Caravan

Although we spent most of the first day touring coaches at the Hershey RV show, we also spent a few hours going through the various booths that offer products and services for RV owners.

This is one of the display areas at the show:

It was here that we spent about 30 or 40 minutes talking with Chris from Fantasy RV Tours. She and her husband Vern are travel ambassadors for that company and they serve as WagonMasters or TailGunners on a caravan.

Chris and Vern live in their RV full-time. They are also in a Dutch Star.

Although I know part of our interaction was focused on getting us to sign up for a rally or a caravan, we spent a lot of the time talking about how to live the latter part of our lives. Chris is approaching her late 60s — I think she said she was 68 — whereas Lorraine and I turn 60 in a few months time.

Chris was very passionate about the need to reinvent yourself as you get older and to follow your dreams before it gets too late.

She gave me a gift that afternoon, a gift of clarity of purpose and of focus and passion in terms of the adventures ahead. Chris and Vern were living their dreams. Not everyone can do that.

We are not sure if we will sign up for a caravan or not. A caravan can be defined this way:

Caravans are comprised of a group of independent RV Travelers who join a professional tour with a pre-planned travel itinerary including reservations for camping, events, excursions and selected meals. The independent travelers meet at a predetermined ‘Rally Point’ and become a group – guided by professional teams, WagonMaster & TailGunner, we collectively call Travel Ambassadors. Generally speaking, our groups travel between the teams – but not in convoy. As a guest you are able to choose the stops along the route that interest you – knowing that your TailGunner is behind the last traveler and will stop to assist anyone along the route that needs it. Each planned destination you arrive at will have a campsite waiting, and planned events secured prior to your arrival. Additionally, our Travel Ambassadors are available to assist you with optional activities in the area that are not included in the scheduled itinerary to make the most of your vacation.

Chris suggested that we try a rally first. A rally is simply a single meeting place from where organized events take place. As we are members of Newmar Kountry Klub, we will probably just take advantage of one of their rallies next year. The cost is very reasonable and we can get a feel as to whether we would try a tour operator’s rally or caravan.

Although if all of the travel ambassadors are like Chris, I think we would have a great time travelling in one of their caravans.