10 years ago ---

[DonF]

I’ve not posted on the Forum for awhile, but it’s our anniversary today!
On this day in 2014, we took possession of our Escape 19 at Bob’s Burgers and Brew in Sumas, Washington. As we had always been tent campers, we were a bit nervous as we eased out of the parking lot to start a new chapter in our lives. Sixty adventuresome days later, we arrived home. Our Escapin’ lives had just started!

Recently, we completed our goal of spending at least one night in our Escape in a campground in all of the lower forty-eight states and the Canadian provinces bordering the US. Since that first stormy night in our Escape at Bayview State Park in Mt. Vernon, Washington, we’ve traveled more than 114,000 miles, visited almost 400 campgrounds, and spent over 1,000 nights in our Escape 19. In a few days, we’ll begin another six-week trip through the southeast – our adventure continues!



This link, https://www.corinthrose.com/Gallerie...ls/Campgrounds, leads to a page on Cheryl’s website showing a few of the campgrounds we have visited in the past ten years. If you’re interested, there's a link to an interactive map of our Escape travels and a few of our tent camping excursions, including our 2010 trip to Alaska, at the top of the photo page.

We’ve so enjoyed traveling the country in our Escape and are surely not ready to stop yet!

[Vermilye]

Congratulations on your anniversary and wishes for many more!

[DonF]

Thanks Jon. Your 17' was the first Escape we saw when we met with you near Tupelo, MS in 2013.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by DonF

I’ve not posted on the Forum for awhile, but it’s our anniversary today!
On this day in 2014, we took possession of our Escape 19 at Bob’s Burgers and Brew in Sumas, Washington. As we had always been tent campers, we were a bit nervous as we eased out of the parking lot to start a new chapter in our lives. Sixty adventuresome days later, we arrived home. Our Escapin’ lives had just started!

Recently, we completed our goal of spending at least one night in our Escape in a campground in all of the lower forty-eight states and the Canadian provinces bordering the US. Since that first stormy night in our Escape at Bayview State Park in Mt. Vernon, Washington, we’ve traveled more than 114,000 miles, visited almost 400 campgrounds, and spent over 1,000 nights in our Escape 19. In a few days, we’ll begin another six-week trip through the southeast – our adventure continues!

Attachment 72379

This link, https://www.corinthrose.com/Gallerie...ls/Campgrounds, leads to a page on Cheryl’s website showing a few of the campgrounds we have visited in the past ten years. If you’re interested, there's a link to an interactive map of our Escape travels and a few of our tent camping excursions, including our 2010 trip to Alaska, at the top of the photo page.

We’ve so enjoyed traveling the country in our Escape and are surely not ready to stop yet!

Wow!...Thats impressive! Love that you are putting the miles and building memories...

[WillyB]

Impressive!

Happy Anniversary!

[Chama]

Lovely story! Thanks for sharing.

[iamunique127]

You two are really getting some good use out of your Escape!
Congratulations on the anniversary.

[escape artist]

Hi: DonF... Our 5.0TA is a '14 too, but our map isn't as full. "Keep on truckin". Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Donna D.]

Oh wow! Now I have another goal. Congratulations on this achievement. You're at the pinnacle of RV ownership

[EscapeBoulder]

Absolutely stunning pictures, thank you for the link (which I've bookmarked for future reference.)

[DT6]

Awesome travel blog - thanks for sharing!! I have to be the one to ask - when are you going to get the Hawaii box checked?

