Bad Start to a Good Weekend

[racingmom]

DH, sweet granddaughter, and I were all excited to go camping as it was “Christmas in July” at our State Park.Ready to go, so I closed the trailer door, snapped the ‘haul your butt up into the camper’ handle against the trailer, and proceeded to go into the house to lock the house up, as DH pulled out of our backyard.I returned to find the trailer ¾ of the way out of the yard, and I’m wondering “what’s going on?”Well, it seems I forgot to put up the steps and they took out the fence, and bent the steps beyond repair.Of course, DH was rather upset.“You were the last one out of the camper!”They were so bent we couldn’t even fold them up, so, he crawled underneath and between the two of us and a lot of hammering, managed to get the steps off, throw them into the trailer, and off we went to our local RV dealership to see what they could do.Tech did a quick crawl under and declared “$125” for installation of steps which they did not have on site.So I suggested moving the back stairs to the front as they are the same size and we hardly ever use them, done deal, $133 (with tax) for about 10 minutes worth of work.Then onto finding a replacement set, $300+, takes about 2 weeks to come in.At least DH will be installing them to save on another $133.What I have to laugh about, is that DH left the front compartment open the whole ride to the RV dealership (about 25 miles), so, he ‘was the last one’, and miraculously we didn’t lose anything from the compartment!

[Forbes]

Rule Number ONE for both drivers: Walk around once then WALK around again for both drivers. Never pull out from anywhere without it, wife and I started this every time we stop even at rest stops or for fuel. Has saved us several times from open doors to steps.

[DaGrinch]

Ah..... those little things that make preparation so much fun!

DW and I do a checklist.... SEVERAL checklists; Preparation, while there, getting ready to leave and then when we get home. I'm not getting any younger - CRS hit me square between the eyes on my 40th b-day YEARS ago. And we have NO problem with going behind each other to check things. We found that out many years ago.

[dwayneb236]

I always walk around the trailer before I take off. Sometimes twice. Just like to visually verify everything as I'm not the only person who gets it ready to go.


I'll also do a couple of walk arounds each time we stop to eat or fuel up. So far so good.

[Epat]

ya gotta love those checklists. But it seems that sometimes something new, not on the checklist occurs. Like the time I drove home from storage with the TT and some lady waved me down to tell me I left the door open in the trailer.

[Big Vic]

Walk around, looking up and down (antennas and chocks) are often missed.

[bobbrown]

I do the same as all of you have said and do a walk around (TWICE) to check all compartments are locked and not left open for stuff to fly out of, water and gas caps are tight and check the antenna is down. Only takes a couple of minutes and gives peace of mind. I do another walk around every time we stop for gas or whatever. I also clean the windshield, headlights and brake lights before starting out on any trip and then at gas stops.Same for tire pressures starting out when tires are cold and engine oil. Luckily our step is built in and doesn't fold out as I can see how easily that can happen.

I also picked up a good tip from another post and that is too put a couple of freezer packs in the freezer and fridge while starting out and this helps cooling more quickly in our Dometic.

__________________________________________________ ________

2013 Sunseeker 3170ds

[bikendan]

Yep, you HAVE to make doing a walk-around a permanent habit.
Being a former firefighter, we had to do it all the time before moving the engine.

I even do one while fueling up.

[Teamfour]

I make it a habit to walk around the TT every time I stop for fuel AND I use my IR thermometer to check all the hub temps. If you are going to walk around, kill two birds with one stone.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by dwayneb236

I always walk around the trailer before I take off. Sometimes twice. Just like to visually verify everything as I'm not the only person who gets it ready to go.


I'll also do a couple of walk arounds each time we stop to eat or fuel up. So far so good.

X2. So far so good.

[Iwritecode]

I used to work with a guy that always said (paraphrasing) the lessons we remember the best always depend on how painful the mistake was. It sounds like this was one painful mistake that you'll likely never forget or repeat.

Just think though, before too long it will be a story you can tell around the campfire and laugh about.

[windowman]

Going on a weekend trip, looked around but not very well, got about 50' down the driveway and looked in the rear view mirror and saw a orange rope following my progress. Backed up and disconnected the 12ga. 100' extension chord that was powering the refer, etc. Felt rather stupid

[danc]

Originally Posted by racingmom

DH, sweet granddaughter, and I were all excited to go camping as it was “Christmas in July” at our State Park.Ready to go, so I closed the trailer door, snapped the ‘haul your butt up into the camper’ handle against the trailer, and proceeded to go into the house to lock the house up, as DH pulled out of our backyard.I returned to find the trailer ¾ of the way out of the yard, and I’m wondering “what’s going on?”Well, it seems I forgot to put up the steps and they took out the fence, and bent the steps beyond repair.Of course, DH was rather upset.“You were the last one out of the camper!”They were so bent we couldn’t even fold them up, so, he crawled underneath and between the two of us and a lot of hammering, managed to get the steps off, throw them into the trailer, and off we went to our local RV dealership to see what they could do.Tech did a quick crawl under and declared “$125” for installation of steps which they did not have on site.So I suggested moving the back stairs to the front as they are the same size and we hardly ever use them, done deal, $133 (with tax) for about 10 minutes worth of work.Then onto finding a replacement set, $300+, takes about 2 weeks to come in.At least DH will be installing them to save on another $133.What I have to laugh about, is that DH left the front compartment open the whole ride to the RV dealership (about 25 miles), so, he ‘was the last one’, and miraculously we didn’t lose anything from the compartment!

I feel bad for you but it does happen.......I pulled out of my yard and forgot to retract the power tongue jack which caught the sidewalk which destroyed the power jack, oh well I guess that's part of RVing.

[fish70mg]

Find a welder. He can heat it and straighten it.

[logspec1]

We all have made mistakes camping. The secret is to learn from them and move on. You now have a great story to tell.

[emm-dee]

You can get Lippert step assemblies from E-trailer, most under $200, and delivered in just a few days.

My TT steps picked a fight with a Kubota tractor. $131 and two days later looked brand new. Well, they were new curtesy of E-trailer.

[Kadiddle]

I faithfully do the "one more time around" rule. Just the other day, on my one more time around rule, I tugged on the locking pins for my toad connections and one of the pin caps came off in my hand. The key had come out without me rotating it to the locked position. Whew.........

[bop11]

Many years ago we had a popup type pickup camper and decided to go down to the propane store to get the tank filled. When I got there a gentlemen approached me and said "that thing opens up a lot bigger than I expected" to which I turned and looked to discover that I had forgot to crank it down before I headed down the road! Yikes!! Luckily it was only a few blocks and I never got over 30 MPH. Nothing bent and the canvass wasn't torn. Whew!

[markb422]

Got home from a short two day outing in the MH and the neighbor is walking up the driveway with my wheel covers. He said he went the the store shortly after we left for camping and found a trail of wheel covers going down the road.

[woodpile]

Originally Posted by markb422

Got home from a short two day outing in the MH and the neighbor is walking up the driveway with my wheel covers. He said he went the the store shortly after we left for camping and found a trail of wheel covers going down the road.

To Quote...well I'm sure someone has said this "if everything seems to
be going well you obviously overlooked something"