Reinvention of WBCCI

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Airtandem

About 15 years ago; there was another Cape to Cairo caravan. Cape Girardeau Mo to Cairo Illinois. I don't remember which unit put it on, but it was about 35 miles and took 2 days.
The story was in an old BB, as I remember

Did they raft across the Mississippi? Seems that would have been appropriate.

[66Overlander]

Vivian, Neither the club nor Airstream has ever run a caravan in South America. The club ran a few Mexico caravans over a decade ago, but soon stopped. Most Mexico caravans were actually run by the Airstream company before they quit running caravans in the early 2000s. By agreement with Airstream the club did not offer Mexico caravans at the same time so they were not in competition with each other. The club only began Mexico caravans when Airstream stopped. The club only restarted Mexico Caravans about 2 years ago, run by an outside company that provides that service to many organizations.

If insurance was the only deal breaker for the 2009 trip, I cannot imagine the caravan organizers could not have found a way to get insurance outside of WBCCI. It sort of sounds like they were looking for a scapegoat.

I have also heard the reason it did no go was the failure to secure a tow vehicle deal rather than insurance, but even though I heard that from more than one source, I categorize that as a rumor.

Military escort all the way? Even if so, the caravan would have been a tempting target. We would have all wished the participants the best, while worrying that the worst might happen.

I am sure that those that were signed up to go were disappointed, but complaining about it 11 years later, means nothing with respect to the current club. A lot has changed in the club in the last 11 years.

[KZGoodchild]

Anyone cotton to this idea ???

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

If insurance was the only deal breaker for the 2009 trip, I cannot imagine the caravan organizers could not have found a way to get insurance outside of WBCCI. It sort of sounds like they were looking for a scapegoat.

I have also heard the reason it did no go was the failure to secure a tow vehicle deal rather than insurance, but even though I heard that from more than one source, I categorize that as a rumor.

I am sure that those that were signed up to go were disappointed, but complaining about it 11 years later, means nothing with respect to the current club. A lot has changed in the club in the last 11 years.

Joe, I was only responding to/agreeing with a previous post that Wally's caravans were really great, not intending to complain about the club 11 years after the fact of a caravan cancellation. And you are right, loss of tow vehicles was the second reason: as I said--the economic fall of 2008--but the first crack in the dam was the non-approval of the caravan by WBCCI and corresponding loss of insurance, and the consequent loss of backing by Airstream Corporate.

And if you will note my post following that one, I attempted to correct any misconceptions that that post might have given readers about my feelings regarding WBCCI. It's a great club and I will join again (as I stated earlier) as soon as I have the VIN# of my Caravel and will therefore be allowed to complete the online form. And yes, the club has no doubt changed a lot in the last 11 years, but I don't think we will ever again see the adventurous caravans that Wally planned, carried out, and participated in.

Sorry if I have offended.

Vivian

[66Overlander]

No problem Vivian. The club will be happy to have you back. You are right that Wally's most adventurous caravans will likely never be repeated: Africa and Around the World (actually a dream of Wally's that was completed after his passing), but the European Unit of WBCCI did host a European Caravan a year or two ago. I believe a couple of people from the USA participated. There is a rumor that a USA Unit of the WBCCI is planning to ship their Airstreams to Europe in a year or two for a Caravan. That could be worth investigating if adventure is still in your blood. Airstreams are best when they are being used to see what's over the next hill, and the one after that.