The old story of changing horses in mid-stream - 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 > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-19-2017, 08:29 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
The old story of changing horses in mid-stream

Cute thread title eh! Yes this is what Kim and I did with mixed feelings, loss of time and great expense.

Why ? Every morning we find ourselves with one less active day in an unknown total. Life is precious, travel is as well. This reality led us to switch RVs.

I have been reading and following this forum for many years following Tammy and Reace's creation, actually when they announced their intention to start Escape Industries asking users for suggestions on the RV Fiberglass forum. I went from Escape forum reader to officially joining several years ago and made many friends. A handful of non-friends ( no names ) but mostly good supportive and respectful friends that I respect for varying reasons.

As many of you know, I placed my 2016 21’ up for sale. It was a hard sell because thinking we would be keeping trailer forever, we configured it to meet our needs that starts with performance and reliability. I did not want to experience the issues so many reported here for years. I knew the new buyer would be someone that agreed with my view, most first time trailer buyers do not. Most people look at cost no matter what. So it became a waiting game.

Well, Kim and I went on a week long cruise late September. All of a sudden while on the cruise we received a flood of serious buyers with money!!! New problem was to be fair as to who emailed me first, talked to first or had full payment first, no deposits but full payment. One wonderful gentleman Kim and I now consider a good friend met us at home minutes after arriving home from the cruise port. Saw the trailer and bought it on the spot. We went to our local bank and with help of manager transferred full selling price to our account. It cleared instantly. Few days later he took delivery and we handed him title.

Now that we will be selling our 2016 RAM 1500 truck, we will wait until we are about to leave on next cruise as I am now convinced that this is a winning sales method that works ; > )

On order is our sandstone colored class B cargo van that we will build into a comfortable and cozy (code word for cramped like in a submarine) four season touring motor home with all the amenities we had in the Escape 21 only smaller. This is the RV that will be replacing our 2016 Escape 21.

The Escape was beautiful, comfortable, spacious, well made and very easy to tow , back up and maneuver but could not keep up with the touring schedule we tried out this summer. Worst we could not park tow/trailer combo in too many places and were bothered with having to hunt for overnight spots and pay for the privilege. Nothing wrong with that as I did so for many years but it slows our road travel big time. Now in retirement, we will be on the road a minimum of six to seven months a year for many years. That's a lot of one night stop over reservations. We came to the realization that having our "home" everywhere we go while touring and sightseeing was the best RV travel model for those of us not seeking relaxed camping but intensive continental touring.

At heart I will always be a trailer aficionado, have been all my life. Subscribed to Trailer Life before there was an internet and recall that in the early 1970s I was ready to buy a new empty Cardinal trailer when they were manufactured in the San Gabriel valley. Even back then I had MY floorplan on hand ready to make that the best trailer ever! Past two decades, I towed fiberglass and am convinced will always be a fiberglass fan, all brands, the smaller the better. I am sure we will eventually be towing again someday, at that time we will be back to relaxed camping and maybe even an awning !

Will continue to read threads of interest as this is a very good site full of talented people I like very much, some not. Anyone wishing to contact me can private message me or email me at w721731 at g m a i l dot c o m

Anyone going to Quartzsite 9,10,11 February look for Kim and I in a sandstone 6 meter class-B, we will look for you as well.

Donna, please move my 2016 21ft for sale Ad to the SOLD section.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 09:18 PM   #2
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
Quote:
Originally Posted by Santiago View Post
Donna, please move my 2016 21ft for sale Ad to the SOLD section.
Done. Santiago, thanks for all the thinking outside the box and all the great stuff you willing shared with the rest of us. I sincerely appreciated the effort and pics.

