Here I am with Carol following the Jacobs & the Buchers headed for Lock Port NY. for the Region 2 Rally. We meet Jacobs & Buchers for a beautiful drive on Rt 15 north to New York. We stop at Campbell, NY for the night. We arrive around 2 pm and set up. Time for a late lunch, then a nap. We find out the pool is open and very inviting!!! Joan jumps in first and Lou & I follow a few minutes later. The water is Luke Warm/cold...Brrr Brr. but after a while it is refreshing, it is almost 90* here so the cool water feels good.
Later Carol and I head for Watkins Glen..26 miles away. I see many old barns ...awesome picture shots are needed , so I stop along the way and snap..snap... then into Watkins Glen for a short drive around town,down to the waterfront for Bird shots ...the sea gulls are friendly. Then a stop for Chicken at Mr. Chicken Great supper. Then the return trip ...more pictures of barns and others... We are leaving here at 8:30 am for the last leg of the trip tomorrow morning, only about 120 miles to the Region 2 Rally Field. About 125 Airstreamers are expected.
Till then...God Bless.... AirstreamHobo & Carol

Ma Make-A-Wish Clowns at Mothers' Day Convoy 2009

It's Saturday night before Mother's Day, Carol And I load up the Airstream with bare essentials to head for the Annual Mothers Day Convoy for Make-a-Wish. We arrive at the lot at Burle Industries where tomorrow early am <4-6> Trucks will fill this lot. We arrive at 11 pm and head for bed after setting up.

I awake at 5 am to the sweet noise of them Diesel Trucks sneaking in the back entrance of Burle. The food tent is even up and serving coffee & breakfast items. The Convoy committee is setting up all the stands for the crowd thats coming!!! It sure is a beautiful morning 60-70* today is the weather forcast. Truckers are parking,polishing,putting banners on their trucks and registering for the Wish Child to ride with them today...a 27 mile Convoy from Lancaster thru Ephrata and back to Burle.

There are games for kids & adults also.. bounce castle, dunk tanks, face painting, Music on stage , Clowns everywhere!!, Food>>>you name it it's here..French Fries..Hamburgers..Pork sandwiches, Chicken Bar-B-Que,Turkey Hill Ice Cream...Etc. It is nice to see Wish Families here and enjoying time with the kids...Grand Parents Too...

At Noon we have a moment of Silence for those Wish Kids that have left us this past year..6 of them..There is 180 Stars on the Wish Truck in their memory for the past 20 years.

Then there is a BIG GROUP picture of the Clowns...45 of them this year!! Lots of color in this shot. Then It's Time!!!! Line up the Clowns to head out on the Highway...we have 7 vans full of Clowns, we even have a Looooong Limo to carry some clowns. It's 1:30 , Time to start The World's Largest Convoy of Trucks.

We travel 27 miles passing people sitting along the highway..on the bridges, in their front yards, porches, back of pick-ups, sitting in the high grass on the banks, there are people everywhere.... It takes us over 1 hour to reach Ephrata, they are waiting for Us ..Trucks & Clowns & even a few Fire Trucks ( I counted at least 20), We are a Loud bunch of Kids...over 100 Wish Kids also rode in the truck cabs blowing those AIR HORNS!!! and SIRENS!! The convoy lasted over 3 hours, I know we brought SMILES to the Wish kids, but we also saw thousands of Smiles along the Route! The Clowns collected $$$$$ along the route with Buckets & Stickers for everyone.....

Thank-You to All who donated!!! This all goes to making Wishes come True...Well this ends our 20th Convoy and is a Memory in my Heart forever. Just Check out my Photo Album and you will see those Thousand Smiles!!!!!!!!!!! Carol and I arrive home by 7 pm and crashed to bed by 9pm ( I ain't as young as I used to be 20 years ago, Just young in HEART!!!) God Bless......AirstreamHobo.... Obie & Carol

http://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/MakeAWish2009Convoy#

Here I am at The Nuts & Bolts Rally in York,Pa. You can read all about the Rally at http://centralpennunitofwbcci.blogspot.com/ or you can click on the My Blog List Column on the left and it will take you right to Central Penn Blog. I have written a blog for our club on this Blog. I had a great time at this Rally..The weather was great...90* each day. There is also pictures ...just follow the other blog to the album... No use repeating myself...Huh???
But There is Good News: During the Business Meeting I was nominated and put in office of 2nd Vice President!!! Wow 20 years in the club and now working my way up to President in 2011!!! Can't Wait!!!! So Thank-You Central Penn Unit for your confindence in me...I will try and do a Good...Great Job but mostly have Fun Doing It!! Get Ready for a Fun Year in 2011.... Thanks Again....

