Thursday, Sept 15 The morning began with a dump! It took 6 hoses hooked together, Alan and Gary to keep tabs on it, and another 3-4 people to cheer it on. It was a really loooooooooooooong dump! Coffee was available in the hospitality room and Alan brought donuts; some came and left with cup in hand, some stood around talking, and some sat and stayed awhile! Today many more Airstreams would be arriving, and Tom and I decided to hang around the home front to watch the fun. Host Tom had this down to a science as he welcomed and directed each one into the line-up, then turned them over to Judi for briefing. By suppertime there were 13 Airstreams and one T@B on site . . . and one more due in after dark! Here are some pictures of how the yard and the aluminum line shaped up. The highlight for me was the inside tour of Judi and Tom’s private paradise. True log-cabin, accentuated with . . . elephants! (Judi has a thing for elephants.) If I lived here, I don’t think I would ever leave! Afternoon was one big rotation from sitting circle to fire ring all while watching new people arrive. Perfect weather, amazing location and joyful people. As evening approached the fire grew as did the crowd, and settled around the fire pit – we numbered almost 30! Friday, Sept 16 Breakfast was an event: two large Dutch Ovens were cooking away on the charcoal table with briquettes underneath and on top and Host Tom diligently tending to them. The egg-bakes were in no hurry to reach the done level, and this made for a great time for pre-breakfast socializing in perfect morning weather. Judi welcomed everyone to a day of opportunities, and outlined several different options. With that, people broke up to go their own way exploring . . . or settled in to appreciate the day in our homestead location. Tom and I made a quick trip into Cleveland, only 20 miles away, to the famous West-Side Fresh Market. It had taken a hit since Covid but was still a huge maze of booths, stands, and cubicles, offering everything from fresh produce to a wide variety of meats, baked goods, deli selections and anything else you might want to purchase to consume. It was funny that Tom and I were looking at it from the tourist point of view, while locals were going about their daily shopping routine. We made a few purchases of bread, a brick of Wisconsin butter, and a T-bone steak – the bone was for Pippa! A focal point of Cleveland are the "Guardians" on the Guardian bridge crossing the Cuyahoga River. We were back at the homestead by 1:30 to mix and mingle with others, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Host Tom had started his pork shoulder in the smoker early in the morning, and nursed it all day long creating a constant central point for gathering and chatting.. At some point in the afternoon, Judi declared that happy hour had official started – and she ordered people to “get happy!” This led to the pot luck dinner starring Tom’s pulled pork and a vast variety of dishes contributed for the smorgasbord; the food at a NOVA gathering is always mind-blowing! After dinner, many collapsed in chairs around the fire; by now there were no strangers. Eventually there were 18 trailers tucked away on the homestead – one of the largest NOVA rallies . . . ever.
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |