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Meet Jimmie and Nanci Dixon, proud owners of a 2017 Phaeton 40 AH, who have an adventure to share! One of their many adventures led them to join an RV caravan tour, and Nanci has shared their unforgettable experience in her article: “Curious about RV caravan tours? Our first experience was a hit!” Dive into their story and discover the joys and surprises of rV caravan touring through Nanci’s eyes.
Have you ever wondered what an RV caravan tour is like? Exhilarating and exhausting are the two words that describe the Adventure Caravans tour we just took in Washington, D.C.
We had never been on an RV tour before, and Washington, D.C., has been on my bucket list for years. I saw the tour advertisement, asked my husband “yes or no,” and before he could really think about the drive from the West to the East or ask the price, he said, “Yes”!
We were not sure what something like this would be like. It was not cheap, and I so hoped it was worth it. I had a lot of doubts before we got there. What if we didn’t like the people? What if it was a waste of time? What if we didn’t like the campground? What if it was boring?
Well, it was anything but boring! We have kept up a pace that might tax an Olympic athlete. I am truly amazed at the organization that went into the tour and the number of things we have seen. We would never have been able to do all the things we did on our own, nor would we have had such excellent meals.
Everything was planned down to the minute. That may have been because our wagon master was ex-military. Of course, I was clueless when they introduced themselves as the Wagon Master and Tail Gunner, but that made sense—the Wagon Master, Eric Paulikonis and his wife Julie were leading the front and the Tail Gunners, Oliver and Rosemarie Evancho were at the back making sure they didn’t lose anyone. We seldom left our group herd, but when we did, we had a definite time and place to meet to maintain the schedule. More than once the Tail Gunner nudged me on when I was wandering off taking photos.
They were wonderfully friendly, helpful and tireless. And organized! They made the trip a fantastic experience.
On the first day, we all got together for a meet-and-greet and orientation. We also got our Adventure Caravan jackets and tote bags. We were officially members! They asked us for a medical sheet and emergency contact list, that they returned at the end of the trip.
From there on out it was something of a whirlwind. We were being driven around in a brand-new motor coach with an experienced driver (and a bathroom). He was with us the whole time and stayed at a nearby hotel for the duration. After riding through D.C. traffic in rush hour, I was so very, very glad we were not doing this on our own.
We boarded the bus by 7:40 a.m. and were handed a snack bag. The snack bags were filled with so many treats that I started looking forward to seeing what was in the day’s brown bag.
A tour guide joined us on the bus and we drove to the Arlington National Cemetery, where we saw the changing of the guards at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then the Pentagon City Shopping Mall for lunch, Pentagon Memorial, United States Air Force Memorial, Woodrow Wilson House, Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima statue), Georgetown Washington Harbor on the Potomac River for dinner.
What was important to me was that we had ample time at each stop to walk around and take photos. Yes, all the days were long, but the bus ride home to the campsite at night was a blissful, relaxing place to sleep.
Again, early boarding and late night return—but it was so worth it! On day three we visited the National Archives and the Smithsonian Institution of choice. My husband and I were able to fit three different museums in that day! We had a catered dinner at Texas Jacks, then went on to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to see a play.
I was rather overwhelmed with actually being in the Kennedy Center, a living memorial to John F. Kennedy and to actually be able to see a play there. A highlight!
We had, thankfully, a day of rest to explore on our own. After detailed directions on the metro buses and how to get places, not one single person of the 21 of us did any exploring beyond their couch and recliner.
We had a fabulous luncheon cruise on the Potomac then went on to the National Cathedral, Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, National Portrait Gallery, White House visitor center, walk down the National Mall, National Zoo, driving tour of Embassy Row and Shaw neighborhood, Lunch at Ben’s Chili Bowl, Ford Theatre presentation, Lincoln Theatre, Holocaust Museum, Mansion on O street, Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, FDR Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, driving tour of Old Town Alexandria, lunch and tour at Mount Vernon, International Spy Museum, Clara Barton Museum of Missing Soldiers, Library of Congress, Supreme Court Building, United States Capital Tour and dinner at Clyde’s.
We all met in the morning to say our goodbyes and pick up breakfast at the campground. One by one, RVs packed up and tapped their horns as they left. I will forever treasure the memories and the friendships we made.
Whew! It was indeed worth every dollar. The cost was $3,200 each, $6,400 total that included a $200 discount from our Tiffin Allegro Club. All tickets and tours, campsite, private motor coach transportation and eight full meals were included along with all the tips. Dinners usually gave us choices between several entrees and they were all exceptional. Just not having to drive anywhere was fabulous. Having a local knowledgeable tour guide was invaluable. We even got to see a lineup of reporters and a protest at the Supreme Court. (The Tail Gunner pulled me and his wife away, though.) It was not a waste of time and it was another big check on my bucket list.
Our motorhome was parked at the Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg, Maryland. The campground was great, even if it was a way out of the D.C. area. It had full hook-ups, and it was wooded and spacious.
I knew that we had eight meals provided included with the tour, but I was very unsure about the quality of those meals. They were incredibly high-quality.
One of the highlights was Ben’s Chili Bowl for their famous Half Smoke sausage. During the riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, the area was in flames. Ben’s Chili Bowl was spared both as a local landmark and as a place that was feeding local police and first responders. A number of famous people have been to the restaurant and their photos line the walls: Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Bono, Ted Koppel, Chaka Khan, Martin Luther King Jr., President-elect Barack Obama, and Larry King, to name a very, very few.
They are RVers! Of course they were friendly, kind and, for the most part, happy, even if a little tired. Many of the group had done multiple trips, several rallies in one place and some traveling caravans.
Only twice did someone stray into politics. I was able to say, “I learned a long time ago as a camp host, to not talk politics. Let’s talk about RVing.” The comments stopped and we moved on.
The advantage of the group of older adults is the fact that we were all on time for the 7:50 a.m. loading. Each morning we were greeted by a snack sack, smiles and many friendly hellos.
There is something very good to be said about leaving all the driving, planning and worrying to them! Hmm… So where is the next place we’ll go?
All photos copyright Nanci Dixon 2024
Thanks Jimmie and Nanci for sharing your many adventures, and we hope you have many more to come in your Tiffin!
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