Fall 2022 Campout

Another fabulous MSCC gathering is in the books, having taken place this past weekend at the one and only Rancho del Wasko. After several years at the new campsite, we were encouraged by a friendly Border Patrol agent to camp again at the Rancho, and twenty-five of us did.

It had gotten cold up in Reno

Some of us (Kenny & I) left Northern Nevada on Wednesday night, braving ice and single-digit temperatures on Highway 395, arriving at a BLM campground south of Barstow early Thursday morning for some rest. 

Waking up at Sawtooth Campground

On the road again a number of hours later, we stopped by the famous TKB in Indio for lunch. They have a brand-new facility and their sandwiches are still the best ever and arriving at 11am we missed the inevitable crowds. Kenny had a Mexican Marilyn Monroe and I had the Hangover... yum!

Heading down the Coachella Valley we passed the Salton Sea and the Mountain loomed ahead.

The abandoned Cafe

Drew Road is still washed out south of Interstate 8 (it has been several years now!) so Google sent us down some farm roads and when we hit the 98 we saw a familiar spot, the long defunct Mount Signal Café. A few minutes more and we were headed down Mount Signal Road, still street-signed but rougher and more wash-boardy than past years. Coming up to the turn by the storage yard, a BP unit could be seen with a camera mast just west of the fence. I rolled down my window and let the agent know that more campers would be arriving. First BP contact was considered a positive one. Kenny and I found the Rancho empty and began to set up camp.

The desert had seen some rain. The creosote was vibrant green, there were patches of verbena on the sands as we came up the Road, and little yellow flowers bloomed all over the wash and the Kangaroo Rat gully. The desert thought it was springtime. A small creosote bush has popped up in a corner of the bocce court- the CSG says it is part of the court and so we left it unmolested. 

 

The rains had also brought a plethora of flies. No quite as bad as the year that there were hundreds in the Wagonmaster’s camper, but enough that they were a bother. Leave the door of your trailer, van or tent open for a moment and they’d have a convention inside. Fortunately Cheryl had prepared for such an eventuality. An electrified fly swatter that she had procured humanely electrocuted dozens of the vermin in our trailer and Nathan probably eradicated hundreds more inside and out. 

“Incoming!”  Commissioner Steve Bouchard arrived next and dumped a large amount of eucalyptus next to the never-before-used fire ring constructed at the last campout at the Rancho several years back. He and Kenny raised the flags and got the bocce court operational and the Rancho was finally in order, just waiting for the rest of the campers.

 

Our next vehicle arrived at about 8:20pm with two BP units on it’s tail. Uncle Mickey’s appropriately named “Creeper” van containing UM, Brandon, and Nathan was followed into camp and the agents contacted us. “The dispatcher told us that a large, dark SUV was driving slowly down Mount Signal Road.” UM said that he drove slowly so as not to raise suspicion but it had the opposite effect. The agent in charge asked UM “What kind of candy do have in that van?” Lol!  We showed the agents some historic MSCC pix and he showed us some photos of the numerous holes in the Wall that simple power tools make. Apparently despite the Wall the agent says all it’s done is take the amateur crosser out of the picture. Now the cartels are in firm control. Our second BP encounter ended well despite, but also because of the Creeper, and no mention of the BLM or any question of our choice of campsite came up. A sigh of relief was had by all.

UM and Brandon had a good deal of firewood as well, and it was appreciated as the only other negative of the weekend came into play (the first being the flies): the chilly nighttime temps. Thursday night was the coldest and it got a little warmer each night, but it seemed unusually chilly for the Yuha. Layers of clothing would progressively get added, and more and more firewood would be fed into the fire diminishing the chill. The virgin fire ring performed as designed and I especially liked the added concrete as it allowed you to put your feet up and even stand on to get the most warmth. 

I made Aunt Marge-styled tacos and the La Mesans and UM had In N Out so no one went hungry that night (like anyone ever does at Signal). Time seemed to stand still, with the time change it seemed later that it really was. A spectacular moon arose, oblong and red, and in an hour or so it’s reflection was seen in the nearby solar fields like moonlight on a lake. Kinda neat. Whether it was the cold or the long drive without a lot of sleep, things ended early for Mount Signal. By 11:45pm we were all in bed and dreaming of the weekend to come.

 

Morning came, and I awoke to the unmistakable sound of John Martin talking to UM and US. “Wow, he is out super early”, I thought to myself. Emerging from the trailer, there indeed was Martin and an RV. Turns out he was even earlier than I had given him credit for. He had driven out Thursday night and had sent me a text at 11:20pm (my phone was off) saying that he had taken the wrong turn off Mount Signal Road and was lost. Again. He has been attending the MSCC campouts since the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and more often than not he takes the same wrong turn before he should on the Road and inevitably gets stuck in the sand, especially at night. He was able to do a “sixteen-point turn” and turn around the RV and not get stuck but by the time he found camp we were all asleep. He did say that in order to find camp he drove back to Highway 98 and watched the mileage more closely. Indeed after 1.4 miles he came upon the correct turnoff (with the fenced storage yard), so the old directions are still good.

