Why Do You Camp? - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > Cyber Campfire
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 02-03-2016, 10:52 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
sclifrickson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
Why Do You Camp?

Would it be fair to say that this forum exists because of its denizens' passion for trailer camping?

If you were to explain your passion to others, how would you?

For me, it's the unbridled freedom of the great outdoors. It's not having to be anywhere at any particular time. It's clean air, wild critters, scenic vistas. It's sharing the wonder and joys of discovery with my little girls. It's all that and a portable bedroom-kitchen-bathroom just there behind the car.

What makes you passionate about camping?
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
sclifrickson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 12:07 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21--FOR SALE
Posts: 411
Why we trailer camp

My wife and I backpacked and did canoe and kayak tours for years, but sleeping on the ground and lifting heavy fibreglass objects onto roof racks are no longer comfortable experiences for us.

Our travel trailer enables us to continue to access nature and enjoy areas that are amenable to hiking, biking, photography, and other outdoor pursuits, but with a higher level of comfort. We especially like camping in state, provincial, and national parks in both the USA and Canada in the spring and fall when we are less likely to encounter hot weather, insects, or crowded highways and campgrounds. We went back and forth between choosing a van or a trailer, but for now we like being able to unhitch the Escape, set up camp, and drive to a different trailhead or other attraction each morning, rather than take our whole camp with us every day.

We also like the way towing a trailer dials down my "get-there-itis" and lessens the urge to drive too many hours each day. Instead, we stop more often (and not just to fill up with the extra gas our truck burns when towing). See a nice pulloff by a creek? Park the rig and hang out there for a while, and perhaps have lunch, a nap, a bathroom break, a short hike, or all four.

Finally, we meet great people pretty well everywhere we camp. When you're about the same age as another couple, and have both chosen to tow two tons of fibreglass around to beautiful parts of the country, and have had interesting life experiences, the chances are good that you will have a lot in common to talk about over a beverage around a campfire.

We're looking forward to our spring (Vancouver Island) and fall (BC mainland, Alberta, Saskatchewan) trips this year, and hope to meet at least a few other Escape owners out there.
__________________
Brent and Cheryl.
Catchlight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 01:18 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
float5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
Towering trees
Fields of many colors
Long stretches of sandy beach
Lighthouses on points
Clean air
Wildlife of every description
Fellow campers who appreciate the same
Stunning rocky cliffs
Sunsets
Back roads and small towns
Crystal clear water
The stars in the quiet night
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
float5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 06:44 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,945
I love work. When I work, All my cares seem to melt away. So I go camping to build stress. The stress comes from the traffic I have to drive through, road construction slow downs or stoppages, increased gasoline consumption when I am towing, detours, flat tires, unlevel campsites, people having fun camping while I am trying to build anxiety and stress, firewood that is not dry enough to ignite, equipment malfunctions, etc. Finally, I can return home, go back to work, decompress, and rejoice that I am no longer camping, seeing lakes, mountains, and stars, breathing clean air, or "struggling" with all the aforementioned aggravants.

And if you believe that, I have a dry campsite in South Florida (located in the Everglades) that I am more than willing to sell you!
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 07:08 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
A forum member has posted to their signature the saying "Camping, where you spend a lot of money to appear like a homeless person">>>>
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 07:41 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,528
I enjoy going to great trouble and expense to inconvenience myself.

Maybe I will instead look into that spot Carl has for sale.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 07:52 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,528
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
A forum member has posted to their signature the saying "Camping, where you spend a lot of money to appear like a homeless person">>>>
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 07:56 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
civi's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Hellertown, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Scamp 16, TV Rav4 V6
Posts: 100
I retired and wanted to get away, but I have my Golden Retriever. The camper solves my dilemma, for I cannot be away from her. My wife, Me and Ginger fit into a 16` scamp just perfect. The dog is great traveler and loves all the attention she gets from the other campers who cannot resist petting her, right after they say what a cute little camper. I never had a camper before, so all is new. Carl
civi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 07:58 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,528
Quote:
Originally Posted by civi View Post
I never had a camper before, so all is new.
It is never too late to start either, Carl.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 08:03 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,217
I camp, therefore I am.
Iowa Descartes Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 08:15 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Dave Walter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,634
It is a lot easier to stay a few steps ahead of the "law" by being mobile in my camper. ....er... and I also like the outdoors.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad

"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
Dave Walter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 08:33 AM   #12
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
I've camped to get away from the stress of the job and everything to do with owning a home. Both of those things were going to be there when I got back, but taking a stress-free break was good for my soul.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 08:37 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
LarryandLiz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Maple Ridge, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 17B;2012 Nissan Frontier SV 4
Posts: 701
if I had to pick some primary reasons they would be: freedom to get to new places (a wilderness area, mountain vista, campground, small town, cool coffe-shop) and making new memories with my beloved so in our old age we can look back at the good times we had.

