WBCCI

APRIL NEWS

Editor:

Marilyn Van Iderstine

President’s Report 1

Region 10 Events 3

2nd Vice President 6

Kicking Back in

Kalispell

13

Membership Matters 15

Food for Thought 16

Inside this issue:

President’s Message

SPRING!! We can feel it coming….and we

can hardly wait to begin our annual

Airstream activities.

For those of us lucky enough to be able to

spend time in the southern climates in the

winter, we may not relate to the above in

quite the same way, but our excitement to

begin another season of fun with our

Airstream friends is just as strong.

We look forward to the Unit Rallies in our

seven Units. Oregon always starts the

season with their Leak Test Rally, followed

by the three other coastal Units,

Washington, North Cascade Washington

and British Columbia Canada. The rest of

the Units wait until their winter snows

melt and spring arrives for them. In our

home Unit, the AB/SK Canada Unit, that

wait is usually until the “Victoria Day”

weekend – celebrating the storied Queen’s

birthday. It is usually the third weekend of

May unless the Unit has a rally at the Spar-

tan Race in Kalispell, Montana.

Darlene does a piece of work for the

Region that I hope members will take

advantage of. She compiles a “Master List”

of all the Unit activities, including Lunch-

eons and Caravans. It is on the Region 10

Website and is now in this Newsletter.

Hazel Knopp started compiling this list and

we intend to continue it. Thanks to all the

Units for contributing their information. It

is very useful when we have new members

to let them see all of the opportunities for

fun with their fellows in Region 10. I am

sure many also use it to plan their annual

activities. There are so many possibilities

as Units think up new places to see and

new activities for Airstreamers to enjoy.

In addition to the Unit Rallies, we want to

remind everyone that the International

Rally is in Lewisburg, West Virginia this

year and it will be the largest International

in many years. This reflects both club

growth and pent-up desire for an eastern

President’s Report

Region 10 News

REGION 10

PAGE 2

REGION 10 NEWS

location by members east of the Mississippi. At

the end of February, Region 10 had only 16

members (32 people) signed up to attend the

International, including Darlene and I.

Since there are so few currently registered, we

need the Units to be sure that they have

Delegates appointed to vote for them at the

annual Delegates Meeting. If no one is attending

from your Unit, please contact me; if we know

early enough, a Delegate can be appointed from

those attending by ensuring they are Associate

Members.

An article on this topic appears later in this

Newsletter.

Speaking of important rallies to attend – we are

now registering members for the Region 10 Rally

in Kalispell, Montana July 27 – August 01. The

preferred method of registration is online using

the Region 10 Website, but there is also a

coupon in the Blue Beret. Registrar Jay Rolls is

ready to make sure your registration is done and

you are signed up for a good time in the Flathead

Valley. There is more on this event in the News-

letter.

Last but not least of the rally activities to

consider this season are the Special Event Rallies

in Region 10. Both the Pendleton Round-Up Rally

and the Sun Valley Jazz Rally in Region 10 are

great ones to attend for either first timers or

seasoned members.

We are aware of two Caravans – both are

headed to the Region Rally this year. One is

planned by the British Columbia Unit - President

Tom Akam – called the Great Circle Caravan -

includes a tri-unit rally at the Great Canadian

Barn Dance following Region 10 Rally. The other

is being organized by the Idaho Unit – led by

Fonny and Mim Davidson with Andy and

Stephanie Falk. It starts in Grangeville, ID on July

24 and ends at the Region Rally.

So ……. There is a long list of things to do this

spring, summer and fall in our Region 10, not to

mention all the other regions – and now there is

even activity in Europe organized by that Unit. It

is great to be part of the WBCCI Airstream

family!!

Bob and Darlene

President and First Mate

President’s Message continued

Region 10 Events 2016

PAGE 3

REGION 10 NEWS

Region 10 Events 2016 continued

PAGE 4

REGION 10 NEWS

Region 10 Events 2016 continued

PAGE 5

REGION 10 NEWS

Update on Second Vice President Position

You may recall that several Newsletters ago, I made a

general call for Members interested in the position of

Second Vice President to contact me to discuss the

possibilities.