 

The directions also flawlessly led a new visitor to the camp a bit later. Steve Upps, a friend of the Friday Night Volleyball crowd came for the day to see what all the MSCC hype was about. He liked what he saw and promised to come back and camp overnight the next time.

LMJH and Game Central alumni

Another Friday morning arrival was Tony Kodis. He had last attended a campout ten years earlier on the legendary Jeopardy night and he had been out many years in the past as well. He had a truck bed full of scrap wood and again, it was to be greatly appreciated. He brought some games and so we (Tony, Martin, Kenny & I) played the first game of the weekend in Martin’s RV: Tokaido. It was surprisingly easy to play yet filled with possibilities and strategy. I ended up winning by visiting lots of hot springs and John had huge amounts of souvenirs but neglected to eat along the way, losing out on too many victory points. Very fun, and throughout the game many flies were humanely electrocuted (“crackle crackle”).

 

Lunch was our ever popular Bohemian spread and soon thereafter the Allied Gardens contingent arrived. Lindsay, Drake & Calvin benefited from the Veteran’s Day holiday and Drew had taken a half day so their arrival was earlier in the day than I can ever remember. Their tent and compound was quickly erected and another “Incoming!” was heard. It was Reid and Maya, direct from San Marcos and soon he was setting up his tent and camp. Some baseball and axe-throwing ensued and then a familiar silhouette  was seen approaching on the road… The MMM2!

Brandon tending the fire

The Mooney Mobile Mansion #2 of course had Scout John Mooney at the helm, and fancier dress shoes have never before graced the dirt and sand of the Rancho. Mooney had driven the MMM2 to work in El Centro and then come straight out to camp albeit without wife or jeep. He maneuvered the MMM2 on the west side of camp to provide a wind block and backdrop for Saturday’s festivities and quickly joined the party with a delicious whiskey sour concoction.

As the sun set UM began cooking in his compound. Drew placed aluminum foil packets of gnocchi in the fire for his family to consume (damn glampers…). Reid began bringing delicious little pizzas out of an ingenious portable pizza oven run by propane. Mooney grilled some sort of steak (not flank steak though Martin!!!). I had recently returned from a visit to Toledo Ohio, and brought back some chili/hot dog sauce and amazing pickles from Tony Packo’s, a local chain there. Combined with chopped onions, smoked sausage and cheese, the sauce and the pickles really made it a unique, if fancy chili dog. They seemed to go over well.

 

As people settled in around the fire, the last Veteran’s Day arrivals made it into camp, again from Northern Nevada: Leah, Anna & Sam. They set up their tents, ate some ramen and Packo’s dogs and ensconced themselves near the fire. This reporter then ran a movie-themed contest where I played songs affiliated with various movies and the assembled campers had to guess the movie. It was a fantastic battle with Uncle Mickey and John Martin leading the pack and Martin winning on a Layla/Goodfellas tiebreaker. 

 

As it was Veteran’s Day, Uncle Mickey then played some patriotic music while Brandon and Nathan fired off some impressive fireworks to celebrate our past and current MSCC members who served our country. While Mooney was the only vet there that night, we also toasted the Waskos and other vets who have played such a large role in the Club (Ken Sr., Al Tunison, Frank Gingrich, Kenny Clark amongst others).

 As the smoke from the pyrotechnics diminished, biscotti were passed around and campfire games started in earnest. “Pass the Broom”, “South America” and “Knives” dominated and when everyone was exhausted by innumerable guesses Sam brought out his guitar and strummed, soothing over the anxiety and the hoarseness from too many passes of the broom.

 

Saturday dawned too early for some, while others snoozed peacefully late. Hikes into the surrounding desert were enjoyed, and Calvin put on a bocce clinic while practicing by himself on the court. Sidearm and all, he put ball after ball in tight patterns around the bolina. Look out De Cola faithful- he’ll be in the beer every year when he gets old enough to compete...

“Incoming!” The Ginsbergs (Brian & Trevor) along with Trevor’s girlfriend Diana arrived mid-morning. They erected an easy-up and brought some chairs, planning on staying for the day and evening. Soon thereafter, Tony and I got a Dominion tourney going. Two groups of four played with the winners (Sam & Mooney) taking on the hosts (Tony & I). The finals were touch and go- if Mooney hadn’t taken the last Province, Tony would have prevailed but instead I eked out a slim victory (check’s in the mail Moon).

