Picked up our new 21

[Jake930]

Yesterday October 12th we had our orientation at 8am. Met Tammy and Reace and some of the crew. We actually showed up on the 11th hoping to get a tour. But because of expansion tours have been nixed for awhile. Very busy place right now. Did get to look at the 2nd generation 17 & 19. Orientation took a full 2 hours, very informative. We are not new to RVing so some of it was par for the course,and lots was new, did ask lots of questions and all were answered fully with much patience. Tammys dad installed our WD hitch and walked me thru it. We met with Tammy and signed the final paper work. Than Tammy's dad hauled it across the boarder and we meet him at Bob"s Burgers and Brew in Sumas. Hooked it up, shook hands, and had lunch at Bob's, than came to the KOA in Lynden. Spent the afternoon unloading the truck and packing everything into the camper. Everything is working perfectly. Had my truck serviced today at Bellingham Toyota and was going to head out tomorrow, but we are in the middle of a good size storm. So think we are going to ride it out here and head East Saturday morning. We love this 21! Very impressed with the quality of this unit. We are sung as a bug in this stormy weather. I tried to post a picture, but can't figure out how to move it from my photo album to this thread on my I-pad. I'll keep trying.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Jake930

Yesterday October 12th we had our orientation at 8am. Met Tammy and Reace and some of the crew. We actually showed up on the 11th hoping to get a tour. But because of expansion tours have been nixed for awhile. Very busy place right now. Did get to look at the 2nd generation 17 & 19. Orientation took a full 2 hours, very informative. We are not new to RVing so some of it was par for the course,and lots was new, did ask lots of questions and all were answered fully with much patience. Tammys dad installed our WD hitch and walked me thru it. We met with Tammy and signed the final paper work. Than Tammy's dad hauled it across the boarder and we meet him at Bob"s Burgers and Brew in Sumas. Hooked it up, shook hands, and had lunch at Bob's, than came to the KOA in Lynden. Spent the afternoon unloading the truck and packing everything into the camper. Everything is working perfectly. Had my truck serviced today at Bellingham Toyota and was going to head out tomorrow, but we are in the middle of a good size storm. So think we are going to ride it out here and head East Saturday morning. We love this 21! Very impressed with the quality of this unit. We are sung as a bug in this stormy weather. I tried to post a picture, but can't figure out how to move it from my photo album to this thread on my I-pad. I'll keep trying.

Hi: Jake930... Congratulations... Finally heading east? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Marry]

Long trip ahead. Stay safe, and enjoy your new home on wheels!

[War Eagle]

Hey John, I'm curious to know how your Tundra does pulling your new 21' over the Rockies. I assume you'll have plenty of power for the long uphill grades at high altitude. I'm more curious about how much the long steep grades hurt your fuel efficiency (mpg) in real world numbers. The guys who do the "Super Ike Gauntlet" tests on I-70 West of Denver (8 miles of 7% grade; to over 11,000 feet elevation) use 6 mpg at near full towing capacity at near speed limit (60 mph) as their standard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFg6eDuZ85E

Your new 21' will weigh significantly less than what they're pulling, so I'm just curious to know how much better you'll do with fuel efficiency than they did in their gauntlet video. Dale

[cpaharley2008]

I managed to get close to 21 mpg going out to Chilliwack unhooked but this number dropped to 13.5 on the return trip while hooked up. More or less took the same route through the mountains.

[jennykatz]

Jim I wonder if you slowed down to 65 mph would your economy get better ? When trailering we usually keep it at about 65 mph

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, when trailering I do drive slower, but this was on the way out without the trailer and the speed limit was 80 in several places.

[Jake930]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Hey John, I'm curious to know how your Tundra does pulling your new 21' over the Rockies. I assume you'll have plenty of power for the long uphill grades at high altitude. I'm more curious about how much the long steep grades hurt your fuel efficiency (mpg) in real world numbers. The guys who do the "Super Ike Gauntlet" tests on I-70 West of Denver (8 miles of 7% grade; to over 11,000 feet elevation) use 6 mpg at near full towing capacity at near speed limit (60 mph) as their standard.

Your new 21' will weigh significantly less than what they're pulling, so I'm just curious to know how much better you'll do with fuel efficiency than they did in their gauntlet video. Dale

I plan on doing a review on the truck when i get back. Remember i have the 4.6
Engine not the 5.7. I had reset the MPG read out on the frist fill-up when I left home. Coming out at a steady 67 mph (Jim ,80 just ain't happening for me) I averaged 18.7 by the truck read out over 3030 miles and 18.3 when I figured it out on paper. Across the high plains and mountians I drove it in S-mode with 6th locked out. In drive in 6th it hunted all the time in these areas. Going back we'll see. I had never been over thr Rockies this far north. Always on I-80 and I-70 further south. They are a lot tamer up here than down in S/W Wyoming or central Colorado. We will be heading out tomorrow morning, there's going to be a 6 hour window in this storm that the winds cease and than its going to hit agin but worse. So we should make it over the cascades and at least out of the storm area.

[Bobbito]

We just returned from a 5 week trip to New Mexico and my gas mileage (US gallons) was between 10-12 MPG most of the trip. There were a lot of elevation changes as we climbed to as high as 11,000 ft on the various passes.

This is with a 2005 Tundra (about the same towing performance as a current Tacoma) and towing our Escape 21. With the higher U.S. speed limits I cruised close to the limit unless it was 80 MPH, when I cruised at 73-74 MPG. I hope to make this truck last a few more years, because it has a higher payload capacity than a Taco and yet IT FITS IN OUR SMALLER GARAGE along with the car and all the stuff I store in there.

[cpaharley2008]

Has anyone towed with the new Honda Ridgeline? It really looks nice......

[Jake930]

Originally Posted by Bobbito

We just returned from a 5 week trip to New Mexico and my gas mileage (US gallons) was between 10-12 MPG most of the trip. There were a lot of elevation changes as we climbed to as high as 11,000 ft on the various passes.

This is with a 2005 Tundra (about the same towing performance as a current Tacoma) and towing our Escape 21. With the higher U.S. speed limits I cruised close to the limit unless it was 80 MPH, when I cruised at 73-74 MPG. I hope to make this truck last a few more years, because it has a higher payload capacity than a Taco and yet IT FITS IN OUR SMALLER GARAGE along with the car and all the stuff I store in there.

Got 11.6 mpg coming over stevens and Lookout pass. Truck shifted down to 3rd a couple of times but never went over 3000rpm maintaining 55 mph. We are in Deer Lodge for a couple days, Homestead pass yet to come which is the highest one on I-90. So far getting 12.5 on the flats at 65-70 locked in 5th. I'm thinking it will get a little better once we get over the rest of the mountians and off the high plains. We'll see

[Kent]

Hey Jake, I believe you mean Homestake pass as you head East of Butte MT. I actually find Homestake not that bad. Be ready for the climb just East of Whitehall. Long climb up with many long curves, but once you are up to the top it levels out and no down hill from there.

Bozeman pass as you head East of Bozeman is easy.

If you are inclined to stop in Bozeman MT area let me know.

406 - Five Eight Zero - Nine Two Six Eight.

Happy Trails!