Caravans -- Summer 2020

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HOWA’s ethics have compelled us to cancel the Summer Caravans to remove, what we believe to be, the likelihood that attendees will contract the virus from one another.

Yet, we have heard a wide range of other opinions about what nomads are willing to do to share a camp--
  • Some will follow any guidelines just to be able to camp together,
  • Some believe no one is at risk of contracting the virus when camping together, and
  • Some will take actions to safeguard their health and believe their campmates will do the same.

We recognize and honor that nomads are mostly independent people who greatly resist being told what to do. Nomads who want to camp together will naturally gather with like-minded others. To support this individuality, we are offering two new venues for those in the mobile community to make plans in an independent and self-reliant manner. 

Although the purpose is the same for both of these venues, they are stand alone services.  That is, information is not shared between the two places.

In these new venues, you'll connect with other nomads and make plans to camp together. Based upon HOWA and CRVL’s experiences with group camping, we’d like to lend some ideas for you to consider as you interact in theses new groups.

First: Ideas to keep you and your campmates healthy during the pandemic--
  • If another group's camp is in the area, set your camp a large span (~200 yd) away,
  • Set up your camp in a wide-open area,
  • Park personal rigs more than ~10 yd from one another,
  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer regularly,
  • Avoid going in each other’s rigs,No physical contact with each other or sit closer than 6 feet apart,
  • Wear a mask if interacting closer than 6 feet apart,
  • Avoid sharing any common surfaces/items,
  • Encourage daily check-ins among your campmates, and
  • If someone stays in your camp whose practices make you feel unsafe, then leave. For this reason, have alternant plans to go elsewhere if needed.
These suggestions are based on CDC's COVID-19 BEST PRACTICES -- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Second: Ideas to find a location for your camp--
  • Use http://FreeCampSites.net to research possible locations to have a camp,
  • Scout locations to see if they will suit your group’s needs. Consider –
    • Free to camp, or agreed upon maximum dollar amount/night to camp,
    • Good weather,
    • Accessible by all rigs -- cars, vans, and RVs,
    • Legal place to camp (check with local ranger station about location and stay limits),
    • Legal campfire (check with local ranger station),
    • Sufficient Cell and Data Service,
    • Close enough to town for supplies, trash disposal, RV dumps, etc.,
  • Plan to spend a good amount of time driving around in order to physically scout possible camp locations.
  • Camps change over time and the information on FreeCampSites.net may be out of date, for example --
    • Another group may already be camping at the spot you want, 
    • Mosquitoes may be intolerable,
    • The road in may have been washed out, etc.
  • Use satellite view on mapping programs to get an idea of the lay of the land for your potential camps, it may save you a scouting trip.

Third: Ideas to find possible summer camp locations--
  • Put the name of the town into http://FreeCampSites.net. View camp options within a 100+ mile radius.
  • Location ideas in the western states.
    • Leadville, CO
    • Bend, OR
    • Medford, OR
    • Olympia, WA
    • Ellensburg, WA
    • Bellingham, WA
  • In the summer, the good weather is typically found in forests and at higher elevations. In these locations, level ground is hard to find. In addition, plant life restricts the number of rigs will fit in any one place. As such, most summer camps will accommodate no more than 12 rigs, and usually 5 or less.

Fourth: Ideas to give the mobile community a good reputation--
  • Avoid areas where your group camp would damage the plant life,
  • Leave your camp location in better condition than you found it,
  • Use existing campfire rings when possible, dismantle those you build, and
  • Pack it in, pack it out.
 
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