Myers arrival

Lunch was again an even more sumptuous Bohemian repast and shortly thereafter our next campers arrived. Homeless and on the verge of moving to the Texas Hill Country were Bryan and Janeen Myers, coming for a farewell day and evening at the Mountain. Although biscuits & gravy weren’t in the truck, we were still happy to see them and hear about their upcoming adventure.  Soon after the Myers’ arrival our last two “Incomings!” were uttered for a Jeep and a Subaru carrying Viki Mooney and Nicole Bouchard. Both stayed the night- Viki in (of course) the MMM2 and Nicole in an even cozier Nevada trailer.

A fusillade of gunfire then ripped through the wash as many a camper shot many a gun at the plethora of targets in the sands. I was not as sharp as usual- my excuse was the afternoon sun- note to self: next time shoot with the sun behind or overhead. But I enjoyed myself and then started setting up our next tournament: Blackjack.

 

We had a dollar buy-in which equated to $100 in chips and ended up with three initial tables of five competitors, of which the five top money winners advanced to the finals. However this was not without controversy! I inadvertently changed the qualifying parameters midway through the tourney resulting in a distinctive lack of  an OB presence in those finals. I apologize for the slight- I am okay at getting an event up and running but rules are always my weak link. Next time we’ll make sure the Commissioner of Sport & Games has the final say. Regardless, Mooney took first place (he always wins stuff or at least is in the finals!?!) with Steve a close second. The Blackjack competition was meant to highlight the upcoming Casino Night at a future campout and will return along with Craps and Roulette (and maybe Super Bingo). Stay tuned for announcements…

"21" Winners

Dinner was set for 6pm and all around camp people retired to their stoves, campers and pizza ovens to prepare for the Pan-Pacific Potluck. 

Campers enjoying some Fallbrook wine :)

Food began to pile up on the buffet line tables. Reid brought several bottles of my father’s Bouchard Vineyard wine to enjoy with dinner and most of it was gone before dark. The Assistant Wagonmaster was off on a trip and couldn’t make the campout but his presence (and vinification) was felt.  If there had been a prize for originality, the Allied Gardens Bouchards would have won easily. Their Alaskan cuisine was the most innovative: salmon and cream cheese on sliced baguette accompanied by Drake and a polar bear giving out Polar Bear Liver Jello shots. The Myers brought delicious Polynesian meatballs while the Mooneys put out an intricate and varied grilled chicken taco station. Steve’s pork skewers were accompanied by wickedly potent Mai Tais and UM brought Hawaiian Fried Chicken and burger bites into the mix. Reid’s Polynesian pizzas were againa highlight and the Nevada Bouchards contributed Shoyu Chicken, rice and mac salad for a Rainbow Diner/Waikiki vibe. Many desserts were also shared but the concoction of the evening had to be the “Spamtini” that Martin mixed up.

 

"Spamtini"

After dinner I passed around the biscotti and then told everyone about how I had found a bottle of whiskey that had been given to me 31 years ago on my 25^th birthday by Brian Ginsberg. I reflected on that night: many MSCC members were there then helping me celebrate and some were around the campfire with me now. It makes me happy to have such strong friendships and Signal to me is a unique place where I get to enjoy the company of the people who are special to me. This campout was a perfect example. To see friends that I went to Junior HS and HS with; to see my groomsman and his beautiful wife; to reconnect with gaming buddies and relive old treacheries and victories; and finally to spend time with family, whether they nearby or far away in San Diego, it makes the Rancho sacred ground for me. We opened the bottle, once 92 proof but with the “Angel’s share” probably a bit more, and passed shots around the fire ring. We then toasted friendship and this crazy, beautiful thing called the MSCC and drank up the smooth, powerful liquid.

Reading the Wagonmaster's Evening Prayer

Kenny and I then prepared for our surprise game show honoring those turning the big 7-0 this year: UM, Uncle Steve, and Vic. Vic is having some health issues so was unable to attend, so we called for a substitute. We had always planned on having this fourth camper compete as well, as he was turning the big 4-0 in a few days: Drew Bouchard.

With Kenny’s help and programming we presented a MSCC Wheel of Fortune game to the group and contestants. After some purposely bungled introductions we launched into Toss Up rounds and regular puzzles. My favorite was the “Before & After” category: “Thank God it’s Friday Night Volleyball” which Drew handled nicely. UM seemed to be a magnet for Bankrupts, and despite great competition from him and Drew, Steve made his way to the Bonus Round. Everyone was a winner though as MSCC Yeti mugs were given to all three.

Ouzo then made it’s first appearance beside the fire, and Brian Ginsberg and I sent an Ouzo selfie to Scout Paul Lebowitz across the Pacific to Maui, where he currently resides.  An even more elaborate fireworks and music display was then enacted by the OB and La Mesa contingent which was enjoyed by all except Maya.

