APRIL 2016 “the news”

UNIT OFFICERS 2015-2016

President Tom Akam, 604.538.4149 lighthouse13381@shaw.ca 1st VP Paul Wheeler, 604.209.7970 paul.jan.wheeler@gmail.com 2nd VP Joyce Wensley, 604.809.9321 joyce355@icloud.com 3rd VP Dave Wood, 778.839.1673 david_w_wood@shaw.ca Recording & Corresponding Secretary Arlene Matches, 604.535.4237 matches7403@gmail.com Treasurer Jay Tuason, 604.583.5875 innotu@yahoo.com Past President Doug McGill, 250.338.6813 dddmc@shaw.ca Directors - One Year (Term 2015-2016) Ralph Vanderheide, 250.851.8520 ralphvanderheide@shaw.ca Alex Matches, 604.535.4237 matches7403@gmail.com Directors - Two Year (Term 2015-2017) John Millard, 604.536.6372 fmillard@telus.net Shelby Brennan, 604.290.8778 shel.brennan@gmail.com

British Columbia Unit #121 CHARTERED JUNE 26, 1965

www.airstreambc.com BC UNIT

Editor: Arlene Matches Home Phone: 604.535.4237

Cell Phone: 604.202.7229 Email: matches7403@gmail.com

“TOM’S TABLOID”“TOM’S TABLOID” First my thanks to Ruth Stahl and the Matches for hosting our St. Patrick’s Day Potluck Luncheon (see page 5). We had a fair turnout and the food was excellent. In addition, everyone seemed to like the freedom to walk around in Ruth’s condo’s party room before sitting down to lunch.

It’s now time to get those rigs rolling so that we can all participate in the rallies and cara-vans that your fellow members have planned for 2016!

Coming up this month is our first ever maintenance weekend (see page 8). This is your opportunity to have your rig checked over by our more experienced members before you head out on the road; whatever your destination may be. A free lunch will be served on the Saturday and those who would like to stay for a barbecue dinner are asked to bring their own meat. Everything else will be provided. You can even stay overnight if you would rather leave for home Sunday morning. If you haven’t signed up and would still like to participate, please contact either Bob or me.

Also coming up this month is the Whidbey Island Joint Rally. This is the weekend that Oak Harbor holds its Holland Happening Street Fair and Parade. That is why we could not hold our reservations any longer. If you did not reserve and are hoping to join us, you should call the North Whidbey R.V. Park as soon as possible to establish if they have any sites available.

Coming up next month are the Sheridan Lake and Merritt Rallies. Bob Halliwell and I respectively are accepting reservations. Both of us require a $40.00 CDN. deposit. Now is the time to reserve as May is not that far off. Both rallies should be of interest to those who live in the Interior.

For those on the Islands, John Henderson has offered to host a lunch at the Cowichan Golf & Country Club on Wednes-day, May 4. Please advise John if you will be attending. His number is 1-250-661-7661. A group of us from the lower mainland will be going over for the day. If you would like to accompany us, please contact me.

Tom’s column continued on page 2...

See page 9 for an updated list of our remaining 2016 activities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1-2 Tom’s Tabloid 2 Community Corner 3 New Members & Roster Changes, Traveland, and Committee Chairs 4 Int’l & Website Request 5 St. Patrick’s Day 6-7 McGill’s Travels 8 Maintenance Rally and Decal offer 9-10 2016 Activity Schedule 10 For Sale Advertisement 11 Sheridan Lake Rally info

THE COMMUNITY CORNER Don’t forget to support the Canadian Cancer Society by buying a daffodil lapel pin...many of our members and relatives are (or were) fighting this horrid disease.

Everyone please continue to collect the tabs and bring them to the next lunch-eon or rally you attend and we will, in turn, give them to Sharon, our coordi-nator, who donates them to the Chil-dren’s Hospital charity.

Also, don’t forget that our friends in the North Cascade Washing-ton Unit collect all Campbell Soup la-bels (any variety) so save those too. We will collect them and take to the next rally they hold. They (the NCW Unit) are great at collecting pull tabs for us so, let’s reciprocate and start

saving the labels off Campbell Soup cans for them. For your generosity we…

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

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Tom’s Tabloid (cont’d)

The Anacortes Rally has been fully booked. However, we are maintaining a standby list in case there are cancellations. Please contact Judy Greth to have your name placed on the list (email her at gjgreth@gmail.com).

