileMaker database users or developers. You know who you are. Additionally, if you have interest in databases in general the forum is open to you, too. Of 5000 + members, there must be more than three or four of us who dabble is such things. I know people who manage databases for their church or charity organizations. Do you?
I am not a professional developer, so I sometimes just need to ask a simple question. Occasionally I create a technique that seems real cool and would like to share it. My users have had questions that I didn't anticipate. More than anything else, I learn from the questions and solutions of others. If this rings a bell, we are trying to make the forum for you. Please join, and if you know someone involved with databases, ask them to checkout the forum. Follow this link to register. - Jim Cooper, DenCo Unit, ECC
Above images by Frank DiBona and Jay Juskey (at Canyon Lake, TX).
Want to know what Smart Phone apps Airstreamers are using to make traveling easier and even more fun? Click HERE for the notes from the "Smart Apps for Smart Travelers" seminar at the 2015 International Rally.
The Trend is to Online Rally Registrations
The following are excerpts from Eric McHenry's email to the Region 12 leadership regarding the trend toward online registrations for rallies.
We just completed registrations for our August Santa Clara Unit (with Golden West) rally. The interesting fact for our August rally is that 14 of the 15 registrations were done online.
Here’s some more background on our results with online Rally registration:
• We’ve been offering online Rally registration for about 1.5 years in our Santa Clara Unit.
• Each rally we seem to get a higher percentage of online registrations (versus paper), ESPECIALLY with new members, who just start off registering online - I imagine they just expect it.
• Now, in our Santa Clara-led rallies, we see upward of 75% registering online.
• We typically charge an online convenience fee of ~ $4. But as far as we can tell the fee isn’t a deterrent or an issue one way or the other.
For the last two Region 12 events:
• Cali Rally had 24 online registrations (not sure of the total attendees, but I believe that’s about 50%)
• Region 12’s upcoming October 2015 rally so far has 12 online registrations. I’m not sure about the total yet, but it’s my guess we’ll hit the 50% or so level by the time we get closer to the event date.
We really need to continue to push within the Central Office to provide a simple tool for all Units to offer online rally registrations. It’s seems clear that especially our new members want to register online.
PS. As an aside, within Santa Clara Unit we've stopped using the term “Rally Coupon”, but shifted to “Rally Flyer” or “Rally Registration”. The term “coupon” for an event didn’t make sense to our newer members who register online.
" What You May Not Know About Identity Theft"
by Deb Wood
Click HERE to read the notes from Deb Wood's excellent 2015 International Rally Seminar on this topic.
Excerpt: "I was surprised to find that, contrary to popular belief, most problems are not due to internet usage and presence. Thieves get our information from the most ordinary places: our trash and mailboxes."
What if Vincent Van Gogh had been an Airstreamer? Image by Frank DiBona.
President’s Corner
The club is becoming more user friendly and efficient. You will first see this through online membership renewal, and your Unit officers will see it through their communication with the WBCCI Office. These features all depend on implementing databases at the corporate office. But this is not why I am writing today.