 

A scavenger hunt was created by Leah for her two young cousins, Drake & Calvin. With the help of various campers telling stories of a monster who tried to steal their toes and clues secreted around the Rancho, the duo eventually solved the riddles and found the treasure of a candy bar at the end of the hunt, keeping all of our toes safe and sound…

 

Night Bocce then took over the spotlight, literally. In a first ever Night Bocce twist, the situation on the court was illuminated for one or two seconds, then the thrower had to throw in the dark. As soon as the throw could be heard, the spotlight would be then turned on to see the results. Drew and Kenny took on UM and Brandon, but Brandon and UM were locked in and won the 1^st Annual Partially Illuminated Night Bocce Invitational. Drake and I saw an amazing blue-green shooting star headed straight down towards the west side of the Mountain as a spectator bonus.

We then had to say goodbye to the Texas-bound Myers and the not-so-far bound Ginsberg and Kodis contingents. It was great to have had the time to spend with them. Late night the Ouzo was passed around, the fire was stoked, and that special love for needless bureaucracy that the MSCC officers have always had came into play. Having no bylaws or real procedures however can be a problem. We had a quorum of Officers present- the AWM was off on a trip and the Commissioner of Firearms a retreat, so we (US, UM & I) thought we could push through a couple of items with a simple secret ballot. It was not to be. Here are the words of Kenny, an obviously exasperated witness to the deliberations:

 

“Intense, heated, tedious, repetitive, bureaucratic discussions and votes on the creation of a yet-to-be-named firetender position. Vote for the creation of the position passes unanimously by the 3 present officers after an hour of unnecessary debate. Second movement to nominate Brandon breaks down due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and argument.”

So the Firetender non-commissioned position remains unfilled (though aptly and unofficially performed by Brandon the entire weekend). That huge pile of wood was entirely consumed, with the last pieces put on right before we all hit the sack. The new fire ring worked perfectly and its warmth on those chilly nights was appreciated by all.

 

Morning broke and the traditional breakfast began being cooked in various campers. Mooney made potatoes, I did the eggs and some bacon and UM the Spam and more bacon. Lindsay made chocolate chip pancakes and lots of other pastries and breakfast items were contributed. It was enjoyed by all and then camp was broken and goodbyes were made and we all headed back to our homes, talking about the happenings of the weekend and already thinking of the next one.

 

Despite the flies and the night chill, it was an exceptional weekend. We missed the Assisstant Wagonmaster Ken Jr. and Bosco but we really had an absolutely fantastic group. And we weren’t bothered by the Border Patrol’s comings and goings nor were we told not to camp there. That BP agent in the Spring was correct. As long as we are in good with the BP, the BLM probably won’t ever know that we were there. It is my conclusion, which I am sure is mirrored by many, that we can return to the Rancho for our weekends, remain in good standing with the BP, and if the BLM ranger appears, plead ignorance and inebriation. Those campouts elsewhere were fine, but being in the actual Rancho again was priceless. Thanks to each and every one of you that attended- I had a blast!  There is talk of a possible Spring trip and of course we will do it again next Fall. We will let you know.

 

Oh dee oh lee oh!

 

KC 

Junior Assistant Wagonmaster

Tarantula!

Fall 2017 Campout

Thursday

What can be said about yet another foray to Rancho del Wasko? Plenty!

Thursday afternoon under the Mountain

Some intrepid campers, retired with nothing else to do, or just eager to justify the 675-mile one-way journey (Bosco, Ken, Steve, Kenny, Leah, Cheryl and myself) arrived on Thursday afternoon. The BP was in evidence once again, checking on each vehicle as it exited 98 onto Mt. Signal Rd. The SDG&E yard at the turn towards camp is now instead signed "US Government" and contains materials for shoring up the anti-vehicle wall and the heavy equipment to do so. Indeed, a pair of water trucks made countless trips up and down Signal Rd and the peripheries spewing untold gallons of water. Not much in the way of other activity was seen.

Bosco's newest addition.

Weather was fantastic- mid 70's with a nice light breeze that kept the flies away. Bosco fixed up the shrine to his folks with a painted paver (see above) and was so happy that Ken had brought a bag of sand ;)

Ken & Sue

It happened to be this reporter's birthday and I received some great presents (book, shirts, cap, 1.75 Bacardi) but the best present was the unforeseen (by me) arrival of Sue who surprised me by coming all the way out to spend the night at the Rancho. We all enjoyed great deep-dish pizzas courtesy of the Assistant Wagonmaster and Sue's always fantastic guac and chips.

Bosco installed a putting green near the flagpole and it was used off and on all weekend long. This reporter put two out of three putts in the hole and I don't know if that feat was equalled. The astroturf hid many, many rocks both small, and not so small...

Lots of Fireball was evident and it seems that consumption was somehow intertwined to the relating of stories from Bosco, especially the fabled "Monkey Story." We laughed so hard we cried. "Fireball?!?" 

The wind picked up a bit that evening and the full moon woke my dad up in his truck- it was amazingly bright and clear.