[Iowa Dave]

Bill (Bill and Earline) and I met Peter Styer and his wife Nancy at the Wine Escape rally in the fall of 2015. We showed him our Escapes. They bought a 21 and took delivery the next spring I think it was. They got one of those fill in the map frames and got after camping in earnest. Over the years the map filled in, Peter’s travelogue entertained, his photography was excellent including an Escape calendar page and last fall we camped with Peter and Nancy at the Wine Escape again. The map was full with 49 states, and every Canadian province where there are roads. It’s quite an accomplishment for sure. It takes a certain kind of dedication and resources to fill the map, Hike the Appalachian trail from end to end, compile a huge list of National and Provincial parks, or drive coast to coast or start to finish on some of our great highways. Hats off to all who have set “Escape” or other goals. I’m not a goal setter of that ilk nor am I especially a bucket list person but I do have a number of places I’d like to visit while I still can.
We do go back to some areas we’ve previously visited just because we like them and the memories they hold for us.

In the photo are Peter, Nancy and my much better half Rita, as Peter and Nancy stopped on their way to Alaska last spring. Peter is pointing out the roadless Nunavik as one space that will and has remained, unfilled. Maybe there ought to be a fill the map “Escape Honor Roll”. A pretty exclusive club to my way of thinking.
To Each His Own
Iowa Dave

[escape artist]

Hi: Iowa Dave... I thought you two preferred "A road less travelled" sprinkled with an interstate or two!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Iowa Dave]

Hey Alf,
Right now we are staying put. About a foot of snow on the ground, more coming, high winds and cold temps.

We do take a lot of roads less traveled and recently enjoyed some state and county roads in central Illinois to avoid Chicago. Some of those small towns have some fantastic architecture in older houses, courthouses, and downtowns. It is a little painful to see the struggle some of these great old towns are having. Between a recitation of Robert Frost’s Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening,The road less traveled a couple Sandburgs and a few personal renditions of once popular songs, the miles go by pretty fast. Gas milage goes up, stress goes down and there’s a newness and better historic understanding of the area. I will use an interstate as a tie in occasionally but for the most part it’s “country roads take me home”.
Iowa Dave

[emers382]

Originally Posted by DT6

Awesome travel blog - thanks for sharing!! I have to be the one to ask - when are you going to get the Hawaii box checked?

At the Boler 50th in Winnipeg in 2018 there was a couple who had a 13 ft. Scamp parked near us. They had their state map pretty well full and said they had actually checked into the cost of shipping the Scamp to Hawaii so they could fill that one too But they said it was too pricy.

[Iowa Dave]

If a person had the right Military connections there might be a way. Stranger things have happened.
Iowa Dave

[brroberts]

We don’t have a map, but have filled it in over the years from Belize to Barrow, AK at lest 2 to 3 times each. The section missing for us is Canada’s Maritimes. Maybe someday. There is so much to see! Iowa Dave will be happy to know that Spring ‘25 we have a few more days planned for Iowa. There are some places we go repeatedly, and a few we’ve never been and don’t want to go.

Everyone needs to use their trailer how it works best for them. Some folks like to go the local lake and camp. Others like to travel the world. I just hope everyone brings cheer to others and has some fun as they go.

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

We do take a lot of roads less traveled and recently enjoyed some state and county roads in central Illinois to avoid Chicago. Some of those small towns have some fantastic architecture in older houses, courthouses, and downtowns. It is a little painful to see the struggle some of these great old towns are having.
Iowa Dave

We usually take secondary, or lesser, highways too, so we can see the towns and how other ppl live. It takes us ages to get anywhere because we're constantly touring the smaller towns and cities and discovering something interesting.

[WillyB]

Who will be the first to put on their Nunavut sticker?

[Iowa Dave]

When traveling we usually have a sandwich for lunch and eat in a city park. I usually walk the grounds and do a park inspection, passing judgement on turf maintenance, playground inspection, and “special features”.

I am continually impressed by the patriotism shown in some very small towns that have installed memorials to local veterans and note the generosity of the residents and surrounding residents from the area. Some of these memorials easily cost in the tens of thousands and it’s very impressive to see participation in areas where “I never realized” the contribution they made to war efforts going back a hundred and fifty plus years ago. Memorial benches, tree plantings, picnic tables are just a few of the physical improvements installed for the enjoyment of visitors. Hats off, literally, to these folks.
Iowa Dave