The Mundane Caravan:  The Multi-Vehicle Way to Pennsic and Beyond

by Renier vander Noordgang

It's funny how our definition of "close" expands as our years in the
SCA do, especially while contemplating a trek to an event. Pennsic
aside, often an event across state lines won't look tempting enough in
the Pikestaff (or Seahorse!) to warrant the effort, but the ride can
seem shorter when shared with friends who can be convinced to come
along, either in carpool form (see accompanying piece by Master
Richard), or as I herein suggest, a caravan of cars.

With a caravan, there's more room for everyone's stuff, especially if a
participant has a van and is willing to share space in it. There is
interesting conversation during meals and potty breaks. And if there's
a car problem (SCAdians are notoriously on the bottom of the automotive
food chain), you've got help right there.

Such an endeavor has proven by experience to have its own set of rules
and etiquette, some of which I list here. I assume you will take all
the precautions you'd take for any car trip, such as checking fluid
levels and tire pressure, not to mention that repair you've been
putting off.

BEFORE THE TRIP

Meet in one place. Don't have the car-load farthest from the
destination head out first, meet the next farthest and begin the chain
of cars until all participants are met. That may make sense at first
blush, but is a logistical nightmare. Besides, the first person must
get up earlier than everyone else, which is unfair and hazardous.
You're all driving (or if you're smart you've brought a second to take
over when you fatigue), so you may as well meet near the participant
closest to the destination. An all-night diner parking lot is ideal.
Eat and use the rest rooms while you're there.

Pick a departure time. There ought to be a target time and a deadline
time after which, if a participant doesn't show, he's out of luck.

Make sure all invited know this ahead of time. This sounds silly, but
once in a while (not to Pennsic, obviously), it can be taken for
granted. Once after a Barleycorn some friends and I agreed to go to a
diner, and we all followed a woman who was not in on the diner idea and
decided to go home. Imagine the confusion as she emerged from her car!
We remember someone at the event site pointing and saying, "Follow
her." So we did. We were hungry, okay?

Pick and agree on a route. On the side of the road or an off-ramp is
too late to get such a detail ironed out to everyone's satisfaction. If
all participants have a map, they'll feel less isolated from the
decision-making, even if all they do is follow the car in front of
them. If some car-load protests and departs from the plan, which is
their choice, they're on their own, and godspeed to them. If they fall
behind, they can use the map to catch up.

Pick a leader. As to a reason, see the above diner caravan example. It
doesn't have to be the person who masterminded the caravan and invited
participants, but it usually is. The more democratic you can get at
this point, the better off you'll be. The leader takes first position.

Pick and "train" a tail car. A tail car is almost as important as the
lead car, because it can best determine when to change lanes to pass a
vehicle going slower than the caravan. (See below.) Make sure the tail
car has the directions clear.


DURING THE TRIP

Take your time. Expect to go as fast as the slowest car. In fact, you
might consider putting the least reliable cars up front, so that if a
stop is necessary, you can all follow each other into an exit or to the
side of the road.

Look back frequently. In case the more reliable cars in back must stop
(ever hear of Murphy's Law?), you'll see their turn signal and send the
message forward with your own turn signal. Then you can sort of cascade
over to the shoulder and stop, keeping your place in line. Another
reason to keep looking back: visualize you're all in the right lane,
and there's a car going even slower, to whom the caravan catches up.
Cars are whizzing by on the left, and you wish you could pass, but you
must all pass; you can't straddle this strange car. The tail car is in
the best position to move first into a gap in the left lane and in
effect hold it open for all the rest. The gap will widen even more as
the last left-lane passer overtakes the slowpoke, but the next car sees
this huge, well choreographed caravan moving as a unit, and yields,
while you all pass the slow car(s) and return to the right lane, again
last car first.

Follow the leader. Don't pick a long stretch of turnpike to quit and go
your own way, or everyone behind you will do the same thing. Let
everyone know your intentions at the next stop, or better yet, plan
ahead to part at a certain point, like at that diner where you
started.

Take more breaks than you would otherwise. You're going more slowly,
staring at the brake lights of the car ahead of you. You'll get
fatigued faster. Try playing the same radio stations.

Treat the return trip like a completely different caravan. You may have
tested the patience of some participants on your way out, or they may
just have other ideas for departure time, or whatever. Just don't take
their company for granted, or you may have a shorter caravan than you
thought you'd have. Get a verbal yes or no from all. You might want to
recruit some new cars for the return trip, whatever the first travelers
decide.

CBs are OK. Truckers used to call this technique a convoy. (Remember
that stupid song?) You can rent or buy rigs for some or all of the
participating cars, and they're nice, but not really necessary; the
above rules should still be used. The 12-volt power comes from your
cigarette lighter, the antenna attaches to the roof with a
magnet-suction-cup doohickey, and if you feel ambitious, you might bolt
the unit to the underside of your dashboard, though we never have, and
we own a unit. Don't forget to put the antenna into your car during
your stay. Lingo is optional. Don't call anyone "good buddy;" you're
going to have to take my word for this. We've had zero luck recruiting
via CB, although occasionally, expecially Pennsic-bound, one can catch
fellow SCAdians, which is neat!

Have fun. At worst, friendships get a stress test during caravans; at
best, they're nearly as enjoyable and memorable as what you're
traveling to.  In spite of the best-laid plans, something will go awry.
Right then it may seem hellish, but chances are you will all laugh at
it soon. This I wish for you, fellow traveler.

P.S. I would like to hear from anyone who, either by reading this
article or trying it out, can think of advice I didn't include. I would
be grateful.


from the July 1997 Seahorse