Friday

Friday found the Nevadans fixing a pancake and homemade sausage breakfast for the early birds. Eating well was a definite theme this trip. Sue returned to SD, a class or two to teach that day. The officers then laid out the frisbee golf course for Saturday and began welcoming Friday arrivals. Wayne and Jackie arrived in their jeeps and set up on the northside of camp. Uncle Mickey came in next and was unusually intent on a certain spot near Steve and the NV crew. His reasons would become apparent on Saturday.

The Newlyweds!

Bryan & Janeen Sims Myers soon were welcomed into camp with Bryan pulling Janeen's family rig. They were married just the week before and it was great to celebrate with them all weekend long.

When the Mooney Mobile Mansion arrived, there was a momentary struggle for camping spots as Mooney wedged the MMM right in front of the newlyweds rig- his usual spot. Very funny! Fisticuffs were averted however when the MMM was instead placed in a strategic spot just NE of the Myers-Sims mobile. It was entertaining for the rest of the campers to watch the finely-tuned Mooney setup routine. Everything from noodle and chair placement to the automatic leveling was remarked on and dissected by the peanut gallery with lots of funny observations- all tinged however with a bit of awe and camping respect at their setup prowess...

Bobby Wasko then arrived. His dad was ecstatic- not about his son's arrival but instead of the arrival of his beautiful wheelbarrow in the back of Bobby's truck. Bobby is a blast to have in camp. He gives 100%, 100% of the time, whether it's bringing in firewood, joining in the partying and bullshitting, sacrificing his pants for the good of the Crawl, or defending his bocce record. Great to have multiple Waskos at the Rancho once again. Mel & Marge were smiling down on us :)

Nate, Drew, & Drake then arrived in a snazzy pickup. They had their compound up in no time, as did the Bustos contingent. Vic & Aarons' compound was a bit less sophisticated and the pickup a lot less snazzy but their enthusiasm made up for their usual lack of camping gear.

I'd have to say that the award for Most Waskovian camping device goes to Steve Bouchard for his comfortable mattress (bubble wrap) with a close second going to the Assistant Wagonmaster for his Crawl decor...

The AWM had a plan to astound everyone later in the evening with a 7-11 style rolling hot dog cooker, but it did not work as well as it does in a convenience store. Instead, the plan went forward without the roller- the dogs cooked on the grill. Meanwhile, in honor of Señor Chong, a culinary genius from Guerrero Negro Mexico, we cooked bacon and onions and peppers to make Baja-style hotdogs for everyone. Piled high with the sautéed bacon/onions/chiles were copious amounts of ketchup, mustard and mayo along with jalapeños, cheese and tomatoes. A messy but delicious dog! They weren't quite as good as Señor Chong's but they seemed to be a hit.

The weekend's sunrises & sunsets were unreal...

Some campfire games ensued but the big news of the night was the undisputed reign of Ding and Dong (Bobby & Bosco) on the bocce court. They were on fire.

Their nicknames were given to them by a fed-up John Mooney who challenged them as they were sitting around the fire with the following words: "Ding. Dong. Bocce court. Now." Incredibly, the Waskos fought over who got to be "Dong" (Bosco). Some great night bocce games were played and witnessed, both in competition and in laughs, all weekend long.

Viki Mooney stayed up pretty late that Friday night and even imbibed a bit more than is her usual norm. A concerned Steve Bouchard asked her why she was headed to bed. "I'm drunk dammit!" was her demure response...

Winds came up again but they weren't too bad. Of course this reporter was snug in his trailer so my recollection might be somewhat skewed...

Saturday

Saturday dawned with the promise of a big day (and a few tylenol). Several campers slept in- not hung over or anything. Some guns were fired and a mellow breakfast and lunch ensued.

Janeen's mom Sheila and her boyfriend Bob arrived at the Rancho to spend the day. Both are fun and seemed to have a good time amongst us. I hope they return.

The first tee

After lunch, the Frisbee Golf Tourney began: six holes requiring uncompromising skill, a favorable wind, and a bit of luck. 18 participants grabbed their various discs and plunged (literally) into the first hole, a challenging par three from right off the cliff into the wash. Defending MSCC Disc Golf champion Steve Bouchard looked to be the early favorite, and looked the part in his 20 year old trophy cap. It was a warm day, and twice this reporter/golf tourney director had to fetch cold beverages for thirsty participants, but all survived the hour of competition.

Janeen finishing strong on the last hole

When all was said and done- competitive thirsts assuaged, bruised egos repaired- the scorecards were tallied. Five year old Drake Bouchard won the Junior Golfer prize (a frisbee) as his score of 27 beat 4 adults. But his dad Drew was the champion, scoring a low of 18 to take the coveted Champion's baseball cap and bragging rights for the next 20 years (or whenever we hold this tourney again).

After a beer or two for recuperation, work started on the main event of the 2017 Campout: the Crawl.