One thing we all know is we don't know what tomorrow will bring. It sounds like you have plans for wonderful memory makers. I hope you'll take us all along with travel pics and stories.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 09:43 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Greg A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,494
Congrats, Santiago and to the new owner as well.
See you in Quartzsite
Greg A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 10:08 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Front Range, Colorado
Trailer: 2017 5.0 TA picked up in July 2017.
Posts: 523
Congrats!!! If I hadn't already decided on a 5.0TA, picked up in July, I would have hopped in my truck and driven to Anaheim for that trailer in a New York minute. I am familiar with the modifications you did and the clean, aerodynamic configuration you went for. I am thinking of making a trip to Quartzite in Feb. after a January trip to the Texas Gulf Coast so, if there I will look you up. Good luck with the modifications on your Class B. And, Happy Travels!!!
SFDavis50 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 10:45 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,207
Santiago - so glad you came on this forum to show how one can think out of the box to design an RV to one's own needs and preferences. The Provan will be another project that will be planned and built out by you. Wish I had those skills! In the meantime you can just camp with it bare and we may just get out to Quartzsite next year to finally meet you and Kim.
Rossue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 10:53 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
One thing we all know is we don't know what tomorrow will bring. It sounds like you have plans for wonderful memory makers. I hope you'll take us all along with travel pics and stories.
Thank you Donna. I have known you forever ( RV Fiberglass ) and miss the old days over there. I think you are one classy lady and once on the road looking forward to meeting you.

Making memories has always been your advice to us. I will do just that and more. There are so many real Americans to talk to out there and so little time. Thank you for being you.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 10:55 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
See you in Quartzsite
Yes sir, looking forward to it. Never been to Quartzsite, just thinking of all those little eggs out in the desert. Like a candy store,
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 10:59 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by SFDavis50 View Post
I am thinking of making a trip to Quartzite in Feb. after a January trip to the Texas Gulf Coast so, if there I will look you up. Good luck with the modifications on your Class B. And, Happy Travels!!!
Thank you Steve, looking forward meeting you as well. Thank you for appreciating the changes I made. Had I kept the trailer, you would have loved the AC I had planned. The class-B's hot water heater is also weird but efficient and effective. Stay tuned.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2017, 11:07 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue View Post
In the meantime you can just camp with it bare and we may just get out to Quartzsite next year to finally meet you and Kim.
Thank you Ross for being a good friend. Once I settle a few things we will get on the road with minimal stuff as I will test systems one by one on trips. One is heavy duty floor, wall and ceiling insulation so that will be tested before more equipment is added. On the fence with hydronic under floor heating, like it but like simplicity even more. Will let you know when I head north next. If not then Quartzsite it will be.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 12:34 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Patandlinda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,203
Santiago Congratulations ! Someone is lucky to get your one of a kind trailer ! Pat
Patandlinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 12:44 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
Santiago,
Thanks for sharing. It is certainly interesting how different we all are. My oldest friend and his wife, who had an original 5.0 SA, and introduced us to Escapes, have sold their Escape and now have had a Class B custom built for their purposes. It seems that their camping and hiking/exploring style is best accomplished with that self-contained class B, quite different from your reasoning. Amazing. And our 17A perfectly fits our particular style. It is as our forum friend Donna says: YMMV.
dfandrews is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 12:57 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Marry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Ponoka, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 classic "outta sight", jeep rubicon unlimited
Posts: 1,645
Totally jealous here.
Santiago and Kim, you two are sure going for it! Wishing you many happy long safe travels!
Enjoy every minute of it! And if you do go visit Alberta, stop in for coffee.
__________________
"never lose hope, never lose faith"
Marry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 07:50 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
Santiago, I've not had the pleasure of meeting you in person, but based on your previous forum posts, I know you did your homework deciding which Class B to selected as your next RV "canvas to paint." I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who is curious as to which make, model, engine you selected as the starting point for your new journey. So, if you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd appreciate knowing. And I'd appreciate being able to follow your progress on a forum or blog if you'll let us know where to find your posts. Enjoy the ride! Dale
War Eagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 08:10 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,111
Quote:
Originally Posted by War Eagle View Post
I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who is curious as to which make, model, engine you selected as the starting point for your new journey. So, if you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd appreciate knowing.
Santiago shared that information in this post under his for sale thread:
www.escapeforum.org/forums/f37/for-sale-2016-21ft-one-of-a-kind-new-condition-anaheim-ca-28-500-usd-11222-2.html#post216185
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 08:19 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Red Dog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Retired from Dallas & Full-Timing, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape as of 01/16/17
Posts: 1,312
Best of luck in your upcoming travels!


