Total Newcomers here .

[Uplander]

Rent a motor home C-Class type to try the RV life style. All the interior appliances are the same in a travel trailer. Only trying the RV Camping experience will get you comfortable with the camping "thing".
I find campgrounds safer than cities and motels. Once you own a RV you will also be sleeping in your own bed every night you are traveling... Explore the country in your own mobil space...cost less and more fun!

.......or....you might visit with Norm and Ginny !!!

Happy Camping!

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Stevesway

Oh, and I am here in central Florida also. Bartow.

We were in Bartow yesterday.

You're less than an hour from us. Our Florida SKP resort is just off route 17 south of Wauchula on Rt 64. Head east on 64 about 2 miles, the SKP Resort is on the left. Drive into the resort and take your first left, we're the second unit on the left.

[W Dave K]

Welcome. We to were newbies to RVing. We took the plunge by purchasing a Little Joe and left it in the driveway until we were ready to take it out. Instead of short trips we took it to Florida then to Texas for six weeks. We learned that I knew nothing about the trailer. But we are learning. The only thing that I can suggest is get one with a washroom it makes things a lot easier. If you need any advice from a novice just ask.

[Cathi]

Norm, I assure you I was not referring to Newfoundland. Since Raj is seeing you, could be these newbies will be on their way to Newfoundland in no time. No doubt it is safe where you go. I don't think Ginny will bother you.

Originally Posted by honda03842

Cathi,

Ginny and I frequently travel when few others are and go to place many don't go. When we leave in May for Newfoundland, much, of the time we are the only ones in campgrounds, just Ginny and I. Now when we camp I never feel unsafe, but alone safety is magnified. Ginny is yet to attack me, at least to hurt me.

The benefit to a populated campground is that there are tons of people who will help your with any problem. Most of the time you don't even need to ask, just look a little helpless.

I agree with Cathi's suggestion of a bathroom.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Cathi

Norm, I assure you I was not referring to Newfoundland. Since Raj is seeing you, could be these newbies will be on their way to Newfoundland in no time. No doubt it is safe where you go. I don't think Ginny will bother you.

Cathi,
We had a great visit with Raj and his wife spending a few hours describing our lifestyle and answering their questions.

They are just beginning and as for most this is a big step. I will say they care about each other and that's the most important ingredient.

Newfoundland may be in the cards someday for them.

[Cathi]

Wonder if they will go fiberglass. I am sure they left knowing right away whether they would be interested after seeing you and yours.

We never saw one for a long time as they are not at the RV shows usually, and only campgrounds rarely, but we knew we wanted one from the first visit to an owner. Then it was just getting things in order to get one. I am sure you will be pivotal in their decision.

[Borden]

Carl Pa and Cathi

This is for all new to fibreglassRV in this feed:

Been towing and camping for over 40 years but learned much from this site

Great site to learn about hookups;
Do you use WD system, swaybar, or trailer brakes?
Radial trailer tires is most likely on a new trailer
Do you have a full size tire for spare in your TV so you can change an tow?
What do you tow with ?
Real weight of the trailer may want to have it checked at scale?
Emergency repair kit
Emergency medical first aid kit?
Pet Emergency medical first aid kit?
(St. Johns Ambulance has these available)
Charger for deep cycle battery?

We know the questions to ask

Make your own feed too get answers to all this and more

[honda03842]

Cathi, Raj is interested in a Casita 17.

[1ATony]

Welcome to the site. it's great to have you here.

Tony

[honda03842]

One of the nice attributes of this forum is the ability to share with old and new members. This also readily happens at rallies. This year in Florida we had 8 over to our place from the Scamp Camp and three from this thread, people just getting started.

It feels good to share and to meet nice people. I know there are some who fear other campers, mostly this is just because you haven't experienced them. People in camp grounds are most always nice. If you meet an RV couple at least 90% of the time they are people who like each other, another positive sign.

When ever we meet new people we always mention the people who helped us when we were getting started, like some on this site we had never camped before we began our extended travels.

Thanks to all those who helped.

[1ATony]

Originally Posted by honda03842

One of the nice attributes of this forum is the ability to share with old and new members. This also readily happens at rallies. This year in Florida we had 8 over to our place from the Scamp Camp and three from this thread, people just getting started.

It feels good to share and to meet nice people. I know there are some who fear other campers, mostly this is just because you haven't experienced them. People in camp grounds are most always nice. If you meet an RV couple at least 90% of the time they are people who like each other, another positive sign.

When ever we meet new people we always mention the people who helped us when we were getting started, like some on this site we had never camped before we began our extended travels.

Thanks to all those who helped.

Noticed your in NH, my wife and I camp in Lincoln quite a bit with the kids.

[honda03842]

Tony, we presently have a cottage at Hampton Beach, usually there after July 1st.

[1ATony]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Tony, we presently have a cottage at Hampton Beach, usually there after July 1st.

Oh cool....I surf up the road at Jeness Beach. Cinnamon Rainbows built my board years ago.

I'm from Salem NH

[Cathi]

Norm, you are saying Raj is interested in a Casita.

I first became aware of Casitas. After looking into it, we eventually saw an Escape and liked it. We could have just as well had another one. Good thing I did not see some oldies no longer made or we would have likely had a project that we probably would have never done.

