[A/S] Escapade

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was asked by a Listee to write up a report on the Escapade last week
at LewisBurg, WV. For those of you unfamiliar with the Escapees, see
http://www.escapees.com

We arrived about 9:30 Sunday morning, between the "rushes". We got there
after the 8:00 bunch, but before the group that started arriving at
about 10:00, so were directed right to our parking spot. Nice touch in
that the Escapees seperate "boondockers" from those using generators.
You WERE allowed to use a genset in the B.D. area, but for only 3 or 4
hours during late afternoon. Made for a nice quiet area, but
unfortunately VERY well lighted, especially our site!

The weather was great at first, then a day of rain, followed by a cold
day, then good again. Sure was glad for the furnace and the solar panels
to make up the electricity that it used! A Poop Pumper patrolled the
camping areas, so all you had to do was flag him down to get your tank
pumped. Cost was only $7.00.

There were nearly 900 rigs with 1800 people in attendance. Although I
don't have the numbers, I'd guess that 75% or thereabouts are
full-timers. Most rigs were large motorhomes or 5'ers, most of the
latter being pulled by MDTs. (medium duty trucks, not P/Us) There were a
number of A/Ss, and a bit of everything else, but not a large number of
TTs in total. We did see an 'A-Liner' fold-down and a few pickup
campers.

Seminars ran all day long, from 8:30AM to 4:00 PM, covering almost
everything you'd want to know about RVing, with an emphasis on
full-timing. "living in a sardine can", "getting ready for full-timing",
"things the dealer didn't tell you", "tires for your RV", "weight and
balance", "batteries", "Solar systems", "boondocking", and more.

Every night had a long session of drawings for door prizes, everything
from campground directories, to catalytic heaters were given away. There
was a talent show of sorts the one night that was VERY entertaining, and
a dance the last night. A cafeteria supplied lunch (sandwich & chips for
$2.00), or you could get a hotdog, chips, and drink for $2.00 at another
stand. A local pizza place took orders at noon for delivery in the
evening, so you never had to leave the place.

There were 2 vendor areas, one inside and the other out. Folks were
selling solar systems, batteries, name badges, MDTs (one with a
compartment to winch a car into, tail up, nose down), diesel addons
(exhaust brakes, etc, installed during the meet), satellite systems,
Pocket Mail (about 5 vendors on this item!), insurance, Fantastic Fans,
and much, much more.

The A'Weigh We Go folks were there. John Conda did 2 sessions on Weight
& Balance and Tires, then signed folks up for weighing. This is an
interesting process: they weigh your tow vehicle first, then the entire
rig. By doing it this way, you find out if your WD hitch is adjusted
correctly. (We found out that the front of the P/U weighed exactly the
same with or w/o the trailer attached, so it appears as though I need a
bit more tension on my spring bars) Well worth the $30.00, IMO.

We had made arrangements to meet another Listee to hand off a
refrigerator. As it happened, we connected very easily, but I had been
worried for a while. How does one find someone among 900 rigs???!!!

Even though we're far from full-timers and will probably never go that
route, this was MOST enjoyable. We've been to 2 Good Sam State rallies,
last Fall in Michigan (18 miles from home), the other this Spring in
Wapokenta, OH. The Escapade was far more fun for us, and we're looking
forward to next year's Fall rally in Van Wert, OH. The magazine is
excellent also, one more reason to join the Club.

Hope to see a few of you next year!!

                                                     <<Jim>>


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