The 3rd annual Spring Spiff-n-Fix is, well, changed to the Late Summer Spiff-n-Fix, and the location has been moved from Applewhite Campground in So Cal to the cooler part of Arizona in the White Mountains.

I’ll be having the Spiff-n-Fix at The Arizona High Country Campground in Clay Springs, AZ (Where I am currently working) on August 21, 22 and 23, 2009. Directions are on the website, but for quick reference, we are 15 miles NW of Show Low Arizona, just off Highway 260.

The *concept* of the Spiff-n-Fix is to bring your trailer problem you don’t know how to fix and hope you get help from someone else who can. You, in turn, can help someone with a problem you know how to fix. Trade one problem for another, so to speak.

The *execution* of past Spiff-n-Fixes have resulted in everyone eating and drinking lots, and nothing getting done but looking at folks concerns, then proclaiming “Yep, that’s a problem. What’s for dinner?” Sympathy, however, is doled out en masse. Pointing and laughing is common.

But for those that REALLY want more than an excuse to gather with friends and enjoy good food and relaxing, we actually have a real live certified RV Tech staying in the park that has made himself available that weekend for any repairs that none of us care to tackle, or are having too much fun to bother with. His rates are exceedingly good, and so is his work. He is bonded, licensed and insured and will bring his van full of every tool known to man right to your rig and repair on the spot.

Please post your problem here and what skills and expertise you have to trade that may help others. If your repair requires parts, please bring them with you.

The only formal activity planned is a Hawaiian theme Pot Luck on Saturday night. Bring your tacky Hawaiian shirt, Hula skirts and drink umbrellas and an island dish of your choice. (SPAM recipes accepted, if you just HAVE to) We will make sure everyone gets Leid. We will also provide fruits and hopefully we can get Phil Caster (Where are you Phil?) to do his famous solar oven pork for us. Sorry, the fire dept. may take a dim view of us burying a pig and setting it alight, but we can make do, I think. Feel free to post ideas and suggestions!

The area is abundant with fishing in both lakes and streams, hiking, atv/jeep trails and within less than an hours drive, you can be enjoying the high altitudes of 8-9k feet and all the mountain meadows you can handle. It really is a beautiful area and I am enjoying my time off exploring new things each week.

The campground is a full service park, and everyone’s toys and trailer amenities can be used here, or for those that like to boondock, we have a no hook up area available in the trees if you prefer. There is a central group area for the festivities, and I will hold sites around it for that weekend. Full hook up sites are $23.40 with a FGRV/Casita Forum 10% discount + tax. No Hook ups are $13.50 + tax. Please call 928-739-4189 to reserve yours!

I will post the attendees list below

ATTENDEES:

Gina D. ~ 17 foot Burro
Nancy A. & Elly ~ Toyota MH (Hey, All are welcome!)
Konrad & Wife ~ Casita 17
Eileen* ~ Casita 17
Shane N ~ Casita
Pat and Arleen ~ Bigfoot Truck Camper
Chris L ~ 13 ft Scamp
Neal Reust and friends ~ 17 ft Casita
Phil Caster and Friend ~ 17 ft Bigfoot
Dave and Vicki Peterson ~ Lance truck camper

*= Pending reservations

Terrific idea, Gina! We had such a blast last year at AppleWHITE CG, and we know everyone will have a great weekend in this lovely area around AppleGATE CG We would love to join you, but at that time we expect to be making our way west from MT/Northern ID to take part in a family shindig near Ft. Bragg, CA. Keep us all posted on the planning and the doins'. L 'n D

Too bad! Boo Hoo! Are you sure? This is on your way back to Quartzsite... doesn't everyone want to be in QZ in August?



The White Mnts are nothing like Applewhite, its actually *gooder* (Not that there was anything bad about Applewhite, it just different) The trees are taller, it's cooler and there is LOTS more water to see.

We would love to come but will be working in Sacramento that weekend and with the way things are, we have to work when we can. Gina, you will have to post pictures of all the work that gets done or at least all the fun.

