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Rental Vehicle Alternative
My family frequently travels to Denver, CO to visit my sister and her family. Because our two service dogs travel with us, road tripping is a practical option. The last time we made the trip, I opted to rent a more comfortable vehicle. We need the extra space to spread out. Escape Campervans – an RV rental alternative was the ideal vehicle for my family
What is a campervan? They are mini or full-sized passenger vans outfitted like a camper with a bed, table, seating with seat belts, storage, and a kitchen. Just a fifteen-minute drive from our home, Escape Campervans is conveniently located near LAX.
Escape Campervans
There are several vehicles for rent that are not too big to drive or park and they have a spacious interior. The Ford Maverick was the model I selected. They have a rental site conveniently that was located near our home base in Los Angeles.
Standard Equipment
The van is equipped with standard equipment. We received two warm blankets, bedsheets, dishes, pots, silverware, chairs, an electric heater, an extension cord, and two cans of propane. The vehicle is also equipped with a clean and dirty water tank connected to the sink.
The kitchen is located in the back of the vehicle. There is a fair amount of storage in this space for food supplies. Storage space is located behind the front seats and behind the bench seat that converts into the bed. The refrigerator is powered by a solar panel on the roof. It kept our food items cold.
Optional Equipment
Escape Campervans provides optional equipment including pop-up tents that attach to the roof if your family needs more sleeping space. They also offer roof storage containers and bike racks. We are an average height family and fortunately, the three of us were able to sleep comfortably sideways across the bed.
We stopped in Truck Stops for the night and moved our luggage to the front seats to make room for our polar bear-sized golden-doodle and golden lab. They were terrific heaters.
Warm and Toasty
We did not have access to electrical hook-ups for the heater at the Truck Stops. I expected it to be freezing at night, however, we were toasty warm and comfortable. Thanks to the exceptionally warm duvet blankets we did not need the electric heater.
Most campgrounds along the interstates that remain open in winter had a creepy ghost town vibe. Bustling truck stops felt safe and complimented our sense of adventure. We took hot showers (for a fee) and purchased hot meals. Truck stops were numerous along the interstates.
The Kitchen and Windows
The kitchen is in the back of the van and is accessible through the back double doors. It is outfitted with two cans of propane for the stove. Not having to bring kitchen supplies was convenient. The van is outfitted with black privacy curtains that cover all of the windows and close off the front seats. They provide complete privacy and efficiently block out the bright lights at truck stops. Fortunate for us truck stops have designated dog relief areas.
RV Rental Alternative Policies
The campervan rental process was quick and efficient. Escape allows up to two pets with a non-refundable pet fee. Due to the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs are exempt from these fees. During the rental process, I provided documentation validating that our dogs are legitimate service dogs (they cannot ask for papers, however, I offer them to reduce concern).
Promising to return the van dog fur-free is the right thing to do. Despite living in an apartment, we were able to thread an extension cord through my bedroom window and use our amazing Shark vacuum to do its magic with removing dog fur. This vacuum works better than an industrial car wash vacuum.
Road Trip Commenced
Road tripping in an Escape Campervan was a unique experience thanks to the beautiful themes that are painted on the outside. They are works of art and no two vans are alike. We spent nine days driving around in the “Bayou.” It was easy to locate the van in parking lots.
When I picked up the vehicle I was concerned about how my son, who prefers to blend in, would react to the colorful art. When he arrived home I held my breath. He became so enthusiastic about our home on wheels that he wanted to hit the road right away.
Going with the flow including a last minute change of departure requested by my teens are necessary for buy-in and peace. Usually, unexpected change results in meltdowns. In this case, when an otherwise grumpy uncooperative teen said let’s go, we loaded up and headed out within an hour. Fortunately, Miss Bee was also excited to hit the road.
Exiting Los Angeles
Our departure was planned for the next morning. Fortunately, our bags and supplies were packed and ready before I went to pick up the van. Heading out of Los Angeles during evening rush hour was slow going. Listening to a book on tape and electronics helped with the snails’ pace.
It took five hours to reach Coachella. We were done for the night. Mac was put in charge of locating truck stops with an App. There is an app for everything (Truckpath)!
Alternate Route
The Rocky Mountains were experiencing a severe snowstorm. To be safe we took the longer southern route across Arizona and partway through New Mexico. We stopped on our second night outside of Albuquerque.
Treacherous Ice Storm
We hit the road early the next morning and we should have made it to Denver before dark. Mother Nature had other plans. North of Santa Fe we encountered a dangerous ice storm. The most minor grade on the interstate was treacherous.
The interstate became an ice rink. The weight of the heavy campervan helped provide some traction. We had to drive, at most, ten miles per hour while trying to find an exit without an uphill or downhill grade. We encountered so many accidents where vehicles slid off the road onto the shoulders and median.
At one point we encountered a dog running on the interstate. If I attempted to brake to miss the dog we would have slid right off the road. The dog cleared our vehicle as we passed.
A rest stop with no services and a level exit finally appeared. We safely pulled off and parked next to a tractor-trailer that protected us from the icy wind. Within minutes we could hear the police passing by announcing that the interstate was closed and urging drivers to pull off immediately. We were safe and sound for the night.
Smooth Sailing
We woke up to beautiful blue skies and ice sparkling everywhere. It took time to chip tons of ice off the windows, running boards, and mirrors. The ice scraper was a new tool for my warm climate kids.
Denver – Finally!
We parked the campervan in my sister’s driveway. Thanks to outlets in the garage there was electricity for the heater each night. We only used it to warm up the van as we settled in for the night. The van provided a cozy and private sanctuary to chill out when sensory overload struck. The campervan was more cost-effective and fun than a hotel room.
Epic Wind Storm
We awoke Christmas morning to a wild wind storm. The electricity went out at 10 am. We spent our holiday – old school. No electronics. Since cooking was not possible, once the wind died down we went in search of restaurants with electricity. We found a Denny’s with power. We were not alone the place was packed.
Denny’s really means it – they are always open! We enjoyed burgers, fries, pancakes, and hash browns for Christmas dinner. The best part – someone else cleaned up and did the dishes. It was not a typical Christmas day but we had fun and a memorable Christmas dinner.
RV Rental Alternative
We thoroughly enjoyed renting from Escape Campervans – an RV rental alternative. There are rental facilities located in several states. We look forward to renting from this company again.
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