Silver Sisters Online Rally

[loudruff]

I went shopping at WalMart today and discovered that they have Rosie the Riveter (the classic one) white teeshirts on sale for $5. They are 100%cotton, so they shrink significantly. But they are kind of cute. I bought one for me and one for Loren. Let's get camping girls!!!

[wheel interested]

Talk about your silver sisters these gals are golden!!!

I saw a video today with Sally Field speaking out for a women's empowerment group called Vital Voices. In it she says we cannot leave our sisters behind. We are fast becoming one world and we can not have a healthy world if half the population is not allowed to come to the table or even be given basic human rights. Vital Voices recognizes the women who have placed themselves in dangerous positions for what they are doing within their own societies.

An interesting side note is that Sally Field credited Marty Ritt, the director of her movie, "Norma Rae", for her awakening in political activism. She discusses that Martin Ritt was very political and was himself blacklisted being articulate and passionate about what America should be. She goes on to say she considers him to be her mentor and how much she admired him for the way he lived his life and represented how he felt about the world.

The link to the web only video can be seen here:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast- msnbc.com

The link to Vital Voices announcing the launch of the La Pietra Coalition to Advance Women and the World, an international group of activists and leaders is here. Take a look at these amazing women and role models!

www.vitalvoices.org/

It's pretty amazing that we have members of our own Silver Sisters Online rally, like Danny going to Haitti at her own peril to make a difference. I hope we can all find some ways to connect and support each other and celebrate the empowerment of women.

[wheel interested]

Who's up for an Airstream cooking course? Airstream Life's Eleanor Luhr has begun a cooking video blog with her husband Rich as videographer. I love it! Not only do I want to go Airstreaming but now I want to whip up culinary delights. Eleanor makes it look easy even from an Airstream galley. Or would that be especially from an Airstream galley? Man In The Maze

[05ModPod]

Cooking - oh my sounds interesting but not for the waist line for me LOL!!!!When I get into experimenting with cooking I eat too much as I go along ....so two teaspoons of this in there and 12 into the gob !!! get my drift.

Well I am just back from putting another 2500 miles under the ModPod. And her tires are telling me something YA TINK???? (see below)

I had three white knuckle type experiences this trip - and the man ( Or woman) upstairs is certainly looking out for me.

My first was on the way down to the As Factory - just south of Detroit - I was admiring this wonderful cloud plume When all of a sudden the heavens opened up and dumped a sea of water on the road.





There was a spectacular display of lightening for a good half hour that I tried desperately to catch some on film as they say - no such luck other than this funny art piece.



Of course perfect timing - when I landed right on top of road construction and restricted lanes - ahead was a sign that said 6+ axles & Motorcycles use left lane - well my brain at that late hour 12:00 midnight did not register that I qualified for that - so I stayed in the right lane - which of course was a makeshift lane - using part laneway and shoulder with rumble strips and man made craters that created a lake with the heavens opening up at a single dumping - I hit that lane with a vengeance and a wall of water engulfed the truck!!! I still to this day have no idea how I did not loose control of my whole package!!! To boot there was no turning off for at least 20 minutes so it was to say the least a bit hair raising. One consolation - I did not have time to wash my truck and trailer before I left on my trip and it was spotless as I pulled into the Factory

Number two was this





....and now I can actually call myself a full fledged Solo Tower and well and truly christened. While gabbing on the phone I felt an unusual bump and thought what the hell did I just run over - checked my mirrors lickity split and watch the rubber fly from my trailer. At first I thought I had just run over some Transport tread on the road - but soon felt that nope I had a flat of sorts on the trailer. There was an exit almost immediately so I took it and luck had it that it was a TA stop - so I had a perfect place to contemplate what my next move was. I have never had the spare out on this ModPod and I do suppose it is one of the things you should check on a regular basis (shhhhh don't tell anyone that I have not checked that since I bought her!!) As some may know the temps in the upper Central East was like being South My temp on that tarmac was reading 110F!!! and bloody humid. I was drenched in a matter of minutes. I was thinking as I was pulling off that I will have to do this under an umbrella and how would I rig it up. Ha then the little light came on and luck had it the blow out was on the awning side - so I pretended that I was setting up to join the fruit stand across the road and proceeded to change out the tire - and put the spare on. It was a real challenge with my gammy wrist but managed to do it in reasonable time - an hour and 3 bottles of water later! The big challenge was it was 12:00 noon on a Saturday and everywhere was closed. So I had to head to a major city to see what I could do on a spare that I had no idea how well it would hold and knowing that I had dry rot in other tires with that heat I just prayed they all did not blow on me. I managed to find a place to sell me a Carlisle Radial - headed to Sears to have them change out the blown tire then off to Walmart to pop the new tire/wheel back on the ModPod. And I lost an entire day of the 3 days I left to get me home for my wrist consult.

