When we signed up for the Alpine Rally in Pismo Beach, we really had no idea what to expect. We were aware of RV-ers attending rallies and read posts about several. Typically they included photos of mature couples with drinks in hand, lots of food on tables, and folks smiling and just generally having fun.
Our first ever rally turned out
to be an unforgettable experience. In just a matter of a few hours after
arriving, we were greeted warmly, welcomed into the Alpine family fold, and
provided with support, expertise, and help we didn’t even know we needed!
There were 24 Alpines gathered, which was a wondrous sight to behold. It was a Where
is Waldo moment to see them all lined up.
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| where's our Alpine.... |
There were 47 attendees.
I have come away convinced that
there cannot be a more friendly, welcoming, fun-loving, and
helpful group.
The SoCal (South California)
Chapter Alpine Rally began the day we arrived, Friday November 14th and
ended the morning of Tuesday November 18th. The schedule was filled with Happy
Hours, three dinners, three breakfasts, a membership meeting, and a field trip
to the Avila Lighthouse. In between, folks gathered to catch up on news,
mingle, explore the region, and just generally hang out together.
So, during the unscheduled time
on the roster of events, Michael took out his tools to start working on a few
niggly items he needed to take care of. Seeing that we were going to stay
put for a while, it was an opportunity to tackle these few issues. Our
hot water tank would not operate on LP gas (only on power), the inverter was
not functioning like it should, and of course, there were the new issues of the
wind damage to the awning and the missing roof vents.
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| behold, the Alpine expert fixers arrive |
It was a sight wondrous to
behold, when like a magnet, our Alpine seemed to attract other Alpine males who simply arrived at our site, and jumped in with their expert help and advice. If a special tool was required, you could be
assured someone had it. If a spare part was needed, you guessed it, someone
would have it. If expert advice was needed on something specific, an
expert would materialize.
It was all rather incredible! With all this technical and mechanical support, a lot of our problems were resolved and fixed. And when we didn't know about a potential problem, we soon found out about it, and that got taken care of too. With the appropriate part magically on hand.
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| Alpine's engineer Mike, the
keeper of the precious DVD Bible of Alpine facts and instructions and uber problem solver |
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| with a bit of time on his
hands while we were in Pismo, Michael opened the bay doors to retrieve his tools to start working on our issues... and the guys appeared |
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| Dean giving Michael Awning 101 lessons |
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| Sandy helping Michael find a solution to a non-working fan |
If a wife was looking for her husband, she knew where to find him. Ours definitely was the Alpine where the guys gathered during the rally. Apparently having bay doors open and a tool box visible, is the tell-tale sign.
The result of the
'male-Alpine-fixers' gatherings, is that we now have the LP gas heating the
water; the inverter is doing whatever it is that inverters need to do; there is
a replacement vent cover over the refrigerator; and the best news is that
the awning came out of the wind storm undamaged and is now functioning as it
should. There were a few other things that were resolved as well, thanks
to the help of everyone here, including "taxi service" to stores for
specific parts (we do not have a car with us).
While the guys did guy Alpine stuff, I mingled amongst the Alpine gals, getting to know them, peeking inside their homes, chatting about upgrades, changes, and ideas for storage and organizing. And of course, I soon discovered who of the ladies present sews and quilts.
So, when it comes to rallies,
it was just as we thought - they are indeed occasions for folks to
gather, have fun, eat a lot and enjoy happy hours. What we never anticipated is
the guaranteed help with issues and advice from the experts at hand. And if you
are totally new and green like we are, it’s the perfect occasion to meet folks
with interesting backgrounds, and make new friends who love the Alpine
lifestyle and, like family, go out of their way to befriend and help the newest
fellow Alpine member.
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| pot luck gathering in the club house |
Here are a few more pics of
what Alpiners do at rallies:
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| T&M in front of the
trolley car that took us up to Avila lighthouse, where we had a tour and lunch |
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| view from the trolley window, overlooking the bay |
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| view of whale rock, where in the past whales were butchered |
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| our docent explaining about the fog horns used in the past |
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| the head lighthouse
keeper's beautiful Victorian home |
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| every lighthouse keeper's wife's dream machine |
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| the child in all of us,
recapturing carefree days, just like the head lighthouse keeper's daughter who used this swing |
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| when night falls, the
martinis appear, the music plays, and inhibitions melt away - Alpiners know how to party |
It had been a long journey to
make it to the rally. And we had our share of first time challenges –
snow, heavy rain, and brutal wind. But at the end of the rainbow, we
arrived not only to our favorite spot in California, but also found ourselves
amongst a wonderful group of California Alpiners. We have met and made new
friends and also resolved several Alpine issues.
Surely life could not be better
and we could not be more fortunate. And because we drove the furthest, we
got the prize. It was a 3,380-mile drive to get to the SoCal Alpine
Rally. And it was worth every mile! We definitely look forward to
the next rally.
