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Old 03-12-2011, 04:07 PM   #1
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your worst experience in camping

We had a terrible rainy weekend. So bad that late at night we were totally surrounded by water. Could not sleep and left the trailer on the site for the night. On our way out of the campground the road was washed by the heavy rain and we were barely able to pass.We returned in the morning to pick up the trailer. On the same road the bulldozers were repairing the collapsed road. We did not get a single drop of water inside our new minilite 1809s. A good test for our first try on this new trailer.
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Old 03-12-2011, 07:05 PM   #2
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The first thing that comes to mine that stands out the most is that in 2006 when we were headed to Hershey PA with our new Rock Wood 8314ss was when i was towing on the interstate I-76 and started loosing control of my tow vehicle and camper when i hit 51 mph, i was swaying from side to side taking up both lanes, it was a good thing no one was around me.

I finally got it under control and could only travel at a top speed of 45 mph, once i arrived at the campground and park the camper into my site about 1/2 hour went by and the next thing i knew my left rear tire was flate, to make a long story short the bead to the tire was damaged due to the constant swaying.

The reason for this out of control swaying was because the service department at the dealer installed my hitch system incorrectly, i could have lost everything that was important to me.

So this is the worst thing that has happen and nothing else has top it yet......Be safey.
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Old 03-15-2011, 05:48 PM   #3
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The last day that I was at work would be my worst day camping!!!
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Old 03-15-2011, 06:03 PM   #4
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I'm with Rockwood06. Our worst time was coming across a very long , high bridge in Jack. FL. A big truck was passing us, the wind was blowing really hard and our camper started swaying. My DH had the good sense to use that brake thing under the dash. Didn't last long, but had to pull over to make sure there was not a flat tire or anything else wrong and to get our nerve back. I sure hold my breath going over bridges now. UGH.
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Old 03-15-2011, 06:07 PM   #5
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Another bad experience was a really bad storm many years ago. Tent camping. Storm was so bad we got our pillows and got in the truck. Next morning we had boats on the shore, pots and pans up the roads, broken limbs everywhere and PFDs floating in the lake. Looking back that actually brings a laugh to us now.
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Old 03-15-2011, 07:06 PM   #6
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To add a little brevity to this...

My worst experience in camping...is having to pack up and go back to work!
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Old 03-15-2011, 08:56 PM   #7
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It would be the time I listened to my sister about how warm Sequoia National Park would be at night in August. I took my air mattress, sheets, and a small blanket. Even being in the MH I almost frozed to death over night!! I was ready to come home at 3:00am even through I drove some 8 hours to get there.

The next morning my brother came to the rescue.
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Old 03-15-2011, 09:07 PM   #8
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My worst experience was when I damaged my truck trying to back into a site that was way too small for the trailer.
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Old 03-15-2011, 11:27 PM   #9
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We were on the Maitland river when a tornado touched down a few miles away,a foot of water in no time and then spent the rest of the night watching the river rise ubtil i had to pull out at around 1am,still it beats work.
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Old 03-16-2011, 12:30 AM   #10
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#1 Blowing a TT tire in one of the tunnels of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
#2 Having my awning turn into a parasail on a high-rise bridge while coming into Annapolis after crossing the Chesapeake Bay.
#3 Carefully instructing my mother to let the toilet flush lever snap back into place and having her gently, for fear of making noise and waking myself and the DW, return it to an almost closed position in the middle of the night. I almost fainted when I stepped out of bed in the morning.
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Old 03-16-2011, 05:32 AM   #11
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first of all..dimurrrw that just made me burst out laughing ( with coffee still in my mouth!) and second, i dont know if i should be reading all the scary things that can happen while driving, we haven't even used our tt yet, but i think i might faint every time a truck passes by now... i already freak out just be being in the truck passenger side! LOL. i think the excitement of going camping might outweigh my fear, though.. as long as we don't go over any bridges, that is!
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Old 03-16-2011, 05:54 AM   #12
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The scariest thing that happened was when we rounded a sharp curve and found a tour bus in our lane coming at us. There were some pretty heavy brake applications amid the sound of screaming passengers on the bus... We missed the near-vertical rocks on our side of the road by 4 inches. I'm pretty sure the rest room on the bus was busy as the passengers executed underwear changes,,,
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Old 03-16-2011, 07:00 AM   #13
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There are two that stand out. Both involve the same Campground but the campground was not the problem.
1st. Had to have emergency surgery on my left elbow to remove bone chips that were pressing into my ulnar nerve. We went camping with our new 16x10 three room tent. I have a cast on my left arm and can't seem to find one place to drive a stake in the ground where there isn't a rock. So after turning and adjusting the tent we were finally set up. That night it poured, all night long and hard. I got next to no sleep and the next morning we found both sides of the roof full of water and a small river running through the floor. Everything we had was soaked. My wife and daughters spent most of the day at the laundry room while I tried with cast to fix the situation. Eventually we moved to a cabin that was under construction but was complete inside but not outside. We left all of the wet tenting in place and had to pick it up on Sunday. After moving to the cabin I got sick from my medicines and the lack of eating trying to clean and move everything. Then our neighbors in a cabin 2 doors away decided to party and yell just about all night. This had to be the worst 4 day camping trip I can remember.
2nd. We bought a pop-up and a new 2000 Durango. I'm towing it on Rte 70 heading to Luray Va. when I traveled past a tractor trailer on a hill. Once he cleared the hill he came flying by me and blasted his horn. There was a piece of tire tread on the road sitting right on the lane dividing line. He was far to the right of the line then all of sudden he moves quickly to the left and runs over the tire tread. It comes flying back at us and hit the nose of the vehicle. Thankfully it didn't come through the windshield. It took out the headlight, blinkers, bent the hood and broke the grille on a new vehicle with less than 1600 miles on it. He didn't stop, he sped up and just flew down the road. We had no brake lights or blinkers or headlights since everything blew fuses. I contacted GEICO and they gave me directions to a dealership. I got there and they had me pull the truck and camper into the service writers area. The two service writers borrowed tools from the mechanics, band-aided the truck back together and gave my kids drinks, candy and a place to calm down. They only charged me for the parts, no labor. We were back on the road in less than two hours from the time the accident occurred. Tom and Tony were my heroes for saving our trip as well as making our vehicle safe. Total damage once it was completely fixed was over $4600. I just wish I could have gotten a plate number but I doubt if anything would have happened.
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Old 03-16-2011, 07:16 AM   #14
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While camping at a North conway, NH campground, my wife and 11 year old twin boys were enjoying a quiet evening by the campfire. There were campground rules regarding all campfires out by 11 PM and it was nearing that time. The fire had almost burned itself out. Then out of the dark at about 10:55 and to our surprise camp the campground owner with a bucket of water and poured over the remaining cinders. Flankers and pieces of hot cinders exploded from the fire in our direction. This was the rudest encounter I have ever had. the was no regard for safety or just simply asking us the extinguish the fire. The next morning , after talking to the neighbouring campers who witnessed this couldn't believe what they had seen.
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Old 03-16-2011, 07:36 AM   #15
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Trip

