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Old 04-12-2015, 11:04 AM   #241
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First rate summation! Looking forward to your critical impressions.
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Old 04-12-2015, 11:11 AM   #242
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Thank you Robert for all your thorough updates. I think especially for those of us still anticipating our first trip your efforts have been so helpful.
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Old 04-12-2015, 12:27 PM   #243
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Terrific thread with great pictures and info. Glad that you made it home safe.
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:21 PM   #244
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie & Lucy View Post
Hi Robert and Yolanda,
We so enjoyed your trip out and back. Photos were a big plus!
We still have 4 1/2 months to go until we leave for our pick up trip to Chilliwack.
By seeing all that you all have gone through between build sheets and all the discussions with everyone on the forum we certainly feel confident on our decision on our trailer and are looking forward to meeting all that will be at the Bluebonnet rally in a few weeks! Certainly after that some of what we currently have on our build sheet will change some. It's always a big plus to see how others have done things and use them.
Looking forward to meeting you at the Bluebonnet Rally, Charlie and Lucy!
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:22 PM   #245
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Originally Posted by t-twnbob View Post
Terrific thread with great pictures and info. Glad that you made it home safe.
Thank you so much!
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:23 PM   #246
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Originally Posted by Jill View Post
Thank you Robert for all your thorough updates. I think especially for those of us still anticipating our first trip your efforts have been so helpful.
Glad it was helpful Jill. Thanks!
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:50 PM   #247
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Some thoughts about our 19:

Fit and finish: First rate throughout. All the trim and cabinetry is well built, corners and moldings are tight. Windows are properly sealed and everything is installed properly. The care and attention to detail is apparent throughout the trailer. Try that with SOBs.

What we would (will) change:

Love the U-shaped dinette and really like the view enhancement by raising it 4". BUT, the table base with the two pedestals definitely has to go. Ours slides left and right, and it should slide front to back, to allow adults to sit along the back comfortably. We will be removing the dual poles and installing a telescoping single pole mount. I will also modify the base to have it slide back and forth instead of side to side.

Disappointed with the pantry door latch. It pops open WAY too easily. I am adding a couple of magnetic closers top and bottom. I adjusted the latch and it helped some, but it needs a much stronger closing mechanism.

We should have added another outlet under the flip up table at the foot of the bed. We have one at the head of the bed end, but the foot is more convenient to plug in a phone or tablet while we are sleeping since we lower the one at the head of the bed when we go to sleep. It wasn't a biggie to plug it in on the outlet that is up high by the tv connection though.

Speaking of the flip up tables at the foot and head of the bed, they are VERY useful. BUT, I think they are mounted a bit too low. I will be remounting them about 2 or 3 inches higher and further back toward the corners.

Things we are SO happy we got:

LOVE the inverter. Used it a couple times when we weren't hooked up, such as at a roadside stop for lunch, and it was very nice to be able to use the kitchen appliances such as a coffee maker or toaster. We didn't do alot of boondocking on this trip, but it will be super handy for when we do.

LOVE the solar panel. Batteries just didn't deplete with it when we were not connected to shore power. Ran the heater and fan all night in southern Colorado when it got very cold, and by 8:30 am the batteries were back to full voltage.

Custom fabric. Love the color and we received so many compliments on it.

Storage box. This is a no brainer, and a must have. I think it should be standard.

Pads on the stabilizers. They work VERY well.

Propane quick connect. Love the convenience of simply connecting the hose and grilling away.

Foot flush toilet. REALLY like this feature.

Oxygenics RV Spa showerhead. Worth every penny. Showers were wonderful at campgrounds where they weren't available (and in a couple cases too dirty) to use.

Umbra hooks. Just get some. We used every single hook quite a few times.

RhinoFlex Sewer hose and elbow. The sewer hose that comes with the Escape is a very basic one. We found the RhinoFlex much easier to use, and since it can be shortened or lengthened and is semi rigid, it made it much easier to create the slope to the drain and route the hose.

Captains lights at the head of the bed. Love, love, love these. We usually turn them so they are pointing at the corner and it provides some perfect ambient lighting for when we are lounging in bed or watching TV at night.

Andersen hitch. Love the feel of towing with it. The dashboard towing status board showed us dead level with both the trailer and the tow at all times. Cornering, braking backing and all the other maneuvers were rock solid with it. There was a bit of noise from time to time, usually after we had been in a very dry or dusty area, but not so much that it becomes an annoyance. Hooking up and unhooking was very easy with it. I sat and watched 3 trailers with the bar type WDH as their owners struggled for several minutes with hookup and unhooking. I really like this system.

Other notes:

We were worried about the stock mattress not being comfortable but we slept very well on it. Decent support. We may upgrade to a memory foam mattress later, but for now it's perfectly fine for us.

Don't know if the extra set of LED tail lights are necessary, but they look very cool at night, and that is reason enough for me to have them...lol.

The Wilson Trucker antenna and Sleek cradle worked very well, but they didn't produce a signal when there was no service, just amplified one that already existed. Worth it in our book. WiFi at many of the campgrounds we stayed at was a joke. Fastest speed we got using it was 25 Mbps. Not bad for the boonies.

Really glad we got a pair of x-chocks. There were a couple places where we were camped either uphill or downhill and they made unhooking so much easier and safer than a ground chock. Well engineered product.

The wife hit a home run by bringing along a few smallish long skinny throw pillows. We used them constantly when seated at the dinette. The backs are straight up and down otherwise.
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Old 04-12-2015, 09:59 PM   #248
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Such helpful information for planning for my 17B. Thanks so much!!!
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Old 04-12-2015, 10:59 PM   #249
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Robert and Yolanda. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As we are finishing up our build sheet and have to get it in fairly soon, this helps so much and takes so much worry out if we did the right thing or missed something. I'm glad you had a good safe trip and are now home. Loren
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Old 04-13-2015, 12:06 AM   #250
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Thanks again for all the well wishes and kind comments. I'm going to ask the mods to close this thread. Past Tents will have many journeys to come. Cheers all.
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