So, Just What is a Caravan?

The Newmar Kountry Klub Grand Circle Caravan is the first caravan in which Dorcas and I have participated.  We tend to be very independent and flexible travelers, and a caravan is anything but that.  Caravans are very popular with many RVers, particularly those who like for others to do the thinking and planning for them.  There is also a big social aspect to a caravan.  When traveling with 25 other couples for about a month, you tend to generate some strong friendships.  Many caravans are operated by for-profit companies and will have RVs of many different makes and types.  Newmar Kountry Klub (NKK) is the Newmar owners club, and only NKK members with Newmar RVs can participate.  NKK only charges for actual costs, and the hosts and co-hosts receive no salary. Consequently, the NKK caravans are generally cheaper than the commercially operated caravans.  Also, since all attendees are NKK members and own the same make of RV, there is an extra element of camaraderie. 

Travel meeting and melon social at Torrey UT

So, how does it all work?  On this caravan there were 23 paying coaches plus a host coach and a co-host coach (sometimes called a tail gunner) totaling 25 coaches.  All coaches and towed vehicles were assigned a number and provided a 12" placard for each vehicle. We were #23, presumable because we were last alphabetically.  The host coach placard said "H" and the co-host placard said "CH". Duh!  Contrary to the plain meaning of a "caravan" we do not travel down the road nose-to-tail creating a a huge traffic jam and major travel hazard.  At some point before each travel day we have a "travel meeting". Usually the travel meeting for the next move is in the afternoon after everyone has arrived at camp and set up after the previous travel day.  Jerry and Sue are our hosts and Steve and Laurie are our co-hosts.  They conduct the travel meeting and run a tight ship. At the travel meeting a beginning departure time and arrival window for the next camp is announced.  The route is described and any interesting stops are discussed.  Lots are drawn and each coach is assigned a departure group, designated as groups A, B, C and D.  Group A departs first and each subsequent group departs 15 minutes later than the previous group.  All coaches have an FRS band walkie talkie, and there is a radio check ~1/2 hour prior to the first departure, and coaches are advised via radio when their groups can depart.  

The Host coach would depart ~2 hours prior to the other participating coaches.  They would scout the route, and report any notable travel conditions or points of interest. They would also check in at the campground and prepare for the arrival of the other coaches.  Another couple, Jim and Cindy, were parking volunteers and would also depart early and facilitate arrival and parking at each park.  The Co-hosts would bring up the rear and, ideally, not let any other coach get behind them.  If you pulled off the route or made a stop you were to let the Co-hosts know when and where you stopped and when you hit the road again.  Again, it was a tight ship.

With the staggered departures and everyone traveling at their own pace and stopping at will along the way,  we all got pretty strung out, which was a good thing for the general traveling public. As often as not we would not see another of our member coaches on the road traveling to our next camp.  About 1 mile from our camp we would call in on the radio and advise of our impending arrival.  One of the advance crew would flag us down at the entrance to the park and the others would direct us turn-by-turn directly to our campsite, all without the need to check in at the campground office.  Most sites were pull-throughs, so we didn't even need to disconnect our towed vehicles.  SWEET!.  After setting up and getting settled we would usually have a social and travel meeting for our next move.  Travel day milage was relatively short; our longest day was 173 miles, our shortest was 52 miles.  Layover time ranged from 1 night to five nights.  

While it was a very enjoyable trip, it was much more structured than we like.  Many of our excursions and tours were on a tour bus. You just can't see much from a moving bus and when you stop, it takes 10 minutes to off-load, and another 10 minutes to re-board, leaving little time to explore the stop. On our rare free days Dorcas and I often doubled back to the same areas visited on the bus in order to spend more time and explore more fully.  But we must have had a pretty good time.  We have signed on to another NKK caravan to the Canadian Maritime provinces next summer.