Time for an Introduction

Bill and Mary · 06-21-2014, 01:36 PM

Hi! We're Bill and Mary Richardson from Clarinda, Iowa. We're excited to be picking up our new 5.0 TA on September 25th. We retired at the end of 2013. For years we've dreamed of RVing in retirement. We want a small R.V. for reasons others have expressed -- we want to travel throughout the U.S. and Canada, and using an Escape seems to be the best way to do that. As for our tow vehicle, we just bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 quad cab (grandchildren) because we wanted enough payload to support the 900 - 1000 pin weight of the 5.0 T.A. For the past four months, we have been devouring just about everything on this Forum, and we really appreciate all that we have learned from you Escapees. There's just one more little question that I will ask on a new thread.

tash · 06-21-2014, 01:43 PM

Welcome!

emers382 · 06-21-2014, 03:52 PM

Welcome Bill and Mary

We too went for a larger truck than originally planned for our 5.0 classic new to us last month because of grandchildren and one four year old did come with us on our first trip. Also no worries about pin weight added to any passengers we may have. We bought an F150 Supercab 2wd.

Adrian

emers382 · 06-21-2014, 03:58 PM

I just checked out Clarinda, and perhaps yours will be the first TA we see! Our daughter and son-in-law are just moving to Leavenworth KS and we'll be visiting going straight down I29 from our town to theirs so could make a little detour. Hope we would be welcome for a peek!

I also retired end of 2013 and we plan to be snowbirds this winter heading to NM and AZ.

Adrian

KarenH · 06-21-2014, 03:59 PM

It's funny how grandchildren become the center of the universe for empty nesters and retirees. They're God's greatest invention, I think.

Bill and Mary, welcome to the Escape world. It's good to see more mid-westerners aboard.

emers382 · 06-21-2014, 05:56 PM

Karen

You are right about grands being the centre of the universe for us retirees. We moved from Southern ON last year in order to be closer to four grandchildren here in Emerson who we see almost daily and only 7.5 hours from two in Thunder Bay ON and soon as you see above, 11 hours straight south to one grandchild in KS.

Adrian

**Donna D.** · 06-21-2014, 06:03 PM

Best bumper sticker I've seen said:

Grandchildren are God's way of rewarding you for not killing your kids when they were teenagers.

I can relate...

CADreamin · 06-21-2014, 09:09 PM

Lol!!!!!

Bill and Mary · 06-21-2014, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emers382

I just checked out Clarinda, and perhaps yours will be the first TA we see! Our daughter and son-in-law are just moving to Leavenworth KS and we'll be visiting going straight down I29 from our town to theirs so could make a little detour. Hope we would be welcome for a peek!

I also retired end of 2013 and we plan to be snowbirds this winter heading to NM and AZ.

Adrian

We'd be happy to show you our 5.0TA whenever you come through. Assume it will be the middle of Oct. before we get her home. Let us know when you'll be in the area.

ksb · 06-21-2014, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill and Mary

Hi! We're Bill and Mary Richardson from Clarinda, Iowa. We're excited to be picking up our new 5.0 TA on September 25th. We retired at the end of 2013. For years we've dreamed of RVing in retirement. We want a small R.V. for reasons others have expressed -- we want to travel throughout the U.S. and Canada, and using an Escape seems to be the best way to do that. As for our tow vehicle, we just bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 quad cab (grandchildren) because we wanted enough payload to support the 900 - 1000 pin weight of the 5.0 T.A. For the past four months, we have been devouring just about everything on this Forum, and we really appreciate all that we have learned from you Escapees. There's just one more little question that I will ask on a new thread.

Hi Bill and Mary...

small world....I grew up in Atlantic. We are recently retired too and live in Fort Collins CO....a great place to stop on your way from Canada....

We have a 2009 5.0 and pull with a Chev Silverado 1500...works great.

Kathy & Jim

Scuba55 · 06-22-2014, 09:26 AM

Donna, I think we can all relate to that, hahaha...

rfs · 06-22-2014, 04:26 PM

Hi Bill and Mary. Great to welcome some fellow Iowans to the Escape family. We live on 3 acres near Atkins and also retired last year. We bought our Escape 19 last August and we have already logged over 10,000 miles in 3 trips. We spent the first 7 years of our marriage in Council Bluffs and camped at Viking, Lake of Three Fires and Nine Eagles State Park among others.
Rita and Dave

cpaharley2008 · 06-22-2014, 06:14 PM

Hi Bill and Mary and Rita and Dave,
Welcome to our little Escape world. I recently traversed Iowa on my trip to the Escape Rally in Osoyoos, BC earlier this month. I also attended college there back in the 60's- Parson's College in Fairfield, Iowa, a small town off Iowa rt#34 near Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant.

rfs · 06-22-2014, 06:39 PM

Hi chaharley. Parson's College is now Maharishi University where they practice consciousness based education. Quite a different place since you went there.

cpaharley2008 · 06-22-2014, 07:00 PM

Yes, I stopped in Fairfield last summer on a trip to Nebraska, it was like stepping back in time!

Bill and Mary · 06-23-2014, 08:53 AM

Nice to know there are some Iowans and former Iowans on the forum! Jim, we're well acquainted with Parsons -- Bill's cousin played football for Parsons in the 60's.

MTWaggin · 06-23-2014, 08:55 AM

Nice to see there will be another midwest pin in the owner's map. Not sure what is wrong with all these MT people! LOL

Sherry

cpaharley2008 · 06-23-2014, 08:56 AM

I was there from Fall 1966 til Spring 1967 when they lost their accreditation and was forced to leave. Rally liked the school and it's teaching method, would have stayed.

sokol · 06-28-2014, 09:47 AM

Welcome to the Escape family. It's really exciting to be getting your trailer. You will also be gratified that your trailer turned out to be the Cadillac of fiberglass trailers. You have many wonderful travels ahead of you. Congratulations.

51f1 · 06-30-2014, 08:51 AM

'Just discovered this great forum! My wife(70) and I (71) camp in a very well preserved 1989 Coleman Laramie popup. We live in Sacramento, CA, and occasionally drive to British Columbia and Seattle. We are growing tired of the labor needed to set up and take down our trailer, so are looking at Escapes and Casitas, Scamps, etc. We tow with a '07 Honda Odyssey van, 3500 lbs rating. We prefer the 2-bed layouts, although it is just we two. We don't have, and don't miss having a shower inside, but love our owner-installed loo. As we get no rain in our N. CA camping season, all our cooking is done outside. And as you may know, CA state parks don't have electricity or water hookups, showers are nearby, so we don't need the shower, TV or AC features. Really, our trailer, now anyway, is just a place to sleep, change clothes and store stuff.
Having said all that, if you were to buy a new or used Escape that answered some of these "wishes", which would you recommend?
Thanks in advance. Gene

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