Luck had it that I was then able to stop in at Dannies to say hello and recoup from my ordeal...and number three hair raiser heart palpitation was on the back roads just at dusk - some yahoo decided that he would fiddle with something and swerve into my lane - I have heard the airstream tracks well but I have never put that to the test - I did then and saved myself from a Head on Accident. I hope the other guy when he looked up at me doing the dance pooped himself for not paying attention to what he was doing

I had a really nice visit with Dannie and got to see all her pics from her adventure in Haiti - what a woman she is gals. You should have seen the conditions that she lived in. And what stories she told - I have such admiration for my friend!!!! I was hoping to stay the night but then realized that I have a heck of a journey from there and was on a deadline to be home Monday night. I spent most of the day with Dannie but then had to head out around 5:00 - I drove for about 5 hours and crashed around 9:30 (sleep that is) at a rest stop in Virginia - then back on the road for 4:30 and drove 14 hours all the way home. So that I could get the truck emptied and trailer emptied before dark and the mossies came out to eat me alive.

I had my wrist consult in the morning all the way into Toronto and that drive down town was more hair raising than my whole 2500 miles out on the big roads.
I have GREAT news that I do not have to have a surgery on my wrist after all - only one tendon was 60% ruptured and with the time lapsed and the healing tissues have woven into the damaged tendon to make it stable enough for a full recovery through ROM and strengthening. I am so very relieved with this, although it has been a long 3 months of healing and waiting and worry. I now have about 6 weeks of hard physio to get my wrist back in good working order. It is sitting at 40% strength and range of motion compared to my right wrist so I do have a ways to go.

Tomorrow I go for my Knee consult - so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to have surgery there either. I am going to postpone my ankle surgery for a year so that I can get in at least one year of School - as I recently found out that I have been accepted into the Photojournalism Course.

[05ModPod]

Dannie and I spent some time at a farmers market and had a lovely breakfast together. There were some really neat flowers and made for a great spot for a few photos....

[05ModPod]

And a few more exotics...

[05ModPod]

And my visit would never be complete without saying hello to Dannies dear friend Debbie - who is the Vet and always has a few sweet and unusual residents to have afternoon tea with - or was that a Black something or another Dannie - Black Rum and Ginger Beer!!! an excellent afternoon women's tea LOL....

[05ModPod]

This trip allowed me some long days on the road letting me experience both sun sets and sunrises - there are some beautiful scenes out there - and these are just a few that tell the story of how thrilling it is to be out on the road. The vastness is truly incredible. The colours and the textures of the sky as it meets the horizon is breath taking in any state! Driving through NC, VA, PA & NY along I-81

[05ModPod]

And the last few from this trip....I hope you enjoy and I sure would love to see other peoples photos of the rallies you go to and the scenery in your travels.....

The bridge at the end always brings a bitter sweet feeling - the last stretch of each of my journeys that tells me I am home again.....and facing a time where my rubber will have to cool off for a spell.....

[loudruff]

You didn't tell us you were going to JC or you could have joined us for a mini rally! Larry and I went to JC last week for the Alumapalooza! Then some of our new friends and a few that we have known, came to our house for a driveway campout. It was a blast.
What did you have done at the factory???
Sounds like it is going to be a whole new set of tires for you! Yikes! Glad that all of that ended well for you. Scarey!

[sempi2]

Sharon, your pictures are wonderful. Enjoyed your travel tales and the pics also.

Carol, where would I find the Eleanor Luhr's cooking video?

