The Trailblazer is published by the Chinook Camping Club      
September 2016  Issue 16-3

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Always open to feedback, email me at cnbreeding52@gmail.com
Nancy Breeding, Editor
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
We just had a nice short haul down to the Outer Banks to visit family. As we traveled we stopped at the Blue Crab Bay Co. on the eastern shore of Virginia. They are a Harvest Host location, though the timing was wrong for us to spend the night: I am, however, *highly* addicted to their Old Bay-seasoned, honey-roasted peanuts and their Stingray Bloody Mary mix. So, as I say, we stopped. As we shopped a delightful woman came over and started to talk to us about our Concourse and RVing. She was the owner of Blue Crab Bay Co, and an RVer herself. In fact, she is a member of a Winnebago Navion/View camping club! She told us about a new RV park where they plan to rally, just on the north side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It sounded so inviting, we just had to check it out. SO 30 minutes down the road we stopped in and had the tour. It’s all newly renovated and with several kinks to be worked out: they’d only been open about 6 weeks. Location right on the bay, though, with a nice pool, a bit of private beach and my FAVORITE thing: an on-site cafe! Well you *know* we spent the night! Will the club rally there? Maybe: even with a discount it was $55 for the night. The sites were level but sandy grass. There was a big club room, but it was kind of far from the camping area. Near the camping area was a nice outdoor area where they would pitch canopies for us. Pam, the woman from Blue Crab, is going to let me know how their rally there goes.

This is a bit of a long-winded way to say that it doesn’t take much to scout out a campground, and that you might get a nice discount off a night’s stay if you say you might bring in 30 coaches. We’d love to hear ideas for future rally spots from other members, even if you don’t often rally with us.


On a separate note, please remember that the Club needs candidates for officers. It’s more than one long story, but several of us are having complications in our lives. If you can see yourself throwing a hat in the ring for Treasurer, VP rally, Secretary, or President puh-LEESE let Diane Cremens know. We can do a lot to help transition you and continue to support you once in office, and you’ll never be alone: not in this club!

Mark McCluski
El Presidente

SUMMER RALLY WRAPUP
In spite of some dire weather predictions, we had sun and pleasant temperatures for most of the rally. This location was one selected by Cricket Jones when she was Rally VP, and it was decidedly a winner. Many people shared the load and made the work light. If I try to list them all I’ll forget someone and feel terrible, besides there were SO MANY! Grocery shoppers, kitchen crew, activity organizers, thank you all! What a job you did! And welcome to first time ralliers Linda and Rich Henderson!

“Just what happened at the rally, Mark?” Well funny you should ask. We had an old school meet and greet the first night. Members brought many appetizers and finger foods, and the club provided a modest choice of Vermont cheeses and local crackers. We played a round of “Chinook Chat,” going around the room answering questions about our RV experiences written on a stack of cards. (“Where did you hit a bridge?” “What’s the most useless upgrade you’ve made?”)

On Tuesday we had a pancake breakfast: King Arthur Flour pancakes, from the company’s flagship location just up the road, and Vermont maple syrup of course! This was rounded out with many other choice breakfast morsels brought by generous members. Just where did those biscuits and gravy come from? *That* wasn’t in the plans! Oh well, somehow we endured!

Following up on a suggestion made in Asheville, our Tech Talk did not feature a “presenter.” Instead we had a roundtable discussion about things we had done or learned recently. After an hour or so of that we walked around the campground and got to look at some of the repairs and improvements that had been discussed. This alone was worth the price of admission for me, and I gather there were a few people who found it helpful. I hope to do this again at upcoming rallies.

I don’t know, I may have blacked out a bit in the afternoon. Next thing I knew it was time for the potluck. Kitchen facilities were a little limited, yet we still had an impressive groaning board. Nobody went away hungry, nobody!

After dinner small group discussions ensued. A number of us ended up at Jim Rohrborn and Lisa Lutzeier's site: Lisa’s campfires are getting to be as reliable a constant as Jim’s cakes!

