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Old 06-20-2014, 12:13 PM   #1
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Name: Norm and Ginny
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RV Caravans/Tours

We were camped at Gateway to the North near Deer Lake, NL (a $17 Passport Park with WiFi) when a 15 motorhome Caravan arrived so we ended up parked in the midst of the big boys.

We have never traveled with a Caravan and I suspect most on this site won't but if you're thinking about it here are a few observations.

The cost of a 30 day caravan to the maritime provinces including 10 days in Newfoundland was $5400 for two plus the round trip ferry cost (about $1000 for these guys).

Ten days in Newfoundland means to see any thing you're doing daily driving of about 150 miles, for these guys that means another $100 a day for diesel. Fortunately diesel is slightly less expensive than gasoline here.

For us the driving costs a lot less because when we stop at a Provincial Park or a campground, we usually stay for 4 days to a week. We get around for a week on a tank of gas exploring this and that. This group gets virtually no time for exploring. It seems like drive, planned event and than the next day.

When we get to a place like Fogo Island where the icebergs are literally everywhere in record numbers, we want to stay to get our fill. Schedules would kill us. One may never get the opportunity that this year provides for icebergs, we local people in their 80s who have never seen such numbers.

Speaking of local people by staying awhile you get to meet the people. We had one retired man and an author who stopped by a number of times to chit chat with us on Fogo. That does not happen on one day stops. Getting to understand the lives of the people, lives different than ours, is an opportunity to live a little of their lives.

Yesterday we drove out to Jackson's Arm< NL. WE stopped in a small place for lunch, actually the only place. The lady who waited us asked us how far we had driven, we said to the end of the road.... we always drive to the end of the road. Driving the road to Jackson Arm means we've now driven every road in Newfoundland. Everyone of them has some sort of surprise.

Cost and schedule would prevent us from traveling by Caravan. We've been on the road for about 7 weeks, almost twice as long, and will probably spend half the amount of the Caravan participants.

I know some people like the togetherness, and I suppose safety of caravans. We like friendly groups as well. However we find most people in campgrounds to be friendly as well as safe. In North America you can't find a safer place than Newfoundland.

Just some thoughts,
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Old 06-20-2014, 05:42 PM   #2
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I feel perfectly safe when traveling and camping alone, and I have a bit of a 'loner' streak. Like you, I despise being on a schedule when vacationing. So a caravan would not appeal to me at all, either.

I wonder if you should have left just one road untraveled, so you'd have an unexplored place when you return next time? As much as you like NL, I do hope you get back there again.
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Old 06-21-2014, 03:17 AM   #3
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After you've driven them all you now have favorites that you'd like to spend more time at. This year on really rural and out of the way Change Island we met a Peter Porter who is building a Bully Boat, an old time wooden boat. He's cut the wood himself, scouring the woods to select shapes for the ribs. He hopes to launch next spring. I'd really like to be there.

Peter also has a little museum and a 5 site just above primitive campground with nice hiking trails adjoining.

Next time in Newfoundland it will be 'old' favorites.

Have a nice summer Mike.....
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Old 06-21-2014, 07:00 AM   #4
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Shades of Wally Bynum Airstream Caravans. Did they have the usual pecking order of Privates to Sergeants to Captains to Generals ?

But it must be helpful for those behemoth motorhome owners to have yet another way to spend money and not have to deal with any real challenges other than figuring out which wine to serve with dinner tonight. And heaven forbid, don't ever ask to make a left turn.....

As Norm correctly commented, it's not for most of us.....

Motto of the Caravan traveler: If it's Tuesday this must be ????"



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Old 06-21-2014, 04:57 PM   #5
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Bob,
I think part of the Caravan is not having to plan for travel in an area that might be different and not being alone should something happen to the rig. It's certainly a form of expensive security,

I think most on the site are more adventure some. The reality of it is that Newfoundland is the safest province in Canada and safer than any state. Though I might be a little bias I feel it is also home to the friendliest people.

The two big things for me are the schedule and really high cost.

Wine is expensive in Canada. We always carry 2 liters or so (3 bottles) and this year came back with 3 plus one gift bottle from a Canadian friend.

As an aside, this year we carried a case of Orange Blossom Honey to give to sweet people we met.
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Old 06-21-2014, 09:19 PM   #6
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Driving on a schedule along with many others doesn't appeal to me at all. I also loathe meeting up with one of these caravans when travelling the highway. Everyone to their own thing, I guess. I don't even want to lug a fully equipped house when I go camping - to me Small Is Beautiful!.
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Old 06-21-2014, 09:32 PM   #7
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Aren't we glad we're not all the same. Otherwise those boondocking sites you covert would be full of others like you. So it goes with caravan groups....
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Old 06-22-2014, 02:34 AM   #8
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Donna,

Certainly I don't mind that there are people with different desires or ways than me on the road. One of the best aspects of travel are people and the differences. I spent a considerable time talking to one of the Caravan members, a delightful person, yet who had no concept of what he was missing. Of course to most of them money was not an issue.

Hazel,
I was surprised by the Caravan's road manners, they all left for their next destination in a 10 minutes interval, potentially clogging the narrow, twisty, hilly road to Gros Morne. I used to think that Caravans drove on a scattered schedule to not choke roads.

As to dragging a fully equipped house, I've come to realize we do carry a fully equipped house in our Scamp, it's just that we require less equipment than we used to carry. Our vision of what's needed to live is simply smaller.

Safe travels to you both.
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Old 06-22-2014, 06:16 AM   #9
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Caravaning

A good topic Norm....

Whatever you are towing or towing with it is great to live on a continent that has so many options for traveling and RVing. Caravaning, boondocking, private parks, or Provincial/National parks.

Like many here we like the freedom to come and go as we please with no schedules.

