WDCU - Washington D.C. Unit (#170)

Cherry Blossom Rally Cancelled!

wdcu — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:52:14 +0000

Due to the extreme weather this winter, conditions at Roger’s Farm are too wet and soggy to get the field ready for the rally. Therefore, the 10th CBR has been cancelled. Some people are looking at alternate sites, but as of now, no official WDCU event has been scheduled for that weekend. Those who have paid for their sites at the CBR will receive a refund.

Cowtown Rodeo Rally 2010

wdcu — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:57:03 +0000

Note: This was originally listed for July 16 to 18 !!!

When: July 23 to July 25, 2010

Where: Old Cedar Campground in Monroeville, NJ

The registration form for the Cowtown Rodeo Rally is now available. See this link: rodeorally2010.pdf

The Birthday Bash 2010

wdcu — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:35:28 +0000

The Birthday Bash (formerly known as the Wally Byam Birthday Bash) was originally conceived as a WBCCI / WDCU event for the 2010 camping season. Four friends, Rob Baker, Steve Klohn, John Kwasnik, and Frank Yensan are hosting this event which is scheduled for June 24 to 28. They were to call it Wally Byam’s Birthday Bash, celebrating the birthday of Airstream’s founder, Wally Byam (who would be 114 years old!) . They came up with a nice website featuring a picture from a rally in Norwich, NY (near where the WBBB was to be held) and a logo lifted from a nameplate on a 1954 Wally Byam’s Holiday trailer. Then in December, due to some conflicts that Rob had with an official WBCCI forum, plus some ongoing grievances which he held, he decided it was time to resign his membership in the WBCCI. Frank felt likewise. At this time. it was decided to hold the WBBB anyway, but to make it an independent rally NOT sponsored by the WBCCI or the WDCU. It must be noted that Steve and John, who are also hosting this rally, are still members of the WDCU and the WBCCI. The rally was open to any Airstream trailer owner regardless of whether he or she is a WBCCI member or not. Although it was noted rather prominently that this was not a WBCCI event, never-the-less, the WBCCI headquarters sent a letter from their lawyers informing Rob that the name Wally Byam and pictures of Wally, especially the picture used on the WBBB website, were an infringement of WBCCI trademarks and that he was to immediately stop using those images. The reason for this was that they believed that people attending the WBBB would mistakenly think it is a WBCCI event. The WBCCI wants to make it clear that Rob’s rally, formerly known as the Wally Byam Birthday Bash, is not sanctioned or sponsored by the WBCCI, and by removing all references to the name Wally Byam and his pictures, this fact will be evident. As a result, the rally name has been changed to the “The Birthday Bash” and the logo on the website has been modified. But don’t worry, the rally is still going on and it has been promised that everyone attending will have a great time. They like you to leave your worries and the “politics” at home! Come to have fun and relax!

I put this rally on our WDCU website, since it was originally supposed to be a WDCU event, plus it is hosted by two members of our unit. It is pretty obvious that this rally will be of interest to WDCU members, since this rally is patterned after the WDCU style of rally. Plus, many of our members are already signed up to go. Any objection to this rally appearing on our WDCU website would seem ludicrous. I hope everyone understands.

MARC WEIMER

Rally in the Valley registration available

wdcu — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:01:35 +0000

when: May 28 - 31, 2010

Located in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts. Come and explore the Berkshires and Southern Vermont. A wonderful, relaxing Rally in the Valley.

The registration form for the Rally in the Valley is now available at the following link: rally-in-the-valley-registration-form.pdf

January Newsletter

wdcu — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:51:47 +0000

Have a look at the January newsletter. There some interesting articles, including a report of our first rally of the year in Myrtle Beach. The old newsletters are also available. Look under “Newsletter” in the column on the right side of your screen. There are old newsletters there from the last few years. They are filled with great stories and pictures from our rallies. Enjoy!

2010 CBR Registration is ready

wdcu — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:29:00 +0000

Here’s the registration form for the 2010 Cherry Blossom Rally:

2010-cbr-registration-form-20100105.pdf

For those of you have never attended the CBR, it is certainly one of the most successful of all rallies put on by the Washington D.C. Unit. You need to act quickly, because rally will sell out very quickly.

You may wonder about the weather that early in the season. Well, the rally folks have that problem solved! There will be a big tent for everyone to gather, and the tent will have heaters to keep you warm. There are games and activities for the kids and the adults. During the day, you can tour the nation’s capital since the farm is just minutes away from the Metro line; that way you can avoid all the hassles of parking downtown. The food is great and the friends you’ll make are many. You won’t be sorry you came!

