Why do you renew YOUR SOTF membership each year?

A current member recently posed this question on Sister's on the fly Members' Facebook page on the eve of renewing her annual membership ($70 annual dues) and the answers were very insightful. Here are some of those-

Carol M- I love meeting new sisters and I love my friends I’ve met before. I love how supportive this group of women are and how warm and welcome I feel when I’m with them. I hope you can experience the same.

Pat D- I saw an article in a magazine years ago about SOTF and thought "how cool is that?" I put it in the back corner of my mind, but never forgot. I was talking to a friend one say about getting a little trailer, and she started sending me all kinds of pictures. Then, I met a gal at a craft show and we started talking about trailers and both ended up joining and have consecutive Sister numbers! I had bought a beat up trailer and had started working on it before I joined. I found out about an event in McKinney, and Tammie, the hostess convinced me to come, even though I was't finished with it. Before the McKinney event, there was a sister event in Fort Worth at the Cowgirl Museum. I went over on the Friday when they had a public event and realized I had found my "tribe." I met Tammie face to face that night, and she nearly squeezed all the air out of my lungs. Joining SOTF is the most empowering thing I have ever done. I LOVE towing my trailer. It is one of those "happy places."

Ann F- I love meeting all the sisters and enjoy time with woman that are so nice and welcoming. It is fun to travel to places you wouldn’t get to without this organization.

Susan B- If it weren’t for SOTF I’d never have herded cattle on a Wyoming ranch, swam with the Manatees in FL, wandered Custer State Park again, kayaked Lake Superior or been going to New England. I feel sisters support and encouragement in everything I do.

Julie B- Adventures, getting me back to my home state of CA... I wouldn’t be going back without my sister trips. Wouldn’t be a sister if I didn’t do trips. You can find lots of groups on Meetup for lunch and movies but this group is for the travel/camping.

Bette P- I’ve camped since I was a kid, love to fish (hubs doesn't) and I use to own and show horses (urban cowgirl) and I’m a little crazy. When I saw a segment on Travel Channel years ago and knew someday I’d be a Sister. Joined last month Sister #10371?. Presently restoring my little trailer and can’t wait for my first event.

Kristin M- I’m Sister #29. Oh, the stories I have and the fun... Oh my. The friends I’ve made....priceless.

Kathy W- Just one reason..... The sisters I've met are amazing. I would have never met them without SOTF.

Nancy E- I enjoy the friendships I have made, the memories. I wouldn't have met these women had it not been for SOTF! SO looking forward to meeting and having fun with many more! To me, its well worth the money!

Lugene W- SOTF is made up of some of the most kind-hearted, vibrant, FUN, brilliant, talented, welcoming gals in the world. Nuff said! #3333.

Vicki B- The last 6 or so years of my life, I've gone through major life changes. 1) Major surgery with the potential for cancer, but thankfully, no cancer 2) Move away from my *peeps* & support system 3) Daughter off the rails 4) Loss of Mom and Dad 5) Cleaning & packing up parents' & childhood home. About halfway through all this, I joined SOTF and have so much enjoyed, needed and am thankful for the support, friendship and simple hugs I've gotten.

Kris B- Omg....where do I start??? Life changing, fun, challenging, amazing, one of the best things I have ever done for myself and SOTF has brought some of the most amazing people into my life....and did I say FUN? It has brought me laughter, tears, amazement and joy..... Many of my friends and family live through my eyes and adventures...SOTF is a gift to myself.

JoAnn S- So I don't have to travel alone. My husband doesn't like to travel so I probably won't go without my sister's. And oh the places I've seen!!!

Becki F- I've met some of my closest friends in this group. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself. As women, everything is our responsibility. Trips with the girls become my time to take care of me. Unwind, laugh, cut up, do nothing, do something, whatever I feel like. These ladies are my tribe and I'll autorenew until I die.

Ginny McK- I lost my husband five years ago. The Sisters showed me HE died, I did not. I love the sense of community SOTF provides!

Kathy C- Sister support

Getting BOLDER & Letting It Shine!

Go Camping, naturally!

June is National Camping Month and can you think of anything more wonderful to do than getting yourself out in nature during the perfect month of the year?

School is out so the kids and grandkids can enjoy learning new skills and follow in your camping footsteps. They may not seem terribly enthusiastic, but you’re planting a seed...and that’s a good thing. As with most of these “National Holidays”, National Camping Month was the marketing brainchild of The North Face, makers of excellent camping gear. That’s not to say observing this “holiday” is without merit.

Amazing Outdoor Events R Us!

Sisters on the fly members love joining up with other Sisters and finding something wonderful to do and the summer months are prime camping season. Just take one look at the June calendar on the Sisters on the Fly event page for members and you’ll find some pretty amazing opportunities for gathering around that campfire and enjoying yourself. (Be logged into the SOTF member portal and view all events HERE.)

How about the Annual "Sister Swarm" Event held in conjunction with the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY? There are many things to do in the area besides the Fair, but if you’ve never been to one, you really should try to attend. Seriously, it’s like walking into the pages of Country Living Magazine.