Larry
LarryandLiz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 09:55 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Greg A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,494
Lifetime backpacker (minimalist), now out of necessity have evolved into a lifetime trailer camper (maximalist). I'd love to have remained a backpacker, but life deals issues and I couldn't give camping up so I evolved.

We find that with life stresses, still working-2 school kids, it takes about 7 days out before we decompress and then no one wants to go back. It is a great family activity and as they get older and now start to whine about going, we know the kids will look back on these times very fondly.

Camping is magical no matter how you approach it. We remember who we've met and where we have gone and will never forget the months out with 4 of us in a SCAMP 13 (The Clown Car).

What makes me sad is going to storage regularly and seeing all the trailers that haven't moved in a long time. I hope everyone that buys one of these gorgeous Escapes, uses the heck out of it.
Greg A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 11:40 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
azjack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ, Arizona
Trailer: gone, 19 and 21 & 17B with 5.0 now. gone
Posts: 790
why we camp

We don't anymore, we now call ourselves travelers. We bring our own bed and bedding, much of our own food and we come and go as we wish when we wish to enjoy the sights and towns. After too many years in hotels with dirty linen and floors, (these were name brands) we stop where we want to go, next week Quartzite, following week Palm Springs and then who knows. Maybe along the coast.
See you all somewhere.
Jack and Nancy and Chico because we don't ask if the stop is dog friendly
azjack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 12:06 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,203
For me ,raising 5 daughters alone , camping was what we could afford and it kept us together and was fun . Now they have their own families and they continue the legacy and go camping . Pat
Patandlinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 03:09 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
bdornbush's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 19 foot
Posts: 439
We have always camped. When we were children, we each camped in tents with our families. My family got a 17' trailer, and the family (Mom, Dad, 3 sisters and me) took a 4 week trip from Pennsylvania to California and back. When we got married, we returned to camping in a tent. When our kids got to the tween years, we decided we wanted to take them to see the country, so we bought a popup tent trailer and went from Michigan to Grand Canyon to Yellowstone and back, and saw 10 national parks and monuments in 3 weeks. We camped for many more years in that trailer, then sold it before a cross country move. We tried to go back to tent camping, but we, uh, aged out. We agreed to look at trailers although my wife would have preferred a tent trailer. There was the call of the national parks especially which we have always loved to visit. We find that you enjoy a visit to a national (or state or county) park much more when you are in the park rather than staying at a motel nearby. We got a 1968 Aristocrat trailer and planned to use it to resume visiting parks but even after restoring it, it still took a lot of our time to maintain it and that took away from time in the parks. The campground in Arches National Park was fabulous, but so was the need for a little more comfort and maybe a shower. So we sold it and bought our Escape 19 and now we just hook up and go. This year, we plan to see at least 10 national parks and some state and county parks, too. We camp and hike and drive around. Why a trailer? It's ready to go when we are, we take our bed and bath and kitchen with us, and we can camp for a few days or more and don't have to pack up the camp to go visit the park.
bdornbush is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 03:18 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
kstock11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 895
I started camping when I was 12 years old with my parents and relatives. I was hooked! After maturing, I continued to camp and introduced my wife to camping. We raised 2 daughters and camping allowed us to afford a vacation every year. We always traveled light, using "backpacking tents" instead of large 2 room cabin tents. Over the last few years of my camping, my wife preferred staying home. Thus the move to the Escape 19 when we retired. We took a 10 week trip to pick up the trailer and return home, sleeping in it for 49 nights. Upon return, my wife has been hit with a major health challenge, but, due to the Escape being "self contained," we are still able to do some "camping."
__________________
Kevin
Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything - Charles Kuralt
kstock11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 04:10 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
The happiest part of my summers were the weeks I spent in a tent at Girl Scout camp. I didn't camp again until after college when I did the traditional summer in Europe with a boyfriend who couldn't believe it when I agreed with him that it was a good idea to buy a tent in Switzerland and camp our way around the continent. I loved being outside -- it took a lot of adjustment when I returned to the states.

I like having the minimum amount of stuff and being outdoors -- hiking, swimming -- just listening to the sounds and looking at the scenery. And when we are doing touristy things near cities I like coming back to the campground at the end of the day and just breathing the fresh air.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2016, 04:47 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,362
I've been doing it all my life, starting with a 1950 trip across the US when I was 5. Many more trips tent camping around the country & Canada over the years. When we moved from sleeping bags on the tent floor to an air mattress to cots and more excuses for a stop at a motel rather than setting up the tent in bad weather, we decided to try RVs. Its attempt was a rented Class A. All the comforts of home, but no where near as much fun.

After a 6 year break do to my wife's ill health, and her passing away in 2010, I purchased my 17B. I've been doing long trips every year since. I travel to see the country & take photographs of some of the most beautiful places on earth. For anyone interested, I've keep on line journals of many of the trips (both tenting & with the Escape) linked here.
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.