I want to go, I want to go! I have vacation spread all out In July and August to spend monsoon season in the mountains. The days planned fall on my 5 day weekend so I will be there at sun-up on the 21st. I make chicken people line up for but don't own a Hawaiian shirt. I am more than willing to help on any repairs and learn much from the RV guy. Sounds like real fun!

Got ya down Shane! I like chicken..

and a trip to Big Lots for your shirt should be in your future...

Gina. I am thinking for a project to change out my p-trap and shower valve on my Casita with a hepvo valve.Here is the thread on it. http://www.casitaforum.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=3493Talk to that RV dude and see if this is something maybe he could help me with. If so I will get parts coming.

Gina,

Michelle and I want to come up for your get together, but like Linda and Dale, the way things are I need to work when I can. However, If they let me off for that weekend, we will come up. I sent your gathering info to George and Betty, Alan and Jackie. They usually have more flexible schedules than myself. Hope to be able to attend! Doug

Doug, I hope you can arrange, but I know how the work thing goes.. I want to host one for you for a change!

We have got a commitment for the solar oven from Phil Caster.. my mouth is watering already!

Looks like a great get together again in Clay Spring.

Gotcha down!

Shane, get your part.. he'll do it.

Wow! I need this SOOO bad!! But I am not coming that way until mid-September.
Gina, I will be traveling from Indiana to Sierra Vista AZ in mid/late September. I could be coming right through that area, depending on the route I take. Will you still be working at that park at that time?

Hi Anne, Yes, I will!

Awesome! I will plan the route to come south at Holbrook and swing by for a night! With the number of "Fixes" I will need I'm sorry to miss the Spiff-n-Fix. Maybe next year...

Cool! Too bad you can't make the rally, but we will look for you later.

Eileen actually popped in by surprise today and is here with her Casita now!

Patrick and Nancy Mc were in the same spot two days ago.

I am getting visitors!

Gina, did Phil move up to a Bigfoot? Last time we saw him he had a nice Casita.

Pat, he had an accident and totaled the Casita last year.

Well folks, I have stumbled across a real Hawaiian cook! We will be providing a small amount of Authentic Kahlua pig! I had a plate of it and it was wonderful!

The woman owns a small neighborhood eatery, Hawaiian food and all the makings. She does the pig traditionally, but we won't be able to see the process. I have to go pick up the finished product.

There will be enough for a taste for all, but will not be entre' portions. Please plan on bringing a supplemental dish that will go with it and the chicken.. rice or cabbage is good.

and we have one more addition..

Chris L and his 13 ft Scamp will be joining us.

He promises not to remind everyone of the ugly QZ awning incident...

doesn't he?

:-P

Ummmm..........what awning incident (wink-wink)! I look forward to heading to the cooler mountain temps and the gatherings are always such fun. I've never been lei'd in the mountains either! Let the good times ROLL! 'Til then, happy camping.

New attendees added!

Welcome Neal Reust.

He is getting here a week early... he must have LOTS of work :-P

Yay! Phil Caster checked in and he will most definately be here with his new to him Bigfoot, AND he will be doing his solar oven chicken for us.

I am looking forward to seeing how it's done!

We have "secured" the fresh pineapple and watermelon, with some yummy tomatoes too.

What ideas does everyone have for food for the pot luck?

Remember, those that show up earliest get pick of the sites!

Oreo and us have our costume's ready and will be bringing a nice Hawaiian mac and cheese dish for the pot luck.

I, too, have my fancy dinner attire bought and pressed! I am making a chicken dish and a tropical pineapple cake with cream cheese icing.......can't wait, I'm hungry already. Oh, where do we buy the little umbrellas for our drinks??????

You can get umbrellas at Party Plus. Sorry I see your not in town, If I have time I will go get some for you.

I am having a hard time getting leid...

I will do some serious searching in Show Low this week for the little darlins...I may just buy a wad of construction paper, string and scissors... we can make our own tacky ones

There is going to be a small give away table. One attendees has said he has a few extra items for give away, so if you have extra stuff to give/exchange... bring it along. One mans junk is another mans treasure.

I have an oven in my house as well, but I am going to pretend I don't have a house and my trailer will be in there with everyone elses...

who says you have to drive for hours to go camping? I'll be tugging about 15 feet ...

