First Night Camping

TimJan · 01-18-2018, 03:04 PM

We are picking up our new Escape 17B the end of March. Where would be a good campground near the border to spend our first night, and make sure everything works ok?

drjenk · 01-18-2018, 03:24 PM

We are going to stay at Sumas RV park, then head south to Larrabee State Park for the week, to flush things out.

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rotateclockwise · 01-18-2018, 03:30 PM

We stayed at Rasar State Park. It's about 55 miles south from Bob's Burgers (Sumas). The park is very nice and is in the trees. Quiet, clean, and an easy ride back if needed.

diannelgraham · 01-18-2018, 03:42 PM

I stayed at the KOA in Lynden, really close to Escape factory. I then spent a day at Larrabee state park, I would not recommend this park. The freight trains run all night long blowing their horns and they are very close to the park, was not a restful night. Rasar Stare Park is really nice I live close enough to go there on weekend get ways.

drjenk · 01-18-2018, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotateclockwise

We stayed at Rasar State Park. It's about 55 miles south from Bob's Burgers (Sumas). The park is very nice and is in the trees. Quiet, clean, and an easy ride back if needed.

Point taken. Going to check that out!

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P&L · 01-18-2018, 06:25 PM

We stayed at the KOA in Lynden, too. It's a great place to get to know our trailer and understand its systems. This our first trailer and there was a lot we didn't know. Taking our time, figuring out the nuances helped us a lot. We stayed a couple nights to get acquainted before we started our trip home.

I suggest you unhook your trailer and dry camp to ensure everything works. We discovered later on that after a couple of hours of using the pump it quit working. It would have been easier to have been closer to Chilliwack.

Enjoy!

Lorna

Anachr0n · 01-18-2018, 08:22 PM

Wouldn’t the shakedown night be better on the same side of the border close to ETI? Or do your need to cross right away and register your trailers in the US? A lot of locals camp at Cultus Lake (Chilliwack) or near Harrison Hot springs. (Hope). My 2 cents (CAD). .

**Donna D.** · 01-18-2018, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anachr0n

Wouldn’t the shakedown night be better on the same side of the border close to ETI? Or do your need to cross right away and register your trailers in the US? A lot of locals camp at Cultus Lake (Chilliwack) or near Harrison Hot springs. (Hope). My 2 cents (CAD). .

ETI must export the trailer into the US for US residents. US residents cannot pickup the trailer on the Canadian side of the border. But, they can always just drive right back across the border...

float5 · 01-18-2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anachr0n

Wouldn’t the shakedown night be better on the same side of the border close to ETI? Or do your need to cross right away and register your trailers in the US? A lot of locals camp at Cultus Lake (Chilliwack) or near Harrison Hot springs. (Hope). My 2 cents (CAD). .

We all have to take possession on the U.S. side which we did and then we stayed there a couple of days. After that, we went back into Canada to Harrison Hot Springs and then traveled through Canada for a few weeks. Harrison Hot Springs was very nice and has some good restaurants and shops.

diannelgraham · 01-18-2018, 08:35 PM

If ETI does not import into the US for you and you take physical legal position in Canada you will Need to pay for Canadian taxes at time of sales I believe, anyone with a different understanding please correct me.

float5 · 01-18-2018, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diannelgraham

If ETI does not import into the US for you and you take physical legal position in Canada you will Need to pay for Canadian taxes at time of sales I believe, anyone with a different understanding please correct me.

Can't say that I know of anyone who has done that but perhaps someone did. Is that what Escape told you?

Rossue · 01-18-2018, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotateclockwise

We stayed at Rasar State Park. It's about 55 miles south from Bob's Burgers (Sumas). The park is very nice and is in the trees. Quiet, clean, and an easy ride back if needed.

Camped in a tent prior to Orientation; and two years later with trailer. It is a good park, just don't like the WA state goofy tiered rates.

Tammy suggested Birch Bay after Orientation which is also very nice and 17 miles from Sumas.

**Donna D.** · 01-18-2018, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diannelgraham

If ETI does not import into the US for you and you take physical legal position in Canada you will Need to pay for Canadian taxes at time of sales I believe, anyone with a different understanding please correct me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by float5

Can't say that I know of anyone who has done that but perhaps someone did. Is that what Escape told you?

In "the old days" that's exactly what happened. You received paperwork that got your money back from the taxes. But the new way is so much easier for US buyers and is a great service from ETI.

diannelgraham · 01-18-2018, 10:23 PM

No Escape didn’t tell me this, I have dual citizenship so I have a little knowledge of Canadian taxation. Best and least painful have ETI export for you into the US. Sumas customs is so used to many trailers a day coming through it is a very painless experience for the buyer. If you do it on your own it might be a little bit more envolved as a one off. Have them export grab a burger at Bob’s and go back into BC it’s a great beautiful place

s

float5 · 01-18-2018, 10:23 PM

Okay, I was not thinking about years ago but now. No one has done that for many years that I know. I do not know if Escape allows people to do that now but maybe they do.

gbaglo · 01-18-2018, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

In "the old days" that's exactly what happened. You received paperwork that got your money back from the taxes. But the new way is so much easier for US buyers and is a great service from ETI.

It was a huge pain for ETI and for customers. I suspect that some threw away the documents they needed to apply for a refund of the taxes when they threw away all the instruction manuals.

Anachr0n · 01-18-2018, 10:28 PM

Ah. Ok. That makes sense.

float5 · 01-18-2018, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

In "the old days" that's exactly what happened. You received paperwork that got your money back from the taxes. But the new way is so much easier for US buyers and is a great service from ETI.

Actually, I believe it changed so that Americans brought in trailers that they had not paid taxes on because they did not owe them. Then the problem became Escape having to show that the trailers were imported into the U.S. by Americans who did not owe taxes. Since Escape did not bring the trailers across the border, Escape had to then retrieve papers from the buyers. We had such a request. Apparently, Escape has to show that taxes are not owed so they needed the border paperwork.

So this may be why Escape now takes the trailers across themselves. That way, they have the paperwork to prove that the trailer was imported by Americans who did not owe taxes.

As far as dual citizens, perhaps they do owe taxes, or not. Such citizens would have to get the Canadian rules on that.

**Donna D.** · 01-18-2018, 11:34 PM

Doesn't really matter why now. The change for US residents happened mid-2013: http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...html#post25798

Vermilye · 01-19-2018, 12:23 PM

Another choice for the first night is Silver Lake Park, Maple Falls, WA. About 14 miles (on narrow, winding paved roads) from Sumas. They have 3 separate campgrounds, one that includes sites with water & electric.

I stayed at Red Mountain for a couple of days after picking up the 21. If you are thinking of checking out Artist's Point at the Mount Baker Ski Area (and you should, but not with the trailer) it is a great starting location.

Site 4, Red Mountain, Silver Lake Park:

Picture Lake, Mount Baker Ski Area:

More Photos from Mt Baker & Artist's Point.

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