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12-19-2010, 08:48 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sidney, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19, previously 2006 17B
Posts: 37
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27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
It appears Victoria BC area Escape owners have been on the road this year - ain't retirement wonderful?
In March - April we did a 6,200 km trip down the Washington - Oregon - California coast and then over into Death Valley for a week and then returned via Paso Robles CA to view the spring flowers and then up the coast again and home.
July 28th we left on a Cross-Canada trip - it took us a month to get to Central Ontario - we visited a number of provincial and federal parks plus numerous historical sites on the way. After visiting relatives in the Toronto region we travelled to Kingston and then to Ottawa to visit our National Capital. In Montreal we camped in Notre Dame de Gras in my cousin's tiny driveway and then visited Quebec City enroute to the Saguenay Fjord area where we went whalewatching. We saw more whales two days ago on the BC Ferry returning from Vancouver than we saw on the St Lawrence that day.
We crossed the St Lawrence to Rimouski and then on to the Gaspe' - where we started enjoying seafood - mussels, whelks and of course - lobstah! Leaving Quebec we travelled the coastal roads through New Brunswick to PEI for a few days. Crossing the Northumberland Strait bridge again we headed into Nova Scotia, taking in Cape Breton, Louisberg, Halifax, Lunengerg - enjoying the music and more fresh lobster - boiled on our barbecue.
We headed into Maine on October 8th - with a quick return to Canada to visit Montibello - then down to Acadia National Park (Bar Harbour, Maine) a very interesting and scenic area with great cycling and hiking. Moving south along the coast we stayed in Gloucester, Mass and used the commuter rail system to head into Boston - we did the tour bus to get around - strolled some of the older districts and coming out of the downtown maritime museum - what did I see - but a Thunderbird sailboat beating up the harbour - the same boat I sail. Near Gloucester we bought our last fresh lobster and discovered a wonderful Azorian (Portugese) seafood restaurant.
We skirted the heavily populated areas south of Boston and headed into New Hampshire for the fall colours and made our way down the Hudson River to Croton-on-Hudson where we camped in a beautiful civic campground. The next day we took the commuter rail into Grand Central Station in New York city - our first visit to the City and we commuted 2 days just to finish the city bus tours. Museums and galleries we left for our next visit. We enjoyed cool sunny weather and enjoyed wonderful Italian food.
Moving South we visited Gettysburg, the Williamsburg - Jamestown - Yorktown National Parks for a few days and then moved as far south as the Outer Banks, North Carolina. From there we moved West on Hwy 40 stopping for boiled peanuts before moving south on the very scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and Smokey Mountain Parkway to visit Nashville. Halloween night found us in the honky tonks of downtown Nashville for some great rocking music. A sales rep at the huge Bass Pro shop near the KOA suggested we head south rather than across Hwy 40 - why not?
From him we learned of the Natchez Trace. This is a beautiful 55 mph parkway - no commercial traffic that runs from near Nashville to Natchez, Missisippi. We left the route at Tupelo, Miss., Elvis Presley's birthplace and had a visit with The King. Southing again, we visited Bajou La Batre, AL, Pascagoula, Miss. and along the Gulf Coast to New Orleans. We joined thousands on a Bourbon Street Saturday night - which for us included a set at Preservation Hall - good times. Two days was not enough. Heading West on the 10, we deked South again to see the Gulf of Mexico again and Galveston. Skirting Houston and Austin we found ourselves in the oak and sycamore Hill Region of Texas - then more and more Texas until we finally took a break in Las Cruces, New Mexico for a couple of days. Westing again on 10, we then moved South on US 8 to visit my wife's cousin wintering near Mesa, Ariz. Then North and West to the Palm Springs CA area to visit a ski buddy who was on holiday in the area. Our last camping was in Joshua Tree NP - cool, high desert at 4,000 ft - we will be back there.
Then on the road North - Walmart's and after a bit of a slow section in the Siskayou's due to snow we took our 4th motel of the trip in Medford OR and the next night found us at the Walmart in Port Angeles and home on the morning Black Ball ferry to Victoria on November 25th. Would we go again - Yes!
We took our bicycles and often rode in campgrounds - we rode from Niagara on the Lake to Niagara Falls which had been on my "to do" list for years and had a great ride along the Rideau Canal to Canada's Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. We also took my ancient Greenwood canoe and while it went far too many kilometers without use - we enjoyed excellent paddles in N Ontario, picked up lobster from fishermen at Kouchibougiac NP in New Brunswich and paddled on a bajou at dusk in Missisipi.
