Tourists from across the United States had a little taste of Powell River last week when a 17-rig recreational vehicle (RV) tour made its way through the city.
Organized by travel company Adventure Caravans, the 41-day tour started in Salt Lake City, Utah, making its way through four states and BC before ending in Washington.
The company is based out of Livingston, Texas, and provides tours all over the world, including Mexico, South Africa and Alaska.
This particular tour, explains staff person Lynne Rode, has been making its way through BC for several years now. Lynn and her husband Clary have been working for the tour company since 2000. Both are wagon-masters, leading and directing their group of tourists into new sites and making sure everything runs smoothly.
Also part of the team are tail-gunners Jim and Cherrill Robinson, who follow the crowd and make sure everyone reaches the next location safely.
Rigs on this year’s tour range in size from small camper vans to gargantuan RVs, and boast licence plates originating everywhere from South Carolina to Nebraska to Montana. “It’s whatever rig people have, no restrictions,” said Clary, adding that most participants are retired or semi-retired.
Out of a 41-day tour, said Lynn, Powell River marks days 26 through 28.
The group’s time in Powell River, she continued, has been great. “It’s a little more laid back than some of the bigger cities that we’ve been in, like the Vancouver area and places like that,” she explained. “I think we just like the smaller community atmosphere. The number of locals that we’ve met and talked to has been just great.”
Tour activities so far have included a Desolation Sound boat cruise, a locally-chartered fishing trip and a salmon roast put on by The Chopping Block. “I think they’ve loved it,” Lynn said of the tour members’ Powell River experience. “They loved the cruise yesterday and they’re just doing some sightseeing around today.”
Lynn added that it wasn’t difficult to find accommodation, even for such a large number of rigs. Putting up 17 RVs at the Willingdon Beach campground wasn’t a problem because the tour company books a year in advance.
Ferries caused no difficulties either. Once they let them know they were coming, said Lynn, BC Ferries was very accommodating. A traffic warning was issued for the 8:10 am ferry to Comox when the group left last Thursday. Next stop on the tour will be Qualicum Beach.
The wagon-master couple, who originate from Kelowna, BC, have been guiding the same RV tour for two years now. “It’s a tour that seems to be fairly well liked,” said Clary, “so it looks like we’ll be coming through here doing the same thing next year.”
