Experience caravaning? Small groups or pairs?

[Yogidog]

This came up on another thread and got me thinking...has anyone had a positive expereince with caravanning? Or how do u all do it?

 

[Yogidog]

All four of us are pretty brand new to group travel or camping

 

[ArtW]

I have always had good experiences caravanning, and usually good ones on group rides
The trick is to do it with like minded individuals, who like socialization
and are willing to stay together for the sake of the group, especially stragglers
A more independent type, who likes to roll the superslab at top legal (or extralegal) speed is not going to want to do this
A more social type who's willing to roll slower and compromise in order to keep a group together is gonna love it

It also depends a LOT on your lead driver / rider
I like state highways and country roads at a slower pace, so if I'm leading an caravan it's easy to keep up
I have ridden through San Antonio with a guy as group leader who liked to try to stuff 3 bikes into holes sized for 1, and that doesn't work as well
As soon as i saw that, I separated from the group (after letting them know) and then caught back up to them later between SA and the next dinky little town we hit, and we regrouped at a gas station

 

[KASibson]

We've done a caravan, but it was more a "we're all taking the same route and planning to stop at the same places".
This was in the days before cell phones. We didn't worry about being in visual contact or anything, but we usually could see at least the caravan car ahead of us and behind us. Nowadays it would be much easier to just call someone's cell phone if you got in trouble.

 

[DannyB1954]

I came across a web site today that kind of specialists in caravans. http://rvsingles.org/ One of their rules is that you don't mind being around couples, so I take it that it is open to all. The way they put it
To Join You Must Be:
★ Single
★ Responsible, Respectful, and Respectable
★ Able to be in a group where some are paired
★ You do not have to own any type of RV to be a member
★ When you travel with the WINs, it must be in a vehicle in which you can eat, sleep, cook, bathe and go to the toilet, even if all facilities are portable

What they say about themselves:
We have 60 to 120 caravans, circuits, and gatherings each year. We do a multitude of activities during our travels, such as kayaking, hiking, biking, sightseeing, zip lining, boat tours, museums, plays, factory tours, and more. Many of us love history, and we go see where history actually happened. Whatever you want to do in traveling, most likely we’re already doing it.

I looked at some of their upcoming dates and it looks like they don't boondock much. Mostly casinos and campgrounds.

 

[MrNoodly]

My caravanning experience is with people I already knew. We were traveling together because we were friends. So the social aspect was fine. Leading the group was stressful, though. I ended up being the leader by default because I had already been where we were going. I don't like leading. I don't like being responsible for others. I don't like constantly looking in my mirrors to see if everyone is still back there and doing fine. It would be great if we all had headsets and were sharing a communication channel. I wouldn't have had to struggle with keeping everyone in sight. I could have given instructions like, "Okay, were going to turn up here, so get over in the left lane. Then we're going to make a right almost immediately.. Are you with me?"

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A lot of people bad mouth cb radios as being useless these days.  But I've read a few blog posts of people who've done caravans up the Alcan to Alaska.  Turns out there are commercial companies who organize and run such trips.  And if you sign up with one of them, you're told that a cb is mandatory in your rig.

 

[cyndi]

Caravanning is ok, on a limited basis, for limited amounts of time. I'm more of a see you when I/you arrive person.

I don't like leading and I don't like following.

 

[Almost There]

I did a lot of caravanning back in the 70's and 80's with the various van clubs. Biggest was over a 100 vans all the way from just north of Toronto ON to Bowling Green KY. That one took us 16 hours IIRC.

I didn't have to lead, I just had to follow. But I was involved in the planning operation - all vehicles were placed in specific order, CB's spread out, persons responsible for divisions, gas stations planned and notified of approximate time of arrival etc. etc.

They were great when we were driving questionable vehicles in that when one broke down, someone else was detailed to stay with the breakdown and help. Back then we relied on CB radios, today we're all just a cell call away!

And then we did the smaller caravans of friends going the same direction at the same time. I remember some memorable and some not so  memorable sight seeing excursions.

Today I prefer the 'meet you there when you get there' method. I'll gladly join friends in going to the same place but given a choice I won't do a deliberate caravan.

I'm the type that starts with a full tank, is ready to leave on time, drives at a steady reasonable speed and obeys the speed limit unless it's 80 (then I'm doing 60). I also don't take a half hour at the gas station wandering around the store looking at things.

I find it's hard to find other people of the same mindset. I guess I'm lacking in patience - I really dislike the hurry up and wait that I find myself subjected to a lot of the time.

 

[Reno]

I'm the type that starts with a full tank, is ready to leave on time, drives at a steady reasonable speed and obeys the speed limit unless it's 80 (then I'm doing 60). I also don't take a half hour at the gas station wandering around the store looking at things.

I find it's hard to find other people of the same mindset. I guess I'm lacking in patience - I really dislike the hurry up and wait that I find myself subjected to a lot of the time.

This

 

[Yogidog]

Incredibly helpful information, thank u! Art I will come say hi, probably after first 14 day stay, thanks for offer

 

[akrvbob]

Find the Walmarts at the end of each day and plan to gather their after independent travel. That's harder to do in West Texas, but the same basic idea applies-find someplace everyone meets after a day of travel.
Bob