Our 17B followed our 04 Nissan Pathfinder and provided a scenic bedroom for all but 9 days of our odyssey. We had planned on more motels, but we were so comfortable it was not worth the hassle to unpack and move into a motel. One of our biggest pleasures was our two cups of fresh brewed coffee sitting propped up on the bed watching the sun rise - be it at a scenic campsite, a KOA, a Walmart or at a freebie site discovered the day before.
We would recommend every Escapee try it - at least once.
The Escapists
__________________
The Escapist
2015 Nissan Frontier Pro-X short box
2018 Escape 19. Previously 2006 Escape 17B and excellent memories
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12-19-2010, 09:52 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Terrific report.
I'm interested in how you planned for the trip. Did you have a detailed itinerary, or did you just pick up and go as your whims took you?
baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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12-20-2010, 12:47 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
I will print off your itinerary.
When we retire (in 61 months) we want to do a cross country tour--and we have a 17B and folding bikes....
Your trip will just wet my appetite....
How can I get older faster LOL
__________________
Anna-Marie
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12-20-2010, 05:41 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 94
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
An awesome trip. We appreciate the pleasures you talk about. Our two month trip to Alaska in 09 was full of "want to again things". Across Canada again this past spring to pick up our Escape 17B resulted in another fantastic 6 weeks excursion. We "brag" that we have now spent vacation time in every province, territory and US state (except Hawaii) usually with an RV or trailer.
Sorry we didn't meet when you were in PEI.
2011 will see us in our native province of NL for a month or two - Aug.-Sept.
All those Km sure take the trade value down on a vehicle.
Happy trailers
__________________
06 4L V6 Montana
17B Escapei
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12-20-2010, 06:41 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: St. Thomas not BVI., Ontario
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0TA / 2016 Ram Eco Diesel 4X4
Posts: 8,035
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Hi: amirie...Keep working...You'll get older faster!!! I have 36mo's. at the BIG WHEEL then TRAVEL kicks in :P My Bro.-in-law lives in Bakersfield Cal. and we should be there in Jan.- Feb. 2014 if we hurry!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
__________________
Quote Bugs Bunny..."Don't take life too seriously, none of us get out of it ALIVE"!!!
'16 Ram Eco D. 4X4 Laramie Longhorn CC & '14 Escape 5.0TA
St.Thomas (Not the Virgin Islands) Ontario
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12-20-2010, 09:49 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,365
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Sounds like a wonderful trip! Glad you enjoyed Croton-on-Hudson - I grew up there...
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12-20-2010, 10:31 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Great sounding trip. I so look forward to the day I can be doing that too.
__________________
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
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12-20-2010, 11:33 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: '09 Escape 19 "Grasshopper"
Posts: 221
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Thanks for sharing your wonderful travel tales. What an awesome adventure!
__________________
Brad & Shay
'09 Escape 19 "Grasshopper"
'14 MB GL350 BlueTEC; '99 Toyota 4Runner V6 4WD
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12-20-2010, 01:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 893
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Wow.. what a great trip!! Make's you want to just get up & go! The best thing about driving is seeing all those little places you never would of ventured to see & of course the "big" places as well. Well done!!
__________________
Former 17ft Plan "B" Escape
Toyota Highlander w/tow pkg
favorite quote: "Put the candle back"
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12-20-2010, 04:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Missoula, Montana
Trailer: Escape 19, 2018: Last Best Escape
Posts: 395
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
What a delightful report! We thought it was hard just looking at the beautiful Escape calendar. Now we are just plain envious.
We don't take delivery of our 17B until mid July. Your adventures make us anxious for summer and escaping. Thanks for sharing.
K&KSitte
__________________
2018 Escape 19: Last Best Escape
2015 Escape 19 (previous): Escape Goats
2011 Escape 17 (previous): SittEscape
Honda Pilot 2019
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12-21-2010, 02:40 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Trailer: 2017 19 foot
Posts: 66
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Hey K&KSitte,
There is an opening on the production schedule for a 17B in April. Why not write to Tammy and see if you can snare it, assuming you would like the trailer sooner?
Beaver
8)
__________________
Happy Owner of 2017 19'
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12-23-2010, 10:56 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Missoula, Montana
Trailer: Escape 19, 2018: Last Best Escape
Posts: 395
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Re: 27,273 km in our 17B - changed 1 tire
Ah, Beaver, wish that we could! Time and money are obstacles more often than we'd like to admit but we're doing some parent caregiving duties as well. The wait will teach us patience, right? And make the time when we do - finally - pick up our Escape even sweeter. Now, let's see: what can I do with all these camping gifts in 20 inches of snow?
__________________
2018 Escape 19: Last Best Escape
2015 Escape 19 (previous): Escape Goats
2011 Escape 17 (previous): SittEscape
Honda Pilot 2019
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