The instructions were simple: concoct a cocktail/beverage and appetizer to share with the rest of the campers. Ballots were given out and from those we would choose four prizes: best cocktail, best appetizer, best decor, and finally best host/hostess. This would be our dinner Saturday evening, and at various vehicles and campers a furious activity could be discerned. Decorations were put up and tables erected. Special attire and headgear were changed into. It looked to be a fantastic evening!

Ten stops were announced for the Crawl. Several last minute changes to the order were made as many were not ready or ready early. Here is the culinary and mixological journey we took that glorious night...

Uncle Steve's Half Shell House

Stop number one was a sophisticated foray to the East Coast. Steve Bouchard brought dozens of oysters, kept them on ice, and presented them with lemon juice, garlic, capers, onion and several other condiments to slurp down with. Along with the finest seafood came his bourgeois cocktail offering- Manhattans. The competition was just starting and it was already up many notches! Worried cooks and mixologists hurried from the Half Shell House back to their own stations to make sure their offerings were ready. Probably the classiest stop in the Crawl...

Mel's Mexican Mixers

Stop two was at the north end of camp at Wasko Row. Bosco was at the stove wielding tongs and a colorful hat. His quesadillas melting on his stove were given out to the ravenous Crawlers. A special Waskovian recipe tasting vaguely of Hormel Chili amongst other ingredients, the portions were generous and messy. But the service- the service was the talk of camp. The featured cocktail was called a Waskovian Margarita, placed in small cups by the enthusiastic Bobby and handed out and refilled with gusto (and a bit of skin). Perhaps seeing the level of competition started set so high by Steve, Bobby decided to take his uniform up (or down) a notch. With his shirt unbuttoned and a strategically placed sock in his skivvies (Bosco said he suggested for the placement to be in front rather than in the rear), he whipped around like a country dervish, distributing the Waskovian cocktails and refilling them from a large Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle. "The secret ingredient" Bosco confessed to me. "The only ingredient..." How could the next station stand up to this level of competition and undress?

Uncle Mickey's Island Fusion Hut

The answer of course was the outstanding UMIFH. Uncle Mickey's camping spot had not been chosen at random. With the mountain as his background, easy access to electricity, and the precipitous cliff behind him to discourage snooping, a well-planned station began to take form that afternoon. Rattan covering emerged, camouflaging the UM jeep. The pop up began to sprout island decorations and lighting. A mid-afternoon diplomatic tour of the Rancho, showing off to all his map of the Philippines- where his dad was from, where he had visited- just so happened to be the serving platter for that night. The sounds of island music and a blender cut into the evening. Jackie and UM suddenly appeared in fabulous sarongs. And then the intoxicating smells of skewered monkey began to drift over the camp. It was an assault on all four prizes! The Hut was the happening spot! Located right next door to the Half Shell House, the weary Crawlers recrossed camp to partake in the Fusionary magic. UM in his luau hat from many years ago and Jackie handing out leis started the experience. You were then handed a Yucca Blossom- a delicious cocktail of island origin. Then as you munched on edamame, you were served a skewer of marinated monkey. Delicious! You know, it tasted just like chicken... Then you grabbled a toothpick with Kahlua pig, a complex recipe of hot dog marinated in a secret sauce that included a certain coffee liquor. Actually pretty damn tasty! Of course the hospitality of the host and hostess were top notch. Again, the ingenuity and pure audacity of the MSCC members rose above and beyond once more. The upcoming ballot would have hard choices...

Aaron B & V

Stop number four had the Crawlers recrossing camp to the NW corner and the much hyped Aaron B&V. The decor was minimalistic but they chose their location carefully as it had the best view of the crawl. Vic was in charge of the cocktails and Aaron the appetizer, and that division of labor was very evident. Vic's cocktail was a temporary Waskovian solution- Plan B as it were. Maybe "Bustovian" is a better adjective. His original planned cocktail fell through when he left the ingredients back in OB. Rather than serve nothing at all, he concocted a version of the cocktail he had been drinking all weekend- it's name escapes me. It was a shaken cocktail with several ingredients but some Crawlers were less than enthusiastic about the alcohol content. Let's just agree that it was red and that it was a liquid of some sort. The star of the stop was Aaron's soup. He carefully brought it out of a cooler, cut up the fresh ingredients, and heated it on our stove. It filled our trailer with a delicious scent- I was eager to taste his handiwork. It turned out to be quite chunky- more of a stew than watery soup. It was however delicious and packed a kick of heat as well. This reporter enjoyed it thoroughly and had a second serving. High marks at the Aaron B&V for ambience (the Mountain in the background) and for the soup. And Vic did serve something. That's always a plus...