Or, you could go to the Synchronized Fireflies SOTF event in the Great Smoky Mountains. This is certainly on MY bucket list. There are only a handful of places where these synchronous fireflies can be seen. Normally, you can find fireflies (more commonly referred to as lightning bugs) all over the mid-Atlantic states from late May through June. They seem to twinkle...one here, another there...giving fields and woods a sparkling look just after sunset. Synchronous fireflies, as their name implies, light up “en masse”...all on, all off. It is a sight to see!

We are A-OK with OK! and in a KOA

Oklahoma is where you’ll find Sisters gathering for the Trailer Trash III at Natural Falls State Park in West Siloam Springs. This event offers campers the opportunity to spend some time out on the water at the Kayak Park. You can bring your vintage wares to sell or barter, too. Who can pass up a good tag sale when you’re looking for that perfect tchotchke for your vintage camper? Can you say “Plaid” or “Pyrex”?

One of the BIG bucket list trips you might be yearning for is held at Willow Creek Ranch in Kaycee, Wyoming. The 3rd Annual Cowgirl College Rendezvous is being held in June. This is a "GO Sister" Trip where you can learn cowgirling skills on a working ranch. And, work you will do! Riding, roping, wrangling...whatever needs to be done, you’ll be pitching in and doing it. They work hard and play hard and I hear it’s not to be missed. One word of caution, however. This event is for horse riders that are intermediate or above and limited to ten Sisters plus Maurrie and Becky, so it is something you need to plan for well in advance.

The annual Buckeye Bash Event is being held at the KOA in Dayton, Ohio at the end of the month. As is the Northwest Gathering, celebrating their Lucky #13 this year! So, as you can see there’s plenty to do. The larger events are already full by this time of the year, but careful planning for next year could see you starting a new tradition. In the meantime, there are still plenty of events open in the month of June and beyond.

If you aren’t finding what you would like to do, or if there aren’t any events scheduled near you, plan your own! It doesn’t have to be elaborate. You can do a fee free gathering at a local campground or camp in your own backyard if you have the room. The possibilities are endless!

There were three in the bed & the little one said... ROLL OVER

I didn’t camp as a child. My first camping experience was when I was seventeen. I went with my first boyfriend and his family. We slept in a musty-smelling canvas hunting tent with side walls in North Bend State Park in West Virginia. His dad had an elaborate, homemade camp kitchen cabinet that intrigued me. His mom slept on the cot between my boyfriend and me to keep things...appropriate. It was my first taste of the good life in the great outdoors.

It was many years before I had the opportunity to camp again, but at that point, if my daughter couldn’t plug in her blow dryer, she wasn’t interested. I took my second child a couple of times when she was younger, but she never really liked it either.

I didn’t really get into camping on a regular basis until I became a widow five years ago. Now, it’s my happy place. You all know the feeling...when you can’t camp, you sleep in your camper in the driveway. I actually lived in my camper pretty much full time for about three years after I lost my husband and that was the very best thing I could have done for myself.

Shine On, Summer Sunshine

Summer Solstice occurs at 6:07am on Thursday, June 21st this summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the day... the perfect day for camping. The most hours of daylight gives you ample opportunity to cram in as many activities as you can... or float in an inner tube down a lazy river... or lie in a hammock under a shade tree with a good book sipping sweet tea. Whatever floats your boat, get out there this month and have a blast. Save up all that sunshine and all those memories so you can sit inside in January and look at the pictures. Make new friends. Meet up with old ones. And... Have more fun than anyone!

With much love,
Ginny

Post contributed by blogger, Positive Aging Expert & Motivational Speaker,
Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537
Marshmallow Ranch Blog

Sister Spotlight: "Ladies, DON'T hold back!"

Straight from the heart in this Sister Spotlight from Janie Miller, Sister #8333

“Live life, be passionate and don't hold back!”, that’s my motto!

Seizing Big Moments in Life

I think back and "seizing the moment" is how I met my future to-be husband although neither of us knew it at the time! At age 23, we met over the phone working as dispatcher and freight broker in our respective businesses, flirting and so forth. Two months later I moved from Maine to Washington state and met him in person for the first-time and never left! I had already sublet my apartment and shipped my belongings; I never looked back! 31 years later, we are still so very passionate about our life together! We eventually moved back to Maine in 1994 to be closer to my family.

I joined Sisters on the Fly in February 2017, #8333, and by June of the same year I was so floored and honored to be asked to take on the NE region Wrangler role. So, I said... I’ll figure it out as I go! I guess about now you might get an idea already of my ‘jump in with both feet’ personality, right?!

The Warm Blanket of This Sisterhood

I’m not one to rely on destiny but instead I have created my own way. Like many of my SOTF Sisters, I feel very strongly about this organization and sisterhood... has been a godsend to me. Ever feel like mid-life kind of just jumped out at you all of a sudden and smacked you full-in-the-face and you wonder, what the hell?! I’m a pretty tough cookie, but dang, Mother Nature likes to take a wack once in a while! It’s been the warm blanket of sisterhood that enveloped me with love, friendship, excitement, adventure... with such Kindred Souls, that truly has brought me back to life! I instantly connected and bonded with women from all over the country, who understand and accept ‘we are who we are’ and help empower each other.

Glamping Camping Passion. Just Breathe!