If they are headed for fiberglass one way or another, that would be a good choice. I am sure you and Ginny helped them in that direction a great deal. Some people go so far as to visit a factory thousands of miles away. They will do whatever they can and think they need. We took at least a couple of years to get ours.

[honda03842]

Cathi,

They are aware of Escape trailers. In general I don't try to steer people to one brand or the other, I actually like them all and could be happy in any of them. Generally most people first want to know about the lifestyle and second they want some of there fears addressed.

If you're a novice on this site, there are many posts, actually too many, that scare people.


When I was a mayor one of my mentor's told me that I could do 99 things right and 1 thing wrong and people will remember the one thing wrong. In the world there's too much focus on the negative, too much creation of unnecessary fear by the media and the government.

Yes someone may steal your generator, your bikes, .... it does happen but it's rare.

For example, I put a camera in the back window of my trailer and i heard posts on the legality of a camera versus mirrors.

Much of the world's progress comes from people willing to step away form yesterday's "right ways".

Just a thought... nothing that should rankle anyone.

[Cathi]

Norm, when we talk to people, we have indeed heard what they think is wrong with other brands. I prefer to think of it as the pros and cons of each trailer. I wouldn't mind at all if someone told me what is seen as a drawback to a certain trailer in case it is a prime consideration to us. People trade the con that they find important (but that someone else may not) for a pro on another trailer that fixes that problem, for them. Yes, I agree that one should not be steering to a certain trailer.

People have their personal and family situations, and likes and dislikes, and to compound that, all of that changes when becoming older. I think the forums give people the information they need in most cases, or point them in the right direction. Readers can see the diverging opinions and have their own take.

There are countless fiberglass owners who became owners because of the forums and they are not without knowledge about the problems and how to fix them. Anything important and a person needs more than one source, but the forums are certainly a great start. Readers may occasionally be misled but usually that is corrected by someone else. I like to look at it as if the forums do not owe anyone an answer and certainly not a correct one, but there is often not a correct answer, only an opinion coming from someone's lifestyle (which may be chosen or not.)

[disneydoc]

We had a delightful & a very informative visit with Ginny & Norm yesterday.

They answered lots of our questions, cleared our doubts, laid our fears to rest, and we found them to be very hospitable and helpful. We discussed their RVing lifestyle and were amazed at how much of this continent they have visited.

We are lucky to have met such nice people early on in our attempts at familiarizing ourselves with buying & travelling places in a RV.
We saw their very customized & comfortable Scamp, which looks very young for its age and the very nice RV community they live in.

The trip yesterday showed us that rving can add lot of fun & enhance our forthcoming retirement.

Thank you Ginny & Norm from two Total Newcomers

[sheridestherv]

Hey guys


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[honda03842]

Raj and Nisha,

We had a great visit with the you and hope our paths cross again, you certainly have an open invitation for a visit, Follow up questions are always welcome.

Cathi,

I am certainly happy to discuss the pros and cons of various trailers but I was not asked to do that. I'm certain this and that trailer feature came up in our extended conversation but it was not the main purpose of our meeting.

As you probably realize I'm not focused on trailer choice but rather trailer usage.

When our children were young the bedtime rule was they could read as late as they wanted in bed and we did not care what the read, providing anything they wanted. We would often find them asleep with a book on their chest, sometimes falling asleep after us. It was not what they read but that they did. They are still avid readers.

We always feel so blessed to have found RVing that we focus on the adventure and how much fun the lifestyle can be, how new and different can be an exciting and broadening.

We have been open to visits from those wanting to get started, sometimes seeing ourselves as we began, and recognizing all who have helped us. On the whole it is really a healthy community of people willing to encourage others to consider possibility.

Sometimes buying the trailer is easy, successfully adapting to a new life style is the harder part.

For all, please know we are always happy to share knowledge, a beverage and a light desert.

[disneydoc]

I was researching a 17' Escape Trailers & I was surprised to read that it weighs less than a comparable sized Casita 17 Deluxe.

The issue I have been pondering over is to get a suitable TT in the next few months when we finally retire. I would like to use our Lexus 350 with a towing capacity of 3500 Lbs as the Tow Vehicle, and opinions on this and other forums amounted to either upgrade the TV or get a 16' Casita Deluxe.

Escape 17' Plan B - Total Dry Wt. (1920 + 250) = 2170 lbs
Casita 17' Spirit Deluxe - Total Dry Wt. (2480 + 365). = 2845 lbs

Do I have these numbers right ?


Thus, is it OK to assume a similarly loaded Escape will be lighter than Casita. Say another 1000 lbs to include the Propane, all tanks filled and our personal stuff would make the loaded Escape around 3200 lbs which I think is doable with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs.

Although opinions may differ, I get the impression from reading the posts on the Escape Trailer Forum that although Escape is a little more money, it is a better made Trailer.
I would rather keep our present vehicle & buy a lighter TT.

What do you think guys & gals ? Can Escape owners please chime in about the weights of their loaded Trailers & what do they see better or like the most in their Trailers.

Thank you in advance for any and all advice/opinions on a Escape 17B vs a Casita 17 Deluxe coupled toa TV with the towing capacity of 3500 lbs.

Thanks & with best regards