Reno House of Tapas

The fifth stop I am intimately acquainted with as I was one of the purveyors. Spain, and Spanish food and drink are favorites of ours so we decided to give the Rancho a taste of the tapas of Madrid and of the pintxos of Barcelona. First off, for our cocktail we chose Sangria. A couple of bottles of Spanish wine, some brandy, a little triple sec and lots of different juices and fruits and voila! It certainly was festive. Making them even more festive were the 18 pink plastic wineglasses I found at Goodwill for a dollar. With the appetizer, one kind wouldn't be enough for a true tapas spread. So I marinated olives in garlic, olive oil and herbs for a day at the Rancho for the first tapa. The second was more like a pintxo- jamon de serrano, Spanish manchengo cheese, and an apple slice on a slice of baguette. Very northern Spain. But my favorite tapa, found in Madrid, are fried peppers de Padrone- hot from the oil and lightly topped with course salt. A generator, a $20 deep fryer from Target, a bottle of oil (plus extra from a helpful Vavuska Mooney across the way) and Dios Mio! Yum! I didn't care if others liked them- I ate a couple of dozen :) Our slight attempt at decor amounted to small Spanish and Nevada flags. After what seemed like a blur our ten minutes were up and the crowd moved just across the way to...

Mrs. Emersome's Tasty Bits

Just the name evokes deliciousness! The subtle double entendres were lost on most, but the Mooney stop did not disappoint. At least not at first...

A huge amount of guacamole and chips awaited the hungry ex-tapas crowd. Quesadillas, pronounced "Case-ah-dill-ahs" in this establishment were more traditional than the more traditionally pronounced but spiced-up Wasko versions from earlier. And for their cocktail they offered not one but two kinds of margaritas- regular and strawberry. This is where the controversy started however. When the Assistant Wagonmaster was asked which type he wanted he was also asked if he wanted the glass salted. My poor father said no but Mooney proceeded to salt the glass anyway. What you ask? Where is the controversy in that? Just a botched beverage order, right? However it wasn't the salt that bothered the AWM, it was the salt application process. Most METB's that you see over in England or Mira Mesa use one of those round spongy things to moisten to glass edge to apply the salt. Not this station! Maybe in a Waskovian-inspired dream or maybe because Mooney believes that he is germ-free, he proceeded to lick the glass, get this- with his tongue!- and then dipped it in salt. Now I know that in some cultures in the South Pacific, Oceania and West Derby, this is acceptable cocktail serving behavior, but the Crawlers were aghast at this behavior. Because of this, most limited their margarita intake to 2-3 servings tops...

O.B. Forever!

Our seventh stop in an already epic Crawl was Wayne's O.B. Forever. His decor was deceptive. It seemed very minimal, and then as we moved over to his station near the Half Shell House, the moon appeared on the eastern horizon. Have I mentioned the full moon, cool clouds, and superior sunsets and rises? Wayne planned his placement in the Crawl perfectly. Hungry Crawlers sidled up in the moonlight for delicious "Loadmaster Wraps" and "Herculean" shots of a very fine eight year-old Bacardi Dark Reserve. This was my favorite cocktail. I once had a bottle of the Light Reserve, also eight years-old, but while smooth, it didn't have the civilized flavor and body of Wayne's dark rum. I did not have a wrap (I have an aversion to cheese in sandwiches- just ask my Uncle Steve about Ski Beach) but I made up for it with two servings of rum. Not a bad way to spend part of your evening. Great company. Smooth beverage. All under a huge ovalish golden rising moon...

The Blue Room

The eighth and final non dessert stop was the Myer's Blue Room. Probably the coolest and definitely the bluest station, everything was tinted blue. Blue electric lights hung from the awning. blue plates, shot glasses, napkins, decorations, even blue lit wristbands. Janeen and Bryan had the cool ambiance down, but how were their offerings? Were they up to par with all the previous ones? Yes they were.

Their cocktail was called a C#m Shot. The Cu% Shot was appropriately named. Equal parts chilled Rumchata and Fireball gave it a notorious look. Once you got past the look of it though, it was freaking delicious! Many people had seconds and thirds, including- I am not ashamed to say- me. I heard a bit of social commentary from an anonymous camper, "If the real thing tasted that good, everybody would be much happier!" ;)

Their appetizer was a perfect little slider with bacon and cheese. I'm a simple guy. Since I couldn't vote for my own peppers, the sliders got my vote. They were perfect. I had two... maybe three, but I think two. If we were scoring both together- one score for both appetizer and cocktail, The Blue Room would have had my vote. Yum and cu... yum.

Seasons Greetings!