Here is the Wash DC Caravan that Rob Baker led thru Washington DC onWed, April 1,2009.Frank Yensan is the Caboose. He has "Pee Wee" Schwamborn has his co-pilot!!! This video is them coming into the Rally Field. Listen to our Crazy President Rob and all the noise he makes. He is also leading a Caravan to International in Madison,Wi. Won't that be a Crazy Caravan into the Vintage Parade??? Enjoy the Video!!!! "Obie"

Here are the pictures for the CBR http://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/CherryBlossom2009#

Here is the front row at CBR..49 Airstreams filled up 2 full rows and a few in the 3rd row. We had a GREAT TIME this week.We met some old friends and made some new ones!!!

Monday I helped set up the electric and we mapped out the fields with flags for the airstreams to park on to make it look like a half wagon wheel around the tent.

Tuesday, The tent guys showed up and set up the 40x60 tent for all the inside get-togethers. Hunt /SueJones & Garnet arrived to help run out the wires.

Wednesday, A caravan of 8 Airstreams drove thru Wash DC, and had a wonderful drive past all the monuments on the drive also passing tourists that stopped to take pictures of them. They arrived at CBR at 3pm, I could hear Rob Baker( Pres. of WDCU) coming around the hills with his Air Horn/Siren a blarin' (he has an old Fire Chief Surburban).Carol filmed them coming thru the gate ...Everyone had smiles on that Caravan!!! Happy Hour and get to meet everyone.

Thursday, The day was busy with Airstreams coming in all day, I parked all of them and also greeted them as they arrived. Happy Hour!!! Again!!

Friday , most went to Wash DC to see the Cherry Blossoms and the sights . Carol & I went to see Arlington & The Marines' Monument. We first got tram tickets to see the Cemetary, it took us all over with drop off points and pick-up to the next sight. 1st...President Kennedy's Gravesite...Bobby Kennedy's gravesite...then onto the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We stayed to see the changing of the Guard twice...Impressive!!! then onto the Arlington House way above the city...what a view from the front porch over Wash DC. Then we drove over to see the Marines Monument, Beautiful Tribute to all Soldiers.

We arrived back at CBR at the end of Happy Hour, just in time to Eat Potluck..Hmmm Hmmm Good!! Airstreamers sure know how to cook!!! After supper, we had a Square Dance Caller arrive and teach us some MOVES!!! We even had some pole Dancers(see photos) Electric Slide then Square Dancing till 10 pm.

Sat was , do what you want ..some toured Wash DC..then in the afternoon we had kids games and contests. At 4 pm we had "OBIE" the Clown arrive and do a Show for the kids(although the adults enjoyed it also , I guess? ).

Before we ate, we had a Memorial Tribute to Bill Jacobs (our Past President who past away this past winter). Several stepped up and said a few words about Bill, I don't think there was a DRY EYE in the place....We put out a Jar full of M&M's for all to share with their meal as a Tribute to Bill. We will miss you Bill... Get that Great Rally in the Sky ready for Us Airstreamers.

5pm time for that Catered Dinner.... Bar/B/Que Spare Ribs & Chicken and all the sides, coleslaw, Bake Beans, Rolls. What a Lip Smakin' finger licken' Meal that was!!!!

Tonight we had a Special Guest...Pee Wee Schwamborn... He was on Early Caravans with Wally Byam as a Advanced Scout for the Airstreamers. He was on The African Caravan at the age of 20, but he was also on caravans with his mother Helen Schwamborn who was responsible for the early beginnings of WBCCI as we know it today. He talked for 2 hours with question & answer program. Wow!! Just imagine traveling at 13 then 20 all over the World!!!! He said he going to write a Book, I can hardly wait for the first printing,remember Pee Wee I want the 1st Copy. I spent alot of hours with this man this week, I think I found a Friend for Life. What a Gentleman and so humble about what he has done in his life. I hope all his notes/pictures and memoirs are preserved for ever.

The night concluded with a campfire till midnight..ZZZZ.

Sunday, After morning coffee/pastries many started to pack up and hit the road. A crew of volunteers started to wrap up all the electric/ tables/chairs/ clean all the grounds. In short order it was Clean!!! Many Thanks To Clayton & Christi Rogers for the grounds to gather all these Airstreamers.. It is hard to say good-bye but we know we will see many of these Airstreamers again this summer. Our Schedule is full of many travel plans , we hope to see you all down the road. There are only 3 left of us for sunday night, we pack up Monday am for home. The Grounds are Empty till next year CBR 2010.

Ok , The kids are having FUN!!!

Here's the Gang!!! Too much fun here ...stories later...check out picture Album..CBR.....Con't...

Cherry Blossom Rally is Ready!!!! We are all set up and waiting for you! 3 of us are here already and set up the Tent,Electric,& Water even the Johnnys are here. Hunt,Garnet, Obie are here waiting for the Wash DC Caravan to arrive later today. Check the picasa album,...continued