Since that time, one (1) member approached me with

possible interest in the position. Another has also

approached me, but for a time in the future, and I am

very pleased with that. Others have discussed the

position very informally.

With an interested member wanting to know what the

position entailed, I had to quickly locate the only Job

Description that was available – for the Region

President, not First or Second Vice President - because

we have not had a description for the VP’s. That Job

Description was written very formally and actually was

primarily duties copied from the Constitution and

Bylaws of the International Club – the Blue Book.

I advised the interested Member that the job of the

Vice Presidents is to assist the President and prepare

for assuming the President’s Role and Duties. This

includes being a member of the Region Board and

Executive Committee.

I suggested this is best done by attending and

participating in as many IBT Meetings, International

and Region Rallies and Unit Installations and Rallies.

The first elements are to gain familiarity with the

International activities he/she will be involved in and

the latter are to be comfortable in understanding the

Region so he/she will provide informed representation

and understand Region issues that may arise.

Normally the two years in each position are adequate

time and experience.

I have since re-written the President’s Roles and

Responsibilities document in a way that it has more

meaning and clarity to me and I hope to all Members.

The Role of the Vice Presidents has also been added. It

is included with this Article for reference.

To return to the story of the search for a Second Vice

President, after careful consideration, the member

decided not to pursue the position.

What I can say about that is that Region 10 has a deep

and talented pool of Members who just need the

conditions to be right for them to step up and begin

the process of training for Region President in the role

of Second and then First Vice President. I hope that

time is near for someone.

How it Works

So, since we are still looking for a candidate, what is

the process to select a Vice President, anyway?

The answer depends upon when we get a member

that puts his or her name forward.

At the present time, we do not have a Nominating

Committee appointed and actively seeking candidates

since our election is over a year away. Traditionally,

the role of Nominating Committee Chair falls to the

Immediate Past Region President, and the

appointment is made in the last year of the current

President’s term.

Since we have not had a member put forward their

name, I, as President with assistance from the current

Region Board, will continue to seek out members

willing to serve until after the Board Meeting this July.

Should we get a volunteer at least 60 days before or at

the Region Rally, the timing would allow for Unit

input and a Board appointment at the Region Rally.

If we do not get a volunteer, the Nominating

Committee Chair will be appointed and we will

proceed with that process, headed by Carol Ortiz. My

role as President will be to support that activity. I am

not interested in a second term or an “interim”

situation.

The First Vice President

Of course, I have omitted the one factor that is

unusual in the case of Region 10 in 2016; we are likely

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REGION 10 NEWS

From Region President Bob Caldwell

to also need to fill the First Vice President position after July also. As many of you know, Mona Heath has been

one of two members nominated for the position of Third Vice President of the International Club. Since the

Nominating Committee meeting, the other candidate, Pat McFadden, has withdrawn.

This means that our Second Vice President could likely be First Vice President in July!

This situation may be interesting to those who do not want to “do the time” that it normally would take in the

Second and First Vice President roles. It would mean a reasonably steep “learning curve” but unless someone

with previous Region experience comes forward, that is the situation.

Interested Members

If you are interested – or even curious, please email or call me.

Bob Caldwell

(780) 964-5444 Cell or (780) 435-3145 Home

region10@wbcci.net

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REGION 10 NEWS

From Region President Bob Caldwell

James A. (Jim) Rankin, passed away after a long battle with cancer, on February 29th, 2016. A Celebration of

Life was held at 2:45 pm at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise on March 21st, 2016.

Jim is survived by his wife Debi, daughters Kerrie Wolfley, Heather Rankin, Sons Jason and Joshua Rankin and

their families. Jim and Debi have been very active members of the Idaho Unit. He served WBCCI and the Sun

Valley Jazz Festival in many roles, all with devotion and energy. He will be missed.

