This page offers a more direct insight into the event: Caravan Rally: Rescue Opportunity. On this page we outline a number of items which might be considered spoilers but want to be clear about for our participants. If you have any further questions, you’re welcome to email us at: semper.caravan.rally@gmail.com
What is a Caravan Rally?
Caravan Rally is an intense endurance challenge in which participants drive to locations where the story designers have set up experiences for people to encounter. Past Caravan Rallies have included games, storytelling puppets, and unique geographic locations. In general all the participants are on a quest together and must work with one another to get through the story. The choices made by the participants alter the story to make it a one of a kind work of art.
What makes it a particularly intense endurance challenge is that the event takes place during the night. From sunset on October 16th to sunrise on the 17th, the story will transport people to our narrative world in which astronauts are challenged to bring the Opportunity Rover back from Mars. Caravan Rally is not a race and, despite there being challenges, it’s also not a puzzle hunt. It’s a piece of collective immersive theater, or a LARP, set on the road.
Has Caravan Rally happened before?
This is our third iteration of Caravan Rally. The first one in 2016 followed a set of fairy tales as participants drove from Oakland to Solvang, California. The second one, Here Be Dragons, in 2018 focused on mythological creatures and what it means to create a legacy as the participants drove through the great forests between Oakland, California and Ashland, Oregon.
For Rescue Opportunity, the format is changing slightly so that there are less miles to drive and more time spent on the encounters. As such, the event will start in Barstow to keep participants relatively near that destination. This will give participants the option to safely exit the experience if they need to, as well as let the design team create more engaging pieces for the event itself.
Why do I have to be on a team?
The foundation of this event is a team experience. As it involves driving through the night, and in-world as well as potential unscripted challenges, it’s necessary to have multiple people in a vehicle to take care of one another. Unscripted challenges include people getting too tired to drive, someone getting hurt or falling ill, a mechanical issue in the vehicle, or navigation in a strange (and dark) place. Safety is important to us.
Additionally some of the scripted experiences need multiple people in a vehicle to complete. By having more than two people these challenges can be well met by the team.
It is the responsibility of participants to organize their own team. We encourage singles or doubles to go to the Explorers Guild Slack and ask the channel #1015-caravanrally if there are others looking for teammates. If you want to attend, but can’t find a team, or want to sign up for the Slack, you can write to us and we will do our best to assist you.
If there are any questions, individuals or teams are encouraged to write to mission control.
What’s the recommended team size?
Three is a great number for most teams. Each car will need to save one open seat at all times, so calculate how many will legally fit in your car and subtract one.
Additionally, we require a minimum of three as a safety measure. This allows for numerous spare drivers, in the event one or even two people on a team become too tired to pilot a vehicle.
What car is best for this event?
In previous Caravan Rally events, cars have primarily stayed on paved roads. For Rescue Opportunity, some of the route is unpaved.The designers have tried their best to create an experience still accessible to most vehicles. They have accessed these roads with a Honda Civic and other vehicles. Though a bit bumpy and dusty, all were able to pass. However, a vehicle with lower clearance may have increased difficulty.
There are a few additional considerations for your vehicle. It should be able to drive 275 miles without needing to be filled up or recharged. There needs to be at least 1 seat in your vehicle unoccupied, so if your team size is 4, make sure 5 people can comfortably sit in the vehicle. Lastly, we’ll be driving in the middle of some remote areas so it’s important that the car is in good working order, and is either well maintained, or has gotten a tune-up in advance.
If there’s a concern about any of this, you're welcome to reach out to the organizers for further clarification.
Why do we need to do Interviews?
The Interviews serve a dual purpose. First, they give participants and their teams a chance to think about and prepare for the event. The more excited and involved participants are, the more fun it will be for everyone. The interviews are an opportunity to engage with the story.
The other purpose of the interviews is for the designers to get to know the teams better. The more the designers know, the more the experience can be tailored to the specific participants. Also, to be blunt, the design team has been working on this for so long, seeing excited faces is just what’s needed to give us the final boost to finish the work underway.
Will people be rejected in their interviews? The answer is that it’s unlikely. If after the interview a registered team decides they don’t want to continue, they can cancel. Similarly the design team would only reject a team that could be problematic for the event or other participants. For example, a team that didn’t take COVID safety seriously. Again, this is an unlikely scenario.
What is Universe University?