Next is the Big Circle Caravan which takes place during the height of summer travel. To secure our reservations, I will be starting my calls on Friday, April 1. There is still room for more partici-pants. But the longer you leave it, the higher the probability that our campgrounds will be fully booked. Please note that you can join and leave the caravan anywhere along the route.

This leaves the Merritt Installation Rally, the last event during my term in office. This year, being earlier than normal and in a more central location, your Executive is hoping to see a number of members from the Interior. We hope that we are not disap-pointed.

A few notes about membership. So far this year we have gained nine new members, a net increase of three or 5.0% ― and of the six that we lost, only one found that the Club did not a match their interests. Based on the latest statistics, the only other Units in Region 10 that have increased their membership are Oregon at 1.0% and Washington at 2.9%. So we should be proud of ourselves. As we continue to recruit new members, another thing to keep in mind is that the current combined membership fee of $112.00 CDN drops to $82.00 CDN for the April – June quarter. After that, new members will have to pay dues for both the 6-month (or less) balance of 2016 and the year 2017.

Reminder ― A group of us meet weekly for breakfast at Ricky’s Country Restaurant, 2160 King George Boulevard in South Surrey every Tuesday at 9:00 AM. If you too would like to join us, please let me know the day before or early that morning so that I can be sure that there will be a seat for you. My number is 604-538-4149.

Tom

Are you noticing a theme here ???

NEW and RETURNING MEMBERS, WEBSITE, and ROSTER CHANGESNEW and RETURNING MEMBERS, WEBSITE, and ROSTER CHANGESNEW and RETURNING MEMBERS, WEBSITE, and ROSTER CHANGES Welcome our newest members and add them to your roster: SCHMIDT, Dennis & Beth WBCCI #6907 4—12060 7th Avenue Richmond, BC, V7E 3C4 Phone: 604-271-6401 Cell: 778-997-6401 Email: dbschmidty@gmail.com Airstream: 2007 25-foot Safari ALSO... Please remove John Henderson’s home phone number from your rosters and instead insert his cell phone number. That number is 1-250-661-7661

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COMMITTEE CHAIRS:

Audit Committee Not necessary this year Budget Committee Tom Akam & the 2 VPs Caravan Committee Tom Akam Nominating Committee Doug McGill with Paul Wheeler and one other to be named Community Service Alex & Arlene Matches Equipment Chairman Ron McQuarrie Hospitality & Sunshine Arlene Matches Membership & Mentoring Alex Matches Newsletter Editor Arlene Matches Roster & Handbook Tom Akam Safety Chairman Barry Hook Telephone Committee Paul Wheeler & Janet Soucy Unit Historian Alex Matches Webmaster Monty Sheldan

Full hook-up sites have already been sold out. Watch the Blue Beret for additional

limited hook-up sites opening up

June 28 — July 5, 2016

Also, see the Blue Beret for all the fun things to do when visiting Lewisburg.

Here is the link to the site:

http://wbcci.org/activities/international-rally/2016-lewisburg-wv

President, Tom Akam, requests new and affiliate members to please forward their info (photo and bio) for inclusion on the BC Unit website. We also encourage our regular and affiliate members who haven’t done so to add a picture and update their biographies as well. There is a printable roster available from the website. Please contact our Web Master, Monty Sheldan with regard to accessing

the website (if you haven’t already done so). The email address for Monty is: msheldan@mac.com. Tom also has a printable and up-to-date version of our Mini Roster in Word format which he will email upon request. Tom’s email address is: lighthouse13381@shaw.ca.

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!!...SMILE…!!!!...SMILE…!!

A host of golden daffodils...

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St. Patrick’s Day Pot Luck LuncheonSt. Patrick’s Day Pot Luck Luncheon

A small gathering this year owing, in part, to the Spring Break week and many members travelling in the south. In total we had 17 in attendance: Tom

Akam, Rick & Chris Alexander, Shelby Brennan & Bryan Fraser, Bob & Gayle Halliwell, Barry Hook, Alex & Arlene Matches, Ron & Kay McQuarrie, Ruth Stahl with friend Kathleen, Joyce Wensley and prospective new members Dennis &

Beth Schmidt (introduced to the club by Shelby and Bryan).

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Our Newfoundland Journey! Debra McGill with driver Doug

PART THREE (...it’s all about food...)

Prince Edward Island has a lot more to offer than potatoes!!