In Memoriam Jim Rankin

Roles of the President

1. Principal Executive Officer of the Region

2. Member and Representative of the Region, its’ Units and Region Members on the International Board

of Trustees by Virtue of being Region President

3. Chair of the Region Board

4. Chair of the Region Executive Committee

Duties and Activities Required of the President

1. Assists the International Club President and other Officers and Committees in the Conduct of WBCCI

International Business

2. Accepts Trustee Responsibilities Over Club Management and Activities

3. Enforces International Constitution, Bylaws and Policies

4. Appoints Region Treasurer and Secretary, Committee Chairs and other Volunteers for the Management

and Welfare of the Region

5. Attends and Participates in All International Board of Trustees Meetings

6. Assists the International Rally Committee in Conducting International Rallies

7. Plans and Supervises the Region Activities at International Rallys, such as the 4th of July Picnic, the

Luncheon and the Region Table at Signup and Promotions Activities

8. Provides Vital Communication Between International, Region and Units

9. Communicates Openly with International, Region and Unit Officers and Members

10. Assists Unit Officers and Delegates in Preparing to Execute their Duties

11. Develops the Full Potential of Each Region Vice President

12. Fosters Region Membership Development

13. Attends and Assists National and Special Events Rallys held within the Region

14. Promotes and Supports Unit Activities in the Region

15. Supervises the Planning and Operation of Region Rallies and Caravans

16. Schedules and Conducts a Region Board Meeting Annually

17. Keeps all Region Officers and Board Members Informed of Relevant Matters

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REGION 10 NEWS

Region Presidents’ Roles and Responsibilities

18. Performs Ceremonial Functions as Requested or Needed

19. Reviews and Approves Region Officers Expense Statements

20. Directs the Region Executive Committee in Preparation of an Annual Budget for Region Board Review

21. Requests Assistance of Region Officers to the Maximum Extent Possible in Carrying Out the Duties and

Responsibilities of Region Operations

Attributes Required of the President

1. Must Be Committed to WBCCI; its Concepts and Practices

2. Must have Good Knowledge of and Experience in the International Club Organization, Documents and

Operation

3. Must Have a Good Knowledge of and Experience in WBCCI Unit Operations

4. Must Demonstrate a Good Understanding of Parliamentary Procedures

5. Must Have the Ability and Willingness to Travel as Required to Fulfill Duties

6. Must Be an Open and Clear Communicator

Term of Office

The President will normally serve for two years, commencing after the International Rally where he/

she is inducted.

Region First and Second Vice Presidents The Vice Presidents have three roles: 1. Assist the President 2. Prepare to assume the Role of President 3. Participate in the Region Board and Region Executive Committee work, discussions and deci-

sions This is best done by attending and participating in as many IBT Meetings, International and Region Rallies and Unit Installations and Rallies. The purposes of this activity are: Firstly to gain familiarity with the International activities he/she will be involved in and Secondly to be comfortable and un-derstand the Region so he/she will provide informed representation and understand Region issues that may arise.

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REGION 10 NEWS

Region Presidents’ Roles and Responsibilities cont’d

Are you aware that each year at the International

Rally, there is a meeting of Members delegated from

each Unit in the Club?

Do you know what that is all about? Why they are

meeting and what is on their agenda? How it might

affect you and your Unit?

This short article will give you some insight into this

aspect of our Club.

The Unit Delegate and Alternate, selected from each

Unit, usually by the President and Executive Board,

must appear at the annual Delegates' meeting with

credentials verified. That is, they present a signed

Delegates Authorization or Alternates Authorization

signed by the Unit President when they register at the

International Rally. The registrar will apply a Delegate

or Alternate Delegate ribbon to their Membership

Badge, signifying their authorization to participate in

the Delegates’ Meeting. Only one of them can actually

vote at the meeting.

As a voting Member, the Delegate can vote as many

votes as there are Members in the Unit they

represent. They may also split their vote – voting one

amount for one candidate and another amount for

another, for example, or an amount of votes in favour

of a motion and another amount against a motion.