Back in the 60's our family belong to a Caravan club of 50 trailers. Today we go where there is nature around us. Best in a quiet place with the sounds of nature. The caravan thing where we would be jammed in a field with a 100 other rigs is just not our thing. Having choices is a good thing!
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Old 06-22-2014, 07:19 AM   #10
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Yep, when I see either of the above images in my windshield my blood runs cold and I hope their not headed to the same place we are..... usually they are not.

But I have experienced some very rude looks when I dared to break into "their" line with my FGRV mini-motorhome when passing....

Looking at the TV's in the lower pics really dates the pics to the "Old Daze"



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Old 06-22-2014, 07:44 AM   #11
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It's always good to hear from Norm and Ginny. Safe travels folks!

My brother and his wife have been motor homers for a very long time, and now have this huge motor home (maybe a Foretravel?) with like the biggest diesel pusher you can get. Mountains (and mileage) are of no concern to them. They live here (but north of Albany on the Hudson River - where we will have our 1st egg rally in August), and Yuma AZ in the winter. They regularly "do" caravans, and have only great things to say about most of the participants. They for years have tried to get us out of tents and into a motor home. I thought about it, but the reality is it's out of my league.

Since we started with trailers a few short years ago, 1st it was tiny travel trailers and teardrops, and rallies we'd go to with our vintage Sunline Sunspot. Great folks, and a few who owned big motor homes, but enjoyed the camaraderie of the tiny travel trailer types. Then we moved up in size to another Sunline, similar in dimension to our ParkLiner, and went to Sunline rallies. More good folk! Once we decided we were done with tent camping, we explored all potential avenues that would match our interest, budget and taste. Eggs seemed to match fine. We have found egg people to be great folks also.

Same for our classic boating meets & friends, hot rod shows and cruise-ins. Each to their own. As long as you're having fun, right?

As for me, I have 1/2 the ParkLiner washed and waxed, and need to get out there and finish it. Boy it looks nice. I can't wait for the sun to come around and hit it!

Enjoy!

Frank
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Old 06-22-2014, 07:54 AM   #12
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Gee, Mountains (45 MPH is fine) and MPG's (16-17 MPG) are of no concern for us either, but we don't have to take an apartment along with us to enjoy the world.

As a basic comparison.... When you see a park full of behemoth motorhomes everyone is inside (unless they are outside watching the 50" flat screen in the baggage garage).

When you see a park full of small towables there will always be a lot of peeps outside, enjoying where they are at, not what they arrived in.

BTW: There used to be a magazine that catered to the high end behemoth/bus crowd. It was called "Arriving" as if that was more important than anything else in the experience.



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Old 06-22-2014, 08:07 AM   #13
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Whatever Bob. I still say each to their own.

We tent camped for 4 decades, and still have a good Eureka tent. We've gone through 3 or 4 of them over the years, including their Northwoods Lodge when the kids were little. As tent campers, and former mountain climbers and ambitious hikers, we're oriented towards living in the outdoors. I don't climb mountains anymore though, and can hike a bit, as long as there aren't slopes involved.

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Old 06-22-2014, 11:10 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by frank_a View Post
Whatever Bob. I still say each to their own.

We tent camped for 4 decades, and still have a good Eureka tent.
Frank
Frank... the best tent I ever owned was an Eureka Silverdome. Twice I used it in sub 0F winter weather.
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Old 06-22-2014, 02:35 PM   #15
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Back to the fully equipped house

Being able to make different choices is great. I have nothing against motorhomes (had one) and caravans. The motorhome was fun and we made 3 loops of the USA, trip to Alaska and a coulpe trips to Newfoundland, all were fun. Personally a Caravan doesn't fit my lifestyle.

Ginny and I often talk about what we no longer need to live. Probably the most important is that we don't need a large space. Though we like having a night time bathroom I'm sure we could manage in a 13. Living small has been great and we have never felt the need for more.

Additionally we no longer need a microwave, permanent bed, oven, tea pot, freezer, so many dishes, pots and utensils. No mixer, blender required. No ice cubes and no TV for the last 7 weeks. We each read 6 books, 5 the same books and a book of Newfoundland poetry. Five the books were the same books and made for good discussion. I'm sure there's more we live without, actually much more, but I'm not thinking about it because we don't miss whatever....
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Old 06-22-2014, 06:06 PM   #16
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No Kettle??? Sorry, that's just a little to primitive for me....lol

At home and on the road; wake up - put on the kettle - visit the loo - start the day.



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Old 06-22-2014, 06:39 PM   #17
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Bob.

We actually like tea, became drinkers in Ireland. However in the states coffee dominates our mornings. When we make tea in the trailer we simply boil water in a pot, a small simplification. At home we have a kettle, teapots and special cups, mostly gifts from a big Irish family over 5 decades.

It's fun to muse over what can go.
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Old 06-22-2014, 07:02 PM   #18
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I actually cruise Thrift shops for really small kettles (to save space of course) and pay them forward as I collect them. There's nothing better on a cold morning than to hear the whistle of the kettle telling you that the water is ready and that the FGRV is warmed up a bit..... BTW: We prefer Café D' Vita Mocha Cappuccino, it's from Chino (CA) not China...... But we also have a 16oz French press for coffee.



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Old 06-23-2014, 02:10 PM   #19
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Bob,

There's no doubt making a cup of tea can quickly warm up our small trailers.

In some ways we've changed so much since we began our travels, one is the accumulation of things, not just in the trailer but also in our home. While in Newfoundland we saw some beautiful artwork we would have bought in the past, our home is loaded with painting to attest to our past, however we bought nothing.

We just, late in life for sure, recognize that we really don't need most of these things. Now as we seriously think about selling our NH home, we wonder where the things will go.

Still changing at 71....
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