4CU News
4CU April Update
Hi Four Corners Unit!
[Gosh. April update. It’s 1 May. Your editor has had a most discombobulated April. Apologies!! Here we go…]
The Four Corners Unit Airstream Club has been busy month and this newsletter is loaded with information about new rallies, rallies past and assorted updates!
In This Update
Membership Update
Artesia New Rally Announcement
International Elections Update
Rally Round Ups
Upcoming Rallies
Treasurer’s Note
Membership Update
We welcome a new affiliate member to the Four Corners Unit. We are look forward to having you join us at an upcoming 4CU Rally.
Affiliate Members:
- Suzi Shawl BRN 2935
Save the Date for a NEW Rally for 2025
Artesia Air Urban Rally
Downtown Artesia, NM, November 6-9, 2025
Hosts: Cathy and Scott Verhines, Debbie Vesco and Joni Lindsey.
This will be the first urban rally for the 4CU!
We’ve been working closely with the Artesia Chamber of Commerce to put together an Airstream Rally in conjunction with their annual Balloons, BBQ, Brews and Bands event, showcasing hot air balloons on Saturday and Sunday morning, food trucks and local bands. We are inspired by Michigan’s Urban Air Rally that has been running since 2012.
Thanks to the Chamber, we’ve secured the best location in the city for the rally – Heritage Plaza, half a block from Main Street and close to restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, a historic railroad depot, a unique public library, and historical sculptures. Artesia has really invested in their downtown and one of the planned functions for the rally will be a walking tour. We are also working with the Chamber on a reception at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center and the local car club wants to join us one day to inspect one another’s rides and rigs.
This will be a dry camp and limited to 20 rigs in total, we are arranging for onsite pump outs and the City of Artesia has a free public dump station only a few blocks from Heritage Plaza.
Artesia is about an hour from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and about two hours from White Sands National Park. Historically, temperatures in Artesia in November average 65° for highs and 44° for lows.
We expect to open the rally for registration in August – so put a reminder on your calendar!
2025-2027 Airstream Club International Executive Council Election
On 15 April 2025 ACI sent out a Blue Beret Bulletin Special Edition. I encourage you to read it and the statements from candidates who are interested in serving you on the ACI Executive Council.
More information about the candidates and the election process can be found on the Club site.
Rally Round-Up
Beautiful Bisbee
By Bruce and Catherine Stevenson
Bisbee or Bust – And We Busted Out the Fun! The Four Corners Unit rolled into historic Bisbee, Arizona for an unforgettable rally packed with charm, community, and a whole lot of shiny aluminum. This was a new rally location for the Four Corners Unit and it was great to have 15 Airstreams together to explore, connect, and soak up the southwest spirit.
We kicked things off with a warm welcome and even warmer breakfast burritos and scones – locally catered and delicious enough to earn their own fan club. Coffee mugs clinked, stories were shared, and the desert morning air was filled with laughter and the unmistakable scent of dark roast coffee.
The local visitor Bureau took the stage to welcome the group and provided a great presentation about surrounding Wilcox, Tombstone, Bisbee and Douglas. These local experts gave us the inside scoop on hidden gems, historical hotspots and off-the-beaten-path adventures. From a “last supper” museum to the oldest baseball stadium in the US, our itineraries are now brimming with ideas for return trips!
Underground Adventures and Happy Hours Above Ground
A rally highlight was the Queen Mine Tour, located just steps from our RV park. Donning hard hats and heading deep into the old copper mine, participants got a fascinating glimpse into Bisbee and its rich mining history.
Later, we raised our glasses during casual happy hours where new friendships formed and old ones deepened. One evening, we enjoyed a grill-your-own-dinner night, with everyone pitching in a variety of side dishes that were as diverse as they were delicious.
Starry Nights and Spaceflight Surprises
Each night we gathered under the stars around a cozy, albeit propane, campfire, swapping stories and soaking in the magical Bisbee vibes. A full moon lit up the Arizona skies and one evening we were treated to an unexpected surprise: a rocket streaking high overhead, presumably launched from SpaceX in California – an unforgettable moment that made the night feel a little more cosmic.
Thanks to everyone who made the Bisbee Rally a shining success. Whether it was your first 4CU event or your fiftieth, we’re glad you joined the adventure.
Stay shiny, stay curious and keep rolling.