Susan

[Roamin Cat]

Hello everyone! Been a long time since I joined you 'round the campfire

Sharon, your pictures are beautiful!!!! Wow, thank you so much for sharing them with us That class you will be taking must be very advanced. I cannot imagine dealing with the blow out and having to change the tire and all, very impressive! You are my hero

You might have seen my thread about the nasty accident I had in Fall of '08, just before my son's brain surgery. Son is terrific, btw, no residual side effects, no new tumor growth, seemingly seizure free, praise and thanks be to God and His amazing surgeon!

Anyway, only had two trips last year. On the second one I scraped down the side bumper on a wood fence (having just had $10k repairs done from first accident!) after using the dump station. Both were hard right turns and I didn't realize the AS tracks in closer than the truck then.

After that I was paralyzed with fear! It was awful. I just about had myself convinced to sell the AS rather than try again. I knew, that first season, that I didn't know enough to be fearful! I also think that God protects idiots, so I figured I was covered

I dropped off the forum, couldn't bear to read of others' adventures, ashamed to post of my accident. Seems silly now.

I decided I HAD to get it together. I am the one who most often tows to the campsite, does all the set up, then does all the breakdown and tows home. I do not work outside of the home, we homeschool, so we can go camping during the week and my DH can just commute to and from work in his econocar. Also, I joined the NEU so I could go camping without my guys and not feel vulnerable camping by myself. Actually, when I joined, it was immediately after the purchase, and I thought we would enjoy the rallies as a family. Turned out my guys don't enjoy the group activities or mixing with others, they just want family time when we camp, so it became more or less "my thing". The NEU is a great group of people and they welcomed me and taught me lots of things.

SOooo, I wrote in here (couldn't remember how to find you ladies, so put it under towing or something) all about the accident. Got loads of support, encouragement, instructive hints and useful information - this forum is great!

Since then I drove home from a PA trip, then drove to a RI trip, both times with DH doing all the hooking up, etc., and he followed me to RI in his little car, ready to switch with me if I freaked (accident happened on way to a site in RI).

So I felt a little more confident, but still hadn't backed up or done any of the set up or break down by myself.

This week we spent three days in RI at my favorite place. I had DH watch while I did all the hooking up, to make sure it was safe, then he left for work. Drove to RI (with my son), praying that there would be at least one spot open on the side of me as the parking is close where we were headed, and I still was fearful of backing up. And there WAS an open spot next to me! God is so good!

So, I pull up into position and start my backing in process. Anxiety level was pretty high, lots of onlookers, though a couple of nice ladies where surprised and very encouraging I had only gotten out of my truck once to go back and check my progress, and when I jumped back into my truck, a gent with a forceful personality came over to assist. I thanked him, but told him I needed to practice. He told me, "no one can do this by themselves" and that I should listen to his guidance. At that point I was exhausted and stressed, and he was confident he knew what he was doing, so I decided to let him guide me in. He was good and efficient, and we were parked pretty quickly. I thanked him, and was appreciative, but was still feeling a bit resentful that I had let him be forceful with me.

Later, I realized that God must have sent him to help me I was very anxious, we had had a very stressful day with many challenges, and arrived hours later than planned. I was hypoglycemic and needed to eat. I needed the help, and he was NOT taking no for an answer - plus he was very competant. I wish DH could guide me like that, but we end up grumping at each other.

After a quick bite to eat, I proceeded to do all of the settling in things, unhooking, etc., by myself. We had a good time camping, the setting is beautiful!

Then, after DH left for work, I did all the pre-flight prep and hooked up the truck by myself. My son helped as instructed, but I had to remember and be responsible for it all. By now there were a couple of spots between me and my nearest door side neighbor, and one by one the guys came over for a "visit". In the end I had six men congratulate me on "a job well done".

Pulling out was scary 'cause I had a giant wall of a huge moho's slide just two feet from my street side (they filled that empty spot! Thank God they were not there when I got there), but it was a left turn and I had room to pull way out before starting to turn the truck. I watched in the mirror and I never came close to nipping them

During the drive home, I noticed that I felt so much more confident. Some of the roads are narrow and windy (this is NE, after all), and mail boxes can be awfully close to the white line. I checked my mirrors now and then, but am getting a better feel for the space and how the AS follows.

