BajaNomad - RV caravans to Cabo

RV caravans to Cabo

Lee - 8-3-2008 at 02:12 PM

Once bumped into a caravan at Malarrimo's in GN (it was 7am and they were lining up ready to shove off so I headed out fast), and another time, another caravan at the Riviera in Loreto (it went from quiet to zoo fast). I never want to do that again.

Nothing bad happened otherwise -- just wouldn't want to be in line somewhere in a 16 RV party.

Guess I'm up for calling all the caravan companies to find out their schedules -- unless there's an easier way?

Anyone have experiences with this group?

rpleger - 8-3-2008 at 05:42 PM

What is the question?
What are you asking?

Lee - 8-3-2008 at 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rpleger
What is the question?
What are you asking?

Is there a week or month that caravans head South? How can I avoid caravans?

Pescador - 8-3-2008 at 06:35 PM

Simple, just travel on the 4 lane highway on the Mainland!!

For sure we don't want all those people with RV's cluttering up the highway in Baja.

jodiego - 8-3-2008 at 06:44 PM

Caravans are like a van pulling up to my quiet little surf spot and 8 guys jumping out with surfboards. They're there to have fun too, but I would much rather avoid them. You ever try passing a caravan of RV's on the 1? All he's asking is if there is a time of year when caravans are prevalent. No need to get snippy.

Diver - 8-3-2008 at 06:50 PM

There were fewer caravans and fewer campers last year than we had seen in the year or 2 before.
Last year we saw very few caravans in December, a few in January and many more in February and March.
I foresee another slower than normal caravan year due the US economy and the continued publicity on violence in Mexico; fine with me !

DianaT - 8-3-2008 at 06:50 PM

Check the different caravan web sites---google it and they will come up. But from what we have seen, they start around October and go through around March---but that is not an absolute.

If you want to trave to Baja that time of year, the caravans will be there. But most of them have a set agenda, so there are lots of places they do not go. Some people are just more comfortable traveling that way.

Diane

bajamigo - 8-3-2008 at 07:11 PM

I think it has a lot to do with the skills of the caravan leader. My neighbor runs caravans for Vagabundos del Mar to Cabo and the Yucatan. He stresses the necessity of maintaining ample spaces between rigs so that they can be relatively easily passed. His wife drives the chase car so that nobody gets lost.

There is nothing more irritating (or scary) than looking at the possibility of passing ten to fifteen RVs at once because they're all bunched up.

DENNIS - 8-3-2008 at 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee
How can I avoid caravans?

Drive west.

ncampion - 8-4-2008 at 07:31 AM

From what I hear from the RV parks that they frequent, most if not all caravans have cancelled they plans for the coming season (Dec - Mar) due to economy and reports of violence. That's fine with me.

Bob and Susan - 8-4-2008 at 08:07 AM

"There were fewer caravans and fewer campers last year than we had seen in the year or 2 before"

that's funny ...

i travel the road ALOT and
saw more caravans last year

lots of people came in motorhomes and BIG trailers

this year expect MORE with the price of gas and
diesel lower than the usa and
the price of RV's cheaper than ever

Bajaboy - 8-4-2008 at 08:10 AM

I agree with Diver....seems like the number of caravans is down compared to 4 or 5 years ago. But that's only my observation.

Zac

Iflyfish - 8-5-2008 at 07:04 AM

I have read that the Copper Canyon train no longer piggy backs RVs. This is a major source of RV caravans in the Baja. We met a number of these caravans in the Baja two years ago. Come down from Texas, cross at Santa Rosalia and then head south. They mainly went from one RV park to another and from our perspective saw little of the Baja and talking with them didn't like what they saw, herded like sheep from one watering hole to another, silver hair, gaudy jewelry and lots of complaints about Mexico and Mexicans.

Iflyfish

bajabound2005 - 8-5-2008 at 07:19 AM

Mid January through the middle of March is when there are typically caravanning the Baja.

capt. mike - 8-5-2008 at 01:21 PM

well maybe its the $4-5 a gal gas they have to buy before they get to the border?

answer is to fly over them.

Cypress - 8-5-2008 at 01:31 PM

Caravans?

They're a mobilized trailer park. :lol:

Pescador - 8-5-2008 at 06:26 PM

I was pretty negative about the caravans because I thought I was in a hurry when I wanted to get to La Paz or something, but I thought about it for a long time and spent a little time with some of the caravans at the RV park in La Paz and came to the realization that most of the people there in the caravan would have been ill advised to try to make the trip on their own. One guy trying to park, tore off the mirrors on his neighbors new motorhome, and finally had to get someone to park his rig for him. Without romantisizing the whole issue, I likened it to covered wagons in the wild, wild west and realized that for most of the people I witnessed, they would not stand a chance of experiencing the baja on their own but you could sure see the lights in the eyes of the participants when you asked them how they liked Baja so far.
I do have a real gripe against the poorly run caravans who do not spread out and let you pass when they are barrelling down the road at a whopping 25 MPH.

Lauriboats - 8-7-2008 at 07:41 AM

We have past large caravans on numerous occassions. I remember passing a large group of around 18 and asking my husband to pull over so that I could use the bathroom, never forget the look he gave me, needless to say I held it awhile.

For RVers -- and full size trucks

Lee - 8-7-2008 at 08:11 AM

I've just checked 2-3 caravans all leaving about the same time -- first week and middle of January.

I've had one unfortunate incident that bears repeating.

I was headed South and going up a not too steep hill near San Ignacio. A caravan headed the other way had a ''fifth wheeler'' coming down the hill too fast, he was on the center line, and had a death grip on his steering wheel. I made eye contact and saw the fear of God on face. I started screaming (to no one). The shoulder drop off on my right side was steep and rocky and I didn't think I'd survive.

I thought I was about to get hit headon -- this guy clipped my RV driver mirror smashing it. I was thankful the mirror didn't swing around smashing my door window. There was no place to stop so I made it to San Ignacio. Couldn't find a ''mirror'' and switched out the passenger mirror to the driver's side. I was then ''blind'' on the passenger side -- and that made driving in La Paz (during a heavy rainstorm that left all side streets flooded) nerve racking.

As another caravan pulled into the Riviera in Loreto, I met a Rver driving a Class A who had also had his driver mirror smashed by a passing RV caravan that day.

I now have the mirror turned inward as close to my vehicle as I can.

DianaT - 8-7-2008 at 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lauriboats
We have past large caravans on numerous occassions. I remember passing a large group of around 18 and asking my husband to pull over so that I could use the bathroom, never forget the look he gave me, needless to say I held it awhile.

After passing a caravan, no stopping is ever allowed---one can explode or starve, but there will be no stopping---I think it is one of those Driving Baja rules.

Diane

Baja&Back - 8-7-2008 at 08:50 AM

Bajabound has it about right - mid Jan to mid March. And, yes, there are less caravans travelling the Highway each year lately.

A lot of you remember when caravans of 25 or more hogged the road & emptied stores and Pemexes. Most operators responded to that complaint and split up their caravans into smaller groups. They do try.

Ourselves, we are doing 3 tours in 2009 - 1 in Jan & 2 in Feb.
A sign on the back of the tailgunner's rig shows what CB channel we monitor. Call us up & we'll help you thru the caravan with our radios & left turn signals, like we do with the semis and ABC busses.

Any Nomad who sees the Baja and Back red Dodge & Crossterrain fiver in an RV park, come on over. We always have a cold brown for you!!! :tumble: