4CU News
4CU September 2026 Update
Greetings 4CU Members!
Back in the day, Labor Day meant that kids were once again headed back to school. Nowadays, school kids are back into the school routine well ahead of the long Labor Day weekend. It used to mark the end of summer, and maybe it still does for many families. Did you know that it is the official end of hot dog season? It is the second most dangerous holiday weekend to drive on U.S. roads, and it’s the end of white clothing and three-day weekends until November.
Let’s begin anew with the anticipation of cooler temperatures and fall colors, football season, and camping! Where and when is your next Airstream rally?
In This Edition
Historically, Labor Day was created to celebrate and honor the workers who fought for better working conditions. The first unofficial Labor Day was on September 5, 1882 when over 10,000 workers took unpaid leave to marched in New York City. Now, we celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September. Get out there are celebrate!
In this edition, we introduce our new members, give you an update from our rally committee, testimonials about hosting, talent search, the rally roundup, and provide our new recipe favorites!
Membership News
We’re excited to welcome the following new members to the 4CU. Be sure to introduce yourselves to them, when you see them at a rally or streaming down the road soon!
New Members
Lewis and Judi Fogle
Delray Beach, Florida
BRN 04364
Rally Committee Update
Rally Committee Update – September 2026 by Barbara Engelmann
A Quick Reminder About Rally Reservations
To help us maintain the special arrangements we have worked out with RV Parks and Campgrounds, please do not contact a RV Park or Campground about reserving a site prior to the 4CU rally opening for registration. When each 4CU rally is ready to open, we will provide all the information you need, including when reservations begin and exactly how to reserve your site.
Several of the RV Parks and Campgrounds are working closely with the 4CU to provide special group rates, reserve site blocks, and streamline reservation procedures just for our unit. Reaching out to an RV Park or Campground before our 4CU registration opens or outside of the unit’s reservation process can create confusion for campground staff and may interfere with the arrangements they have made with 4CU.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work with the RV Parks and Campgrounds to make each 4CU rally as easy and enjoyable as possible.
Rally Registrations Coming Soon
I. Second Annual Artesia Air Urban Rally – November 5th-8th, 2026 – Artesia, NM
Hosts: Cathy and Scott Verhines, Pat and Gary Griffin.
Registration opens on September 5th, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
We are working closely with the Artesia Chamber of Commerce to put together an Airstream Rally in conjunction with their annual Balloons & Tunes festival that showcases hot air balloons on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, food trucks and local brews and bands. This is a unique urban setting in Artesia and our 2025 rally was outstanding!
The best location in the city for the rally is Heritage Plaza, half a block from Main Street and close to restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, a historic railroad depot, a unique public library (a must see), and historical sculptures. Planned events include a walking tour of Artesia, a reception at the Ocotillo Performing Arts center, and a possible tour of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), and Bulldog Bowl (Artesia High School’s amazing football stadium). We may get to meet some of the balloon pilots at the reception and may get to join their pilot pizza party on Friday evening as well. This is a dry camp and limited to 20 rigs. See you there!
II. Catalina Unplugged – November 11th-15th 2026 – Oro Valley, AZ
Hosts: Leon and Janet Hauck
Registration opens on August 29th, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
This rally is a favorite and is just in time for perfect temperatures. Catalina State Park just north of Tucson is tucked on the back side of the mountain, so it is easy to access but outside of the city. It is wonderful for hiking, biking, horseback riding, ranger programs, and it has easy and close access to Tucson restaurants, museums, parks, shopping, theater and all that the city has to offer. Join us!
2026 Rally Schedule
Artesia Air Urban Rally
Artesia, NM
November 6th – 8th 2026
Hosts: Scott and Cathy Verhines
Co-Hosts: Gary and Pat Griffen
Catalina Unplugged – Registration Coming Soon
Catalina SP, Oro Valley, AZ
November 11th-15th 2026
Hosts: Leon and Janet Hauck
New Year’s Rally, Picacho Peak State Park, AZ
December 30th, 2026 – January 3rd, 2027
Hosts: Louis Hall and Sergio Quiros
Co-hosts: Lee and Tammy Gatten
Looking Ahead to 2027
Members have commented that they want to know as soon as a rally is booked, so that they can look ahead and plan their travels. Take a look to see if you can join us at an upcoming rally.
Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, AZ
February 25-28, 2027
Group Campground A & B, Dry Camping
Looking for a host for this new rally location
Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood, AZ
April 1-4, 2027
Raven Group Loop, Dry Camping
Rally host is needed for this very popular and nearly annual rally
Sky Mountain RV Park, Chama, NM
June 10-14, 2027
FHU Site
Looking for a host at the beautiful family-run RV park with lots of nearby amenities
Angel Fire Resort and RV Park, Angel Fire, NM
June 17–21, 2027
Hosts: Scott and Cathy Verhines
Co-Hosts: Chuck and Andrea Hanson
FHU Sites
ACI International Rally, Rock Springs, WY
June 26 – July 1, 2027
Priest Gulch Campground and RV Park, Dolores, CO
August 19 – 23, 2027
Host: Mimi and Michael Eberspacher
Co-hosts: Genie and Alan Shupe
FHU Sites
Region 11 Rally, Angel Fire, NM
Angel Fire RV Park
September 8-12 (Wed-Sun), 2027
98 reserved sites
Member-Driven Rallies:
Why did you join the Four Corners Unit. Was it to meet new friends, become more familiar with your Airstream, or join other Airstreamers when you camp?
The Four Corners Unit (4CU) has supported rallies in a variety of ways. A member-driven approach is where a member comes up with an idea for a rally and communicates with members to hold the event. A club-driven rally is where the rally committee sets up a rally, and then looks for a host for the event. The communication and registration are done via a team approach.
The rally committee has some rallies set up for 2027, (see the listing above) but we are looking to our members to help with some member- driven rallies. The rally committee is here to help with communication, registration and budgeting.
Think about your favorite camping spot. Would it make an ideal rally location? Have you wondered about hosting a rally? Rallies can be as relaxed as you’d like or as “planned” as you’d like.
Interested in hosting a rally? Contact a member of the Rally Committee. We are here to help!
Hosting Rallies – Straight Talk
Submitted by Genie Shupe
It was a great pleasure to co-host the rally with Meme and Mike. We really enjoyed meeting some very nice people, whom we hope to see again. Maybe next year, or sooner! And perhaps you will be able to attend. We had quite an array of Airstreams and got lots of attention from the other campers. Alan & I are all in to co-host in 2027. All credit for planning goes to Meme. It will all be easier next year.
I thought that the support from the club and the communication made the co-hosting process easier than I expected. Our campground hosts were welcoming and helpful. Their gazebo event space was the perfect size for a rally of this size. I would not want to increase the number of campers for next year. We had good feedback from the attendees about our activities, which was great to hear.
Submitted by Karen and Don Conley
Don and I have truly enjoyed hosting 4CU rallies. At first, we were a bit nervous about finding activities that would be fun for members. Fortunately, presenting art workshops and discovering fun opportunities at each unique location have made every rally memorable. The support from the rally committee and previous hosts has been invaluable, making the planning process smooth and enjoyable. The club’s flexibility allows us to create relaxed, low-key events without the pressure of a rigid schedule. Having co-hosts in Kanab and Bryce made hosting much easier. The extra support truly made a difference and is an excellent way for new hosts to get started. We’ve enjoyed hosting rallies in Chama, Kanab, and Bryce Canyon, and we’re looking forward to hosting a rally in Flagstaff.
Talent Search
Talent Search for our WBCCI “Camping Club” Organizational Team
Interested in joining the 4CU board in 2027? It’s easier and more fun than you might imagine.
The 4CU Board members are talented and wonderful! It is rewarding to work alongside each of them, and I have learned so much about the behind-the-scenes operations of 4CU. -Kathy Fahey
Board meetings are held quarterly via ZOOM. That means you can attend in the comfort of your airstream (or home when not out exploring.) Check out the current opportunities to expand your Airstream World.
Trustee Trusted advisor
This position is great for dipping your toe into the water of club leadership. You can serve on/chair committees. The term is for 2 years. Two positions are open for 2027/28.
Treasurer
Maintain financial records for the club. Support is focused on rally site and host reimbursement. Banking relationships are established and payment systems streamlined. Financial background is a plus but not a requirement. The term is open.
Second VP
This position supports the First VP. You can elect to participate in special projects or positions as needed. The term is for 2 years.
Should you be interested in any of the positions above please contact Bruce – president@fourcornersunit.com
Andrea – vicepresident@fourcornersunit.com
Rally Roundup
69th Airstream Club International Rally, August 2026, Minot, North Dakota
Submitted by Jason and Neisha Elder
We just returned from our second International Rally, and about 20 4CU members plus other affiliate members made the trip to Minot. The week was packed with educational seminars, arts and crafts, vendors, social gatherings and nightly entertainment.
