Getting away from it all -- is it possible in today's campgrounds?/Dry camping

[Jim Bennett]

While using a tent trailer for quite a few year, and having young kids at the time, the Porta-potti was a great thing to have. I very rarely used it myself, as a tree in the night was fine by me. Myself, if it was a space issue due to having a smaller trailer, I would not hesitate to have one. I really had no issue with dumping them, it is just as easy and more convenient then dumping the trailer.

Now that we have no kids to take on a regular basis, my wife's only requests for a trailer were a permanent bed that she did not have to take down, and a toilet to use (which could have been a Porta-potti if req'd).

In the last 15 months of having the trailer, the toilet does gets used a far bit, mostly for nighttime use, but we still don't mind using to the campground facilities being they either flush or pit toilets. The shower has only been used once by me, and that was just to try it out. We both much prefer using the showers at campgrounds if available. Hygiene is no problem at all, as we wash our feet before putting on our shower sandals and leaving.

When roughing it we just tend to do sponge baths for the most part anyway. It saves on water, and can be fun.

The outside shower has been used a bit, as it is handy for cleaning things. It is too high on our trailer to wash the dogs feet unfortunately, so we just fill a basin if that needs to be done.

[medora]

Jim, that's really, really helpful.

I guess what it comes down to for us is this ... and I would be extremely grateful if you all would weigh in.

The 15A would be a stretch for us if we travel with our dogs, and we do anticipate a few situations where we are travelling for work, staying somewhere without bath/shower access but where we'd actually NEED one to be presentable. So that makes me nervous. On the positive side, we can afford a 15A, and we have a car that can tow it. We could order and be on the road in the spring, making the rounds to drop off your thank you presents in person

We have come to understand though through all of your helpful and generous comments that the 17B would probably be a much better choice, with a bath/shower if we needed it, a little more room for the dogs, and possibly a little more room for work. BUT we start to go over our budget with the cost of the camper, and then we'd have to trade in our car ... which would REALLY tax our savings. Based on what I was looking at last night, upgrading cars would cost us at least an additional $6k US, and possibly quite a bit more. And that makes me REALLY nervous.

I know the resale value on the Escapes is good. Is it a dumb idea to get in a 15A with the notion that we will upgrade in a few years? We do tend to rough things up (one of the reasons I'm not keen on trading the Subaru in is that it's clearly been a "dog car"), so I expect the Escape would be well-used, and I don't know if that'd knock down resale quite a lot.

The other option is to wait. That wait could be several years as we drive out the Subaru and save for a replacement car.

Thoughts?

For what it's worth, husband Dan is likely to see a 17B in California later this week ... I'm still trying to figure out who I'll visit! But seeing one in person may obviously play into this too.

~e

[thoer]

E,

There some very good sounding used Escapes in the for sale section here - have you considered going the used route and using the cost savings over a new one to help with the trade up car?

[Hokie Escape]

Originally Posted by Eric T

E,

There some very good sounding used Escapes in the for sale section here - have you considered going the used route and using the cost savings over a new one to help with the trade up car?

Sounds like a plan!
Of course, only you can make the decision, because all of the rest of us came to the decision that met our needs. Brian has the 13A, and it works great for them, but my wife wouldn't camp with me! We need the bath, and extra room for, not dogs, but rug rats (grandchildren)! So, whatever fits your needs is the one. But, you don't want to settle for less than you really need, because these trailers will serve a long time!
Eric has a good point. If the one you buy used doesn't have everything you want, you can add it later as a modification, but you'll at least have what you need now.