Escapees / Xscapers

[nvestysly]

I recently became aware of a new segment of Escapees referred to as Xscapers. Check out the web site:

https://xscapers.com/

I haven't spent much time researching but Xscapers is intended to fulfill the RV club needs/desires of the niche market of working families who full-time as well as other groups of RVers who think of themselves as "younger" (i.e. not retired), non-traditional RV segment.

I wish them success. There are certainly several Air Forums members who fall into that category.

Anybody have first-hand experience with Xscapers?

[nvestysly]

I neglected to mention that Xscapers is the result of efforts by Travis and Melanie Carr - third generation Escapees - and Airstream owners. Pictures of Travis and Melanie indicate they own a relatively new Bambi.

Travis' grandparents, Joe and Kay Peterson, started Escapees and also owned an Airstream. That was back in the late 1970's.

[nvestysly]

Well... I guess this can be a private Escapees / Excapers thread since there doesn't seem to be much interest from others.

Here's what I think I've discerned at this point. Escapees and Excapers are in some ways the same thing. The younger generation of Escapees decided that a little rebranding to attract other (i.e. younger) RVers would be a good thing. As far as I can tell, the ~$40 annual membership in one is good for both because there's not really two organizations - one is just an offshoot, or subset or sorts, of the original. I may be wrong on that matter.

The web sites are nearly identical. I suppose in web site design it's easy to have a domain that simply points to or references an existing web site - that's what Excapers seems to do - almost all the web pages are the same as Escapees.

Excapers touts the idea of traveling and working or at least being digitally/electronically wired. Excapers also espouses the need for lobbying on behalf of RVers - particularly full-timers to ensure RVers are not legislated out of the picture or somehow disenfranchised when it comes to legal issues such as paying taxes, property ownership, health care insurance, etc. I don't mean to make a big deal about this but the issue probably does merit some concern.

I'm not sure what all this means. Danielle and I may join Escapees to avail ourselves of discount camping benefits around the country. We did that a few years ago with Passport America but have since let that membership expire. We may try Escapees to see what they have to offer.

I'd also like to attend some of their local and regional rallies and see how their national rally compares to WBCCI International and Good Sam's The Rally.

[Jaxon]

Seems the organization is evolving to meet & add the needs of a different demographic. What’s good about it is that it affords people a “base” where from to do their business whether it be an on-line business or simply long-term traveling. This is a good thing.

We’ve been a member of Escapees for about 6-7 years and use it mainly because of the mail forwarding for when we are on the road for long periods of time... it gives us a “permanent” address that affords economic gain (e.g. taxes, license, insurance, etc). One time I received a jury summons and when I called the court and told them my address was an Escapees address, the nice lady said “OK... never mind”. We were in New Hampshire at the time..

What it hasn’t prevented us from doing is using our current address (where we own a house, etc.), as our address. It has afforded us the ability to be mobile and not have to worry about the absence of a “physical” address.

Personally, I think it’s a great idea for the organization to recognize the mobile environment we live in and address those needs accordingly.

[RickDavis]

We have belonged to Escapees for 15 years or so. We have occasionally stayed at some of their parks and attended 2 major Rallies, both in Goshen, IN.
The rallies were much less formal, had a good variety of seminars, and many more vendors than the WBCCI International. Of course when you are rallying within a few miles of most of the RV plants it is probably a lot easier to get vendors.
We also belong to the Boondocker BOF (similiar to a WBCCI intraclub) and have occasionally met up with them.
I feel it is a good organization with a good feel for what the RV community needs. They have an excellent magazine also.
Being a family run business they are consistent in where they are trying to go or do
since management doesn't change on an annual basis
We have just renewed for 3 more years even though we don't use much of what they offer.

[KJRitchie]

So Escapee is service in Texas for those full timers who want Texas as a domicile?

So when you are signing up for a healthcare plan do they accept a PO Box or is the Escapees address used? Same for auto/RV registration? We may choose Texas as a domicile. Too bad Texas has some of the highest property tax rates in the country.

Kelvin

Kelvin

[nvestysly]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

So Escapee is service in Texas for those full timers who want Texas as a domicile?

So when you are signing up for a healthcare plan do they accept a PO Box or is the Escapees address used? Same for auto/RV registration? We may choose Texas as a domicile. Too bad Texas has some of the highest property tax rates in the country.

Kelvin

Kelvin

I've researched Escapees / Xscapers so I think I can answer your question but please verify to ensure what I say is correct.

Escapees / Xscapers provides domicile in Texas, Florida and South Dakota. I don't think they use a P.O. Box. In each case they provide an address that is considered by law to be a legal address. Think of it like an apartment complex - there is one basic address then each person has an apartment number. So you don't actually own any property and I don't think you have to pay any property tax but I could be wrong about that.