Cajun Country Caravan
By Michael and Jennifer Houlden
The Houldens and Bittners joined the Cajun Country Caravan in Cajun Country, Louisiana. This 2 week (and a bit) rally went deep into Cajun history and culture with a packed agenda of museums, music, presentations, swamp tours, crawfishing and eating (this writer ate 12 pounds of crawfish in two days – satisfied!), and food. My goodness was there food!
If you enjoy learning about the area you travel in, eating local food and fully experiencing life we highly recommend trying a caravan. At first glance the pricing may seem to be a lot, but the value is there. Club caravans are operated at neutral revenue – any money collected that isn’t spent directly on the caravan is returned to members at the end. Plenty of our experiences like private tours, musical performances, crawfish boils and pig roasts, and community presentations on this caravan simply would not have been available as a solo traveller and certainly not at the price we paid.
Looking ahead to future rallies
May in the Pines
29 May – 1 June 2025
O’Leary Group Site, Coconino National Forest
Rally hosts: Vivian Firlein and Lee Jessup
This a dry camping rally is a new location for a rally for the Four Corners Unit with plenty of spaces available for this late spring early summer rally.
Angel Fire RV Resort, Angel Fire NM.
12-16 June – Thursday – Monday
Hosts: Scott and Cathy Verhines and Debbie Vesco and Joni Lindsay
The mountains east of Taos offers an exciting new rally venue for the 4CU.
Rally full, waitlist here
Jemez Falls, NM
24-27 August – Sunday – Wednesday
Hosts: Cathy Wilson and Marcia Ludden
This new rally for the 4CU will open for registration on 24 June 2025. This rally has an inverted registration process! You’ll need to secure a campsite BEFORE registering for the rally. On 23 June interested members will need to login to Recreation.gov to reserve your campsite and then we’ll open the rally registration on 24 June. Don’t worry! We’ll send out reminders.
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/274315
Additional information regarding rally specifics to follow.
Dark Sky RV Park, Kanab, UT
8-12 October – Wednesday – Sunday
Once again, the 4CU will travel to Kanab, UT, for a Dark Sky event. Kanab, UT, is centrally located to five national parks, numerous national monuments, and state parks. There is an abundance of hiking and biking in the area. Many trails lead to petroglyphs, slot canyons, hidden lakes, and sand caves. Town amenities are just a few miles away. Kanab has several great coffee shops, grocery stores, and off-road adventures.
This area is just breathtaking! Within a short drive, you can explore Zion National Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, or Peekaboo Slot Canyon. Lake Powell is a little over an hour away, and Bryce Canyon National Park is a little further down the road at 81 miles away. Our hosts, Don and Karen Conley, just returned from Dark Sky, and they loved Vermillion Cliffs. It is a photographer’s paradise!
**Note: The 4CU has already paid for 14 RV sites and members will pay their site fees directly to the 4CU when they register. Registration will open in May.
Caballo Lake SP, Caballo NM.
23-26 October – Thursday – Sunday
Co-host: Chuck and Andrea Hanson
We have reserved the group area for this rally. We were at Caballo Lake SP in October 2023. This year, the Caballo Lake Rally, will be a joint Airstream Club rally with the Arizona and New Mexico.
Hosts: Steve and Sophia Rodgers
Additional information regarding registration to follow.
Artesia Air Urban Rally. Artesia, New Mexico
6-9 November 2025
See the “Save the Date” information above.
Catalina State Park, Tucson, AZ
12-16 November – Wednesday – Sunday
Hosts: Leon and Janet Hauck
All three Group Sites have been secured for this annual rally that so many members look forward to.
Additional information regarding registration to follow.
Picacho Peak SP
30 December 2025 – 4 January 2026 – Tuesday – Sunday
Hosts: Louis Hall and Sergio Quiros
Co-hosts: Lee and Tammy Gatten
This will be the 18th Annual Pichaco Peak New Years’ Eve Rally. A 4CU tradition not to be missed. The Quail loop has already been reserved.
Additional information regarding registration to follow.
A note from our Treasurer, Jim Mizera
We now have the ability to use Zelle for club reimbursements, as well as any vendor payments that will accept Zelle.
Why Zelle?? Zelle for payments is optimal due to its speed, ease of use, and lack of transaction fees. Zelle allows for near-instantaneous transfers between bank accounts. As many know, our current system can take 7-10 business days to receive a check by mail.
Keep on ‘streaming and we’ll see you down the road!