I was concerned about the red numbers as well. Then I saw that lots of folks just put some address type numbers on a plaque. Set it up on trailer or in the ground at rally events etc.
-I just received my WBCCI membership package in the mail. I was a member at large, but have since joined the New Hampshire group, I may get there this spring...
I would like to write why I joined. I am a nut case, I can't comform, I am lazy and innovative, not at all dumb, but if you look at me, you would think so. I joined to have fun, and participate in a piece of American history. Yes, this is a Silver Palace, a W. Virginia hillbilly shack, a ranchette, a dog kennel, a gun range, a photo base, a camp lodge. This is what I make out of it, so is my life. And besides, I can't wait for the old stodgy people I hear complained about meet my Brasilian wife that is 20 (yep, countem, twenty) years younger then me! (I am 50, she is about to turn 30.)
I am carrying with me an el cheapo .243, a 60 year old Contax rangefinder, a 4x5 inch camera, I am starting a new hobby of training a Malinois, I would love to collaborate with anyone and build a web site, I have the domain, Expressions Web, Office/XP, all of the tools. My past hobbies included raising parrots, wolves and children. I want to go to Mexico in 2008 with WBCCI but first I want a sit on fishing kayak. I haven't square danced since grade school, I would love to do that again.
I want to enjoy life and worry about it less, there is no checkered flag in my book for arriving at the stop light first.
If possible, my epitaph will read "The only appointment he ever made; (fill in date here)".
THE ONLY DOUBT I HAVE about the WBCCI is putting those big red numbers on my Safari...yikes, they are funny, I may do it just for a laugh.
Wow! What a wonderful and exciting personal life you have. I know that you will do well and enjoy the WBCCI. You will be able to contribute so much to the Club.
What we like and enjoy is to go out in AS several times a month to a membership park we belong to. Actually it is considered a wildlife preserve. The sites are large and not crowded.
We can ride our bikes, walk, play minature golf, swim, do the hot tub thing, or what ever we like. Basically, just doing nothing but enjoying the great outdoors. We enjoy feeding the deer and visiting with other RV'ers. Again, just doing nothing. Wake up when you want to and go to bed the same way.
We have never attended a regional or larger rally but are planning on Bozman next year if my tux still fits.
our twice a year get togethers in Georgia ( Falluminum and Springstream) are built on an agenda of FUN, Sharing and more fun. Laid back and casual with very little agenda or demands.
Its great to share Airstreamin' with others who want only to pursue life, liberty and happiness, in the outdoors.
Thanks Mr Pee Wee for your insight and refreshing attitude.
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Rallys twice a year..Lots of fun, food, and aluminum.
PEE WEE, Thank you,Thank You. We all need to work to make the WBCCI all that it's founder wanted it to be. Yes, have fun,respect and learn and help each other and ,yes, have fun. Thank you again for reminding us.
PeeWee- Enjoyed reading your posts. i think ultimately it is up to each individual to create their own fun with their Airstream. It's like my house, nobody isn't going to tell me I can't have fun in it. If I want to hang decorative lights on my awning, I'm going to do it. I don't look at the WBCCI as being the equivalent of a home owner's association, but rather as an open door to oportunities for going places and meeting people. Sure, I could do all this independantly, but I am fortunate to belong to a local unit that owns its own campground and I think that is cool!
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Courtesy parking-- water, elect. and wi-fi.
To those who are about to Stream-I salute you!
I bought a 30' Classic, am a professional, old, and ready to take the time to travel, visit new places and enjoy the remainderof my time looking at flowers, fishing and the mountains. My parents owned an Airstream and were members of the club. My question is: has the WBCCI outlived its purpose, has it failed to adapt to the times and is it relevant and useful to me? I can't answer those questions as I have had no contact with the group, have not participated or been asked to partcipate in any of their events. Is the club an anachronism to the times? Being bewildered it seems like club would be a great thing but I am bewildered? All help and suggestions appreciated.
Kenyon, All I can say is go to a rally. Take a look at the wbcci rallies on the forum and sign-up for a rally. My husband and I enjoy both the wbcci and forum rallies. More vintage, diy types in the forum and newer rigs and newly retired types( at least in our Oregon unit)in the wbcci. We like being part of the history of airstream in the wbcci and the great red letters plastered on our old 81. In the wbcci you can be as active or inactive as you like and as far as I've seen no secret handshake or such.
I bought a 30' Classic, am a professional, old, and ready to take the time to travel, visit new places and enjoy the remainderof my time looking at flowers, fishing and the mountains. My parents owned an Airstream and were members of the club. My question is: has the WBCCI outlived its purpose, has it failed to adapt to the times and is it relevant and useful to me? I can't answer those questions as I have had no contact with the group, have not participated or been asked to partcipate in any of their events. Is the club an anachronism to the times? Being bewildered it seems like club would be a great thing but I am bewildered? All help and suggestions appreciated.