I have heard that Florida and South Dakota provide this "legal" address for things such as insurance, wills, auto registration, etc. but the mail for Florida and South Dakota domiciles is still handled through Texas. You better check on that to be certain.

The things I've heard from other full-timers indicates South Dakota has one of the most lenient policies for allowing full-timers to register a domicile. Don't know if that's true, but if so, it may be worth considering other domicile agencies in South Dakota if the Escapees / Xscapers mail forwarding is complicated for its South Dakota residents.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by nvestysly

Escapees / Xscapers provides domicile in Texas, Florida and South Dakota. I don't think they use a P.O. Box. In each case they provide an address that is considered by law to be a legal address. Think of it like an apartment complex - there is one basic address then each person has an apartment number. So you don't actually own any property and I don't think you have to pay any property tax but I could be wrong about that.

I have heard that Florida and South Dakota provide this "legal" address for things such as insurance, wills, auto registration, etc. but the mail for Florida and South Dakota domiciles is still handled through Texas. You better check on that to be certain.

The things I've heard from other full-timers indicates South Dakota has one of the most lenient policies for allowing full-timers to register a domicile. Don't know if that's true, but if so, it may be worth considering other domicile agencies in South Dakota if the Escapees / Xscapers mail forwarding is complicated for its South Dakota residents.

You’re right (we belong to Escapees and have used them while full-timing and on extended trips), for about 7 years.

No, you do not pay any property taxes if you use Escapees as your address. We sighed up with them a few months before we sold our house in Austin so we could get our mail set up for delivery in Livingston, TX. Once all that was established, we simply called them once a week or so to have any mail delivered to where we were at that particular time. My drivers license address is in Livingston using their address so I can vote absentee. Even though we have a house here in Rockport, TX now, we still keep the Livingston address (195 Rainbow Dr. + our mailbox number), for when we head out for extended periods of time. Bills and all that are electronic so that’s not an issue.

I’ve heard the same thing about the other outfits that use South Dakota as n address and the simplicity of that but we wanted a larger organization that offered more services, RV parks (they’re inexpensive!) and rallies. Escapees is a good outfit . Even though we don’t go to a lot of their functions, we are kept informed of what they continue to offer and love the mail forwarding component of the membership. Quite a few RV parks also offer discounts to Escapees members, too.

For us, Escapees is money well spent.

[BoldAdventure]

It's alright. We heard about it at the Ballon Festival. Just doesn't seem appealing.

[nvestysly]

We had dinner with some Airstream friends last night and learned they've decided to use Escapees for their mailing address. For now, they plan to keep their house and that will remain their legal address / domicile but they are changing anything related to mail to the Escapees address in Livingston, TX.

This will allow them to travel extensively and have their mail forwarded when necessary. When they're home for periods longer than a week or more they'll have the mail forwarded to their home.

Makes perfectly good sense but until they described the scenario it hadn't occurred to me to use a mail service in this fashion. I always associated the Escapees (and similar) mail plans as something full-timers use. I guess it's for any-timers too.

Hmmm... I'll have to give this some thought.

[blkmagikca]

I have been a member of the Escapees since 2008. The Escapees have a number of RV parks, 11 of which are co-ops where individual members have each invested in a 99-year lease of their lot. On surrendering their lease, the member gets back most of his investment (it is based on the original cost of the lot plus any improvements he added, less the depreciation of the improvements). I happen to be a leaseholder in the co-op located in Casa Grande AZ. I am also a member of the Boondockers’ BOF, the metal-detectors BOF and the Silver Bullets BOF, as well as the local chapter in Ontario. I have attended 2 Escapades (one in Goshen IN and the other in Tucson AZ), and plan on going to the upcoming one in Essex Junction VT. The escapades are larger and better attended than WBCCI internationals and there is considerably less “pomp & circumstance” than WBCCI internationals (I have been to 2: Bozeman & Madison).

Escapees are like family – they have, from the inception of the club been supportive of one another, as they were originally all full-timers. The late Joe Peterson was a journeyman electrician who moved from job to job (he called it “tramping”). Kay Peterson’s autobiography https://escapees.com/store/books/pro...ating-the-odds tells how the Escapees came about – it’s a fascinating read. One of the members here in the Casa Grande co-op just celebrated her 90th birthday; she is been a close friend of the Petersons and was one of the earliest members of the Escapees (her SKP number is 67), and her late husband and daughter assisted Joe Peterson in acquiring the land for our co-op (the first SKP co-op) back in 1981.

For more information go to their website: https://escapees.com/

[nvestysly]

Originally Posted by blkmagikca

...Kay Peterson’s autobiography https://escapees.com/store/books/pro...ating-the-odds tells how the Escapees came about – it’s a fascinating read...

Thanks for the comments in your post. I like the idea of reading Kay's autobiography and I'm putting the book on my list of things to read.

[bolerama]

Originally Posted by blkmagikca

I have been a member of the Escapees since 2008.