This allows the Delegate to reflect the opinions of the

members of their Unit accurately. The total votes cast

per Delegate cannot exceed their official count of

members in the Unit, determined by Headquarters. In

this way, all members get a vote on the matters be-

fore the Delegates, if all 120 Units’ Delegates attend.

It is normal practice for Units to poll their members,

either by mail or online or at a Unit meeting to

determine how the Delegate or Alternate is instructed

to vote. That is often translated into a motion and

voted on by the members – again at a meeting for the

purpose or through an online or mail-in vote.

Should a Unit not have a President or other Regular

member able to attend and be the Unit’s Delegate,

the President or Unit Board can appoint another

person who is an Affiliate Member to be their

Delegate or Alternate. Obviously the member chosen

to represent the Unit must be in attendance at the

International Rally and be authorized by the Unit

President.

This year, we know that at the time this article is

written, only 16 members from our Region have

signed up to attend the International. If your Unit is

looking for someone to be your Delegate or Alternate,

I can share that list or you can contact Headquarters

to search for Affiliate members. Darlene and are

attending the International and are Affiliates of all

Region 10 Units and are also willing to help if required,

but we are only able to help one Unit.

We want all seven Units in the Region to have their

votes cast every year.

This year, there are two Constitutional Amendments

to be voted on, as well as the Election of Officers and

Nominating Committee Members. The particulars of

those matters is going to be in the Blue Beret and on

your Unit agendas and Newsletters.

PAGE 10

REGION 10 NEWS

The International Rally Delegates’ Meeting 2016

Wheels and Tires for your Airstream

Two Short Articles on Wheels and Tires – by Ray Put-

nam, WBCCI #7007, Region 10 Maintenance Com-

mittee Chair

Choosing Trailer Wheels and Tires

I was driving south on interstate 5 towards Salem, OR,

on my way to central Oregon for a weekend campout.

I was going about 65 miles an hour with my 30’ Classic

in tow. I heard a loud bang and pulled over right

away. The driver’s side rear tire on the trailer had

blown. The flap on the tire hadn’t separated

completely from the tire and so there was a ¾” thick

reinforced rubber flap about 3’ long that had damaged

the trailer. The flap took out the belly wiring in the

vicinity, took off the ends of the black and grey water

valves, and pushed the side of the trailer out 1-1/2” in

the vicinity of the damage.

I took the trailer to Sutton RV in Eugene and they

estimated the damage at $10,000.00. Yes,

$10,000.00.

Three months later they had completed the repair and

I went to pick up the trailer. Meanwhile I had been

reading on the Airstream Forum about this kind of

problem. I wasn’t the first Airstreamer to experience

this kind of event. I did a lot of research about tires

and found that the Michelin LTX/85R 16E M/S2 tire

when fully inflated was 30.4” outside diameter. The

tire was narrow enough to fit inside the wheel well

and small enough around to have adequate clearance.

There is a 15” LT tire available from Goodyear

Wrangler. It is an 8 Ply., load range D, 65 PSI max

tire. This is a good alternative for those with small

trailers that can’t fit the 16” LT Michelin, 10 Ply., load

range E, 80 PSI max tire. Either tire is better than an

SP or ST rated tire. The wheels are available in steel

and aluminum. I know that there can be issues with

torqueing the lug nuts on aluminum wheels. I chose

steel because with a steel lug, steel wheel, and steel

nut I didn’t have the difference of expansion that I

would experience with the aluminum wheel. The

wheels are available coated to a silver color that really

goes well with the Airstream exterior. They are also

available in a variety of patterns (spoke wheels, mod

wheels, etc.). I found out that I needed zero offset

wheels for my Airstream trailer. Then it was simply

matching the bolt pattern (6 holes on 5.5” bolt

centers) and buying the wheels (16” x 6” mod wheel,

0 offset).

