Wednesday, June 10 It’s a JOINT rally . . . a combination effort of Northern Ohio Virtual Airstream (NOVA) and the Southeastern Michigan Airstream Club (SMAC). Some pretty intensive planning went on to craft this Silver on Silver Lake rally at the Holiday Park Campground in Traverse City, Michigan. Maybe because it included two Airstream Clubs/Units, or maybe because it was at a spectacular location with lots to do – whatever, it was anticipated that over 2 dozen Airstreams would be there. Our pre-rally adventure started early on Wednesday night when John and Suzie (with pups Penny and Rupert) and Mike and Sue (with puppy Sadie) drove to our house for an overnight driveway campout. This gathering assured an early launch for a timely arrival at Holiday Park on Thursday. But, there was another special ingredient in the mix: My sister, Johanna/Tink, had discovered and met many Michigan family members two years ago after finding her birth mother’s family. Recently she had reconnected with some of her birth father’s family members. When she told me that they lived in Traverse City it was easy to add her to our Silver on Silver Lake Rally plans for the purpose of hooking up with her family! She drove up from Tennessee on Wednesday to join the driveway party. With three airstreams in the driveway, we ate dinner, visited and settled in by 10:00 hoping for an 8:30 sendoff in the morning. We left 10 minutes ahead of time, and after 3 brief stops we arrived at Holiday Park at 3:15. There were lots of silver trailers already set up in our two rows – each in long pull-through sites with full hookups. It had turned unexpectedly hot, and as we set up camp it was a heavy 90 degrees. Once the work was done, it was pleasant sitting outside under the shade of our one tree and the awning. Tom went out to eat with a group while Tink and I opted to stay at the Airstream. Finally, at 8:00 we were cooled off enough to come inside and have a snack/supper of sausage/beer queso dip and chips. I had a shower, walked the dogs, and by 9:30 we were both in PJ’s and settled in. Tom got back at 10:00 with a full report of his dinner . . . and pictures. Thursday, June 11 It cooled down overnight and the morning was a delightful 68 degrees. We were all in place outside under the awning by 7:30 with coffee and breakfast. Today is the official start of the rally, and we should double the silver count up and down our two campground roads during the course of the day. Tink’s sister Sandy arrived early in the afternoon, and that started a gab-fest that lasted until 5:00. At some point Tom served up slider-sized hamburgers and Tink had brought potato salad. Tom and I then left for the opening assembly of the rally which, due to the heat, was held under the shaded comfort of the large outdoor shelter. It was a great time of getting to know our fellow campers while enjoying a smorgasbord appetizer table. The heat of the day led me to another nice shower in the Silvermine. The three people in the Silvermine did not venture out after dark for the campfire! Saturday, June 12 The morning began with cooler temperatures and a breakfast. Tom had volunteered to cook up pancakes, and was on duty at 8:30. There were several egg casseroles, muffins, fruit, donuts – plenty to fuel everyone up for the activities of the day. Johanna left at 10:30 to visit Sandy at her house and they ended up taking a little trip around the area, shopping at Johanna’s favorite dip shop, and eating lunch out. Tom and I headed for the little town of Leland – a beautiful drive and a quaint little town that was begging to be walked. We found a restaurant on a small inlet that had an outdoor patio with a dog table. Tom snuck in an order of wine when I wasn’t looking, and we thoroughly enjoyed the outside venue; I had a wonderful chicken salad with cherries. We walked the little town, and did a few shops – it was complicated because so many people stopped us to inquire about Pippa. Over a dozen times we explained that she was a new AKC breed – a Biewer (pronounced Beaver!) and people wanted to over-complicate the name and exactly what kind of dog she was. She is a Biewer! By coincidence, today the Biewers were being shown at the Westminster Kennel Club for the very first time. We drove all the way north to the Grand Traverse Light House. At one stop we had a walk in the deep sand, all the way down to the lake shore. . . not the best therapy for Tom's hip! Tink, Tom and I regrouped at the Silvermine at 3:30 . . . in time for a very brief rest. Happy Hour was at 4:30, and Tom was on grill duty at 5:30 for the open grill -- bring your own meat and side dishes, and share the eating experience as a group. Tink had a fillet and Tom and I had lamb chops. Top top off all that eating, there was live music! I was excited to retreat to the Silvermine in the evening to watch the Westminster Toy Group showing. I missed the showing of the Biever terriers – the Pekinese won the Toy group and went on to win the Show! Sunday, June 13 Breakfast was at 8:30 in the outdoor open shelter: wonderful egg sandwiches, muffins, fruit and lots of other breakfasty stuff. At 10:00 Tink, Tom and I (and Charlie Button and Pippa) headed out for a scenic drive of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was an hour drive to get there and an hour drive-around a loop scenic road. We stopped at a couple of the lookouts for great views of the dunes. Lunch was at the little town of Empire at a local outdoor canteen – there was a choice of a club sandwich or a salad. We were back at the Silvermine at 2:30 in time for a rest before 4:30 Happy Hour. I was signed up to take an appetizer: ham/bacon/cheese/ranch dressing/green onion wrapped in a flour tortilla and sliced into pinwheels. There was an amazing spread of appetizers: ribs, stuffed mushrooms, buffalo wings, fruit, veggie cups, cheese, and a lot more. For supper the grill-masters were at it again: local brats, grilled onions/peppers, and the famous Yellowstone Rosevelt Beans. TOO MUCH FOOD! And with all the serving and eating of food . . . a last great chance for great socializing. There was a presentation by SkyMed, a company that cares for you in the event of illness or injury while you are traveling. It ended with a drawing for a week-long dream vacation – I WON! To redeem the gift, we will need to pay for transportation to our choice location and for the first night of lodging. After that, the lodging is free! We have until October to schedule the trip! Tom and I sat out around the group campfire enjoying all the banter until 11:00 when a dramatic increase in the wind announced a coming storm. People vacated the campfire quickly to tend to their awnings and stash outdoor gear. We had already cleaned up our campsite, and it was a simple matter of putting the chairs away and heading inside. That was the end of this joint rally of NOVA and SMAC. It is true that when two WBAC units combine to bring off a rally, it is literally DOUBLE the fun!
We headed for home early Monday morning, arriving by 1:00. We have a scant 72 hours to clean up and repack for our next rally . . . a run for Put-In-Bay.
2 Comments
Mike
6/15/2021 02:04:49 pm
As always Ella you capture the essence of fun and adventure we enjoy.
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Alexa Naramore
6/16/2021 04:01:27 am
Thanks for the detailed account of a great rally. Your blog is well-crafted and documented. I'm jealous you got to the lighthouse!
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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 |