The Stender-Bouchard consortium put together our first dessert station, Seasons Greetings. It was on the Northeast side of camp, kind of out in the boonies but worth the trek. Campers suddenly felt a winter's chill and heard Xmas music in the distance as they walked between the Blue Room and Seasons Greetings. Around the vehicles, hidden from view was a cozy station, seasonal scents wafting. A complex system awaited the by now intoxicated Crawler. Seemingly dozens of signs spelled out the bountiful goodness offered like some sort of North pole Farmers Market. Their beverage, mulled cider with or without spiced rum was doled out like a Kringle Starbucks, with personalized embossed names on the sides of generous coffee cups. "Victor B!" would be called out by the enthusiastic barista and so named cup would be handed to that particular person. Before you, as you waited for your December Nectar were seemingly dozens of roasted nut varieties, befuddling even the most sober of minds with their descriptions of ingredients and their names derived from prominent Campers. But oh how delicious! Despite the varying types I could only discern through my befuddled palate two main varieties- spiced deliciousness and spiced deliciousness with a bit of cayenne heat. Yum! My mellow glow was warm and spiced as a departed this otherworldly station for...

Desert Desserts!

The Assistant Wagonmaster Ken Bouchard had the last station in the crawl, and he did it up right. While his decor was not as flashy as say the Blue Room or the Island Fusion Hut, it fit his theme (notice the decorations in the bottom right corner). Showing everyone up, he had two appetizers and two cocktails, impeccably paired, as well as some lemonade for the kids. The first selection appealed to the Northern Europeans whilst the second appealed to the Southern. A fine Port wine was paired with dark chocolate and was delicious. Several people exclaimed their delight at the Port. The second pairing was my father's homemade limoncello, paired with vanilla Oreos. Freaking fantastic. All served by the AWM, or should I say 'Is 'Onher, as he broke out the sacred cook hat he usually only wears for Sunday breakfast for this auspicious occasion. The ten minutes turned to fifteen, then twenty as people lingered at his table. As he was the last station, I think I detected a bit of a sad air- people were sorry that the Crawl was ending. I passed out ballots to everyone, and some were still at his table. I then collected them and some were still at his table...

The tallying began in hushed secrecy in the Bouchard trailer. Some races were runaways whilst others were close and one required a tiebreak vote. Armed with the results, I gathered everyone around the fire.

Best Cocktail went to The Blue Room. Everyone loved the heck out of those %um Shots. Close on the Myer's heels was Desert Desserts and The Island Fusion Hut.

Best Appetizer was a tie between us (House of Tapas) and Mel's Mexicali Mixers. As I had the tie breaking vote I awarded the prize to the Wasko boys. Well done Ding & Dong!

Best Decor was a landslide. Uncle Mickey's Island Fusion Hut won with a distant second being the Blue Room. Someone, even though you weren't supposed to vote for yourself voted for Aaron's B&V. Hmmmm.

Finally Best Host/Hostess was anyone's to win. There were many contenders- the Hut, the Blue Room, Desert Desserts, and Mel's, but the winner by two whole votes were Bouchard, Bouchard, & Stender. Kind of has a nice ring to it, right?

A few more campfire games were played as well as night bocce where Bosco didn't win every game and became bitter once more. The usual late night shenanigans included a couple of O-Dee-O's but actually it was a more mellow night and this reporter didn't wait up for the first inklings of dawn like other trips but went to bed at a respectable 1:30am.

Sunday

We had put out a call for cement and buckets, shovels and the saving of water to repair/shore up the crumbling fire ring and at the break of day several intrepid Campers began the process with the accumulated supplies. They first emptied out the fire ring of ash and embers. They then gathered gravel and sand for aggregate and began mixing the cement. Bryan had a mixer that worked perfectly, and from what I'm told Nate, Drew, Bobby, Kenny, Bryan and Mooney, with some officer supervision knocked out the task before breakfast. If I have that crew wrong, forgot someone, then sorry. I was sleeping at the time :)

We had expected to do it after the big traditional communal breakfast but the crew finished it before some of us even awoke. There was some troweling still going on when I got up by the two Uncles. What I though was awesome was the form that I think Bobby made. Two nails, salvaged from around the fire ring holds it together I'm told. One of the Seven Wonders of Mount Signal... Thanks to all whom participated in labor and/or materials!

   The final event of the weekend was of course the communal breakfast. The AWM donned his hat once more and began frying up bacon and mounds of Spam. I deep fried the last of the peppers and some hashbrowns while Mooneys worked on eggs. Uncle Mickey made a salmon dish and the Myers trailer was busy as well with Janeen working her magic inside. Lo and behold, just as we were poised to dig in, a skillet of gravy and platter of biscuits appeared from the former Blue Room! I think that was a Mount Signal first. The biscuits were good, but the gravy was tremendous- full of sausage and velvety smooth <drool>. Needless to say it was a fine breakfast feast in the best traditions of the MSCC. As the morning drew on, Campers somewhat reluctantly packed up, readied their rigs and said their goodbyes. Another fantastic trip in the books. Another whole year to wait until we gather again. What events will we concoct for next trip? Who will win the vaunted cliffside camping spot, Bryan or Mooney? Tune in to the Facebook Group to find out or offer suggestions! Until next time,

Yo dee oh lee oh!