Onward to the ESCAPADE...

  

Green River at Flaming Gorge

 Having checked off another bucket-list item with our visit to Vernal, Utah and the Dinosaur National Monument and Museum (BONUS on previous post) We turned the Phantom Northwards on Rt 191 thru the Uinta Mountains and the 8,424 ft summit before Dutch John and Flaming Gorge. A brief photo stop at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Dam on the Green River. 

  The Green River is a major tributary of the Colorado River and feeds into the Flaming Gorge Dam Reservoir. Crossing the 'thin arch' concrete causeway over the dam was a few moments of white knuckles as the dam stands some 502 ft. high and 1285 ft long.

Flaming Gorge Reservoir Dam - Courtesy of Bing Search

 Constructed in the late 50's by the Bureau of Reclamation, the reservoir stretches over 90 miles into Southern Wyoming and holds 3.7 million acre-feet of fresh water. 

Flaming Gorge - Green River

  The scenery in this area of the Green River is breathtaking and a welcome break after ascending the Uinta Mountains for what seemed an eternity.

  We continued up Rt 191 into the bustling city of Rock Springs, WY to the local Wally World, meeting up with our summer travel companions and several hundred other Escapade early arrivals. This was our very first overnight stay in a Walmart parking lot, and we looked forward to the experience. 

  After doing our weekly grocery shopping and having dinner, we gathered together for an impromptu 'tail gate' meet and greet for a few hours and a few adult beverages before retiring for the evening.

Part of the Lonestar Contingent

 Early the next morning we snaked our way over to the Sweetwater Events Complex where hundreds of volunteers were already busy checking in and escorting guests to their assigned spots for the 63rd Escapade. I ended up being far too busy maneuvering the Phantom thru the maze of already parked RV of every size and type to take pictures, my apologies.  In fact, I didn't take many pictures at all during our 8-day stay.

Awww - Ain't That Cute
(J. Wilkins)

   An ESCAPADE is an individual experience for each attendee... Some people attend for access to major RV suppliers and mechanics. Some attend for the seminars on RV industry related topics and information germane to RVing in general. Still others have attended many Escapades merely for the comradery of fellow RVers. 

  I had prearranged for the installation of a much-needed Magne Shade solar shield system for the Phantom.

Breaking the News to Lanie

 I also had arraigned to have Blue Ox conduct an overdue service inspection of our current Alpha towbar.

  After a complete disassembly of our towbar, it was discovered that the system I was provided with was undersized for towing the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Alpha towbar was tearing itself apart and bound for a catastrophic failure down the road. YIKES - I ended up replacing the Alpha with the recommended Avail model (10,000 lbs capacity). Peace of mind trumps expense.

Guess Who or Why ??

  There are some very colorful individuals that attend the Escapades... Just as with RVing in general you will meet a huge cross-section of people. 

  Other than almost all of the evening events taking place in these massive tents where the acoustics were atrocious (turning up the volume doesn't improve the sound) the event was very enjoyable. We met lots of new and fun people. I volunteered several days to drive the activity carts (golf carts providing transportation) with obligatory Bowler firmly atop my follically challenged pate...always a great way to meet new folks and exchange shared experiences. 

  Being Wyoming, the winds never stop blowing... several warnings about retracting your awnings were repeated throughout the week by the Escapade Organizers.

  Several couples from The Lonestar Corral Co-Op volunteered to attend to the LSC CO-OP table on "The Row"

Sharing information about the Co-Op (and treats) with interested passers-by perusing the various clubs and Co-Ops represented. A very effective outreach indeed! We had 14 members from Lonestar Corral attending the Escapade.

We attended several seminars on various topics that sounded interesting to us, attending different seminars to better utilize our time during the day. 

Entertainment in the evenings followed a raffle period where items and gift certificates were awarded in a random drawing of all attendees... BUT, you had to be present to win !!

FinalEyes - 80s Rock Band

Some of the entertainment was good, some not so good... Either way, the acoustics sucked!! What was good - was a few of the entertainers on Talent Night... Lonestar's own 'Mike Smith' knocked a performance of his own song, "October Skies", out of the park. Mike also performed a wonderful duet cover of Willy Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain". 

"STINK FLOYD"

  The talent group that brought down the house was "Stink Floyd" with an entertaining rendition of Pink Floyds, "Comfortably Numb" to wrap up the talent show that evening.

  I don't normally include a passel of pictures, but I am going to post a few from the Escapade to provide a flavor of the event in Rock Springs, WY

"6-pack" Activity Carts

   

Massive 'Event Tents'...

      

  

"Abe Lincoln" arrives on his steed to deliver a stirring
recitation of his famous Gettysburg Address

   I will close this addition of the Phantom Phaeton, hoping you will FOLLOW  along on our sojourn.

   As aways, Safe Travels and God's Speed...

"In Matters of Style, Swim with the Current...

In Matters of Principle, Stand Like a Rock"

                       - T. Jefferson