I have many passions... but glamping out a camper takes the prize! I’ve been solo camping for decades starting with paddling out to remote wilderness sites on lakes and streams, so getting up off the ground and finding creature comforts was heaven!! I found my first camper in 2006, a 1990 Fleetwood pop-up. My second camper was also a Fleetwood pop-up, but this one bigger and I Glamped her out entirely, christening her MyZen for all the comforting moments she provided; I/she was even featured on PopUpPrincess.com! I fell in love with discovering textiles, glampy accessories, and making all my own fabric coverings and curtains!

In 2016, I sold MyZen and bought a 24' FunFinder 215wsk TT, naming her “Stella” (my husband’s nickname for me). Yes, it was intimidating a little bit, but I love her. I only couldn’t see behind me. Who cares?! And now I had to rely on my mirrors solely. Okay! So with both feet, I jumped behind the wheel and just figured it out with a little helpful guidance along the way. Yes, bigger and two axles is easier! The best advice I can give to any Sister starting out with a trailer for the first time... BREATHE and don’t let some anxiety or a little intimidation hold you back! When you run into a problem – stop, breathe, and try again! This is how I got comfortable backing her up my 250’ driveway! So the tire tracks looks like a snake’s path at first; who cares?!

From Here to There... to Where?

I have been so very fortunate to live in WA and ID states, and still miss them both. I really more consider myself a Western girl, even though I was born/raised here in Maine. I've lived on a 120-head horse ranch, raising, training and showing absolutely stunning Arabian horses, (I was even an Equine Midwife and breeder!). Lots of different experiences. I’ve owned three motorcycles and still love to feel the wind in my face and hair. I’m a tomboy and a yet girlie girl... I’m a Libra!

Where do I go from here? I’m looking forward to retirement in another 6 yrs so I can become a Gypsy! My plan for Winter 17-18?.. taking Stella to the Southwest for 2 months of snow-birding for the first time (with my hubs, Murphy our Border Collie, and Tinsel my loving feline appendage) and look forward to hooking up with my SW Sisters! Who knows where life will take us, but I know I’ll always have my SOTF Sisters with me.

peace n luv ~
Janie, SOTF #8333

Getting BOLDER: You need to grow. And blossom.

You have heard it said before. “Bloom where you are planted.” No matter where or what life hands you...blossom! I used to picture a beautiful flower garden when I read that phrase. Massive, colorful blossoms waving and twisting in the wind, their roots growing deep into the earth. I’ve lived that kind of life. You know the one...where you spend long stretches of time in one place. Peaceful. Content. Convinced this is your garden...your place to bloom and blossom till the winter of life takes you home. Then the storms came.

When my first marriage ended in divorce, I stayed on as a single mother in Denver...far from the comfort of family. I knew there were more opportunities for my daughter if I stayed right where I was, no matter how difficult it would be. I was planted in Colorado, and I would bloom like there was no tomorrow. When my second marriage ended in divorce some twenty-three years later, I was a single mother yet again with my daughters being 16 years apart. This time, it was harder to bloom. The marriage had taken its toll on me. I was older. I had been out of the workforce for nearly two decades. It took a lot of work before I could coax a little blossom from my weary soul.

When my third marriage was interrupted by my husband’s sudden death, it would have been easy to just shrivel up and die with him. If I hadn’t had my faith, I don’t know how I would have survived. But there were two things I put in front of me that helped me get through that...nature, and camping with Sisters on the Fly.

The closer I get to nature, the happier my heart is, the stronger my mind is, and the healthier my body is. Camping has allowed me to take off into the wilderness and backroads of Colorado, the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, the cedar forests and tinsel of Nashville, the beautiful hills, woods, and rivers of West Virginia. Every campfire, every cookout, every night spent under a canopy of stars has allowed my weary, broken heart to mend and bloom just a little bit more.

I lived a pretty nomadic lifestyle for the first four years after my husband died. My roots had to be mobile. I was away from my family, I’d sold my home, I got rid of 95% of my personal belongings. I had to learn to put my roots in a planter...to be mobile and bloom wherever I set that planter in the sun. The result has been a far more fluid existence than I had ever lived before. I began to look forward to each new adventure as another layer of the onion, another look within myself, and another view of the ever changing backdrop that was my life.

My most recent foray has brought me to the Outer Banks. While I stayed in the comfort of a timeshare, there are numerous opportunities for camping on the OBX and nearby Roanoke Island that I would like to explore. And as a destination, these islands along the coast of North Carolina offer an incredible variety of activities and places of historic interest. From The Wright Brothers Memorial in Kitty Hawk to the Wild Horses of Corolla Beach, from the various lighthouses to the aquarium, from the wonderful little shops to the dazzling array of restaurants...there is truly something for everyone here.

Take the ferry over to Ocracoke for a day of exploring. Dine on fresh local seafood or fabulous North Carolina BBQ. Soak up the sun on the beach or explore the sand dunes along the coast. Fish or kayak in the quiet waters of the sound. Climb the steps of a lighthouse. Rent a bike or a dune buggy. Take a knitting lesson at Knitting Addiction in Kitty Hawk. Watch the sunset over the sound at the Sunset Grille or get a fabulous cup of coffee at Sweet-T’s in Duck. Summer brings live music to a number of venues on the island. Indulge in a pile of pancakes at Stack ‘em High at mile marker 4.5. (Tell Christine, the owner’s wife, that Ginny McKinney sent you and she needs to be a Sister!) Take a drive up and down through the neighborhoods and view the amazing homes on the north end of the island. Look for the house down south near the Cape Hatteras National Seashore that was featured in the movie, Nights in Rodanthe.