Wednesday morning we had a breakfast of foods contributed by members. Again, thank you kitchen crew: this was supposed to be no-frills, yet once again we a dazzling assortment of hot and cold foods.

Then there was down time for touring and visiting. T Burgess led a workshop in the afternoon on making tote bags out of t-shirts. At 6 PM we gathered for the club picture, which your club president bungled. Sorry, people standing on the ends: hopefully regular photographer Ed Cremens will be with us next time to do the job right. After the picture we had an outdoor weenie roast. For the end of the day the program promised a campfire which the “host” had forgotten about, but Lisa came through again so the day was saved.

And then it was Thursday morning and just like that folks were leaving, some to go home, some to explore New England further on their own.

Want to check out my photos of the event, such as they are? Here’s a link to my DropBox where they are kept:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2l3ebyadcg0vuhc/AAB57Ryd46j4htRKqwwgZ0cIa?dl=0
More photos are also posted on the Chinook Flickr site

 
UPCOMING RALLY SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

With any rally please make sure you say you are with the Chinook Camping Club rally.
VOLUNTEER HOSTS NEEDED, CONTACT T BURGESS AT cccrallyvp@gmail.com   
 

 

Plans for future fun are coming along!
FALL ANNUAL RALLY- Nashville KOA TN, October 2-5, 2016


The last rally we had in Nashville was a blast, don't miss this one!
The KOA is close to restaurants and there is an inexpensive shuttle that will take you to downtown and other attractions! The fall rally also includes a catered dinner, and annual business meeting with elections, so we need as many members to attend as we can get!
We are still in need of hosts for our fall rally at Nashville KOA.  John Cross has been doing local research for us (Thank You John!), but we still need actual hosts to handle organizing breakfast and such. If you are interested in volunteering or just want to ask questions about what is involved email T at CCCRallyVP@gmail.com. Reservation number is 800-562-7789.  Local number is 615-889-0282.  Ask for the October 2-5, Chinook Club reserved site area. Our rate will be $57.04 plus tax ($5.28) per night.  Those that come early or stay longer can get this rate up to one additional week. Individuals will make their own reservations and pay their own bill.  One night deposit required when making reservation.  Cancellation policy is a $10.00 fee if you cancel 30 or more days before event. Less than 30 days notice will forfeit the deposit.
Agenda:
SUNDAY 5:30pm Meet and Greet in the Music Hall
MONDAY 8:30am Pancake Breakfast (provided by KOA, paid for by the club)
MONDAY afternoon: Free time to explore and visit!
MONDAY 5:30pm Pot Luck dinner in the Music Hall
MONDAY 7:00 PM Annual Business Meeting in the Music Hall
TUESDAY 8:30am Pot Luck Breakfast in the Music Hall. Bring something simple to share.
TUESDAY 10:30am Tech Roundtable in the Music Hall (followed by coach visits to see the fixes and improvements discussed)
TUESDAY 4:30 PM Group Photo (location TBD)
TUESDAY 5:00 Cock of the Walk (Eileen Disbrow will be taking pre-orders for the club the from the full menu on Monday Oct 3) pm
WEDNESDAY 8:30am Farewell, bring your own coffee and leftovers
SEE MARK'S UPDATE EMAIL FOR LAST YEAR'S MINUTES, THE NEW BYLAW PROPOSAL CONCERNING THE ADDITION OF AN INDEMNITY CLAUSE, AND NASHVILLE TOUR INFORMATION.

Winter Rally @ Flamingo Lake RV Resort FL, January 23-26 , 2017
Hosts: Ken & Lillian Schmidt, Debbie & BJ Person

Spring Rally @ East Asheville KOA,  April 30-May 3, 2017
Hosts needed! If you are interested in volunteering or just want to ask questions about what is involved email T at CCCRallyVP@gmail.com!

Summer Rally, 2017, WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH IDEAS!!!
We’re still hoping for an event in the late spring. If you have any ideas that you’d be willing to work on, please email T at CCCRallyVP@gmail.com!

