1971 was an interesting year for our family. My father’s employer told him they were closing his office in Southern California. His choice was either to leave the company or move to Baltimore, MD. My father grew up in Pennsylvania and may have been “allergic to snow” so he chose to leave. But he needed something to do. So they bought the KOA Kampground in Redding. Quite a change!

I was 11, moving to Northern California and going to live at a campground. We didn’t have anywhere to stay when we first got there so we lived for 6 months in our Airstream. 3 people and a dog in a 25′ travel trailer. Needless to say I didn’t stay home sick much that year.

Another thing that happened around then was that my parents joined the local WBCCI (Wally Byam Caravan Club International) unit. They were some of the youngest to join at that time. I enjoyed it immensely being around all those “grandparent-types”. Even then, all the pomp and circumstance, and stodginess was there, just like now. It was geared for older retired people. You know the ritual, get to the rally on Tuesday, do all the fun stuff Wednesday or Thursday, on the weekend everything is ‘on your own’. Eventually my father became president of the local unit. The fun started there.

Previously, the unit would go to the same places that they did every year. Even down to the month! My dad mixed things up, he didn’t follow the previous ‘schedule’, he would go to dry camping areas, tours were done on Saturday! The existing group did not think too much of that. How things never change.

We Airstreamed on and off for the next 8-9 years. We went to Florida one time but I had to fly back because it was during high school. With the campground my parents didn’t get away as often and when then did they would leave me in charge so I couldn’t go. I do remember being in Jasper on August 16, 1977. We were in Whistler Mountain campground making lunch in the Airstream and had the radio on. They told us that Elvis had died.

I moved away in 1980 which ended my Airstream escapades with my parents. They continued on doing as much as they could. They sold their campground (it is now the Premier RV Resort) in Redding. However they couldn’t travel as frequently because they had to care for parents.

From then until 2000 our family tent camped whenever we did go camping. Everyone remember how much fun tent camping ISN’T?

The next installment will talk about our SOB.