2009 Rocky Mountain Vintage Airstream Club Rally!

[InsideOut]

Save the date! Mark your calendars!

The 2009 RMVAC Rally plans are underway. Come join us as we celebrate the 40 year anniversary of the 1969 WBCCI International Rally!

The ninth annual Rocky Mountain VAC Rally will circle the wagons the nights of August 6-9, 2008 in Laramie, Wyoming. We plan to do it the way Wally did – dry camping on an open field – no hook-ups. We will park one inner circle of trailers with outer circles as needed without assignments, just park as you arrive; expect a limit of 75 - 85 spaces.

Registration will open March 1st, 2009

Additional Rally details will be published on the rally web site (RMVAC.org ) mid-February.



Bring your Wally spirit to the Rocky Mountains – see ya there!

[soldiermedic]

I wish our flying cloud was road worthy. I just don't trust taking the Ambassador over the mountains with a 1/2 ton.

Sure it will be a great time.

Steve

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

I wish our flying cloud was road worthy. I just don't trust taking the Ambassador over the mountains with a 1/2 ton.

Sure it will be a great time.

Steve

The rally is actually on "your side" of the mountains this year...

Shari

[soldiermedic]

So...you're saying no mountain travel?

Yikes...no AC in August huh? I hope it is awfully cool up there.

Steve

[Antique Pedaler]

Where in Laramie? Fairgrounds? Historic Prison?

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Yikes...no AC in August huh? I hope it is awfully cool up there. Steve

Steve: It's relatively cool, and its dry because the early summer winds will have already blown all the humidity to Missouri.

AP: We'll start everybody off in the Fairgrounds, but those who abuse their privileges will be removed to the Historic Prison.

[Jim Foster]

Lynn and I are looking forward to coming this year.

Cheers, Jim

[soldiermedic]

Originally Posted by 47WeeWind

Steve: It's relatively cool, and its dry because the early summer winds will have already blown all the humidity to Missouri.

There is no possibility I can argue with you Fred.

[azflycaster]

Jan & I attended this rally last year and had a great time. These folks work very hard to put on a terrific event. Here is the problem this year...

Estimated Time: 14 hours 20 minutes Estimated Distance: 934.61 miles

I'll need to work on this one...

[centennialman]

Woo Hoo Thanks Shari! We are in and will be there!!

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

So...you're saying no mountain travel?

Yikes...no AC in August huh? I hope it is awfully cool up there.

Steve

No travel over any major mountain passes from the east - they are further west. Laramie sits 7,200 feet above sea level - so the temps should be just fine!

Average highs for August are 78* Lows are 43*.

Shari

[InsideOut]

Registration is open!

Rocky Mountain VAC Rally

Shari

[Der Sand]

Is this for only vintage units?

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Der Sand

Is this for only vintage units?

No, however the focus is definitely on vintage trailers - restoration, history & camaraderie.

Shari

[Distantdrummer]

Sherry,
As I have posted prior somewhere on the forums, I think the RMVAC has for sure the finest report model for their rallys.
I think the 2006 report should be a benchmark for all rally holders.
The "scrapbook" and the "aluminum alumni" sections are primo features.
I would only wish that the scrapbook section could be improved by some picture captions.
Another great feature was the 2008 balloon photo. Was this done by the club or the venue?
I am seeking info on how it works? I am assuming a time delay shutter release and just a random luck aim???

BTW why is the 2007 rally link dead?
And why no posting yet of the 2008 "aluminum alumni"

Also where can I find info on the 2008 venue site Rockin' Wally-B Ranch or was that just a name yall coined during the rally?

And lastly what is the story behind your very attractive table cloth from the 2006 rally?
I notice the writing on the corner. Is it a vintage cloth with the wording added or brand new?

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

As I have posted prior somewhere on the forums, I think the RMVAC has for sure the finest report model for their rallys.

I think the 2006 report should be a benchmark for all rally holders.
The "scrapbook" and the "aluminum alumni" sections are primo features.

Thanks! As part of the planning committee, we always appreciate feedback on our efforts. We all are volunteers and have put this rally on each year as a labor of love. We each have our special areas of responsibility, I happen to be the webmaster on the RMVAC site - so really appreciate the website feedback. I am always looking for photo contributions, slide shows, movies, ??? from participants to add to the website.

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

I would only wish that the scrapbook section could be improved by some picture captions.

What can I say...I ran out of words, time and energy. It was more important to get the pictures up to share than to go into great lengths explaining everything or writing up a story to go along with them. It was a very busy year for me...

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Another great feature was the 2008 balloon photo. Was this done by the club or the venue? I am seeking info on how it works? I am assuming a time delay shutter release and just a random luck aim???