Fall Rally Branson Lakeside RV Park, Branson MO Sept 25-30, 2017 ANNUAL RALLY
September rally will be a joint gathering with the Western club at Branson Lakeside RV Park, 300 Boxcar Willie Dr, Branson, MO 65616. Phone 417-334-2915. We will be hosted by western club members Jim and Marnie Weidmaier. We’ll beg a little time apart from our western cousins to conduct our annual business meeting.

 

MEMBERSHIP REPORT by Gerry Rutter



We have 91 coaches registered.
We also have 2 associate members.
New Members:
Judy & Paul Boutross CCC# 410
Greg Snedden CCC# 411

Alice and Mario Signore, CCC# 412
Departed Members:
Susan Martin & Hans Paschel CCC# 359
Cindy Gabrys CCC# 213
Mary Ellen Van Pelt CCC# 322

Dave Shehane informs me that the Yahoo ChinookRVOwners group has over 800 members.
The East and West Clubs combined have less than 200 members.
As he says, “They are out there.” So, keep on the lookout for Chinooks, and leave a business card, when you see them. I have placed a copy of the “Saw your Chinook” business card into the shared group folder, in the event you wish to print them.
 
Please review your information on the Membership Directory, and send any corrections, mismatches or updates to me at ChinookCampingClub@gmail.com


EZ Member Directory App:
I have added 2 WIKIHOW tutorials to the installation instructions on the shared Dropbox folder.
EZ Member Directory will not work on Amazon Kindle. This is because Amazon does not accept apps from the Google PlayStore.
Google has been changing how they determine device compatibility.
Currently they consider the EZ Member Directory to be a smart phone app, and it may not show as available from a tablet.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
If you tap a members address from the EZ Member Directory app, you can get directions to their home.
If you need your access code or assistance with the app, please send your questions to ChinookCampingClub@gmail.com
 
Some of our members have not had the opportunity to attend a rally.
SOOO, we do not have photos of you or your Chinook.
If you wish to have your picture in the Member Photo Directory, please send me a photo of yourself and your Chinook to me.

 

OCTOBER IS MEMBER RENEWAL MONTH!!!
MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO

“Chinook Camping Club” and mail to:
Chinook Camping Club,
Linda Stamper, Treasurer
219 Monte Vista Drive,
Statesville, NC  28625
CLUB DUES OF $35 PER COACH ARE DUE EACH YEAR ON OCTOBER 1.
Dues are considered delinquent after December 1.
WATCH OUT FOR FRAUD!  I recently received the following information by email concerning an item in the December newsletter. Please take note. It appears fraud exists even within the RV community. We appreciate the communication from a concerned citizen!
"We have noticed in your December 2015 Issue 15-4 under Helpful Information you mentioned to watch a youtube channel called Nomadic Fanatic, has anyone really check Eric Jacobs aka Nomadic Fanatic out?  
 
We have and are turning over all our information over to Washington State Attorney's Office about him.
Eric Jacobs is a convicted felon of a couple counts of burglary and writing bad checks in the state of Washington.
He is a con man, as he has done two crowd funding-- one for solar panels which he needs $627.00 and raised over $3k and the other one for a documentary that was to start in July 2014 and end August 2014 asking for $5,000 and raised $5,113.00. This is fraud in the state of Washington.
 
There is much more but most can be found by Google either Eric Jacobs or Nomadic Fanatic. We just wanted to let you know and you can check the information yourself or we can email most of it. We would hate for anyone in your club to be taken in by him."
There are a lot of crowd-funding requests out there these days online; beware and research.
CHINOOK LOGO ITEMS
The club has a variety of logo items available for purchase. The Royal or White collared polo shirt is very nice. Also available are T-shirts in Royal or White, Sweatshirts and Fleece Vests in Royal. They all look great with our club Baseball Cap.  For information on availability contact Eileen at chinook121@tampabay.rr.com or by calling 813-633-5113.