Universe University is the Explorers Guild version of Space Camp. We’ll use this time to orient people to the event, each other, and the mechanics they’ll be using during space flight. It’s part of the immersive theater experience and is mandatory for people attending the driving portion. Critical information will be shared, without which the foundations for the story will be confusing at best. In order to ensure everyone makes it on time to this part of the experience, you must arrive some time on Friday, October 15th.
When is the event?
This experience officially begins at 9am on Saturday, October 16th, 2021. It ends on Sunday, October 17th, upon returning back to the hotel and completing the finale, which is expected to happen before 12 (noon). You are required to arrive some time on Friday, October 15, unless you’ve specifically identified in advance that you’ll be meeting at the official start at 9am on the 16th. All attendees should take note that you will be driving through the night Saturday - Sunday. Additionally, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you plan to stay in Barstow until Monday morning, the 18th, so you can rest before the 5+ hour drive back to the Bay Area or elsewhere.
Where is the hotel?
Participants will stay at: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 2700 Lenwood Rd, Barstow, CA. Teams should call 760-253-9200 to make a reservation and ask for the Explorers Guild group rate of $107.83 (including taxes) per night for 2 queen beds. This rate is available from Thursday through Sunday nights and includes a full breakfast. If possible, please make your reservations before 9/14/21.
What is the ticket cost?
Tickets for Caravan Rally are per person (not per team as we have done for past Caravan Rallies), and the cost is on a sliding scale. We ask that you pay the most that you can afford so that others who can’t afford the higher tiers can pay less. Each person must send payment for their ticket to either PayPal: semperexplorandum@gmail.com, or SquareCash: $drprofessor.
The fee scale:
$130 - the break-even cost
$200 - what we are asking people to pay who can afford more. It will help support those who can’t afford the break-even cost and make sure we have enough to cover any unforeseen expenses, or replenish our savings a bit.
$65 - the price if $130 is unaffordable for you.
If you cannot attend without further financial assistance, please contact us and we will work it out. We value engaged participants!
Part of the cost of creating and running Caravan Rally is covered by donations to the Explorers Guild Patreon (Thank you, Patrons!).
What does the money go to?
Your ticket will cover the cost of building out the experience, lodging and food for the volunteers working the event, catered lunch on Saturday, catered breakfast on Sunday, and snacks and hydration for the driving portion of the event. Your ticket does NOT cover meals on Friday, Saturday dinner, or after Sunday breakfast (you will have to cover your own food for lunch and dinner on Sunday). You are also responsible for your own lodging.
Each participant will also receive a Space Troupe shoulder patch, and each team a Flight Manual.
What’s the accessibility like at this event?
The locations we'll be visiting are dark, rocky, dry desert surfaces. Though we'll mostly be on trails, not every location is paved. If you have questions about mobility access please feel free to contact us and we can provide more information.
What do I need to bring to this event?
A packing list will be provided no later than a week before the event. Teams will be expected to prepare these items for themselves and for the success of the caravan. Each team is responsible for creating its own basic space suit. Additionally it should be noted that there is limited cell signal in space.
Are people at this event vaccinated?
The Explorers Guild is committed to the safety of all participants and designers. This includes protocols to prevent spreading infectious agents. The Delta variant of COVID-19 currently circulating in the US is highly transmissible compared to earlier strains. For this reason, vaccination is required for Caravan Rally: Rescue Opportunity. During registration you will be asked to upload your vaccination card or your California Digital Vaccine Record available at https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. We will also require a negative COVID test within 48 hours of your arrival in Barstow. Please be especially careful to avoid exposure in that period. KN95 or N95 masks will be required when indoors. Please discuss COVID safety with your team members, since you will be riding together in a car.
What if I need to cancel?
If something comes up and you are unable to attend, we’ll offer refunds to people up until September 29th, 2021. After that we will be unable to refund your tickets.
I’m in, what do I do first?
The first registration step is to have one person from your team sign up on the Team Registration Form. That form asks for the names and emails of all the team members. After submitting the team form, the team members will be sent the link for the individual registration. Each person must then send payment for their ticket to either PayPal: semperexplorandum@gmail.com, or SquareCash: $drprofessor. The number of participating cars is limited so be sure to register early to ensure a place for you and your team.
I have one last question...
If you have any questions, please contact Mission Control at semper.caravan.rally@gmail.com.