Park of the Sierras -- Part II

Some of our readers often ask me nuts and bolts type questions about our life style. Today I’ll provide more information about this Escapees Park where we are guests.

The maintence barn contains just about every kind of tool

and machine needed for wood and metal work.

Some equipment is stored outside.  Owners and

guests can also do maintenance on their

RVs in this area.  If you are so inclined you may

even change your oil.

Here is an OSHA-approved 600 gallon tank for

the storage of used oil. 

The only criteria to live here, aside from buying in, is that you must be a member of the Escapees RV Club. We joined in 2008 and we are members number is 99899. I was trying to time my membership so that we would be 100,000. I only missed by 101. (By the way, SKP is sort of an acronym for Escapees.)

The park buys propane in bulk for resale to members.

SKP Park of the Sierras, Inc. is a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation organized under the Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law. Each of the 250 individual sites sells for $16,000. Members signify their intent to buy by placing a $1020 deposit and signing the necessary documents. At present there are about 50 people on the waiting list but it is anticipated that everyone on the list will be offered a site within the next six months. This rapid turnover is due to an unusually high number of founders who are now in their early 80s and are moving on to other living arrangements. Escapee members who decide not to take a site will receive all but $20 of their $1020 deposit. When a member moves out of the park, the original selling price of $16,000 is returned. Last year every site owner received a $200 payment that represented their share of income from rental sites – such as the one we are in and pay only $295 a month, plus electric.  As a comparison, renting in a private RV park such as this  would be a minimum of $600 to $700 per month.

Adequate water is assured with these

storage tanks and pump house.

The current monthly assessment is $100 plus electric. The park operates its own water wells and distribution system, the electric distribution network, wi-fi and cable TV and has its own telephone system. The entire park contains 151 acres, of which 40 will never be developed. Inasmuch as the organization is a co-op all members are expected to contribute to the upkeep of the park as best as they can. This can include painting and repairs, cleaning, tree trimming, landscaping, and much more. For the less physically robust, there are such tasks as weeding, taking periodic water samples from each site or emptying coins from the laundry machines and putting the coins into paper tubes. Seniors requiring daily assistance with living can move into the CARE facility at the Escapees Park in Livingston, TX.  So as you can see, being an Escapee has a lot more benefits than a decal in the RV window.

Here is what we see from the front of our coach.

Stay tuned.