The aerial picture that is displayed was actually taken from an airplane. We also have several taken with the balloon method, but this was "the best" picture so we went with it. The day was pretty windy when we sent the balloon up - so it was tough to maintain it over the group and many of the pictures were somewhat blurry. But, what we did is attach a digital camera with an automatic shutter to go off every couple of seconds to a helium filled weather balloon by cutting a hole in a leg of pantyhose for the lens to stick out. The weather balloon was then attached to a fishing pole so it (and the camera) could be retrieved. If it had been calmer - it would have worked much better - or possibly attaching more than one fishing line could have helped...next time. We were camped next to a small regional airport, one of our participants just drove over and asked if someone would be willing to take him up in a plane to shoot the group...he was lucky enough to find a willing pilot to do so. The best part was, coincidentally the pilot was an Airstream aficionado and was thrilled to do it for free!

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

BTW why is the 2007 rally link dead?
And why no posting yet of the 2008 "aluminum alumni"

Well, like I mentioned...it is a volunteer committee of people who put this rally together each year. 2002 - 2006 I did most of the photo & webmaster duties on my own - compiling the pics into a rally report webpage. Each year, we have asked participants for picture contributions - there isn't a paid rally photograher, so if people don't turn in copies of their photos, there's not enough to build a report from...as time goes by, it's harder and harder to muster up the effort to go back in time. After 4 years and all my other "rally graphic responsibilities" the 2007 & 2008 the photography & webpage tasks were delegated to some other folks to compile and build the webpage reports. For various reasons, they didn't quite follow through...thus no report or alumni links for those. Unfortunately, not everybody knows how to create websites nor do they have the time to dedicate to learn how in order to help out. There is someone still working on the 2008 alumni page, but has not been able to produce an upload-able file to date.

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Also where can I find info on the 2008 venue site Rockin' Wally-B Ranch or was that just a name yall coined during the rally?

The "Rockin' Wally-B Ranch" and the brand are a brainchild of the very creative planning committee members that plans this rally - it doesn't really exist on a map - except for when our rally convenes. The location for the 2008 Rally was the Chaffee County Fairgrounds in Salida Colorado. This year it will re-appear in Laramie Wyoming.

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

And lastly what is the story behind your very attractive table cloth from the 2006 rally?
I notice the writing on the corner. Is it a vintage cloth with the wording added or brand new?

The tablecloth was one of my outgoing Unit President gifts from the DenCO Unit. I believe it is a reproduction (new) tablecloth that was embroidered for me as a memento. I collect vintage table cloths so they knew that this would fit right into my collection.

Shari

[InsideOut]

Oh, BTW…the 2009 RMVAC Planning Committee gathered over Memorial Day weekend at the rally site in Laramie to check it out once again and put some finishing touches on the rally plans. We plan on having another great gathering at the Rockin' Wally-B Ranch, this year's rally is going to be as memorable as ever and we are looking forward to exploring Laramie and all that it has to offer. Check out these visitor links to get an idea of some things to do, just in case you get bored with all the shiny Airstream silver that will be circling the field:

Live the West, Laramie Wyoming
Laramie Main Street Program Downtown Laramie Home Page
Laramie Plains Museum Home Page
Information on Laramie Wyoming
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
"The SPIRIT of the OLD WEST - Travel and Attractions in the Old West

If you are still thinking of joining us this year but haven't yet registered, please send in your registration form ASAP so we know you are coming and can plan accordingly.

Registration will close on July 15th.

We aren't limited by number of attendees, however we do need a final count for catering count and other participant specific goodies.

Hope to see you there!

Shari

[eubank]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

...Registration will close on July 15th. ...
Shari

I just added it to my calendar! Wish as I might that it were otherwise, we have to make a call on going at the very latest possible time.

Lynn

[InsideOut]

Just a reminder...the close of registration is this week! If you've been waiting until the last minute to sign-up, you still have time - but the clock is ticking! We have a lot of fun in store...just ask anybody who's even been! So far this year, we have 55 trailers signed up...for more info, go to RMVAC

Shari

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by 65GT

I don't think I've ever seen an inverted wagon wheel before...

Ahhh...the "inverted wagon wheel". We have found that this works very well for a number of reasons:

1) there is no traffic in the center of the circle near the food, campfire and gathering area
2) from the center of the circle you have a view of AIRSTREAM rather than trucks
3) the circle is big enough that the "impromptu entertainment" as you put it, is not a problem...

BTW, we have had a flurry of registrations come in...the '09 rally trailer count is up to 58 as of this morning ~

Shari