We parked our trucks and took off to see Ann of Green Gables on bicycle. The railway bed has been con-verted to bicycle paths (Confederation Trail) and runs the length of the island. After a beautiful ride with wild

lupins all along the coastline we stopped for our first feast at a pub in the fishing village of North Rustico. This pub sits on a pier overlooking the water activity. Oysters on the half shell were the treat of the day. Moving along to Murray Harbour we find a hole in the wall cafe recommended by the locals where seafood chowder was the day’s delight. It is noted that the folks on PEI eat earlier than those residing in Quebec and a lot of places are

closed by 7:00 pm. Another ferry ride from the south/east end of PEI brings us to Truro N.S. Here the local farmers bring their produce to sell at the campground. A fresh salad was the side dish with some strange and wonderful radishes we had never seen. Rolling on down the road to Grand Pre where we found our next delicious meal. A pub on the river where Deb discovered fresh scallops; oh my!! The hunt is on for fresh scallops and where else but Digby; follow the fish boats and they will show you the processing plant. The public can buy from the plant but it is not advertised and here we purchased many fresh scallops right from the shucking table. Doug wanted lunch however so off to the local take out joint (recommended by the locals) and a feast of delicious clam strips was the fare. Deb consumed fresh scallops of course. The Farmer’s Market in Lunenburg was a bigger attraction than the Blue Nose. This market had everything from fruits, veggies, cold smoked meats (which we had to have some) and crafts to fresh fish. I stepped up to the fish counter and spotted a red skinned fish and asked the vendor for it’s real name. He looked at me like I was from Mars and the lady behind me started to laugh, she said it’s called Red Fish. We had to try some. Back at the trailer for dinner it was delicious, along with the fresh strawberry/rhubarb pie I had built in the afternoon. Our caravan of two heads to Cape Breton Island and our push is to Mabou for a landmark pub called the Red Shoe. This establishment is owned by the Rankin Family and not only serves wonderful home made meals but also provides local music. I’ve never seen the spoons being played by a professional alongside the fiddle and piano. Wow, what an evening. The only drawback is that this pub is very small and one must get

there early and stay late; a lot of beer was consumed. Up the Cabot Trail to North Cape where, like many in the eastern provinces, the camp owner has a sec-ond job. He raises oysters and one can skip making din-ner and have a meal in the office/cafe. Doug is anxious to taste these smaller, different species of oysters. They come raw on the half shell. He tells me they are quite de-licious. Now that lobster season is closed, crab season is open and Ann Marie and I enjoy a fresh crab dinner. It is preferred in this area to eat the crab cold. (cont’d on next page)

Doug & Deb’s Newfoundland Journey continued... A stop at Ingonish produces lamb chops; cooked out on the open fire was another “camping” meal enjoyed by all. We are in Broad Cove campground at Cape Breton National Park. Onward, heading to the ferry; Atlantic Marine Transport but first stop at Fort Lousibourg National Historic Site and, after a long day in the drizzle, another local meal with fresh steamed mussels and fish chowder. Once again we are not disappointed in the quality of the seafood. Our ferry ride to Newfoundland is pleasant and comfort-able but we arrive to the rock in the blowing rain; nobody told Mother Nature this is the end of July. We camped at The Grand

Codroy and the sites are beautiful. By the next day we have neighbours next door that are native Newfies. They start late, stay up late and get up late but they love to share and around a beautiful night with a blue moon they venture over and offer us moose bits and scrumptions. We know we have arrived. Our tour of the rock is north first, so off we go to Gros Morin National park and we stay at the Shal-low Bay campground. The nearby town just out of the park is called Cow Head where I had my first Moose Burger. It was quite delicious. Here in the campground I step out the trailer door and pick enough wild strawberries to dress the morning cereal. We are now in moose habitat and all eyes are vigilant for animals; our first encounter was a dead one on the side of the road, I didn’t want to see the vehicle that it encountered. St. Anthony is the northern tip of Newfoundland and a whole new experience once again. Here we met some of the locals and had the awe-some experience of “corned cod” which is fresh cod soaked in brine for a few hours before cooking (usually boiled) or frozen. We were gifted some of this special fish and it was wonderful. The next day we visited our new friend’s small farm where he grows potatoes, turnips and carrots for the local market. Another new discovery, the turnips are more valuable for their tops rather than the vege-table itself. Just called greens, we gave them a try and found them delightful. Berry picking is a very active pastime for Newfies and at this time of year the wild blueberriesare in season; we have missed the most treasured berry of all called the Bake Apple but we picked enough blue-berries for another pie out of the McGill trailer. We wonder what epicurean surprises we will encounter as we roll toward Twilingate. Doug was not disappointed as the local cafe was offering cod’s tongues. Bonavista fish & brewis with molasses was the next meal adventure for Doug. At Terra Nova National Park there is a private charter rental company and we three musketeers were his only passengers to go view the Puffin breeding island. Chucky, the captain owner and tour master, took us into many little coves and wove the stories of past prirates and rum running. He owns a nearby resort that also has a restaurant which specializes in native meals. On the menu is Murs & Turs, Moose steak and Seal Flip-per Pie. He was booked solid that day and we were scheduled to move on; oh gee. But prior to leaving the area Doug and I drove around a few of the many coves and encountered the quaint little village of Salvage where once again it was lunch time and another picturesque cafe perched on the wharf overlooking the bay. Another fond memory of discussion with locals and fine food. Saint John is back to suburbia where you can enjoy shopping, pubs, McDonalds and the sort. The best part was the coloured houses you see in the TV commercials of Nfld. So much to see and eat. This concludes my report on eating our way across Canada. Should you want the finer points of the trip feel free to contact us, we won’t tell you what to eat but will tell you where to eat.