My favorite excursion this year was a visit to the Elizabethan Gardens. Queen Elizabeth I had elaborate and fanciful gardens for her entertainment during her reign. As a tribute to the history of Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists who lived here over four hundred years ago, this sprawling botanical wonder is a project of the Garden Club of North Carolina. Wide, pea-graveled lanes weave in and out through massive displays of azaleas, rhododendron, camellias, live oak and loblolly pines. Paths lead you along the sound, through a brick walled rose garden, and on to a meticulously groomed formal garden with sculptures, fountains, and exquisitely groomed crepe myrtle and boxwood hedges. It was easy to get lost in thought in such gorgeous surroundings on one of the most pristine spring days North Carolina has had to offer so far this year.

The soil on the Outer Banks is sandy unless something has been added, so ground cover is sparse. After a tremendous thunderstorm came through and drenched the area, little yellow flowers sprung up and blossomed in less than a few hours. It reminded me that even in the most harsh environment, we can indeed bloom where we are planted if we get what we need to grow. In the case of us Sisters, we just need a little wood smoke on our clothes, a little libation in our glasses, a little food on our (recyclable) plates, and the sound of laughter well into the good night to help us bloom...wherever we are planted!

With much love…

Ginny

Post contributed by blogger, Positive Aging Expert & Motivational Speaker,
Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537
Marshmallow Ranch Blog

Where (and who) is Tiffany?

Wonderful Women in Waxahachie

Sister #1, SOTF Founder Maurrie Sussman and I had the pleasure to represent our Sisterhood at this event within an event. The big event being the Crossroads Film & Music Festival put on by the Waxahachie Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Texas Draw

It was an over the top event and drew so many "Wonderful Women" campers & attendees to it. I fell in love with the Texas Sisters I met, the locals, the town, the history and local tastes and color. The blue bells were still in bloom for us and the weather was kind of classic for Texas- gorgeous until the flash flood downpour hit! If my husband's ex wasn't from Texas, I would've make a seriously hard pitch to relocate from Boise there and may have had a chance! C'est la vie, y'all...

The Stories

There are so many great stories to tell from this event but there was a first-time camper there who tells hers so well and when we asked if we could share her blog article about her experience this was her reply:

"Thank you. I wish I had more time to spend with everyone as well. I hope our paths cross again and we get a chance to camp out or hangout. I enjoyed my time hanging out with so many likeminded people. I walked away with a whole new perspective and love for camping. Yes, please share. I created the blog to inspire, encourage and give hope to those that dream of traveling or traveling solo. Thank you for reading my story. Part 2 will be up on May 13."

Her Story

Tiffany attended this event as a tent camper having not camped much and wanting a sense of what women campers were all about. Here is the link to Tiffany's blog article. Enjoy her story and her amazing photos:

BEST FIRST CAMPING TRIP EVER

Quilting from the heart, for the soul

Blog post submitted by Maurrie Sussman, Sister # 1 & Co-Founder of Sisters on the fly.

***

Once upon a time, I too had a dream.

On a quiet day in Montana, I was busy making quilts for two of my neighbors who had cancer. Both were friends and I love my friends with my heart and soul. I took them each one and walked away.

A few months later, Lucille approached me with an idea. Could I pass this quilt on? She went on to explain how much attention the quilt had received while she was undergoing chemo treatments. The life of the "Traveling Quilt" was born. The year was 2007.

Since that time, SOTF has sent out hundreds of quilts to our Sisters, to Sisters' friends, to Sisters' grandchildren, to Sisters' husbands, and to their friends by request. We ask that they be returned in order to pass on the group love and hugs and blessings for the next person in need. Many of our quilts are never returned, therefore I have to make new ones. Not enough yet!

So I asked Sisters on the fly to help out. To help me find used ones from other sources. To help make them and send fabric and parts to me. For 11 years now Sisters on the fly members have been doing this. The life of the "Traveling Quilt on the fly" was created!

In the past 11 years, I have received the most wonderful thank you cards, cards from families who return the quilts because their beloved loved one went over the rainbow bridge to a better place. I have even made quilts for the passing of animals. All in all it has been a most emotional and wonderful adventure.

Each quilt has a personal patch hand-embroidered with a name, then hand stitched to the quilt. It is stitched on the back. If you ever received & returned a Quilt on the fly, then your patch is included with other patches on that lovely, blessed quilt that has comforted, kept warm, held, cuddled and sopped up endless tears. It has added puppy kisses, kitties, grandchildren’s plucking and friend's hands. All of that love and prayers are held in one quilt.

We will continue this program for as long as we receive requests for comfort offered in the form of a quilt. But unfortunately, I don’t have the financial resources to create new quilts that can be kept by those who receive them. If Sotf members would like to participate in this program and create their own quilts that can be kept by a recipient they identify, we encourage them to do that, too.

Love to all,

Maurrie

Getting Bolder: Facing Adversity

Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537, contributed this post:

We are getting bolder! We are stepping out of our comfort zones with every bend in the road…with every parking job in a tight spot…with every trip over hill and dale. So, how do we stay bold in the hard times when we face adversities we never dreamed of? How do we maintain that momentum when life hands us a curve ball?

I started this journey with my feet in the fire right after I lost my husband. I didn’t have years of camping under my belt when I set off on that three-month journey into the wilderness and backroads of Colorado, alone. What I learned, I literally learned by the seat of my pants with the help of some wonderful, patient Sisters along the way.

I think, perhaps, being blissfully unaware of some of the finer points of towing 7,000 pounds of metal and plywood through rush hour traffic on an interstate going 55mph between two semis protected me from getting the screaming meemies that time in Kansas. Or coming down Wolf Creek Pass. Or sleeping in a Walmart parking lot in the middle of nowhere. You have to remember, I was also dealing with “grief brain,” so give me some grace. It wasn’t too long till I got a real understanding of how everything worked and I became a pro. But oh…those first few trips were scary in hindsight.

Then a major change came into my life. I sold my house…and 95% of my “stuff” and moved across the country. I’m currently in the process of copying old posts from my blog over to my website so they aren’t all on Facebook. In the process, I have been revisiting some of the times when my boldness was seriously threatened. The downsizing and selling process itself was agonizing. Contract after contract fell through. Half of my precious items, the “stuff” I seriously couldn’t part with like my late husband’s golf clubs, were stolen from the storage unit I had rented. I had to box up, clean, negotiate contracts, sell my large items, and give the rest to charity…alone. I know…some of you have always done that kind of stuff alone. But I hadn’t and it was a serious challenge to my ability to cope, especially while grieving.

What saved me was my little camper…and my Sisters. I had parked my trailer out on the curb in front of my house. HOA? Ha! I’m a bold widow, make me move! I crawled into my little haven every night...exhausted and praying for another day of boldness so I could get through this. My Sisters called me out and we gathered around campfires and they fed my heart. And God fed my soul…keeping me going through that particular storm till I came out the other side.

Then…there was the drive across country. I traded in the little camper for a behemoth because I planned to live in it for a few years. Although the sales guy showed me how to hookup and unhook, he didn’t make me actually do it myself. It was vastly different than the little camper. Much heavier. Consequently, as I drove across the country…300 miles at a time…I always booked a pull through site so I didn’t have to back in or unhook. Somewhere in Indiana, the alarm on my storm watch app started screaming at me. Tornado! I looked at the radar and sure enough, there was an angry red band marching right at me at an alarming rate of speed. When I checked into the campground earlier, the clerk told me they were expecting severe storms and if I heard the tornado sirens, I needed to head for the cement bath house. I had looked at said bath house when I got to my site and thought it would be far safer to just unhook the camper and hit the road in my F-150 than it would be to cower in a cinderblock shower.

It started pouring the rain as soon as I pulled into my site. Try as I might, I couldn’t get that camper unhooked. I was jumping up and down on the hitch. I was pounding it with a hammer. I was losing my religion and cussing like a sailor. Soon, I attracted the attention of some shady looking characters standing out by an old camper across the way. They had been watching me for some time and if I wasn’t actually screaming “WOMAN ALONE”, it was pretty darned obvious. I do not like to look like a damsel in distress, so I took one more might crack at that hitch and…BAM! It let loose like butter! The men were now within thirty feet of me. I stood up and said, “Got it! Thanks!” They seemed to be considering their next move when I stood up on the receiver and made sure they saw that three-pound hammer I was wielding. They may have been perfectly innocent, but if they weren’t…I was prepared to go down swinging. And they knew it, too. They smiled toothless grins, yelled “Good job!” and turned away, not knowing my heart was in my throat and my knees were shaking.

When I was safely back in my camper, I looked at the radar again and if anything, the storm was bigger…and faster! I was frozen. Could I outrun a tornado in my pickup? Had I waited too long and now I’d have to make a mad dash across the campground and sit like one of the Three Little Pigs waiting for the Big Bad Wolf to huff and puff and blow my house down? I put out a frantic message on Facebook. (Grief Brain, remember?) Immediately, a friend of mine texted… “GO TO A HOTEL, NOW!!!” I hadn’t even thought of that. I threw some things in a bag and ran out the door, locked my house on wheels, and took off leaving my $30,000 investment to the whims of Mother Nature.

I was never so happy in my life to find a hotel within just a few miles. They had a vacancy and I had no sooner closed the door to my room when the mighty storm hit. It turned out to have downgraded from a true tornado, but I haven’t been in many storms that fierce. I was ever so glad I wasn’t sitting in TOW-Wanda under all those trees. I didn’t sleep all night as the storm raged outside. I kept repeating to myself “Be bold in the face of danger!” Morning dawned cold and gray with a steady rain pouring down. I got back to my camper and found it sitting on an island in a lake of water several inches deep. I was exhausted and there was no way I was going to hook up and start hauling in that condition. I went back to the office, signed up for another night, checked the radar and saw the storm would be past in just a few hours with no more threat of tornado activity. I crawled in my cozy bed in my big comfy camper and slept for the next twenty hours!