I leave by myself to head to the Birthday Bash and I am psyched! I know I can do this, even the narrow country roads. I may very well ask someone to hop in my truck and park me (never been in a wagon wheel formation yet), or maybe I will have someone guide me, but knowing that after five plus hours of driving alone I will have all those wonderful Airstreamers to join is very exciting!

Plus, I am looking forward to meeting Airedale and CatsandI and I know there are several others, plus I will see Pink Trailer and mistral blue again and a few I haven't seen in a couple of years Of course, with my memory problems, everyone will be new again, even if I camped right next to you at a rally!

Yikes, this turned into a long post, sorry! I just wanted to tell you that I am regaining my confidence and ready to really go solo again

I CAN tow it! Now I just need to practice the whole backing up and backing in part

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by sempi2

Sharon, your pictures are wonderful. Enjoyed your travel tales and the pics also.

Carol, where would I find the Eleanor Luhr's cooking video?

Susan

I agree, Sharon your photography is beautiful. Congratulations on making the course and on changing an Airstream tire. Oh my!!

Susan the blog post is here, "Where's My Dinner?" The first eposode so far.

Man In The Maze » Blog Archive » Where’s my dinner?

and the you tube video is here, "Inside Eleanor's Airstream Kitchen,"

YouTube - Inside Eleanor's Airstream Kitchen #1

Cats we are proud of you getting back to the challenge and acing it!

I am just back from a woman's retreat to Tawas Point State Park up North and had a wonderful time. I may have to post a few zany poses in a day or two after I sort through them. Wouldn't you know a different Airstream was nestled between us in the morning and the older gentleman just couldn't figure out why we didn't all take just one trailer! I said it was so we could all have the chance to tow! They were from Niles Michigan and had a 2007 25' Safari FB. We looked like Airstream avenue.

[loudruff]

Looks like we have all been busy and out camping! Yay for summer!!!

Eleanor did a great seminar at the Alumapalooza on cooking. I had a chance to watch her put on her "chef" hat at my house when they stopped in after the party at JC. She cooked up a fine gourmet meal for 8 of us. Yummm!!! That girl can cook!

[Roamin Cat]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

Cats we are proud of you getting back to the challenge and acing it!

I am just back from a woman's retreat to Tawas Point State Park up North and had a wonderful time. I may have to post a few zany poses in a day or two after I sort through them. Wouldn't you know a different Airstream was nestled between us in the morning and the older gentleman just couldn't figure out why we didn't all take just one trailer! I said it was so we could all have the chance to tow! They were from Niles Michigan and had a 2007 25' Safari FB. We looked like Airstream avenue.

Hi Carol and thanks!
Will you be at the BB by any chance? You are on my list of Rivettes I hope to meet on the road
Your retreat sounds wonderful!
Thanks for posting the link to Eleanor's cooking video, she is great, loved hearing her thought processes and the final recipe looked delicious. Got some good ideas for food storage, too!

[Roamin Cat]

anyone up for an Eastern Rivettes gathering in the next few months?

any ideas of where and when?

I could help plan an East Coast rendevous, but if enough Rivettes can attend we could move further inland.

[airedale]

Hi Gals,
I know its been a very long time, but I thought I would give you and update.
First I havent been around because there has been a lot going on. First was we had 3 family deaths in a 4 week period, however, we were doing well as a family unit my mother and step-dad was in a motorcycle accident. My step-dad was fine, but my mother wasnt. She spend 5 days in the hospital, and spent a month at home recovering. Then, my dad has had 3 surgries on his eye for a detached retena. HE just had his last one 2 days ago, and he is doing well. Been a rough time, but we are finally starting to see light at the end on the tunnel! Been working on the Caravel getting it ready for the Birthday Bash. Just took the carpet out, and trying to get it cleaned and ready to go!

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by airedale

Hi Gals,
I know its been a very long time, but I thought I would give you and update.
...... Been working on the Caravel getting it ready for the Birthday Bash. Just took the carpet out, and trying to get it cleaned and ready to go!

Laura, I am so very sorry to hear of all your loss. You are a very brave person to keep going as you do. But I am really glad to hear that you are keeping yourself busy on your Caravel and that you have family to rally with and keep the spirits up.