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Maintenance RallyMaintenance Rally Saturday, April 9th and/or Sunday, April 10th at

31426 Downes Road Abbotsford

From Hwy 1 Eastbound, take the Mt Lehmann North exit and continue past the Auto Mall on Mount Lehmann to Downes Road where you make a right at the

Stop Sign. Go East on Downes Road to the address and take the second drive-way into the back of the property. There will be several Red Traffic Cones on Downes as you approach the driveway. For those who may need help I will

have my cell phone, 778-808-7257.

Those attending will have already received an email with regard to what we are going to do (i.e. food, beverage, fire pit and fun to be had).

Book your space with Bob Halliwell, 604-870-4850 or halliwell4840@telus.net

Ralph Vanderheide has a lead on purchasing decals as shown here for your Airstream. Cost is $20. Email or phone Ralph if you are interested in getting one of these logo items for your window. He can be reached at 1-250-851-8520 or email him at ralphvanderheide@shaw.ca.

Maintenance Weekend [April 9 & 10 / two days, one night] ― If you have not received an e-mail confirmation from Tom Akam and would like to join us, contact him at 604-538-4149 as soon as possible and he will advise what you need to know before leaving home.

Whidbey Island Joint Rally [April 22 to 24 / two nights, three days] ― If you have not received an e-mail confirmation from Tom Akam and would like to join us, you must now contact the North Whidbey R.V. Park directly to see if there is space available.

Sheridan Lake Rally [May 20 to 26 / six nights, seven days] ― So far, twelve have signed up for this rally. If you would like to join us, please contact Bob Halliwell at 604-870-4850 as soon as possible. He will require a $40.00 CDN. deposit.

Merritt Anniversary Rally [May 26 to 29 / three nights, four days] ― So far, seven have signed up for this rally. If you would like to join us (particularly those who live in the Okanagan and those attending the Sheridan Lake Rally), please contact Tom Akam. He too will require a $40.00 CDN deposit.

Anacortes, WA Rally [June 17 to 20 / three nights, four days] ― The rally is fully booked. To put your name on the standby list, contact either Judy Greth (1-360-299-8489) or Marilyn Van Iderstine (604-535-1688).

‘Big Circle’ Caravan [July 22 to August 12 / twenty-one nights, twenty-two days] ― This caravan takes in the Region 10 Rally in Kalispell, MT, a joint rally with the Alberta-Saskatchewan and Montana Units in Hillspring, AB (home of ‘The Great Canadian Barn Dance’), a lunch at Midtown R.V. (the Airstream dealer in Penticton) and concludes with a stop in Princeton where members Stuart Biggan and Jacquie Mason have a large property. The route is shown on the laminated activity schedule distributed to all members. You may join or leave the caravan at any point. If you have not yet signed up for this fun-packed caravan and wish to join us, contact Tom Akam (number above) as soon as possible as he is cur-rently making reservations for this peak camping season. He will require a deposit of $100.00 in either CDN. or U.S. funds depending on where you join and leave the caravan.

Merritt Installation Rally [August 25 to 28 / three nights, four days] ― The rally being roughly a month earlier this year and in a more central location, we are hoping that those living in the Okanagan will join us as we gather for a ‘change of the guard’. Contact Bob Halliwell (number above) if you plan on attending this rally. He will require a deposit of $40.00 CDN

REMAINING 2016 ACTIVITIES

‘Small Towns of Central BC’ Caravan [August 30 to September 18 / nineteen nights, twenty days] ― The caravan is full. Contact Marilyn Van Iderstine (number above) if you would like to be on the standby list.