As I reread those stories of 2014, I was reminded that sometimes being bold means you stand up tall with a three-pound hammer against two strange men. Sometimes it means you hold tight to some steering wheel as double and triple semis pass you on either side. And sometimes being bold means, you retreat to the trenches and sleep the sleep of the dead, only to rise the next day and do it all over again. Be bold…stay bold! And rest when you need it. You’re a SISTER!

With much love…

Ginny

Post contributed by blogger, Positive Aging Expert & Motivational Speaker,
Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537
Marshmallow Ranch Blog

You can't rain on this Sister's parade (or trailer)!

Sister #1470, Robin Maillet, joined SOTF in the spring of 2009, just months after losing her younger and only biological sister to cancer. Robin has often stated, “It took 1,469 “sisters” to fill the hole left by the ONE I had to let go”. In the 9 years since joining, Robin has never regretted a minute and has said she doesn’t know how she ever made it in life without some of the women she has met.

Robin lives in Washington State and has served in numerous capacities for SOTF including WA/OR Meetup Founder, Pacific Northwest Financial Wrangler, Oregon Wrangler, Western Washington Wrangler and National Cabela’s Wrangler. Robin was the hostess for the 2013 Northwest Gathering in Long Beach, WA where just under $45,000 was made via auction and donated to a local charity called Camp Victory.

Dealing with adversity is nothing new to Robin. She has dealt with great tragedy in her life from losing her only son, husband and sister all within 3 years of each other, to surviving two bouts of Stage 3 Melanoma, to working 35 years in a “mans world-” construction- to living in Washington State where you gotta learn to camp in the rain if you want to camp!

Robin’s first trailer was a 1956 15’ Aloha named “Robin’s Roost”. She was asked once why her staging was all roosters and no hens when she was female. Her response was “there’s only room for one hen in this trailer!”. Robin’s Roost followed Robin around for thousands of miles, providing a soft place to land after a full day of play.

Robin’s second trailer was a 1965 9’ Santa Fe named Cowgirl Hideout. Having been raised on a farm, Robin loved time spent in the barn with all her favorite animals. Cowgirl Hideout has a vinyl wrap to look like a barn with comical animals on all 4 sides.

The maiden voyage with Cowgirl Hideout was from WA state to southern CA back in 2016. Within the first few miles of towing, Robin felt something wasn’t quite right. Knowing her other half, Guy (then a truck driver) was on the road, she phoned him just to toss out ideas and get some feedback about why things didn’t feel right. Come to find out, they were only about 8 miles from each other, both headed south on I-5. Guy was in the lead so he pulled over at an off ramp and waited for Robin to catch up. After thoroughly checking weight distribution, loading, weight on the tongue and discussed speed – it was concluded there was no visible reason things weren’t safe. Back on the road, this time Robin (and Cowgirl Hideout) in front of Guy (in the semi) so he could “watch” things. Communicating back and forth – increasing speed, changing lanes, assurances given and best wishes for a safe and fun trip to SoCa – when Robin found herself jerked in her seat, a trailer leaning in her side mirrors, sparks flying behind her and the immediate thought of “he knows I’m in trouble, he can take care of himself” as she pulled in front of the truck and to the side of the road as quickly as possible. Once stopped, Guy ran up to the tow rig only to find her with her head on the steering wheel when he asked “Are you okay? Wow – you did a great job keeping things upright – can I get you anything?” to which Robin responded “maybe a clean pair of pants”.

Within a few minutes a WA State Trooper pulled up and said “I saw your tire back up the road – I’ll go get it for you”. Funny part of this story – Guy had to get back on the road since he was working, and knowing the trooper had called for a tow truck and further knowing Robin could take care of herself, he leaned over to kiss her goodbye and climbed back up in his truck to leave. The trooper stood there with his mouth open and finally looked at Robin and said “do you know that trucker?”

This was a freak accident – the lug nuts and stems were still on the trailer axle but the tire was a half mile behind. The wheel had somehow “whirred” 2” holes at each stem allowing the tire to slide right off, over the nuts. It took 4 days to get a new axle, wheels, tires and a temporary straightening of crumpled sheet metal – but Robin got back on the road and drove non stop to catch up with all the fun at the end of the Route 66 SOTF event.

Throughout the years, Robin has bought and sold several trailers and currently camps in a 2017 RPod 180 appropriately named Cowgirl Palace (in comparison to Cowgirl Hideout). Within the next few weeks, Robin should get her 1963 22’ Boles Aero trailer back from being completely renovated and hit the road for the summer of 2018. Unfortunately, this summer will be a little quieter on the camping front because Robin had bilateral knee replacements in January and time off from work is at a premium.

Safety is extremely important to Robin. Having worked around heavy industrial machinery in her teens and early 20’s, Construction Job sites for 35 years and now spending as much time as possible pulling around a little trailer she knows that accidents happen – and sometimes there is nothing you can do about them BUT………she also knows there is so much more you can do to be safe not only for yourself but others. With this in mind and meeting so many sisters who had never towed a trailer, Robin created a small handout and began conducting “Trailer 101 Safety Classes”. Each class has taken on a different “feel” but the most important thing is that each attendee take away something that contributes to being a little safer on the road. SOTF does have more fun than anyone but Robin teaches “you need to be a woman behind the wheel and a girl in the campground!”