I bought the wheels independently and tires from Les

Schwab and had them mounted at Les Schwab. I took

a few little steps to insure a better finished product. I

added stainless steel valve stems from Les Schwab. I

added solid lug nuts from Les Schwab. (The old nuts

were a two-piece nut). I didn’t know at the time

about using Nitrogen in tires so they were filled with

air. Later I found out that nitrogen is less likely to

migrate through tire rubber than is oxygen, which

means that your tire pressures will remain more

stable over the long term. I also found out that tires

filled with nitrogen rather than air also exhibit less

pressure change with temperature swings. The tires

were inflated to the tire manufacturer’s specification

of 80 psi.

Interestingly enough, I had read in the Airstream

Forum that some who had done this type of job

experienced “smoother” trailering. I didn’t tell my

wife about that. We took the new tires and wheels to

Sutton and had them put on before we pulled out of

the shop. About a half hour out and on the way to the

coast for the scenery and camping before we went

home my wife commented “It seems smoother!”.

Well folks, our trailering has been smoother ever

since.

Wheel Bearings and Brakes Maintenance

Don’t forget to have the wheel bearings checked

periodically and re-lubed if necessary. That is also a

good time to have the brakes checked and repaired as

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REGION 10 NEWS

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REGION 10 NEWS

necessary. I have my wheel bearings and brakes checked every two years. Depending upon your mileage you

might have to do it more often.

You still need to get a torque wrench of your own (mechanical clicker-type is recommended) and check and set

your lug nuts every time you put your trailer on the road. You are looking at around 110 to 125 foot pounds of

torque. Never tighten the lug nuts with an impact wrench. Always do your final tightening with the torque

wrench. Use a “star” shaped pattern when tightening – opposite nuts in order. Tighten all nuts to “close”,

then make a final pass with the final torque set.

Then you will have to perform your periodic checks. What you will find is that you will have to continue to

check the aluminum wheels forever (it took 2600 miles on mine to get them to settle down). Just in case you

haven’t seen it in the manual, you are supposed to check torque on aluminum wheels, once they have been

mounted, after 25 miles, after 50 miles, after 100 miles, and every 200 miles thereafter. Steel wheels will

settle down sooner (it took 1500 miles on mine) and hold longer. Even though you find that your lug nuts are

not changing you should still continue to check them.

Ray

Wheels and Tires for your Airstream

July 27th- August 1st, 2016

The Region 10 Rally is getting close, July 27th-August 1st, 2016 will be here before your know

it. Hopefully you have registered for this Rally or are planning to do so. Registration is

available on line with Pay-Pal on the Region 10 website. I have had a preview of the Rally

program and planned events; this will be a great Rally in a beautiful area, a Rally you don’t

want to miss. Bring your bikes, kayaks, fishing gear, hiking boots, games for an all round

good time.

First, the Rally will be held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds – 265 N. Meridian Rd.,

Kalispell, Montana which is located conveniently close to downtown, to shopping, to hotels

(if travelling without your Airstream). 20 amp power and water will be provided at your site;

we ask that you arrive with full fresh water tanks and empty wash and black water tanks.

The Fairgrounds Expo building will be our main activity center, the location for seminars/

round tables and meetings.

What to expect: (some program changes may occur)

DAY ONE – General Parking & Registration 12:00-4:30pm –Coffee in Expo Center – Happy

Hour - Evening Meal– Evening Entertainment to follow

DAY TWO – Continental Breakfast & Coffee – Registration – Opening Ceremonies – Annual

Business Meeting – Sky Med Presentation & coffee – Round table discussions *Membership

– Unit Officers –Region Officer – Officer & Committee Chair Idea Share – Info Exchange* -

Happy Hour Kalispell Elks Lodge – (no host bar) followed with dinner and dancing – Door

Prizes - Kids evening program (if enough kids attend)

DAY THREE – Continental Breakfast – Announcements – Parking & Registration (weekend

Registrants) – Seminars *Know your Club, New Members – Rally Hosting – Maintenance

round table *– Flathead Lake Boat Tour – Happy Hour - Evening Entertainment (Kids movie –

Sky Gazing)