The WBCCI concept has always focused on going places and meeting people, I don't think this idea ever gets outdated!
From my perspective, being retired is probably the best way to enjoy WBCCI membership. We're not retired yet and we belong to the WBCCI and attend the local rallies, which normally begin on Thursdays, but since we both still work, we usually arrive on Friday afternoons. That's no big deal and we really like the WBCCI rallies. We've been to one forums rally and really liked it and plan to attend more of them as well.
It'd be interesting to see how others view this but from our point of view, the younger Airstream owner with families tend to own the vintage units and attend more of the forums rallies, whereas the retired Airsteam owners tend to own "newer" units, or even brand new ones and belong to the WBCCI.
I think WBCCI is probably more well known for it's caravans than even the rallies and that is why I think it appears to be more geared for retired people, because it is hard for working families to be able to take off for a couple of weeks at a time. The fact that people tend to be older when they retire is just a fact of life, I don't know anyone personally who had enough money to be able to afford to retire at 35 years old.
I say, belong to the WBCCI, meet lots of people and go lots of places. You can allways go to forum rallies or other independant events whenever you want, I don't see anything inconvienent about doing both as long as you have the time and money to travel.
This gives me an idea that maybe should be a another thread but we have Buddy Rallies, and I understand that in the early days of the WBCCI, non-Airstream owners were allowed on caravans. What about having some "Buddy Caravans"? Show other R.V. owners wha WBCCI has to offer! Or, perhaps there is already such a thing?
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Courtesy parking-- water, elect. and wi-fi.
To those who are about to Stream-I salute you!
Reading through some of the threads on this forum, you would think that the majority of WBCCI rallies whether international or unit, are stiff, formal affairs where attendance is mandated and uniforms required. That fun is hard to come by. It seems that unless you are in a certain age group, a member of a certain unit or group, or adhere to a certain definition of fun you have no idea how to have fun at a rally. It also seems that there is a group of people who expect others to plan activities and create fun (as they define it) FOR them. They don't seem to be able to create fun activities on their own or they find it takes too much effort. When someone else's idea of fun doesn't meet a certain set of criteria, the most common thing is to belittle it. This contrasts with a whole subforum that is devoted to threads on fun and games.
Looking through my archives and from my own experiences I know fun has always been a key part of WBCCI events regardless of age or any other factors. From Helen and her hula hoops to activities at most of today's rallies, fun is part of the WBCCI experience. What I remember is that activities at rallies and other events were always open to everyone regardless of age and it was up to the individuals to choose to participate or not. Kids as well as adults of all ages joined in the parades, pot lucks and other activities. For the most part there were no specially planned activities for any specific age group.
It is true that individuals as well as every Unit has their own ideas of what is fun. That is one of the great things about WBCCI Units, you can find one that does things and goes places that matches most closely to what you consider fun. Every Unit develops their own sense of what is fun and just because it doesn't meet what other people consider fun doesn't mean they are a dull and boring group. As long as the members enjoy whatever the Unit does that's what counts. Fun is in the eye of the beholder. As many of the responses on this thread have said, it is up to us as individuals to ensure our rallies and other activities are fun for everyone. Variety is one of the best ways to ensure everyone has a great time, wants to come back, and better yet wants to help create fun at the next event.
These pictures are some examples. They include the parade held at the 1959 WBCCI International Rally in Wisconsin Dells , 1960 WBCCI International Rally in Colorado Springs, two Unit rallies in the 1980's.
Yes, and if you want to get to know WBCCI folks, just approach some of them on a campground someplace and ask them! We've got WBCCI rigs on the campground right now; they're working their way back from Bozeman the long way around back toward Mississippi, where their home unit is. And they're really, really nice and fun to be around!
Lynn
PS: And it was really neat for us to hear from folks live-and-in-the-flesh who'd just been to Bozeman! There's no way we can make it to next year's but one of them gave us brochures for Gillette with a Big Grin.
Peewee, i enjoyed meeting you and your wife in Bozeman, and the dinner we had together. The discussion was one not only of interest but enlightenment. You read in some of these blogs what other people interrpret as your beliefs. I am glad that you posted what in essence was part of the discussion we had. I would enjoy seeing you post more of what was said not only around the dinner table but also in your question and answer talk. As i said at dinner I would also like to see you continue with your history of Airstream and WBCCI that you and the Leippers are doing on the SNU site you mentioned. Once again thank you for the time at dinner and the question and answer time.
Jerry Thornburg
President SNU
I am not sure if this is the proper place for me to post this inquiry, but here goes. We have a 1972 Airstream Ambassador LY. It has the number 21398 and as a faded sticker with caravanas de Mexico on it. I am trying to find out some history on our trailer and if it was indeed one of the trailers that was included in this Mexico caravan in 1972. Anyone who could provide me with more info on our unit, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks for your help
Marian Heath
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