Robin lives with her “Other Half” Guy on a small hobby farm outside McKenna, WA where they have raised Scottish Highland Cattle, Pygmy goats, chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs, rabbits dogs and cats. Just recently, effort has been made in paring down the farm in preparation of selling and relocating. Retirement is just around the corner. Robin dreams of buying a diesel pusher and set out across the US but Guy says after driving truck all these years that is about the last thing he wants to do. I wonder how Guy will like living by himself because, knowing Robin – she wouldn’t hesitate a minute of getting that diesel pusher and heading out by herself.

Sister #1 Gets Knee Deep in Sheep

A SOTF blog post contribution by founder Maurrie Sussman, Sister #1

Oh my gosh, ladies, I just had the most wonderful adventure! Some ranchers here in Absarokee, Montana, asked me if I would like to come help with the shearing of the sheep this past Saturday.

With bells on my toes, I headed out, knowing nothing about sheep or their shearing! Years ago, my dad told me that he thought I should go into sheep ranching; that cattle were too big for me to wrestle! He had just met a woman in Wyoming who had a small sheep ranch and he was sure ranching was my destiny…well, of course life got in the way and THAT never happened but… here I am:

There I was headed to the ranch, clueless. When I arrived, I found a small group already knee deep in sheep! My helpful job consisted of encouraging (aka pushing!) the sheep up a ramp into the trailer’s little doors where four of New Zealand’s finest, shirtless, strong-bodied men were ready to wrestle the sheep into shearing position.

Now if you turn a sheep on its back, it goes into a trance and gets docile. The “wrangler” can grab it, turn it every which way but loose, holding it so that the sheep is not hurt, shearing every inch of fleece off its body. Stand the sheep upright now, then give it a little shove and out the back door. Then the sheep wrangler pushes the wool out of the trailer to some other help. Then he grabs another sheep and starts all over. Four men sheared 500 sheep in about 5 hours with one break. Two girls gathered and stuffed the fleece into two different piles- body fleece and belly fleece (inferior). They stuff and haul and stuff and jump in the bags, like stomping grapes! Awesome strength and I was so enamored with their strong bodies and their bright eyes and healthy laughter.

I was instructed to go and meet the girls on the other side of the trailer. Two strong-built women in their middle 20s greeting me and asked if I knew anything about shearing. I’ve told you all here- no, I did not. So Mariah introduced herself and told me all about herself and what she does along with her friend Margaret. For three months in the spring, the two of them head out with the team of four guys to a group of ranchers who have employed them in advance. Have any of you seen the parade of cutters coming down the back roads of North or South Dakota? They stop and cut the wheat for each rancher along a path. Then move on. It is amazing to watch. Well, it’s same thing with the sheep shearers.

There is a specific time for shearing. It is just before spring so that the ewe can be bred without being encumbered by layers of fleece. Being that I only have seen the cattle breed… cow or heifer by the bull. They keep both sexes apart until breeding season and then bring the bulls or rams into the female area and they then breed. The ranchers then separate the two groups once again.

After spending 5 hours with these girls, I told them what I do and they were just as tickled about my job as I was with theirs. Lots of questions both ways. Both of these girls are also fire fighters with the Forest Service. One builds trails for the Forest Service in Wyoming and the other trained and had the most accomplished team of all women fire fighters in Wyoming. Clear eyes, bright smiles, happy women being fulfilled in their lives. I loved it and them. I had goose bumps to be with them and to listen to their lives. No idea if either was married or anything personal about them. I did give each my card and told them to keep me posted if there was an adventure they were doing that we may attend with them. They assured me I would hear from them.

It was a magical day for certain. I met some of the local ranchers who wanted to know my family name. I laughed and said I was a stranger here, only been here for 11 years. Each woman talked to me about their history and family ranches. It was awesome. Next year I will learn more.

A Final Frontier

Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537, contributed this post:

I’d be willing to bet we can all remember our first outing with Sisters on the Fly. We remember where we went, what we did, and if we don’t remember every single Sister that attended, there are certainly some you will never forget...especially that “First Sister”. You know...the one who greeted you first, maybe took you under her wing and showed you the ropes. She was probably more seasoned. She’d been to lots of events. Maybe she was the Wrangler for the area. Or, the event hostess. Or just a long time Sister. Either way, if you’re like me, it was an instant bond.

My “First Sister” was Diane Smith #16. I had purchased my little camper maybe six weeks before the Altona Grange gathering. I had joined SOTF and bought the book and joined the Facebook page. The logical next step was to sign up for an event. I searched Meetup and found one nearby. I signed up and paid my fee. Then I sat back and started reading the comments. It seemed like everyone knew everyone and I was jumping in the middle of a party that had already begun. What if I couldn’t pull the camper? What if I couldn’t find the group? What if I made a fool of myself because I had never backed up or set up camp before? Honesty has always been the best approach, so I just put it out there. I was scared.