Kicking Back in Kalispell

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REGION 10 NEWS

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REGION 10 NEWS

Kicking Back in Kalispell CONT’D

DAY FOUR – Continental Breakfast – Your Day on Your Own, remember “YOYO” with so

many things to do in this beautiful area we can’t list them all but will provide information in

your registration Packet. Go as a group or go on your own – Happy Hour – Evening Meal –

Talent Show, bring your special talent and entertain us, include those young people talents

– Door Prizes

DAY FIVE - Church of your choice - Breakfast/Brunch – Seminars/Round Tables *Airstream

Maintenance Tires/Polishing – Craft Show & Sale – Photography - Electronics on the Road –

Games sign up* - Happy Hour – Western BBQ – Closing Ceremonies

DAY SIX – Grab & Go Breakfast – Safe travels – Keep the Shiny Side Up!

So to re-cap! Great Programs, Important Annual Meeting, Seminars & Round Tables, Enter-

tainment, Tours, 5 Happy Hours, 5 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners, Fun, Fellowship and Adventure.

President Bob and First Lady Darlene Caldwell have put together an excellent and exciting

Rally for you and your family. Register now for a very special fun time with your WBCCI

friends.

Hazel Knopp #200

“We are planning at least one Maintenance Seminar at the Region 10 Rally and need members who will be attending to give us suggested topics for them”

Please send the suggestions to Bob Caldwell at region10@wbcci.net or Ray Putnam at ray@elevatormaintco.com

Kicking Back in Kalispell CONT’D

I recently attended a rally with 28 Airstream families and was in aluminum heaven! This

was a weekend rally but a handful of campers, including myself, arrived the day before.

What a delight to be able to greet old friends, and new members, on Friday as they pulled

into the group camp area.

There were no planned activities – those who wanted went for bicycle rides, hikes or lunch

in town while others hung around the campground enjoying the sun and, in my case, being

consumed by mosquitoes. Almost every family had a pet, mostly dogs, so yappy hours

were quite entertaining. Several people helped to put up tents, complete with interior

merchandising with multiple sparkly light strands, everyone helped with meal prep and

cleanup. The whole weekend was an open house and mechanical seminar with people

popping into each others trailers, admiring upgrades, restoration work and a beautifully

pristine vintage Bambi and conversations about weight-distribution systems, emergency

brake release and tires.

By now you’re probably wondering “why this mundane excerpt from Mona’s travel

diaries?” This is what belonging to the Airstream Club International is all about:

understanding that many owners still work so planning a weekend rally with the ability to

extend the stay as individual schedules allow; creating a welcoming environment

embracing old friends and new, vintage trailers and brand new; easy-going hosts with

everyone pitching in to help and cheerful departures in the anticipation of seeing everyone

down the road. It’s what prompted one of the new members to post about their first-rally

experience on Facebook and it’s what continues to make us the longest-rolling,

single-branded RV club in the world: Fun, Friendship and Adventure.

Safe travels.

Mona

PAGE 15

REGION 10 NEWS

Membership Matters Mona Heath

PAGE 16

REGION 10 NEWS

Wally byam

caravan club

international

We’re on the Web

www.region10.wbcci.net

Region Newsletter Schedule 2016 - 2017

June 2016

Region Newsletters will be published the beginning of the months listed and

we invite Units and Region 10 Members to make submissions to be

considered for publication. If you wish to have an article published please

provide print ready articles to the Region 10 Newsletter Editor ,

Marilyn Van Iderstine, at saltayre@gmail.com

Food for Thought

Fresh Fruit can be more interesting as a snack with dip. Try this at your next rally.

CARAMEL DIP FOR FRESH FRUIT

8 oz. cream cheese 3/4 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. powdered sugar 1 tbsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. milk

Blend together with mixer. Add more milk if needed to make more creamy. Use cut up fruit for dipping.

LEMON DIP FOR FRUIT

Ingredients

2 cups (16 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream

1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

1/4 cup fat-free milk

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Assorted fresh fruit

Directions

In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, pudding mix, milk, lemon juice and peel until blended. Serve with fruit. Yield: 2 cups.