South Florida Rally
We just returned from Sarasota last night. We had a very enjoyable time at our first WBCCI rally. We arrived on tuesday. There were 432 Airstream trailers and about 900 plus people. We spent too much at the venders. Alot of practical items including an aluminum step brace made by one of the members. Carpet runners and quite a number of items particular to Airstream lifestyle. Airstream from Ohio had a large area with mechanical parts for sale for the various age group trailers. We picked up some AS logo items, clothes, books, and some AC parts. They had their service crews there to perform warranty and other maintenance jobs. There were some fairly good seminars that I had time to attend including Amateur Radio licensing with the technical level test given on Saturday. I was able to see first hand a first class setup in a 34' AS and get expert advice for the long haul to remote places like Alaska. Talking about Alaska there also was a class on preparation and traveling to Alaska with emphasis on routes and ferries. Meeting people face to face who have been Streaming for decades with their vast amounts of experience helps tremendously.
Our main source of info has been this great forum as it is organized wonderfully in categories for proper searches. Wandering around a large fairgrounds with 400 plus trailers one can gather helpful tips on just about anything relating to this activity. Talking to your neighbors whom have travelled and experienced decades of traveling and working on their Airstreams cannot be underestimated. It indeed is important as clicking a mouse navigating a website.
There was a flea market and entertainment each night. Our unit had a happy hour and we signed up for a rally to the Keys at the beginning of April.
Now my thoughts about the organization. We took our daughter out of school to go there, maybe that is why she was the only child. Alot of people came from out of state. The average age of the members in the organization is known. They need new blood and young blood! The regimentation and hoop ha was well within tolerable bounds and could possibly be typical of the age group which I can attest to living in Florida for 14 years. Not to different than a typical condo association. But and a big but, the WBCCI people we met were overly kind and welcoming and helpful. To compare them to a geriatric ward is really off the mark! The activity they are involved in insures a longer and more active life. As obese as I am I found that the people I saw were way below the general population in weight size, they were more trim and by 8am they were out and about, line dancing, choir classes! Not my thing but more power to them!
I really believe that it is well worth the effort and time for the non members who populate this great forum to get involved with the WBCCI. I had thought previously that I would join for a year or so and check it out then go out on my own as we are quite independent. I have changed my mind and now believe that this organization is important to all of us who own and value the lifestyle we have invested so much time an memories. I see no hinderance that would block a profound movement of change from a younger element.
By the way asking around you would be amazed how few had even heard of the Airforums website. I took out my IPhone at the happy hour and showed the secretary of the unit the website and I could see the amazement in her eyes!
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