Vintage trailering has been part of our lives since around the year 2000, when my wife Susan and I had a rough-looking 15-foot Traveleze restored by Craig Dorsey of Vintage Vacations. That first trailer was a gem when it was finished—one of Craig’s early contract restorations—and it was featured on the Restoration page of his website for years, complete with dramatic before-and-after photos.
A few years later, we came across a 21-foot park model version of the same Traveleze, this one with a full bath and an opposite-side rear door. The layout was much more livable, but the trailer needed a complete renovation. It took us nearly two years, but we brought it back to life, keeping all of the original appliances (still working perfectly), and retrofitting it with a fresh water tank and gray/black water tanks. It’s been a reliable and comfortable camper ever since.
As regular attendees of Craig’s rallies back in the early days, we were thrilled when Paul and Caroline Lacitinola came onto the scene and began building out a broader rally calendar. Their passion and dedication have created some of the most inviting, fun, and well-run events in the hobby. They work tirelessly to ensure that everyone feels welcome and part of the vintage trailer community, and we make it a point to attend as many of their rallies as we can.
In the fall of 2022, we wanted to do something special to show our appreciation. We gathered about ten longtime friends from the rally scene and invited Paul and Caroline to be our honored guests for a relaxed weekend at Skyline Park in Napa, where we live. The goal? For them to do nothing but kick back, relax, and enjoy a well-deserved break.
Skyline Park is a quiet, rural campground with several full hookup sites—yet it’s just minutes from the charm and amenities of downtown Napa. Among our guests were Will, Kelli, and William Ward, Dan Donovan and Mary, Rob and Jolaine Collins, Perry Nikolakakis, Linda Motty, Wayne and Kathy Ferguson, and Kirk and Sylvia Bronsard. Kirk, by the way, is the force behind “Bad Boyz of BBQ” and the owner of Smoke on the Water, a fantastic restaurant located on Finnon Reservoir near Placerville, CA. He brought his mobile BBQ rig and cooked for us throughout the weekend.
The festivities kicked off on Thursday night with artisan pizza from Foodshed in Napa, delivered right to our campsites. That evening also featured a private wine tasting by Katie Migliavacca and winemaker Vin Traverso of Migliavacca Winery—held right at our site. Friday night, we all dined out at Taqueria Maria, a beloved Mexican restaurant on the banks of the Napa River.
Saturday morning gave us the perfect excuse to stroll through the downtown Napa Farmers Market. Everyone gathered ingredients for an incredible farm-to-table dinner, which Kirk cooked to perfection on his mobile grill. It was a fantastic weekend of laughter, good food, and good company—and a heartfelt way to thank Paul and Caroline for all they’ve given to our community.
Why Smaller Rallies Shine
While large rallies are exciting and energetic, small gatherings like this one remind us why we love vintage trailering in the first place—real connections, great food, and time to actually visit with one another. (See all of the VCT Rallies Here.)
That same spirit can be found at events like the Farm to Trailer Rally in Petaluma and the Sugar Barge Block Party in the Sacramento Delta. These more intimate rallies offer the perfect mix of fun and relaxation: shared meals, regional flavors, and fewer trailers mean more meaningful conversations and memories made.
We’re especially looking forward to the upcoming Farm to Trailer Rally at the KOA in Petaluma next April. Caroline told us that our Napa gathering helped inspire the theme, which makes it even more exciting. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking—literally and figuratively.
