warning, avoid nogales on Jan 10

In years past Caravans would find a marshaling area NOB and either send rv'rs across say every 15 minutes or they would split the caravan in 2 NOB and get together further down the road. The "hogging" of services is why many do not like Caravans. I hope your caravan does not travel like an elephant train!

Moisheh

Guess everyone in the convoy will get their FMM and TIP on-line so the process will be very quick

Nope, since I just took one across northbound last week,no time to baby sit all of them through that process. That is why I am giving people here a heads up.either way it is supporting rving in mexico. I would say 25% end up returning on their own.that is good for everyone. We will of course let some individuals go ahead as long as we can all make it to Faustos in hermosillo before dark

Babysit through a simple on-line application??? Surely that option would be just part of the pre-trip WRITTEN instructions and information pack that you would give everyone several weeks before they leave. No?

Must admit my knowledge of US Caravan procedures is confined to one amusing experience down in Mexico when a caravan arrived with much huffing and puffing of certain individuals and a belated realisation by some that they really should have practiced reversing a fiver or big MH in something smaller than a 5 acre field before they left home, followed by an hour of the senior huffer and puffer haranguing everyone sitting around in a big circle followed by three hours of bingo - all done through a cheap PA system turned to maximum volume and maximum distortion. Guess they eventually did get to experience a little bit of the local 'flavour' to compensate them for the huge costs of their adventure.

as long as we can all make it to Faustos in hermosillo before dark

which would be assured if all had their FMM and TIPs already in their sweaty hands when they lined up to get them stamped. 17 rigs each saving 15 minutes of paperwork is ----- a loooonnnng time.

Actually I just remembered another experience of a caravan - or convoy. Up north on the way to Alaska. 20 large motorhomes all sequentially numbered front and back and a couple marked "Staff". At the stop we could hear the radio calls Caravan 1 rolling........ Caravan 2 rolling ......Caravan 3 rolling ....... all the way up to Caravan 20 rolling.

The silliness and lack of consideration isn't confined to the USA of course. A few years ago someone organized an outback tag-a-long tour from Adelaide to Birdsville up the Birdsville track. Half way up a major river was in flood and a ferry was started up again after sitting idle in a dry river bed for donkey's years. 35 RVs hit the ferry at once which could only fit one large vehicle on at a time with a turn around time of more than half an hour. Blood is still boiling over that fiasco.

You are a gentleman and a scholar.

So nice of you to post the information. Unfortunately, many/most people don't use the message boards like we do.

We have been incountry since November, and won't leave until mid-March.


Thank you for the heads up.

Your warning shows an amount of arrogance. Reads like this: We will be there stay away until we are gone as we deserve special treatment. It is incumbent on you as the wagonmaster to make sure that this caravan does not interfere with traffic flow and borders. If it requires baby sitting then do it! Caravans suck!!!!

Moisheh

Might be my inexperience, but I think it might be cool to be part of a caravan. Seems like posting a "warning" on a message board like Open Roads, which I believe is the largest RV'ing forum, is being polite and part of planning ahead.

I would also think a caravan would plan ahead for such things tony lee's story about the ferry... the caravan members should, at a minimum, only go across every other trip, allowing for other traffic.

Many campgrounds I've been to have "rally fields" where they let groups camp together, and/or the campground manager (if he is on the ball) puts groups together in sections of the campsites to reduce bother of other campers.

Well, if (and when!) I ever get involved with a caravan, I'll always try to keep in mind others on the road and at campgrounds.

We won't be crossing at Nogales in the near future but thanks for letting folks know. When we cross at Nogales we stay at Amado the night before and get up before the Sun rises to head for the border and try to beat the rush. I usually works.

We are not caravan people but have seen good caravans and bad caravans. I don't know about getting paperwork done online but would think that would be a must for any caravan if it can be done.

Years ago there we were staying at Mirador in San Carlos visiting friend who live in SC. Caravans pulled in every other day back then. We spoke with people who had no idea where they were or where they had been or where they were going. I forget which companies and have no idea who the wagonmasters were but that sort of caravan does nothing to encourage people to visit Mexico again.

We have also seen very well run caravans that have Green Angel escorts and even police escorts. They bring Mariachis into the park special for the caravan. They organize trips and hire buses. All done in advance. A great experience for the people who paid to have a great experience.

Last week we were in Cholula and spent a few days exploring Cholula and Puebla. While there a group from Europe traveling in a large RV with tents pulled in about 4pm one day. They were on a paid 180 day tour of the Americas. The leader got the people organized and took them to the pyramid we think - at 5pm. Next morning they were gone before we woke up. To our way of thinking these people are traveling but having very little time to really experience anything. Covering lots of ground but seeing very little.

These paid travel plans can be good or bad depending on the organizers and the itinerary. Some are well run and some are pretty much a joke. I guess we are very fortunate to be able to go our own way and do our own thing. But not everyone is equipped to just go off and figure all this out for themselves. A well run caravan could not only teach people about a new area but teach them to travel and how to do all the things we need to know to live as we do - but then the caravan customers would have the confidence to go on their own and have no need to be repeat customers. Never-the-less I do think a well run caravan should be providing and experience that teaches people that they can do this by themselves if they so choose.

Might be my inexperience, but I think it might be cool to be part of a caravan.

Depends on your personality type and in many cases on your traveling style. Talk to the rear-enders (assuming the huffer and puffer allows people to lag behind a bit) and you will find they end up either nervous wrecks or angry and resentful because they are forced to exceed their driving comfort zone or aren't able to stop and smell the roses. Not everyone can handle a 6 hour drive with the right side of the vehicle 6" from a 3' construction dropoff for 20 miles at a time or even a 6" drop which is pretty much standard on any non-toll road.