One seminar that particularly stood out was the RV weather seminar. The engaging speaker explained, among other things, how weather terminology can mean very different things depending on where you are traveling—for example, what qualifies as “windy” in one part of the country may be quite different somewhere else. Who knew?
The weather provided a demonstration of its own when a major rainstorm temporarily flooded portions of the North Dakota State Fairgrounds. We were fortunate to be camped on a hill, but lower areas did not fare nearly as well. A large section, where many of the vintage Airstreams were parked, had to relocate.
During the traditional Vintage Airstream Club parade, 4CU members Doug and Diane Montemayor participated, as did Tom and Christine Kirk who just returned from touring with their vintage airstream in Europe. The Vintage Airstream Open House gave everyone a chance to get a closer look at some wonderful examples of Airstream history.
Our favorite evening program was The Teddy Roosevelt Show, featuring Joe Wiegand as Theodore Roosevelt. He has portrayed Roosevelt for more than 20 years in all 50 states and internationally. He stayed in character and spoke for more than an hour without seeming to pause, bringing Roosevelt and his stories to life in a way that was both informative and extremely entertaining. Roosevelt’s strong connection to North Dakota and the Badlands made him a particularly fitting program for the Minot rally.
There was no shortage of opportunities to socialize. We attended the Grapes & Grains Club’s Mega Tasting as well as its “Sip Happens” early pub crawl, and both drew big crowds. Those were just two of the many social events throughout the week. With seminars, vendors, crafts, daytime activities, and evening programs, it was difficult to run out of things to do—or to fit everything you wanted to do into the schedule.
We definitely recommend the experience to other 4CU members. International gives you an opportunity to meet Airstreamers from around the country, learn a great deal, see some amazing trailers and, most importantly, spend a week with people who share the same enthusiasm for Airstream travel. We also learned in Minot that ACI plans to bring the International Rally to Tucson in October 2029. For those of us in 4CU, having an International Rally in our own backyard sounds like one worth putting on the calendar.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Of course it has to be hot dogs! There are endless ways to be creative with hotdogs and buns. Hot dogs are affordable, easy to grill, boil, bake, fry, skewer, casserole, dress up and dress down. They can be beef, pork, poultry, plant-based (carrots), and geographic and ethnic in how they are prepared. The bun must be just right too. Whether you go for brioche buns, traditional buns, croissants, bagels, English Muffins, crescent roll dough, tacos, or zucchini boats, a delicious vessel makes it a street-worthy food. Hop onto Google for lists of ingredients and directions for making hot dogs!
Here are some ideas for transforming the ordinary hot dog into a memorable meal:
Classic BLT – bacon wrapped hot dog with lettuce, tomato and mayo
Chicago Style – grilled hot dog with yellow mustard, green relish, chopped raw onion, dill pickles, tomato slices, sport peppers, celery salt, and a poppy seed bun
Taco Dog – hot dogs on corn tortillas, American cheese, shredded lettuce and salsa
Croisssant Hot Dogs – charred hot dog inside a flakey and buttery croissant topped with mustard
Sonoran Dog – hot dog with warm pinto beans, fresh jalapeno salsa, onion, tomato, mustard, and mayo
Carrot Hot Dog – marinated and roasted whole carrots, ketchup, mustard, relish on a slit-top bun
Campfire Hot Dog Skewers – hot dogs quartered, pineapple, green bell pepper, red onion served with mix of BBQ sauce, ketchup, soy sause, rice wine vinegar, and chili powder
Pretzel Dogs – homemade pretzel dough-wrapped hot dog in boiling water, brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, bake and serve with ketchup and mustard
Big Mac Hot Dogs – hot dog with American cheese and sauce made with mayo, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, paprika, granulated sugar, onion powder, beef bouillon, garlic powder, salt, pepper
Hot Dog Cubans – hot dogs, black forest ham slices, Cuban bread or hero rolls, yellow mustard, Swiss cheese slices, stacker dill pickles, butter
Swag!!!
Do you have your 4CU gear already? Taken any pictures? Share with your editor, and we’ll feature a couple photos in the next newsletter!
Here is Karen Conley sporting her 4CU Apron. Pretty snazzy, huh? Jeff and Barbara Engelmann are decked out in hat and shirts.
If you haven’t got yours yet, here’s all the links to browse through all the great 4CU branded swag now available from our select partners: Bonfire, Lands’ End and You Customize It.
Get yourself outfitted before you hit the road again!
Psst! Have you got a great photo or story to share? Send it in to our news desk and we’ll do the rest!
Keep on ‘streaming and we’ll see you down the road!