CHINOOK CAMPING CLUB LOGO ITEM PRICING
Prices as of Oct 2015 and are subject to change
KC Brushed Cotton Ball Cap – KC8210S – Royal $9.25
Ladies Pique Polo – BG6500 – Royal/White $15.95
Men’s Pique Polo – BG7500 – Royal/White $15.95
Ladies T-Shirt – GL200L – Royal/White $8.40
Men’s T-Shirt – GL200 – Royal/White $8.00
Sweatshirt – GL120 – Royal $15.10
Fleece Vest – M985 – Royal $21.75
TECH TALK ROUNDTABLE AT THE SUMMER RALLY, WHITE JUNCTION, VT 2016
from Mark McCluski
 
The roundtable started out talking about water leaks. Our Concourse had a leak near the kitchen end of the couch that couldn’t be traced. Without any visible spray or drip from anything under the couch, the aisle carpet would always be damp after a day or two camping. Two RV shops hadn’t been able to “duplicate the problem.” We replaced the water pump as a Hail Mary after hearing about a similar problem tech guru Tom Jackson had corrected for Eileen. The problem has not recurred since. Someone mentioned that West Marine sells the water pump housing as a standalone part: cheaper than replacing the whole pump, including motor. Someone else offered that Tractor Supply sells the same thing even cheaper.
 
There was a cautionary tale about depressurizing the water heater before trying to remove the anode rod.
 
Small solutions: Amazon sells adhesive plates to hold a GPS to the dash rather than window. Makes it easier to reach the GPS.     
Walmart and Amazon sell a moveable LED light called the Light Switch Night Light. Battery powered, mounts with adhesive backing. Makes it possible to install a small LED light anywhere. https://www.amazon.com/Illinois-Industrial-Tool-Light-Switch/dp/B00MMMHPW0

 

Solutions were discussed for hauling a bike in a Chinook. Swagman Bike Racks can be front-mounted. http://www.swagman.net, available from etrailer.com. Dan Coco said Brompton makes a folding bike that can fit in the outside rear compartment behind the tire on a Concourse. http://www.brompton.com/The-Bike 
 
 
There was a problem with the electric GFI popping when on city power. Possible fix is to replace the patio outlet, which has been known to cause shorts. To test for that as a solution, unplug the fridge, then plug a heavy draw into the outside outlet and see if it pops GFI. 
 
Someone with a 1989 Chinook has a problem with the house battery continuing to drain. Some members with Chinooks of similar vintage have changed the charger from the original equipment; this can resolve battery charging problems. 
 
When Cricket did away with outside shower she found a huge space underneath sink.
 
Mike’s Precision Paint in Indiana did Terry and Sally Arnold’s paint job.
 
There was discussion about connecting TV to stereo speakers. There was some variation depending on the equipment that had been installed on different model years.
 
After the talk everyone walked around from rig to rig to see some of the fixes and modifications that had been talked about.
 
Chinook Easy Eats!
http://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/bacon-spinach-quiche/

This recipe is oven cooked, so maybe not so great for the Chinook, but I have made it three times now, and it is so tasty and easy I wanted to share!
  • 1 pie crust recipe (I used a refrigerated roll-out crust)  
  • 8 oz bacon, diced
  • 6 oz bag baby spinach
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk ( I used half and half)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup Swiss cheese, grated, or cheddar cheese
  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven then preheat to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare pie crust according to recipe.
  3. Roll out pie crust and place it in a 9" round deep-dish pie pan. Flute or decorate the edges of the crust as desired. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom and sides.
  4. ‘Blind bake’ the crust by lining the inside of the pie crust with aluminum foil and placing pie weights (or uncooked beans or rice) inside the foil. Bake the pie shell for 15 minutes then remove from oven. Remove the weights and foil and set aside until ready to fill.
  5. While the crust is baking, cook the diced bacon in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat until crispy but still tender—approx. 7–8 minutes. Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  6. Remove bacon grease from the pan, return the skillet to the heat then add baby spinach. Toss occasionally until the spinach becomes dark green and all the leaves have wilted.
  7. Transfer the spinach to a colander or wire sieve and squeeze the spinach—you should have ½ cup of cooked spinach with very little moisture remaining. Set aside.
  8. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, crack 1 egg and whisk it together with flour until completely smooth. Add the remaining 5 eggs, whisk until completely combined then whisk in the sour cream, milk, kosher salt and pepper until completely smooth.
  9. Stir the bacon, spinach and grated cheese into the egg mixture then pour the filling into the pie crust. Return the dish to the oven and bake 45-55 minutes—the filling will brown slightly in some areas and the center will feel firm when pressed.
  10. Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
SUNSHINE UPDATES
Do you know a member who is ill or recovering that needs some SUNSHINE? Send the info to Diane Cremens at dscremens@gmail.com
Member Updates:
Congratulations to Don and Jo Phillips on their 65th anniversary! Hope to see you out in your Chinook soon!
Sunshine goes out to Cricket Jones and Mike Sloop for current and upcoming health challenges. 
Frequent rally attendees Mary Ellen Van Pelt and our travelogue writer Cyndy Gabrys have both sold their Chinooks and bought larger units. We will miss Mary Ellen's music and the travels of Cyndy, but wish them good times in their new on-the-road homes!

