Recommendations for a shakedown

casita68

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Joined
Jun 24, 2016
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39
Location
Ft Collins
I'm sorry for all the questions folks! I was on the list for next July but had the good fortune of acting fast on one that didn't workout for someone. So anyway I'm heading to Chilliwack on Sunday so I'm in full scramble mode! Looking for some recommdations on parks to give my 21 a shakedown for a night or two. I'm looking for full hookups so I can test all the systems. Not sure what side of the border I should stay on but a reasonable distance to ETI makes sense in case something needs tweaking.

Thanks again for all your input!
 
We stayed at the KOA in Lynden Washington on our shakedown cruise. Probably the nicest KOA I've ever seen. Had a electric/water hookup on the lake for a reasonable $35 night.
I would have stayed longer than one night, but had reservations at Fort Townsend and the Olympic National Park. Highly recommend Lynden as it is only 20 miles from the border.
Jerry
 
Ditto KOA in Lynden. Still close to ETI, full hookups, and lots of good day trips from there.
 
Another option is Silver Lake Park, it's a Whatcom County campground roughly between Sumas and Maple Falls, WA. You can reserve in advance and some (but not all) have electric and water hookups.
 
If you want to stay in Chilliwack, Cottonwood Meadows RV Park is right across the highway from ETI. There are also some excellent scenic dry-camping parks in the area.
 
If you want to stay in Chilliwack, Cottonwood Meadows RV Park is right across the highway from ETI. There are also some excellent scenic dry-camping parks in the area.

...and Chilliwack is a neat, hard working, and scenic town. A good selection of restaurants and coffee shops, plus a river walk that goes on for miles and can be walked or biked. Only drawback is going back across the border with or without license plates. :confused:
 
Most people do not have plates until they get back home and register their trailer with the applicable authorities. Here in Pennsylvania they have to physically see the vin# before registering.
 
So, how would one go back to Chilliwack if they discovered a problem during the shakedown?
Fred, if you have tags or even a temp tag, they'll let you reenter Canada. Assuming you're going to be registering the trailer in Texas, you can get a 30 day temp tag before you head to Canada for your pickup. You just print it out at home. You can even extend the temp tag another 30 days if needed.

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/register-your-vehicle/temporary-permits


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Last edited:
So, how would one go back to Chilliwack if they discovered a problem during the shakedown?

We registered our trailer in Colorado before picking it up, so we had the standard temporary plate (paper enclosed in plastic that can be mounted in the license plate holder). No problem crossing back over the border with our new trailer so ETI could address a couple of things. A couple of extra questions from border guards about the trailer, but not a big deal. I'm not sure how easy it would be if the trailer is unregistered. The export paperwork from ETI alone might be enough, but I don't really know. I suspect that having some kind of registration or travel permit would make it much easier.
 
I'm not saying this is true or even possible, but if there's a major issue with your new build a call to ETI and I bet someone would come to you (if you're camped close by) if you couldn't get back across the border, or at the very least you'd get stellar phone customer service to assist you. Remember who is building these trailers. ETI doesn't just clap their hands together and wave bye-bye, so long.
 
It'll be fine, enjoy your new trailer! Camping is supposed to be recreational, enjoy but have a back up plan.

We did a rolling 1300 mile shakedown. Our route was plotted so we were never too far from Fred Myers, Walmart and Camping World along the way. I ran everything, dry camped, used hookups, ran the ac, heater, pump, all went fine. Back up plan: you're dragging a nice bed along, there's always restaurants, showers and restrooms along the way! We even brought along a truck bed full of "essentials" from our 19 and moved into the 21 a little each day. I even brought a 19" tv and mount and installed it in Grants Pass!

G'o
 
Fred, if you have tags or even a temp tag, they'll let you reenter Canada. Assuming you're going to be registering the trailer in Texas, you can get a 30 day temp tag before you head to Canada for your pickup. You just print it out at home. You can even extend the temp tag another 30 days if needed.

TXDMV.GOV - Temporary Permits


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Thanks for the link! We have to meet next time we are in San Antonio. Sorry I missed you in Osoyoos...
 
Temp Tag

Fred, if you have tags or even a temp tag, they'll let you reenter Canada. Assuming you're going to be registering the trailer in Texas, you can get a 30 day temp tag before you head to Canada for your pickup. You just print it out at home. You can even extend the temp tag another 30 days if needed.

TXDMV.GOV - Temporary Permits


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Good info. Although my trailer is a long ways out I was wondering about if I would be able to get tags before we went to pick up the trailer but now I know, thanks to rbryan4 that i will just be able to go online and get a couple 30 day temp tags allowing us to have a leisurely trip back home to Texas from Chillawack. Then we will worry about getting it registered and if necessary inspected.
 
Then we will worry about getting it registered and if necessary inspected.

Just so you know Mike, the process for Texas registration is a bit of a pain, because you need a vin inspection by a member of the Texas Auto Theft Task Force -- and that requires an appointment at a vin inspection location. The form is called a VTR-68-A.

That's the main reason you can't register the trailer ahead of time, even if you have the documents and the vin -- the auto theft task force needs to see the trailer in person.

For us that meant towing the trailer to the DMV office where there were about 5 officers inspecting vins in a long line.

Once you have the signed VTR-68-A, you can register it normally at your tax office.

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/out-of-state-and-foreign-vehicles


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Good to know for myself as well as any other Texans getting new trailers. Will save me a trip to the Tax Office where I would probably have waited in line for an hour just to be told the same thing. Don't mind getting it inspected and glad to know that I have to get that done before registering it. Thanks rbryan4
 

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