Fred M.
__________________
Fred M.

"Whoever said retirement was overrated...
...never had an Escape"
Red Dog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 08:28 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
Thanks, Dave. I totally missed that post, and Santiago included everything I was curious about.
War Eagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 09:15 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
Thank you David. By the way I totally admire your initiative with the mini-split. I am looking forward to the day the condenser is horizontal, mobile rated and tailored to RVs. Your install using a residential one is fantastic. Your vision and encouragement here will hopefully get the ball rolling in the RV world. I love mini-splits especially the Futjitsu brand for residential use. The US residential industry like the RV industry seems stuck in same old same old mode.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 09:23 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by War Eagle View Post
Santiago, I've not had the pleasure of meeting you in person, but based on your previous forum posts, I know you did your homework deciding which Class B to selected as your next RV "canvas to paint." I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who is curious as to which make, model, engine you selected as the starting point for your new journey. So, if you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd appreciate knowing. And I'd appreciate being able to follow your progress on a forum or blog if you'll let us know where to find your posts. Enjoy the ride! Dale
Thank you Dale.
The design is complete, van ordered this week, delivery near end of year perhaps January which is bad since Kim and I won't be back from Asia till first week of February. We ordered it in sandstone color.

While David (Rubicon327) produced a link, here is an excerpt of what I wrote earlier.
"As to your original question. We will be ordering an empty two seat cargo van no longer than our pickup truck. I rented one last week for a day and parallel parked into several practice spots. It fits in any shopping center spot as well. Has smaller turning circle than my RAM pickup truck due to front wheel drive. It drove almost like a car despite being empty. We have selected the RAM Promaster 159 wheel base high top as our blank canvas. It's the European Ducato van in service worldwide for past 25 years or so. In the US, RAM replaced engine with same one my truck and many other Dodge cars and SUVs use, the Pentstar 3.6L 6 cylinder.

We will convert it to a Euro style class-B motorhome with everything our Escape has only smaller. Actually it will have many new and unique features not offered by trailer manufacturers. It will be even more unique than store bought big bucks class-B ones. Our new direction is to have our hotel on wheels with us at all times and be able to park as if we were out running around in the family car on an errand. We can camp next to a lake all to ourselves yet be able to so same in a big city downtown area enjoying a museum for example. Our goal is to experience it all. The design is almost complete.
"
__________________
Santiago
Santiago is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 09:28 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
NW Cat Owner's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Seatac, Washington
Trailer: "The Trailer", 2nd Gen 21' & a 2017 Tundra CrewMax in Blazing Blue Pearl
Posts: 2,888
Quote:
Originally Posted by Santiago View Post
Now that we will be selling our 2016 RAM 1500 truck, we will wait until we are about to leave on next cruise as I am now convinced that this is a winning sales method that works ; > )
Well, that's an interesting sales technique. What works, works, I guess.

So, if we hear about another cruise (after the truck selling one), then are we to assume you're selling the house?

I've seen some videos on what folks do in their conversions to those vans and some of them are pretty darn nifty.

Good luck with it all and have fun!

Start your own blog! Supply photos. You'll get subscribers.
__________________
Laura, Dirk and Sam & Jasper (the cats)
www.UnderKittySupervision.com
2017 21' trailer, new mold, rec'd 11/25/16
NW Cat Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2017, 09:30 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Santiago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Anaheim CA, California
Trailer: SOLD 2016 Classic 21ft - SOLD 2016 Ram 1500 tug - ORDERED Van Replacement
Posts: 516
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marry View Post
Totally jealous here.
Santiago and Kim, you two are sure going for it! Wishing you many happy long safe travels!
Enjoy every minute of it! And if you do go visit Alberta, stop in for coffee.
Marry, one thing Kim and love most about travel is meeting wonderful people mostly strangers when we first connect. You are my forum friend that I never had the chance to meet, yet. We will travel Canada coast to coast more than once and am sure we will meet. Thank you for the well wishes.
__________________
Santiago
Santiago 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 10:23 PM.


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