Casini Ranch AirForums Rally 2012

The full hookup sites have a rustic feel

April 13-15, 2012

Aluminitis.

That's what they call it. And it's the one thing that binds all of us together and draws us to gather at rallies like Casini Ranch on the Russian River.

Did I say one thing?

The grassy "F" row is just behind the farthest trailers

Well...the trailers are very pretty and all, shining in the sun or emerging from a mist. But there is more to a rally than just a lot of aluminum.

The ingredients are there to make a weekend with just the right mix of friends, festivity, relaxation, activity, conversation and solitude.

More pictures below....

Pacific Coast 2012

March 30 - April 3, 2012

The new awning got a workout in Morro Bay State Park

...In Which Barbie Tows The Pickle Herself And Causes Only Minor Damage

This was a bit of a shakedown cruise and a chance for me to learn just how many details Bart keeps track of on any given trip.

The idea of trailering solo didn't cause too much trepidation - I've was exposed to trucks and tractors and horse trailers at an early age. But all the myriad steps of setting up and breaking camp have not yet gotten fixed in my head.

Burning Man Festival 2011

August 26 - September 6, 2011

 This entry explores our experience of having an Airstream at Burning Man: the what, the how and the why. For more about Burning Man as a whole, look at my Burning Man 2011 album.

The sign says "Rites of Passage" - the theme for 2011

We arrived in the morning, having spent the night outside Sparks. Bart's volunteer Ranger job secured us early admission passes so we weren't stuck in the usual traffic jams at the gate. This picture was taken from a van that we used to pull a trailer with the two mutant vehicles, Roboshaw and Zombie Bait.

Fire Mountain 2011

Snow? In May?

May 27-30, 2011 

What is this white stuff drifting from the sky and why is it where we are, in the coast range of Northern California, and in May, no less?

Getting to our friends' gathering took a bit more care and savvy driving than usual this year. The Tin Pickle and the Blue Behemoth seem to be a good pair for getting us nearly anywhere we want to go.

Casini Ranch AirForums Rally 2011

April 15-17, 2011

Our first Airstream rally, at Casini Ranch on the Russian River, brought us into contact with many of the experienced Airstreamers we'd been swapping ideas with on airforums.com. Seeing that much aluminum in one place made us feel right at home.

wall-o'-luminum

Death Valley 2011

April 7-10, 2011

Camping at the edge

We squeezed out a long weekend and took a mad dash trip to Death Valley. It took all of Thursday to drive down and all of Sunday to drive back, but we had two glorious days in one of the most spectacular places we've been.

We chose a campsite at the edge of Furnace Creek campground with an unfettered view of the eastern side of the valley.

Burning Man Festival 2010

August 30 - September 6, 2010

The gate line at dawn

We arrived at the gate at dawn with the Tin Pickle in tow, heading for a rendezvous. We were joining up with a group of friends we had not yet met: other posters from Airforums, people who love both Airstreams and Burning Man enough to put them together in the same place.

An unusual flower garden

 Burning Man combines amazing creativity, challenging self sufficiency, strong community involvement and a festive spirit. Oh, and there's fire there too...lots of fire.

Every year is different - a different over all theme, different art, different weather (variations on heat and dust), different amazing mobile creations.

Lopez Island

August 2 - 14, 2010

Secluded camping

  "Why did you buy an Airstream?" we are often asked. The Tin Pickle has given us far more pleasure than we ever planned or hoped for, but the underlying reason why we have it at all starts with Lopez Island.

This visit marks the first time we have slept on the land we've owned and walked on for over 25 years. The change of location feels different, but our home among the trees is cozy and restful.

Fire Mountain

Our first target outing for the Tin Pickle was a friend's gathering in the Mendocino County hills of Northern California. For that, we only needed to have the trailer road worthy. The interior was basically gutted of sleeping furniture, but we had new axles and functional running lights.

Set up for the weekend

With an airbed on the floor and curtains on some of the windows, we had a cozy haven as a retreat from the exuberance that was available outside. Bart and I cooked outside on a portable barbecue and had a cooler for a fridge. We had a 5 gallon Igloo for water storage, plus a table and chairs and a rug outside. The Tin Pickle worked just fine as an aluminum tent.