It has been a long time - I still remember my face dive - ha finally just got new glasses so it has been a while - I remember I just picked them up before I headed out that time and scratched them on a branch walking to the swimming pool to go for a way after midnight swim with you and Steph - good times my friend and I am sure you have a 1000 memories of so many more things you have done, with so many friends across North America.

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by Roamin' Cat

anyone up for an Eastern Rivettes gathering in the next few months?

any ideas of where and when?

I could help plan an East Coast rendevous, but if enough Rivettes can attend we could move further inland.

I am usually up for anything - but now I have no idea where I will find the time. I have about 3 weeks to get the ModPod ready for her trip out west. If Peter can get the time he would like to drive out with me and the girls, and fly back home, and then I will be out there touring around for a bit till mid August. Where I will only have 3 more weeks and then I start school.

Peter has been accepted into the islet transplant program being run by Edmonton University and has to be in Edmonton for his final assessment appointments qualification. It is a whole week of testing to be sure that he is compatible for the transplant program. The program is the leading of it's kind in North America. Instead of a total organ transplant they just transplant the islets and they are having huge success with the pancreas regenerating those cells and producing insulin again - creating a new phenomenon that the patient is then diabetes free!!!

We really don't have anyone to look after our dogs for that long - so I offered to drive out there with them and then we could stay at a campground close by - well turns out there is a nice golf resort/rv camp 15 minutes from the University that I have no booked for the 10th - 17th July. We are going to take 10 days to get out there.

I have several more weeks that I will be staying out there and not really too sure what I will be doing as yet. I know my Dad is out the first week of August with his Toronto Welsh Male Choir on tour. My brother had mentioned about dropping out of BC to go and see him - so I just don't know if I want to hang that long to wait.

All I know is I have three weeks to get my reno done now. Although Peter could manage on the foam with just a quick cover over it and his substitute oak frame would hold him I think. So I am waiting on the aluminum slider frame. The laminate to be installed on the lounge Unit - Peter to make the final frame for the under seat storage doors and the doors themselves. And the Upholstery to be completed. All this will be initiated on Monday & Tuesday So I hope that it will be done in time.

In the interim I have to find myself accommodation for College, and we have decided to just pick up a second runner car instead of a truck until Peter's transplant is done, and he is finished the LadyBug. I don't need a big truck to run back and forth to College with. But I need something that will carry my dogs - flat not on the seats. So I am going on the wagon as they say LOL - just a little ford escort thingy would be just the ticket.

And for Accommodation - I am looking at purchasing a plot of land with Hydro/well/septic so that I can put in for a building permit to build the house we never got to and then I can keep my trailer there and live out of my trailer in the country only a 1/2 hour away from school. The dogs would have a blast with me and I would have a great place to shoot and write in the environment I love best.

But if I do not find something I can stay at an RV park just outside the College for Sept/Oct and do the hotel suit thing for a while if I have to. But I refuse to pay rent and poor money down a huge hole of inequity - I want equity!!! for my buck.

Ooops Sorry forgot the question - so any time after say the 5th of August I could pop out even in September as I will have my trailer with me at school and depending on my schedule I could be off Fridays and have the whole weekend.

What about the Skyline Parkway - part of the Blue Ridge just at Virginia at i64 and i81 - I missed the darn trip again and just had to watch them from i81 as I was whizzing to get home on time.

[Roamin Cat]

Laura, so sorry to hear of all the loss and pain your family has suffered, though grateful you all support one another with grace and humor. Prayers offered for you all. Really looking forward to meeting you at the BB, though without name tags it is gonna be a challenge!

Sharon, where is your photojournalism course located? Trying to figure out locations and dates when we might get a group of us together.

Any of you planning to go to Penn Wood Fall Colors AirForums Rally 9/30 - 10/3? I will be there with my guys.

Dannie, I just finished reading through your blog posts on your Haiti trip. Wow! I admire and respect you so much for going on that mission. The group you were with sounds amazing, love Jesse and the mural story! Thank you for going and helping, you are a great blessing.

Anyone else have an idea of where or when to have a Silver Sisters Eastern rendevous in the next few months? If we get a list of names and locations and a time that works well, we can try to find a central location.