We have them in Tucson if needed The theme seems to be big at Party Plus They have lots of Hawaiian party goods.

Tacky party supplies found and secured!

If anyone has any tiki torches, and is willing to bring them, that would be great.. well have to see the burn situation before we light off a zillion of them, but I am guessing it'll be OK, as long as a drunk doesn't knock one over

Chris, you can rest, I got umbrellas.

Thanks Gina.........I am glad to have the "drinking" problem under control! Til next weekend! Chris

We will be bringing some (4) Tiki torches Ace Hardware has 4ft ones on sale (.33cents each) this week. and the oil for them is only $4.99. so we have oil and torches.

And if there's a burn ban, you can get solar LED tikis! So realistic they'll think you're violating the ban! (We bought one and my husband won't let me leave it out on the deck - he's afraid the neighbors will call the fire dept. For real!)

I have 4 oriental lanterns like that.. I LOVE them!

They hung from a stump all last summer in the campground at folks thought I was burning candles!

Thanks Pat! I have some oil here too.

Mary,

Where did you get those cool tiki torches? I gotta have some!

Thanks,
Lisa

For those of you that are treasure hunters..

the ENTIRE community of Clay Springs is having their annual giant yard sale "In the parking lot of the Old Church" on Saturday the 22nd. 9a-3p.

Its a long walk, but doable, or drivable in about 2 mins. You never know.. with all the country folks here, you may just walk away with some fine handcrafted items...

or a Bad Hawaiian shirt!

Hello again Gina, Do you have any Scamps coming this weekend? I have some thing from our Scamp to give away and wanted to know if I should bring them.

Yes! We have one 13 footer coming. Bring away!

I found a couple more torches at Home Depot.. "Tiki Party in a Box"

How can that be bad?

I am having fun doing "party prep".. Let the tacky lights glow! We still have a couple spots left! Come on down..er, up!

An interest has been expressed in "Trailer tours", so at 10 am Saturday.. open em up if you want! The folks here in "stickies" are really excited to see the baby trailers come in and they all want a look see!

As would be typical of ANY of *my* rallies... there is a large fire happening off hiway 260, to the west. Please check the roads before coming up from Phoenix on the beeline. I don't encourage folks to tow up through Globe, but.. it may be the only option if the fire gets worse.

Pat and Arleen.. are you bringing telescopes? There is quite the smoke cover right now...hopefully it will die down tomorrow.

Hey! Its just like Hawaii here! We are currently getting a torrential down pour mid day!

The rains may have come, but didn't dampen our party spirit! The fresh, clean mountain air was fabulous too. A great big "Thanks" to Gina for hosting a great get together. We had several casitas, a couple of Bigfoots (Bigfeet?), a Burro, and a Scamp to round out the campers. We all scored some "finds" at the give away table. I don't know of too many problems that had to be fixed, but we all had plenty to eat and drink and lots of visiting too. Again, thank you so much Gina for having us. Til the next time our paths cross, happy camping!

Fruit! Fruit! Everyone..come get more fruit!

Thank you everyone for coming. It was (And still is... a few stayed over) a great and freindly crowd.

I was glad to finally meet the Chartmakers, Pat and Arleen and their EZ up (LOL!) everyone had such polite and nice dogs.

We had so many leftovers that the park "Regulars" were really happy to get fed.

The sky let loose just as we dished up and wiped out our tiki torches, but we had awnings and propane fire pits and all kinds of ways to just laugh at the rain and lightning. Mother nature gave us our dinner show. Really neat actually.

As usual.. I didn't take pictures.. but many cameras were clicking.. hopefully we will get some posted soon!

And at long last here are some pictures of our gathering. Sorry for the long delay.

......and some more pics.

.....and yet some more.

........and of the give away table and the party! Again, thanks for the memories Gina. Everyone enjoy the pics! Happy camping.

Great pics Chris! Thanks!

Didn't Mike and Lori do a great job of finding a good Bigfoot for Phil? He has a very comfy rig, all decked out in Cowboy and manly man stuff. It felt more like a home in there than a trailer!

Yeah pictures! Looks like a great time, love the skirt!