Othello Tunnels Rally [September 23 to 25 / two nights, three days] ― If you have never seen the ‘Othello Tunnels’, you won’t want to miss this rally. And, if you have, you will likely enjoy visiting them again. Never heard of them? Then this is your opportunity to explore these relatively unknown local attractions. Paul Wheeler will be organizing this rally and will provide details as the date draws nearer. In the meantime, be sure to keep the weekend free.

Pre-Winterizing Rally [October 14 to 17 / three nights, four days] ― This will be the last rally of the year. Paul Wheeler will provide details in due course. Again, be sure to keep this weekend free. This will also be an opportunity to learn how to winterize you rig if you have never done it before.

Christmas Lunch [Sunday December 4] ― Save the date. This is our final event for 2016. As usual, it will be in the lower mainland. However, the location has not yet been decided.

VANCOUVER ISLAND EVENTS

Island Luncheon [Wednesday May 4] ― John Henderson has offered to host this event. The tentative location is the Cowichan Golf & Country Club. Look for details in the May newsletter. In the meantime, please call John to confirm your attendance. His number is 1-250-661-7661.

Port Alberni Rally [September 9 to 11 / three days, two nights] ― John Neilson has tentatively reserved 8 sites at Arrowvale Campground & Cottages. The Alberni District Fall Fair is on the same weekend. So there should be lots to do and see in the area, namely: ride the Alberni Pacific Railway and tour the historic McLean Mill; take a cruise down the Alberni Canal to Bamfield on the M.V Francis Barkley; visit the Chase & Warren Estate Winery; explore the Stamp Falls in the Stamp Falls River Provincial Park; or visit the Rollin Art Centre. This is a great opportunity for those on the Islands to meet fel-low club members and to make new friends. The rally is open to those on the mainland as well. If this weekend is of in-terest to you, please contact John at 1-250-744-6760 as soon as possible so that he can firm up his reservations.

(cont’d next page)

British Columbia Unit #121British Columbia Unit #121British Columbia Unit #121 2016 Activity Schedule2016 Activity Schedule2016 Activity Schedule

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2016 Activity Schedule

(Continued from previous page…)

Lunch in Nanaimo ― September 21 or October 5. We will need hosts. Any volunteers? What else? That’s up to those of you living on the Islands. There are 13 of you … so why not get together (there is a listing at

the back of your roster) and plan another event or two. Your Executive will gladly support you any way it can.

INTERIOR EVENTS

Opportunities already available to our Interior members: Sheridan Lake Fishing Rally ― May 20 to 26 Merritt Anniversary Rally ― May 26 to 29 Portions of the ‘Big Circle’ Caravan ― July 22 to August 12 Lunch at Midland R.V. in Penticton ― Tuesday August 9 Installation Rally in Merritt ― August 25 to 28 ‘Small Towns of Central BC’ Caravan ― August 30 to September 18 (standby only)

What else? Plan your own rally in a central area. How about a lunch and/or a dinner as well? Of the 12 members who live in the Interior, 10 are listed at the back of your roster. The other two are Biggan/Mason (incorrectly classified) and Goddard.(brand new members) That said, nothing is likely to happen if you wait for someone else to take the lead. So, why not contact another couple in your area and organize an activity together. Again, your Executive will gladly support you any way it can.

600 watt pure sine wave inverter complete with instruction booklet, fuse holder, fuse, and wired remote. Originally in-stalled in 2013 Flying Cloud. $75.00. Call Dick Moffat at 250-495-2710 or email him at rsmoffat@shaw.ca

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SHERIDAN LAKESHERIDAN LAKE FISHING RALLYFISHING RALLY

Friday, May 20th to Thursday, May 26th, 2016

Bob Halliwell only has a few sites left for this very popular BC Unit event and he MUST let our hosts at the resort know no later than April 15th what our numbers will be...SO, if you were planning to attend and haven’t yet told Bob (or sent in your $40 deposit) you had better do so soon as the resort will fill any vacant spots very quickly leaving those of you who want to go but were just ‘biding your time’ out in the cold. Our rally is being held over the long weekend so the resort has non-Airstream customers just waiting to find out if there are any available spots to rent. ACT NOW if you wish to get in on this rally. Give Bob a call at 604-870-4850 or email him at halliwell4840@telus.net as soon as possible. This is one rally you don’t want to miss…!! It is a major rally for fisher people as well as those who just like to loaf around, walk, hike, do puzzles, veg out, sit by the campfire, and eat… A little something for everybody!

For those of you who have already booked, Bob will have the ‘rally agenda’ ready by the end of the month and will ensure you receive a copy.