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Old 01-17-2019, 06:25 PM   #1
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First Trip-report

We picked up our 2019 E21 in Sumas following our Monday morning orientation session. We towed to our motel in Bellingham, loaded up all our stuff from our room and headed to Mt. Vernon, WA on the banks of the Skagit River for our first night. Inside was a struggle as we unpacked bedding, clothes, etc. and outside, a hard freeze was forecast and there was also dense fog. Low that night that we saw was 27 degrees. We had planned a leisurely drive south but the weather forecast for the Siskiyous was not good so we put the pedal to the metal and drove through to Eugene, OR where it rained all night and the temp got down to 33. We left Eugene at 7 am since the forecast called for worsening conditions after noon. We crested the hill in good form and began thinking we were home free. Not so.

As we headed down into northern CA, we entered a typhoon. That is the best way to describe it. Torrential rains, high winds. It was truly awful driving conditions, the worst ever experienced in 30 years of RVing. We were planning to stay in Corning CA but given the bad weather, people were not leaving the campgrounds so there was no space for us. We made a reservation in Red Bluff CA sight unseen. When we got there, the site was a swamp and smelled like the sewer had backed up from the heavy rain. Even though we had paid for the night, we left because it was so bad. So, what to do?

Some years ago, we stayed in a nice RV park in Oroville CA , about a 1 1/2 hour drive, but it was late afternoon. We pushed on and arrived in the driving rainstorm at dusk. We got soaked to the skin setting up the E21 for the night. The typhoon continued all night with pounding rain and high windsn and into the morning when it finally began to lessen. Finally, with a few breaks in the rain storm, we did some trailer organizing which was badly needed. Through it all, our E21 towed great, performed great, and kept us warm and dry. This says to me that Escape's quality control is pretty good. The biggest problem encourtered so far is the "new" power cord, where you cannot connect the power cable locking collar to the fitting on the trailer. Dave says, "use a heat gun on the washer" but I do not have one with me. We have yet to find the best combination of venting to prevent condensation inside the trailer during the humid conditions during the rainstrom.

The only bad event during the typhoon yesterday (we had to buy groceries) my wife was opening the door to our trailer and the wind took it from her hand and smashed the door into a WalMart grocery cart. So now out pristine E21 has a dent in the door edge and is, of course, covered in road slime and grunge due to driving I-5 in the typhoon. Pick-up has surely been a weather adventure.
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Old 01-17-2019, 06:39 PM   #2
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Wow! What an adventure! The weather has been unusually wild this winter. Glad you made it through the worst of it without any major issues. Congrats on your new trailer!
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Old 01-17-2019, 06:41 PM   #3
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I don't envy you driving in this weather but it sounds like you did an outstanding job of navigating the roads AND the swamps. You will love your 21' and especially during the inclement weather when you have room to move around. Congratulations and have a safe drive home (it's supposed to stop raining)!!
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Old 01-17-2019, 07:13 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chama View Post
The biggest problem encourtered so far is the "new" power cord, where you cannot connect the power cable locking collar to the fitting on the trailer. Dave says, "use a heat gun on the washer" but I do not have one with me.
I encountered the same problem -ps. the heat gun doesn't help. Ordered this as soon as I got home and the problem went away

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 01-17-2019, 07:58 PM   #5
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I’ve found myself in similar weather conditions.
I look for a parking lot where I can put myself in the lee of a building and wait out the storm in the safe, dry comfort of my camper.

Ed
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Old 01-17-2019, 09:26 PM   #6
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I’ve found myself in similar weather conditions.
I look for a parking lot where I can put myself in the lee of a building and wait out the storm in the safe, dry comfort of my camper.

Ed

Reminds me of the time we used a self-serve car wash for the same purpose. It, of course, had zero customers; just wind howling through at times.
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Old 01-17-2019, 09:34 PM   #7
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Really sorry to hear about the drive trauma & door. Worst case you can get that standard RV door replaced.

I would have "Stealth Boondocked" in Redbluff at that point, probably in a motel parking lot- yet hindsight is 20/20. Glad the door was the worst of it, other than your nerves. Hope you're good now.
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Old 01-17-2019, 09:38 PM   #8
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So sorry to hear that your first days were much less than perfect! I remember one day we had made a reservation at a campground that was supposed to be one of the "Top 25" in Canada. Well, we arrived (in July) and there was a big hail storm with hail the size of 5c coins. We had no where to go and just had to pull over. Luckily, the only damage ended up being holes in the cover for the vent fan on the trailer roof. The campground ended up being flooded from the rain that followed the hail, and we ended up driving for 13 hours and spent our first night ever in a Walmart parking lot after all campgrounds being full. It ended up being a great experience- it was quiet with a few other fibreglass RVs, and a talented man stopped by to play the violin for half an hour.

Here's wishing you many better adventures in your Escape!
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Old 01-17-2019, 09:50 PM   #9
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I would have "Stealth Boondocked" in Redbluff at that point,
If the campground at Rolling Hills was full we've have just stayed in the free parking lot with the big rigs.

The last time we pressed on in that area the campground at Oroville was underwater and closed.

That's that type of maiden voyage that memories are made of.

Ron
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Old 01-17-2019, 10:36 PM   #10
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If the campground at Rolling Hills was full we've have just stayed in the free parking lot with the big rigs.

The last time we pressed on in that area the campground at Oroville was underwater and closed.

That's that type of maiden voyage that memories are made of.

Ron
Ron ,we have been having ,it's been so long I almost can't remember , cold weather and driving rains . The hills around us are nice and green . Not looking forward to summer when there will be a bunch more to burn in the state of California . So many are suffering evacuations and flooding because of all the fires . Pat
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Old 01-17-2019, 10:41 PM   #11
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Picture in our front yard when we got home in summer . This fire went to the west , beach . There was another North of us too .
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Old 01-17-2019, 10:54 PM   #12
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Reminds me of the time we used a self-serve car wash for the same purpose. It, of course, had zero customers; just wind howling through at times.
Funny! Really cracked me up imagining 'hiding out' in a car wash. What a good idea! I'll try to remember that one next time I'm caught out in Natures Car Wash. I'd expect no less from a fellow "A-Lister". I look forward to meeting you guys someday.
Thanks!
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Old 01-18-2019, 05:39 AM   #13
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Congratulations on your new Escape, I'm sure you will remember the first trip but also glad you're not a newbie at RV towing based on the conditions you had to deal with.
Yes would agree would have never though of one of those self serve car washes but will now .

Enjoy the journey.

Steve
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Old 01-18-2019, 09:07 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
I encountered the same problem -ps. the heat gun doesn't help. Ordered this as soon as I got home and the problem went away

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Good call on the Marinco, tdf. It swaps out in 5 seconds and works perfectly. Twist and Lock
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Old 01-19-2019, 09:24 AM   #15
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Why campgrounds in Corning area were full...

We now realize that the campgrounds all around Corning, Red Bluff, Oroville are full not so much because of bad weather we had during out trip, but are housing Paradise fire victims in leased RVs in the campgrounds. Make reservations well in advance if you are planning a stopover in that area.
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Old 01-19-2019, 09:39 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Chama View Post
We now realize that the campgrounds all around Corning, Red Bluff, Oroville are full not so much because of bad weather we had during out trip, but are housing Paradise fire victims in leased RVs in the campgrounds. Make reservations well in advance if you are planning a stopover in that area.

Good point. Remember, there was also a big fire near Shasta the year before. And here I was thinking it was all the people wanting to buy stuff from The Olive Pit!

Olive Pit - Gourmet Olives, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Wine and Craft Beer
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Old 01-19-2019, 10:32 AM   #17
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We now realize that the campgrounds all around Corning, Red Bluff, Oroville are full not so much because of bad weather we had during out trip, but are housing Paradise fire victims in leased RVs in the campgrounds. Make reservations well in advance if you are planning a stopover in that area.
Thanks for the follow-up, Chama! Durango in Red Bluff is our regular first night stop for any trip we make north. We will heed your advice!
And, kudos to the Parks, insurance co’s, and gov’t agencies for utilizing a great resource!
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Old 01-19-2019, 11:49 AM   #18
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Good call on the Marinco, tdf. It swaps out in 5 seconds and works perfectly. Twist and Lock


I followed tdf-texas lead too. Easy-Peasy to change out.

Fred M.
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