This is a “buddy rally” which means you can invite a buddy who is not a member of the club ….or even if they don’t have an Airstream.

Just Camping?

wdcu — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:55:30 +0000

By Marc Weimer (webmaster)

Several times on rallies, I’ve heard people saying that we were “just camping”. I think we should change that to say, “Just Airstreaming” !! True, we are camping, but we are doing more than that. When I was a boy, we’d take a tent, go out on an island in the middle of a lake and camp there for two weeks. That was camping. But when we go to a WDCU rally, we are doing so much more than what my family did out on that island.

So, what is Airstreaming? It’s the good times, it’s the food, it’s the people, it’s the Airstreams, and most of all, it’s the friendship we share. That’s what it’s about. Our trailers are well built, fashionable and (mostly) reliable. Most of us are proud of our trailer, and glad we own it. We can spend our camping trips seeing the sites in the area, and having fun with old and new friends …. not drying wet canvas and sleeping bags, fixing leaky water tanks, or attempting to set up a complicated tent before the storm hits! We can enjoy the out-of-doors, but we can be comfortable and dry in bad weather. We can go wherever our Airstream can take us, knowing that a comfortable bed and a great warm meal await at the end of our travels ….and you know who slept in the bed the night before!!

And it’s great to think that there are other past generations of Airstreamers that enjoyed life a little more, because they were members of this great club (WBCCI). Wally Byam built his trailers so you could go on an adventure …to see what awaits you around the next corner; and that’s just what we want to do in the WDCU. It’s all about Airstreaming: so much more than a trailer ..a legacy, a lifestyle, a family! So, yes! We’re ”Just Airstreaming” !!! …And isn’t it great!

President’s Message for November 2009

wdcu — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:28:11 +0000

Peter and I have just returned from Garnet Horner’s Crooked Road Caravan. What a stunning success this trip was! We had so much fun and enjoyed so much good music that we ended up wishing we could go again and soon. Well, Garnet has agreed to do this caravan every other year, so read his comments and John DiBella’s comments and then plan to sign up early for the 2011 repeat.

The 2010 rally schedule is at the end of the November newsletter (and on this website). One of the things you’ll notice is that we have three rallies in June; two of them on the same weekend! The timing for Wally’s Birthday Bash was switched after the Airplanes & Airstreams rally was already planned, so some of you will have to decide which one to go to. At this point I am planning to go to the International, which is in Wyoming, so I’m glad not to have to make that decision.

We’re introducing a new segment called, “So You’ve Been Where?” Please take the opportunity to write to Greg and let him know what wonderful campground you’ve discovered or even what campground you’d never go to again. Make sure to give him the website and phone number and if you have photos of your trip, all the better. We have a wealth of knowledge and many miles under our collective belts, so let’s share it.

There are a few legislative issues that you need to be aware of and they are attached (in the November Newsletter). Read them over if you are interested and get back to me with your opinion. We’re going to try and have an interactive voting button installed into our website so I will know how you want me to vote when I need to.

The next gathering is Paul Waddel’s Myrtle Beach rally in December. This is a low-key rally and any beach in the winter is the place to be. Get your coupon back to Paul as soon as you can make plans.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Cheers, Star

WDCU Brochure

wdcu — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:38:50 +0000

April Hershberger has created a new WDCU brochure that you can print up and distribute to possible new members. It’s a good idea to print up a few so you can have some with you when you are out traveling. On one side, it tells who we are, and on the other side there is a membership application. After you open the following link, you can print the brochure on one sheet of paper. First print page 1 on one side of the sheet, and then print page 2 on the other side.
WDCU Membership Brochure.pdf

Photo Links

wdcu — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:37:05 +0000

I just started a new page on this site called “Photos“. You can find this page by looking on the list under “Menu” on the right side of your screen. I am looking for links to pictures (and video) of WDCU events past and present. I found some great pictures of the 2009 Cherry Blossom Rally and put a link to them.

Check out our new photo archive site. You can find a number of old pictures and some videos there by clicking on the tabs for “photo” and “video”.

Several of our members have their own photo web sites, or blogs that have great pictures, and I would like to put links to them here on our WDCU website. That way we can all find them easily and enjoy them as much as I did when I found them. So, if you have pictures on the web, or know where I might find some, please contact me at marc@penn.com