Possible future Escapee

[yardsale]

We've used our trailer hard, including 3 winter trips from Vermont to Idaho in often horrendous weather. No leaks. External wheels probably allow for more interior storage and make it easier to back the trailer up due to the extended wheel base.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by yardsale

External wheels probably allow for more interior storage and make it easier to back the trailer up due to the extended wheel base.

Does the width matter? When backing up I thought it was the distance from the hitch to the trailer wheels that affect how quick the trailer reacts to driver inputs.

[mconrath]

As fortune would have it, we went camping this past weekend at Salt Creek near Port Angeles, WA and backed into our site right next to SoCal and his Escape 19. After a couple days spent setting up my camp chair just right so that I could ogle at his trailer, I approached him with a few questions. He welcomed me into his trailer for the full tour and conversation about what options to choose. I'm convinced now. My wife and I sat on the beach while our daughter played talking about our next steps. Time to take a field trip to Chilliwack.

[stratos175]

Glad you actually got to touch and feel and Escape, I was convinced even without seeing one it was going to be our next home on wheels. I bought ours without ever seeing the inside of one, just convinced from this forum and research I did for a 21' (that's what we wanted) there is not a better bang for your buck then an Escape.
I will also add if you are looking at something smaller then 19' then I don't think you could go wrong with a Casita, we loved our 17' SD just wanted more space.

We hope one day to get to the factory but its 42 hours, 2,786 miles from us so will probably be a while. That's OK though, I have any questions about our Escape just turn to the fantastic members on this forum that always have the info you need. Now will admit a lot of what I read on here not sure I'm handy enough to figure it out but that's the next step.
I leave in the morning to go the Wild Frontier Rally in TN, look forward to meeting some other Escape owners, many I know from this forum already.

All the best and I'm convinced one day you will own an Escape too.

Safe travels to all,

Steve

[cpaharley2008]

Steve, it is a bit longer for us but the rally held every May is worth the trip. You can meet fellow Escapees, see their Escapes and get ideas, meet Tammy and Reace and stay in one of the prettiest campgrounds that side of the Mississippi. This will be our 4th visit to Osoyoos in May,2019. Some owners have made it every year.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by mconrath

As fortune would have it, we went camping this past weekend at Salt Creek near Port Angeles, WA and backed into our site right next to SoCal and his Escape 19. After a couple days spent setting up my camp chair just right so that I could ogle at his trailer, I approached him with a few questions. He welcomed me into his trailer for the full tour and conversation about what options to choose. I'm convinced now. My wife and I sat on the beach while our daughter played talking about our next steps. Time to take a field trip to Chilliwack.

In our case, we had already committed to a 19 but had literally never laid eyes on one. That is, until one of our August camping trips we pulled into a CG and immediately noticed a 19 parked at one of the sites. After ogling it for no more than a couple of hours, I went over, said hello, and was treated instantly to a tour and a very good discussion about options and much great advice on many topics. We finally got to see what we had purchased and made some new friends in the process! That's how it seems to be with Escapes. In the 2-days it took for us to get our 19 home from Chilliwack, we were approached similarly by 2 parties who were interested in buying one. We paid it forward!

[mconrath]

There is definitely a community and a following with Escape trailers. We like that.

We too have been settled into the Escape 19 "someday". Camping next to one, getting to tour their trailer and talk about its virtues and options simply moved "someday" a little closer.

It was reassuring to here SoCal talk about his lack of issues with is 2013 Escape as we are considering selling our 2015 Springdale before the issues we are starting to see grow.

Mike

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by mconrath

We too have been settled into the Escape 19 "someday". Camping next to one, getting to tour their trailer and talk about its virtues and options simply moved "someday" a little closer.

Just don’t wait too long. Life is short. When my father bought his first fiberglass trailer he said “the only thing I regret is not having this sooner!”

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Just don’t wait too long. Life is short. When my father bought his first fiberglass trailer he said “the only thing I regret is not having this sooner!”

Truer words never spoken. I can recall at least 7 or 8 forum members who bought a trailer, were able to use it maybe once or twice, and then health problems due to aging forced them to sell it. Life is SHORT. Watching a beloved family member pass from cancer a couple of years ago cemented that even more clearly in my mind. If you have the inkling, go for it now.

[Greg A]

Best advice ever.
My brother waited till full retirement age to call it quits. Bought his retirement property to have his house built near Zion in UT. His wife fell ill and he spent a year caring for her till she passed last Nov. He had a heart attack two days after she passed. I just sat bedside with him in Hospice in July and he only lasted a week. He told me that I made the right decision to take early retirement in May and to have gotten our retirement property and trailer several years ago and enjoying them now. He deeply regretted not doing it sooner.
Sometimes it works out to wait, but when it doesn’t.......