TRAVELOGUE:
For the past few issues, we have been presenting the travelogue written by Cyndy Gabrys from her six month trip last year. Cyndy has recently sold her Chinook, purchasing a larger unit for more extensive travel. I've posted the remaining stories on the website for you to enjoy and use to plan your own trip! We wish Cyndy well on her new journeys and appreciate her sharing her past experiences!
Do you have a trip planned? Have you been on a great trip recently? Write it up for the next issue and send it to the editor!
WHERE ARE YOU PARKING THIS TRIP?
Let's share information on where to park our Chinooks overnight en route or for an extended visit to wonderful places. Here is a BLOG CHALLENGE!
For a few years, Sally Arnold has had a blog online where we can post about campgrounds we've visited, organized by state. It's a great resource, but needs to be expanded!
Here's the challenge: We're asking each Chinook Club member to log on and post TWO reviews of campgrounds you have visited along route. It would add another couple of hundred places if all members participate. Here's the address:
 
http://chinooktravel.blogspot.com/
Just click on the state and add a comment, like you would on Facebook!
Let's see the list grow over before the January rally!

Harvest Hosts has expanded from wineries and farms and added a variety of interesting museums. One we had fun with on our western trip was in Polson MT at the Miracle of America Museum, one man's collection of Americana of every kind-acres and acres! We also found that many states have air museums on the list, so if you are into planes and space, they are great places to visit. Join Harvest Hosts for a modest $40 per year to take advantage of these unique overnight parking opportunities.
 
OFFICERS NEEDED
As Mark said in his letter this issue, and in his email updates, the club will vote on officers for the next year at the annual meeting in Nashville. We are looking for those individuals willing to step up and help out in the various executive capacities: treasurer, VP rally, secretary, and president. The positions don't require you to attend all rallies, and the responsibilities of the positions are not overwhelming! If you think you might like to volunteer, please contact Diane Cremens of the nominating committee for more information about what each of the positions does to help out the club! dscremens@gmail.com

SEE THE SUMMER RALLY PHOTOS!>


More photos have been added to the Chinook Club Flickr site. These albums will not be searchable to the general public. The address is http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinookcampingclub/ Each of the rallies has an album, click on albums to choose a particular rally.
The photos are not available to be downloaded unless you sign in. The login for the site will be in an email sent to members. To download you would click on the photo, and then click the download arrow in the lower right corner. Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions about how to access them. cnbreeding52@gmail.com
President
Mark McCluski
chinookcamping@icloud.com
 
VP, Membership
Gerry Rutter
ChinookCampingClub@gmail.com
 
VP, Rally
T (Tara) Burgess
cccrallyvp@gmail.com
 
Treasurer
Linda Stamper
lindastamper@bellsouth.net
Secretary & Sunshine
Diane Cremens
dscremens@gmail.com
 
Newsletter Editor, Website Coordinator
Nancy Breeding
cnbreeding52@gmail.com

Thank you to the Webmaster for both
CRVC and CCC,
Dave Shehane,
for his time and talent
Copyright © 2016 Chinook Camping Club, All rights reserved.


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