Texas Hill Country Unit

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The Texas Hill Country Unit (THCU) of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI) was created by Airstreamers whose hearts and minds were set on that spirit of the frontier. Three members of the Texas Unit began meeting in the fall of 1965 to design and formulate a new club specifically for the hill country of central Texas. Hamp Millender provided organizational leadership. Jack Bursley wrote bulletins and maintained records. George Lieser led in the enlistment of new members. The new club was established and received a WBCCI charter dated January 20, 1966. By the end of 1966 THCU had 180 unit memberships. It continued to be one of the larger WBCCI units until some members of the unit decided to expand further to form the Highland Lakes Unit of WBCCI in March 1981.

1980-1981 was also the year that one of our members, Andy Kaiser with the first lady Bea, took over the presidency of WBCCI. The Kaiser’s leadership at the international level proved the quality of people in the THCU. Our members have regularly assumed roles of leadership at the unit, regional and international levels.

In 1995 THCU established the Viva San Antonio Fiesta Rally that developed into an official WBCCI Special Events Rally that was conducted each April during the Fiesta celebration. Sadly, 2004 was the last year THCU sponsored the Fiesta Rally. The demands of running a premier National Rally exceeded THCU’s available first class volunteer force. The volunteers workers were just plain wornout and no relief was in sight.

Our unit members mainly reside along the I 35 corridor from Austin to Troy. However, we have members that live as far west as Fredericksburg and Brownwood, as far north as Brownwood, as far east as Conroe and as far south as San Antonio. As you can see we cover a large geographic area. Some of our members are retired, some are working full time, some have preschool children, and many have traveling pets.

Historically, the Unit has 6 to 8 rallies every year and 2 luncheons. Our rallies begin on a Wednesday and end on Sunday. However, members do come and leave as their schedule dictates. Come for a day or come for a long weekend. You are always welcome. Please check our Rally Schedule to see where we have been and where we are going.

The Wally Byam Creed continues to guide our approach to travel in our Airstreams. First, “to place the great wide world at your doorstep for you who yearn to travel with all the comforts of home.”

Come join us and become apart of the next chapter in the rich history of the THCU.