[cpaharley2008]

I read someplace that for every year past 60 that you work, you lose 2 years off your life expectancy......something to think about.....

[Donna D.]

You'll never be younger than you are right now. You'll (probably) never have better health than you have right now. Do not delay pleasure. - Nadine Thompson

[Loren & Cathy]

And if you have to borrow some money, do it. The kids will do just fine.

When Suze Orman had a financial show on television a few year ago, there was a segment titled, can l afford it. Virtually everyone was denided if they were stupid enough to ask her.

Just have good medical insurance these days. With insurance, I went over the one million dollar mark in medical bills for the year. But going camping next year. Loren

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I read someplace that for every year past 60 that you work, you lose 2 years off your life expectancy......something to think about.....

Perhaps, if you are a coal miner. But, if you're an actor or a politician, it doesn't seem to prove true. How old is Jimmy Carter?

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by mconrath

Hello All. As we continue to downsize (26' Jayco to current 21' Springdale) we are looking at the Escape 19. If anything will be our barrier it will be the price. I know, it is worth it, but only if you can afford it.

Convince me I should stretch the bank to buy an Escape rather than something like a Jayco Hummingbird.

We did a pretty high-end build -- Canadian cost was about $42k. US cost was $31k. Our gas mileage pulling our brand new Escape 19 with our brand new 2018 Toyota Hylander was 14.7 mpg on our recent long trip of over 3000 miles across many mountains. It is a dream to pull and went over 12,250 feet pass with curves like a dream. The storage is so well thought out - that I managed to neatly put away everything we could want for a 5 week trip. The large refrigerator was a dream option - I even put frozen pizza in it with the frozen meats, veggies and fruit. We had an r-Pod before and the storage was a burden. I also got the oven and we got the hi-lift which we love. We also got the E2 weight distribution system. The Escape itself it built so well - no issues on its first 3 or 4 thousand miles. Do have an issue with the brand new Dometic (Atwood) furnace - but that is undefended of the trailer build as they go into all kinds of trailers. Love this trailer and love that it maintains its value.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Perhaps, if you are a coal miner. But, if you're an actor or a politician, it doesn't seem to prove true. How old is Jimmy Carter?

You are forgetting one thing, politicians are actors and we all know they do not work...

[mconrath]

All the wise words about living life today are spot on. I love that my 10 year old daughter loves to go camping, as does my wife. (And dogs for that matter.) I don't plan to miss out on any of this quality family time that we all cherish.

I appreciate the comparison between the r-Pod and the Escape 19. The amount of storage available on the Escape 19 surprised me when I actually got inside SoCal's.

We are figuring out the finances to make it all happen sooner rather than later. Thanks for all the input.

[mconrath]

Also appreciate the input about the larger fridge Tam2004. We are leaning that way since we often like to go on extended road trips. Will also probably get the oven, but no micro. Wish you could get an oven with a 2-burner stove.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I read someplace that for every year past 60 that you work, you lose 2 years off your life expectancy......something to think about.....

The actuaries for our electrical union’s pension fund ran the numbers for our pension fund and those who retired at 60 to 62 years of age lived an average of 5 years longer than those who worked until 65 or beyond . Our retirees health insurance also ran the numbers on early retirees versus those who worked to 65 and beyond . The medical costs for early retirees was far less than for those who worked till 65
Working those extra years takes a far larger toll than the lost earnings but we are also talking about an occupation that requires hard physical labor and working outside in all types of weather .

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by mconrath

Also appreciate the input about the larger fridge Tam2004. We are leaning that way since we often like to go on extended road trips. Will also probably get the oven, but no micro. Wish you could get an oven with a 2-burner stove.

We skipped the microwave also = and the 3 burners is so handy as it gives more space to shove one pan over while cooking on the other. The bigger refrigerator is one of my favorite things. We are NOT light packers and I had plenty of room for towels, clothes, pots and pans, lots of pantry food (I do keep one larger plastic bin under the bed for extra pantry food - like extra coffee -- hahah). we added 2 shelves to "closet" which makes 3 "holes" we use the bottom two for food and the top one to stuff in coats for both of us. We used one of the upper shelves over bed for my personal clothes, one for husband and one for towels etc. I stored two different kinds of coffee makers and many other items in the narrow cupboard near floor under the sink/stove area. It is a dream storage with the big storage under one seat and the partial storage under the other (which we hardly used yet). I was SO HAPPY traveling in this trailer. I also keep a pizza stone in the oven which helps items cook evenly - like muffins etc - while also being available for those aforementioned pizza's.. I guess I am raving. That is what I feel like after 14 years of not enough storage. Oh - the little cupboard on floor under refrigerated is perfect for many many pairs of shoes. We did put our huge hiking boots either under the bench or in the car.