Escape Debutante Ball – Sault Ste Marie ONT

fudge_brownie · 05-09-2010, 09:13 PM

Saturday May 8 arrived with some vengeance in Sault Ste Marie; the snow covered trees were very pretty but the cold rain/snow combination in late morning made the delivery of Escapes for Gerda, Bob and Paul looking difficult. The truck from Let It Ride Trucking out of Lone Butte BC was right on schedule, within 30 minutes our last member, Gerda arrived after a 3:00 AM departure. It must have been a great feeling to drive up and see the Café Egg name as the last trailer on the truck, ready to come off first.

The trailers arrived in great shape but they all are in need of a good cleaning. The driver, Les, informed us he had snow the entire trip. At one point whiteout conditions existed. Fortunately he was under no pressure to meet a delivery date; he was mandated to deliver the cargo safely. So the storm system followed him for the entire 3,592 km.

The Debutante Ball featured Café Egg, Winter, and no name. Speaking for me it was all I had hoped for. I cannot say there were any surprises, there still is a lot to explore and learn but it was delivery just as I had expected. I really like what I have purchased. What was interesting is that of the three of us only Bob had seen an Escape. He had the Escape Artist tour of a 5.0 model.

We spent as much time outside in the cold as we could stand. There was not a thought of a campfire or sitting around talking, too much to try and explore plus rigging TV’s for towing. We had the most difficulty with our number one priority, the furnace. It must have taken us 30 minutes to learn about the on/off switch on the thermostat. I must say we were easily distracted by a new discovery, a great feature, something changed to improve the Escape, or questions from each other. It was really fun to scamper across the campsite to ask a question or compare something on your unit with someone else’s.

By prior agreement we adjourned to a nearby roadhouse and warmed up, ate, talked about things other than Escapes and finally settled down to business and went through the 21 point questionnaire developed by Gerda and Paul. It’s amazing what those Germans can do to organizing things.

Sunday morning found ice in the dog bowl, about ¼ inch during the night. At least the sun was out and we could continue our unending questions. By 9:00 am we had managed to break camp one by one and start our 8 hour return journeys. Now the real fun begins.

Hokie Escape · 05-09-2010, 09:21 PM

The first of many GREAT adventures. Congratulations to all of you.

Jim Bennett · 05-09-2010, 09:21 PM

Yay!!!!!
Three more Escape owners.

PGDriver · 05-09-2010, 09:23 PM

Wishing everyone a safe and fun trip home.

escape artist · 05-09-2010, 11:15 PM

Hi: Gerda, Paul& Bob...What else can I say except ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

thoer · 05-10-2010, 07:25 AM

Congratulations Gerda, Paul & Bob!

Mary and I start our journey to pick up our new 17B next Sunday. Along the way we will deliver our sold Scamp to its new owner in Bozeman and visit an old (now we are that in both senses) college buddy there. We plan to get to Chilliwack on the day it is scheduled to be complete - the 21st.

fudge_brownie · 05-10-2010, 07:42 AM

The christening party in Sault Ste Marie.

escape artist · 05-10-2010, 08:46 AM

Hi: All... I looked twice for snow

but I guess you had to be there!!! Thanks for the pic's. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Texscapees · 05-10-2010, 10:08 AM

Your long waits are finally over... Congrats! Maybe you can have a Debutante Ball reunion sometime during the summer where your furnaces wouldn't need to be running.

In contrast to your snowy conditions, we just got back from a 3 day beach excursion at Mustang Island State Park near Port Aransas, TX. The highs were in the 90's & the lows in the upper 70's with a whopping 90+% humidity. We finally got to try out the A/C to bring down the humidity inside at night - Sure are glad we opted to get it. Also finally got to try out the outside shower. Worked great for washing the sand off of us before coming inside the trailer.

Cheers to many happy cheesehead camping adventures going forward.

gharms · 05-10-2010, 03:22 PM

I only can say, Tammy and Reace have a great product!! Cafe Egg is (pardon for the women talk here) super cute!!!! In real life even much more than on pictures!!! And on top of that, it is very well built, and it does NOT have a pungent formaldehyde smell to it, like you find in many stickies! I did NOT regret it buying this blind, without seeing an Escape in person before!

Bob and I were discussing how we both ordered our Escapes without seeing it, and how unlike us that is, given that this is a rather big purchase. When I bought my car 8 years ago, that decision was product of 2 years test driving pre-owned and new mid-sized SUV's of ALL sorts... I exactly knew what I wanted when I finally went in to a dealership with the intention to sign paperwork.

Yes Alf, fun has begun. Yesterday after arriving home, my parents and daughter got a glimpse of Cafe Egg. And then my dad and I further played around with it, and I gave my dad a demonstration of those telescoping tennis balls for hitch alignment... And today during lunch break I had a look again as well....

In short, this weekend was a blast, meeting very nice people and playing with our Escapes! To be repeated!!

Gerda

P.S. Some pictures to follow on Show Escape

thoer · 05-10-2010, 07:56 PM

Gerda - same here for Mary and I. My friends are amazed that me (Mr ConsumerReport,etc) would buy something sight unseen. I am hoping to be similarly wowed when we get to BC on the 21st!!!!

fudge_brownie · 05-10-2010, 09:00 PM

Gerda
I know you make the statement that you bought the Escape Trailer sight unseen, rightly so. But you have also spent hours, maybe days researching travel trailers, towing and Escapes. You were or are an extremely informed consumer on Escape trailers. Personally and I think I can speak for Bob and yourself that knowledge came from this forum and the questions, hints, problems and features that have been discussed.

Anyone could probably become as informed if they took the time to read the forum from start to finish. It is the text book on Escape. What I discovered in SSM and am still finding is I have the "book learning", but not the practical experience of an Escape trailer. I know there is a switch/valve to by pass the hot water heater but as of yet I cannot tell you where it is or how it works. That is book learning, nice but without the practical not worth alot.

gbaglo · 05-10-2010, 09:47 PM

Anyone could probably become as informed if they took the time to read the forum from start to finish. It is the text book on Escape. What I discovered in SSM and am still finding is I have the "book learning", but not the practical experience of an Escape trailer. I know there is a switch/valve to by pass the hot water heater but as of yet I cannot tell you where it is or how it works. That is book learning, nice but without the practical not worth alot.

[/quote]

I think that is covered in the video ( at the end under winterizing ). You'll find it under Documents and Other Useful Stuff. It's a half hour tour of the Escape 17 B, but most applies to other models as well. Even though I shot the video, I find myself referring to it to refresh my memory.

baglo

You may also like: