Ahhh. I think the gods were with us. Blessed with spectacular weather, the California wine country warmly welcomed Vintage Airstreamers to the Russian River for our 2003 Fall Rally. Sixty four trailers strong, the one hundred thirty-two Airstream trailerites from all over the West Coast gathered as a community of old friends and new acquaintances to swap stories and lies, trade adventures, sing songs, learn a few things about the ocean and its inhabitants, enjoy good food and wine, and absorb the rural flavor of Northern California. Under the trees at Casini Ranch campground at Duncans Mills, we became a village for a brief moment.

A short drive down the coast brought a group of us to the Bodega Marine Lab, managed by the University of California, Davis, as a research and teaching laboratory. Situated along the San Andreas Fault, the contrasting rocks of Bodega Bay dramatically reveal the western tectonic plate's thousand-mile northward journey. That took a long time! The lab studies wild salmon feeding and habitat restoration, rockfish restoration and, equally interesting, commercial lobster farming. Thanks to Chris Dewees for setting up this tour for us.

There's more to a winery tour than simply sniffing, swirling and sipping. At Sonoma Cutrer Vineyards, we discovered the contributions soil, water and weather make to the character of the grape, as well as how attention to detail in processing, fermentation and aging add to the quality and complexity of the wine. The harvest having just been completed, we toured the bowels of the underground cellars, the aroma of fermenting juice in oak barrels teasing our senses. And soon we were tasting some of California's best Chardonnays. Thanks to Tom Toedter for the "insider's" tour.

As good fortune would have it, absolutely no planning went into the menu for Friday night's potluck. And it worked. Everyone was asked to bring whatever they wanted, and yep, there were hors d'oeuvres, salads, entrees and desserts - and in the right proportion. A long line of picnic tables, covered with everyone's tablecloths and lanterns and flanked by our trailers, formed our dining area for the evening.

Always a hit, the Saturday "Open House" appealed to everyone as they checked out the interiors, some glitzy, some period, some themed, some very original. And what a great representation of SOB's to compare with. Oh, those all-wood interiors of the Vagabond, Westcraft, Traveleze, and Little Caesar. Do they take you back to your childhood or what? And Vince Martinico's 1936 Masterbuilt Roadhouse. Way before my childhood. Truly, this was a great representation of well cared for vintage trailers: from the '48 Wee Wind and Trailwind, to the '52 Cruisette, to the '75 Ambassador, not a dog in the bunch. Sprinkled throughout were vintage tow vehicles to add to the atmosphere. Hey, who brought the old Citroen?

To say the Saturday night dinner was the highlight of the rally would be an understatement. Based on a North African "Capetown to Cairo" theme, Lorin and her team of volunteers decorated the hall in fall colors and put together a stunning meal of Moroccan stews and couscous, bringing out exotic flavors that delighted palates accustomed to more humdrum fare. A toast was in order to our hosts, Lorin Dewees and Tom Toedter. The tribe had gathered as one, to celebrate our time together. Cleanup was done in record time-a big thanks to all of the folks who pitched in without being asked.

At first Sunday light, that distant place called, for many of us are gypsies at the core, and the road a tonic as vital to our well being as water. We wished everyone well, said our "goodbyes" and "see ya down the roads." Soon the sites were vacant, the avenues quiet, the community dispersed and the village gone, but somewhere in our hearts, we all said, "let's do that again." And soon...

- A vintage traveler