For 10 years our WBCCI/NOVA unit has been masterminding activities to bring Airstream camping friends together. Tom and I have benefitted for 9 years, joining after the first year of its existence. We have shared wholeheartedly in the fun as enthusiastic supporters, officer/leaders, and rally participants. How can it be that we are commemorating 10 years of outings and celebrating a decade of NOVA! This rally, originally scheduled at the Mothership (Jackson Center Terraport) was changed due to the Covid pandemic. Hosted by John and Suzie, it was held at beautiful Grand Lake St Mary’s State Park, which was favorable for a rally requiring spreading-out distance . . . but high visibility. We set up camps in two lines, mostly back-to-back, with abundant open grass and large shade trees and a convenient open area for visible, social-distancing between the two rows. The rally was to officially start on Thursday, but seven Airstreams jumped at the chance for an early start and arrived on Wednesday. Here is where the story gets a bit sad. Tom was in the beginning siege of another recurring infection, and after setting up our campsite . . . he slept for 4 hours. Then, he gave up and went home to see the doctor! He returned two days later, refreshed and responding to treatment. Thursday the pace picked up as more Airstreams arrived, and before dinnertime there were 15 Airstreams in attendance. I think I was able to do a photo-capture of every person that attended. Twenty-eight people! Not everyone was happy about having a picture taken, but I thought it would make a good event memory for the rally! "Headquarters" for the entire weekend was spread out in a wide set-up of ever-rotating chairs that shifted occasionally to follow the shade. It was here that all of the activities took place while maintaining good social-distancing practices. Suzie and John had two dinners covered with a Pork/Slider/Sandwich buffet Thursday night . . . . and a Taco spread Friday night. Somewhere along the way there were two machines grinding out Margaritas! A Covid-correct food line in the Clam-enclosed food tent was limited to two ticket-holders at a time. Everyone retreated to eat their meal in a well-spread-out oval. Breakfast was included in the food plan, and mornings found people gathered for: eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, pancakes . . . and Alan's special Bloody Mary's! The evening campfires were not the customary circle – more of an elongated oval with Biolite fire pits spread down through the center. On Friday night founding fathers Dan Bihary and Larry Woodruff, followed by a stream of past and future presidents, recapped the beginnings of NOVA 10 years ago. Suzie surprised some NOVA members with 5-year membership (WBCCI) Stars. On Saturday night Karen Fisher, Region 4 President spoke about WBCCI, and Dan Bihary updated us on the progress of the Region 4 fund-raiser that he is leading. Topping off events on Saturday were Suzie and John's Cornhole Chaos and BINGO -- both of which featured . . . PRIZES! Although the cornhole was laid out at regulation distance -- the rules got more and more lax as things went along, and everyone was (eventually) able to claim a prize. Prizes could be stollen, so winning a prize didn't necessarily mean getting to keep a prize! BINGO was a a huge success, with a rolling number cage, real daubers and cards, and comic callers! Tom and Judi also introduced a casual group to the game "Apples to Apples." The party ended with NOVA birthday cupcakes and singing.
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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 |