2 month trip report

[davidmurphy02]

We got our 5.0 two years ago. The first year we were able to do some short trips to break it in but due to work commitments had to put off serious travel until the following year....2020. Covid trashed our big plans last year as it did for many others. This year, after getting fully vaccinated we took a two month trip, mostly to southern Utah. We were very lucky after a lot of clicking in being able to reserve terrific campsites at 5 national parks and 5 state parks.

If you saw my posts about furnace trouble over the past month you might think we had a bad time - to the contrary, it was a terrific trip and we love our trailer. The more we use it, the more we not only love how perfectly it suits us, but how its boondocking capabilities have changed our camping style. We prefer national parks where the campgrounds generally don't have any hookups, and have found that with our Escape we can camp in them for long periods with ease. We have done a lot of "style and decor" customization but for the most part have the standard equipment packages. The single solar panel with regular 6 volt batteries and inverter is working really well for us and we have been pleasantly surprised by our ability to run the microwave, judiciously, on the inverter.

The small overall length of our truck and 5.0 allowed us to fit into some campsites where our previous larger trailer would not have worked. We find that the frameless windows, along with the Maxxfan and screen door, provide plenty of ventilation and in fact have removed the screens from the rear window to improve the view since we spend a lot of time in the dinette. Even with the back windows always closed ventilation has been more than adequate.

Given the state of the RV components industry today I never expected to have a trouble-free experience and try to learn as much as possible about how everything works and carry a few spare parts so that a critical failure on the road doesn't ruin a trip. Our furnace issues on this trip remain a challenge - not a sail switch or circuit board issue, apparently - but they were intermittent and at worst cost me some sleep from getting up during the night a few times to restart the furnace. And once I finally get this figured out, it will be a good feeling to have a complete understanding of the furnace and be able to more quickly troubleshoot problems in the future.

After our previous trailer rotted out from repeated roof leaks I will never take for granted the wonderful feeling of being inside a fiberglass shell that will never have those problems. Anything else can be repaired or replaced and I expect to get many years of wonderful service from our 5.0. After two years I still have not found anything at all to complain about regarding the fit and finish of pretty much every aspect of construction.

We are very happy campers. Now if national park reservations would just get a little easier to obtain....

[stephen99]

Good post. Thanks, David.

[gbaglo]

Nice pix.
Good attitude.

[Donna D.]

Nice report I love your pics and following along on your journeys. Could you please tell us where these were taken?

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Nice report I love your pics and following along on your journeys. Could you please tell us where these were taken?

Sorry about that, rushing to go through all the trip pics (just got home last night) and haven't labeled them yet. In the order they are posted:

1. Canyonlands NP, Utah Needles District campground Site 19
2. Arches NP, Utah park road near Park Place / Courthouse Wash
3. Arches NP Devils Garden campground Site 19
4. Hite Overlook, Utah State Hwy 95 above Lake Powell
5. Great Sand Dunes NP, Colorado Pinon Flats campground site 32
6. Capitol Reef NP, Utah Fruita campground site 67
7. Blossom and Cairo

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

4. Hite Overlook, Utah State Hwy 95 above Lake Powell

Drone pic?

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Drone pic?

Nope, walked out on a cliff edge that sticks out there. I don't do drones or PhotoShop, just careful composition to make it look like I'm more daring than I really am.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Sorry about that, rushing to go through all the trip pics (just got home last night) and haven't labeled them yet. In the order they are posted:

1. Canyonlands NP, Utah Needles District campground Site 19
2. Arches NP, Utah park road near Park Place / Courthouse Wash
3. Arches NP Devils Garden campground Site 19
4. Hite Overlook, Utah State Hwy 95 above Lake Powell
5. Great Sand Dunes NP, Colorado Pinon Flats campground site 32
6. Capitol Reef NP, Utah Fruita campground site 67
7. Blossom and Cairo

Perfect. THANKS!

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Nope, walked out on a cliff edge that sticks out there. I don't do drones or PhotoShop, just careful composition to make it look like I'm more daring than I really am.

I'm thinking you have to compose the pic in your mind. Position the trailer and it's a long walk back to the vantage point.

That's commitment.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I'm thinking you have to compose the pic in your mind. Position the trailer and it's a long walk back to the vantage point.

That's commitment.

This particular photo was a long time in the making....took the same photo 10 years ago with our old trailer and had to wait until now to get it with a beautiful 5.0 in the picture

[TZBrown]

Great report, and a great attitude about things that you cannot control.
We are only able to control our reaction to what is happening

[kavm]

Really nice report and pics! These places are close to us.

[HABBERDABBER]

Bravo!

Originally Posted by TZBrown

Great report, and a great attitude about things that you cannot control.
We are only able to control our reaction to what is happening

[Effie]

Great review for some of my favorite places

Our good old Escape 15 in 2018 at Arches Devil's Garden campground site 19

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Sorry about that, rushing to go through all the trip pics (just got home last night) and haven't labeled them yet. In the order they are posted:

1. Canyonlands NP, Utah Needles District campground Site 19
2. Arches NP, Utah park road near Park Place / Courthouse Wash
3. Arches NP Devils Garden campground Site 19
4. Hite Overlook, Utah State Hwy 95 above Lake Powell
5. Great Sand Dunes NP, Colorado Pinon Flats campground site 32
6. Capitol Reef NP, Utah Fruita campground site 67
7. Blossom and Cairo

Some of my favorites as a retired NPS employee. We are on our way to Arches this summer.

[Centex]

Great report and congrats on a great trip for y'all (cats included)!

[Great Eggstrications]

Hey David and Mary - welcome home. It was nice to meet up with you guys at Dead Horse Point to sit and chat in the shade behind your 5.0 a couple of weeks ago.

Believe it or not, we still haven’t made it out of Moab, due in part to having a site up Highway 128 right on the Colorado. Now it’s on to Bisti Badlands in a couple of days... maybe.

So much hiking... such sore feet.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications

Hey David and Mary - welcome home. It was nice to meet up with you guys at Dead Horse Point to sit and chat in the shade behind your 5.0 a couple of weeks ago.

Believe it or not, we still haven’t made it out of Moab, due in part to having a site up Highway 128 right on the Colorado. Now it’s on to Bisti Badlands in a couple of days... maybe.

So much hiking... such sore feet.

Still in Moab - we are Jealous! That looks like a terrific spot, I can see why you stayed there. Can't wait to see and hear about Bisti!

[brain]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Sorry about that, rushing to go through all the trip pics (just got home last night) and haven't labeled them yet. In the order they are posted:

1. Canyonlands NP, Utah Needles District campground Site 19
2. Arches NP, Utah park road near Park Place / Courthouse Wash
3. Arches NP Devils Garden campground Site 19
4. Hite Overlook, Utah State Hwy 95 above Lake Powell
5. Great Sand Dunes NP, Colorado Pinon Flats campground site 32
6. Capitol Reef NP, Utah Fruita campground site 67
7. Blossom and Cairo

David,


Did you have to make reservations at GSNP when you were there? Was the dump station open?



Great report and love the campsite info details!
Thanks!

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by brain

David,


Did you have to make reservations at GSNP when you were there? Was the dump station open?



Great report and love the campsite info details!
Thanks!

Yes, all campsites at Great Sand Dunes NP are on the reservation system and were fully booked. The dump station was open.