Diane was the first to jump in and reassure me. She told me not to worry...I’d be a pro in no time. She was so comforting and I really felt a sense of encouragement for the first time since my husband had died. When I pulled in, there she was...just like she promised. Her sense of calm power was palpable. I took one look at her and wanted to be just like her. She was fun and funny and absolutely no nonsense. She taught me so much.

After that initial gathering, I had the great pleasure to camp with Diane several times. When I moved to West Virginia the year after my husband died, I didn’t get to camp much with my Colorado Sisters, but when I was back for a visit, Diane went out of her way to meet a few of us for lunch. In one such meeting, she told me her cancer was back. She faced it with such strength. Then, about a month ago, she sent me an e-mail. She wanted me to write her story...about how she came to get pancreatic cancer. She thought it might be of interest to others. I told her I would love to. In typical Diane fashion, she did not say “time is of the essence” and I waited till the next week to call her. By then...it was too late. She was under hospice care. She was sleeping much of the time. In a last ditch effort, Peggy Burns tried to connect us while she was visiting, but it wasn’t meant to be. In order to fulfill her request, I’ll tell you what Diane told me. The rest I will fill in with research from the internet. And she was right...I think you will find it interesting.

Diane Erickson married Terry Smith in April of 1962. They moved to Beatty, Nevada shortly after they were married and in July of that year, Diane was exposed to radiation dust from the detonation of bombs at the Nevada Test Site. She and Terry lived about 50 miles from the site and are considered...”Downwinders”. RECA, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990, is an Act to provide jurisdiction and procedures for compassionate payments for injuries due to exposure to radiation from nuclear testing enacted by the 101st United States Congress, effective October 15, 1990. There is a list of cancers as long as your arm that are compensable under RECA, among them...Primary Cancer of the Pancreas.

So, in Diane’s words, “this gnarly little critter called cancer has been with me since I was 23! Just sitting there throughout my life.” She went through the extensive “proof process” to qualify for and receive $50,000 compensation. To her, it wasn’t so much about the money as it was a form of apology.

Diane faced cancer head on, like she faced everything else...with grace and determination. When it got to the point where she was too tired to talk on the phone, Peggy asked if I could just send the story to her and she would read it to Diane. I didn’t feel qualified to write a tribute to her life because I didn’t know her deeply, personally. I felt there were others who knew and loved her for far longer than I did who would do a much better job. I was touched when I read the beautiful words Maurrie posted on 3/15 to tell us our girl was gone. I still felt an obligation to let you know “the rest of the story.” Instead of writing this and sending it for Peggy to read, I sent the following letter as I felt it expressed my feelings more. I knew I would get to the part about her radiation exposure later.

* * * * *

“Dewar Di #16

That’s how I first met you. I was so fresh and new on my grief journey. I had just purchased my first little trailer and joined the Sisters. I knew nothing about camping, or hooking up and towing a camper. When the event was arranged, I wrote on the Meetup page that I was scared. You came right back and said you totally understood that, but you would be waiting for me at the entrance and not to worry.

When I arrived, this woman with wild, silver hair and big glasses and an electric smile greeted me. I immediately felt at ease.

Diane, you took me under your wing. You taught me so much. How to back into a spot on a dime and have a nickel left over. How to unhook and hookup a camper. How to make friends when your heart lies in pieces on the ground. You taught me that just because my husband died, it didn’t mean I did. You taught me how to fly. You’re the one who told me to just get out there and engage and tell my story. I came away from that event a little bit braver, a little more grounded, and a lot more hopeful.

I wish we could have spent more time together. I wish we could have camped beside each other a hundred times. You are the Iron Maiden...so strong and confident and brave. I was going to write your story for after you are gone. There are others who knew you more personally and much longer who would undoubtedly do a better job of that. What I want to do is give you this letter and tell you I love you. You have changed my life, just as you have changed the lives of countless others...from the children in your career to your family and friends and to all the Sisters who were so fortunate as to meet you and call you theirs.

I hate that you are leaving us so soon. My heart is broken that I won’t see you again in this life. However, I have every confidence that when we meet in Heaven someday, we will sit around the campfire and catch up. Do me a favor, will you? When you get up there, look up this really handsome man named Dan McKinney. Tall, silver hair, gorgeous blue eyes. Watch out, he’s a charmer! Tell him I love him and I’m ok and I’ll see him one of these days. On Monday 3/12 he will be gone five years. Please give him a big hug from his sweetheart. Thanks.”

* * * * *

As I sat and meditated on this piece, I decided...what better way to honor the memory of our dear Sister than to be BOLD? BE that Sister...the one who greets new Sisters and welcomes them in...the one who shares her knowledge selflessly...the one who gets involved and steps up and plans events and takes a leadership role in this wonderful organization that empowers women to be all they can be. To be girls again. To have more fun than anyone. To be the “Dewar Di’s” that everyone needs in their life. To be BOLDER. I will miss her so much, but there’s ice tinkling in a glass somewhere among the stars and Heaven is a little bit brighter.

Raise your glass, dear Sisters, for a toast...
Happy Trails, Diane!
With Much Love...
❤️
Ginny

Post contributed by blogger, Positive Aging Expert & Motivational Speaker,
Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537
Marshmallow Ranch Blog