For more information go to their website: https://escapees.com/

BLKMAGIKCA, are there any benefits for Canadians who want to full-time and need a Canadian mailing address?

Lisa

[blkmagikca]

Originally Posted by bolerama

BLKMAGIKCA, are there any benefits for Canadians who want to full-time and need a Canadian mailing address?

Lisa

I know several Canadian full-timers in AS's who are Escapees. However, the Escapees club only has mailing addresses in Florida, South Dakota & Texas. Those who use this service have the address as their domicile (principal residence) in the particular state - voting, drivers license & vehicle registration, etc. One of their newer benefits is scanning & emailing your mail to you.

As a Canadian, the Escapee mailing service won't do what you need. The best way to do that is to either use a Mailboxes Etc. mailing address or (better yet) establish a mailing address at a campground. I know of one about 30 Km south of Ottawa where some of the residents are snowbirds, but their mail continues to be delivered to the campground. This, as you know, is essential for OHIP coverage. For non-domiciled mail for delivery while in the USA the Escapee mail service may be of value.

[bolerama]

Thank you, blkmagikca. I never thought about seeing if a campground would collect mail and be our "official residence." Since many operate year-round in BC, this may be an idea for us down the road.

[blkmagikca]

bolerama - just a small hint . . . make sure that you use an address in your province of residence, as that may have an impact on your provincial medicare coverage. Most provinces only allow you a certain amount of days out of province per year (out of province does not mean out of country). For more info contact The CSA - Voice of Travelling Canadians - Canadian Snowbird Association

[nvestysly]

A question for U.S. residents...

We are not 65 years old yet so we have our own medical insurance. It's a traditional individual medical insurance plan that we pay a monthly premium and have access to doctors nationwide. By nationwide, I mean there are very few restrictions on which doctors we can see and where we can see them when we travel. This is not an HMO. This is not a PPACA medical plan (aka Obamacare plan).

As we begin to travel more extensively we may choose to establish our domicile in one of the three Escapees locations - Texas, Florida or South Dakota. Are we required to establish primary care (routine care) doctors at that location? In other words, can we have our annual physicial, etc. performed in another state?

I've asked this question to our insurance agent and they will get back to us. Just thought I would get responses here too.

[blkmagikca]

I have a good friend (who is a full-timer Escapee) who has South Dakota as his domicile but his primary medical care is in Arizona.

[nvestysly]

Originally Posted by blkmagikca

I have a good friend (who is a full-timer Escapee) who has South Dakota as his domicile but his primary medical care is in Arizona.

Interesting... After speaking in more detail to our insurance agent it seems this may not work for us. Maybe it's the insurance plan we chose. Medical insurance has become more complicated in recent years. Would you (and your friend) be willing to PM with contact information for your friend? I'd like to understand more about their situation.

[nvestysly]

I received an email from Escapee/Xscapers today indicating a bill has been presented in the South Dakota legislature to update their law regarding voter registration. I am not an expert on legal issues but if this bill (or some version of this bill) passes into law it may very well change whether full-time RVers will be able to us SD as a legal residence. Voter registration has typically been used as one of the items to form a basis for where an individual "lives." There are other aspects of what constitutes a domicile but voting has long been one of the keys.

Here's a link to the bill:

http://legis.sd.gov/Legislative_Sess...m&Session=2016

And here's the copied and pasted version:

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to revise certain residency requirements for voter registration.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section 1. That § 12-1-4 be amended to read:
12-1-4. For the purposes of this title, the term, residence, means the place in which a person has fixed his or her habitation and to which the person, whenever absent, intends to return.

No person may register to vote using a business location, campground, or post office box as the registration address. However, if no other residential address or valid physical description of the location of the residence is available, the person may appeal to the county auditor in the county of registration. The county auditor shall determine residency based on the following principles:

(1) The sole basis for the person's presence at the location is not based on a business or a commercial use, such as a mail forwarding service;
(2) The residence of the person is a place in which the person's habitation is fixed and to which the person has a definite plan to return following an absence;
(3) The person is not claiming residency of the state solely for taxation or insurance purposes with no intention of physically remaining or returning; and

(4) The person maintains a physical domicile with long-term sleeping accommodations at the residence.

If the county auditor denies the registration, the person may appeal to the Office of Hearing Examiners as a contested case pursuant to chapter 1-26D for the determination of residency. If the person does not meet the principles listed, the administrative law judge may still choose to allow voter registration if the judge determines circumstances indicate legitimate residence of the state. Prior long-term residence in the state shall be considered proof of intention to return to the state.

A person who has left home and gone into another state or territory or county of this state for a temporary purpose only has not changed his or her residence.

A person is considered to have gained a residence in any county or municipality of this state in which the person actually lives, if the person has no present intention of leaving.

If a person moves to another state, or to any of the other territories, with the intention of making it his or her permanent home, the person thereby loses residence in this state.