In 1986 we coming back from the July race at Daytona. I had a 30 ft TT, pulling it with a 1985 Jeep Cherekee Wagoneer. We were crossing the St Johns river in downtown Jacksonville Fl. The traffic was moving very slow. It was 2:30 in the afternoon. The temp was overy 100 Deg. All of sudden the Jeep died. I got out to check it out. By then the traffic was really backing up. People were blowing there horns and hollering. A Jacksonville policeman arrived, he starting telling me I had to get the rig off the bridge. I agreed, but I told him I could not pull if off. He did not like me talking back to him.
I had my sister, her 6 year old son and my son, who was eight. I finally found out that the battery, in my Jeep was dead. So I started pulling the battery from the TT to put in the Jeep. But according to the cop I was not moving fast enough. So I told him if he could do it any faster please do it. He did not like that either. I finally got the battery changed and we were on our way. Of course the cop was soaking wet in sweat. So me being the nice guy that I am, I thanked him for his help. He did not like that either. What I did not know was, that my sister had gotten the Officers name and badge number. She was dating a FBI agent at the time. He contacted the Jacks police Department and filed a complaint. We received a very nice letter from the police chief, and thanked us for coming to Florida.
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Old 03-16-2011, 07:39 AM   #16
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I have a couple as well although not as bad as some have experienced:

#1 I was camping at the Ivy Lea KOA in Ontario, Canada. The site we had was fairly hilly so I was fighting with the trailer to get it off the ball. After a few good pulls it came loose and started rolling. In my haste I'd forgotten to block the tires. Luckily a neighbor jumped to the rescue and held the trailer while I blocked the tires. As was suggested here I've modifed my unhook process to include leaving at least one chain hooked until disconnected and making extra sure the blocks are in place. I still cringe when I think of the trailer about 15' down the hill that my trailer was heading for.

#2 was last summer. We were on the tail end of our trip around lake Ontario and paid extra for a premium site to be on the water at Association Island near Watertown, New York. Around 10pm that night a 30+ trailer pulled in being pulled by what I can only describe as one step down from a tractor trailer. It must've been the owners work truck. Once he was parked he proceeded to park his truck behind his trailer and directly between our site and the water. I guess he didn't want the big thing blocking his beautiful view. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he didn't realize what he was doing in the darkness of setting up. After a few hours the next morning I had my fill and approached the office about getting it moved. I'm really amazed sometimes how some people don't see outside there little bubble.

Again, if these 2 instances are the worst we've had then I think we've had it pretty good. Now can the spring get here already!!
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Old 03-16-2011, 12:35 PM   #17
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My worst experience was over the last new year holiday, we went on a 4 day trip and arrived new years eve, the next morning my back was so messed up from loading/unloading, etc. I spent 4 days laying in the trailer and one day in the emerg room near the campground. I never even got to us my new fishing pole/reel from xmas. I had nothing to drink and I was in bed on new years eve by 9pm. Crappy trip.
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Old 03-16-2011, 01:08 PM   #18
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Fortunately, in all the years and places we have camped, there are not really worst experiences. Last summer was the worst towing experience with an accident on I 75 near Valdosta, GA.

I think last summer at Bahia Honda State Park might have the been the worst. By the way, anybody wanting to stay at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys, do not rent campsite 31, ever. Here is why. The Florida Keys for those who have not been there are a series of coraline limestone islands which really do not drain well in the spots.

Campsite 31 is like any other on the island I suppose except it backs up to lowland swampy area on the key. Anyone who has ever been to Florida in the summer or the Keys knows you pretty much set your clock by the afternoon thunderstorms. We check in and it rains buckets in a few short minutes and our lovely chunk of paradise is a mud hole in minutes right outside our front door and the water sat there for hours! This happened for the first 3 days of a 10 night stay.

I complained repeatedly to the SP office and spoke with the Park Manager who eventually moved us to a different site after 3 days of putting up with this. I think this is the worst, but hey, that is small potatos in life when compared to other aspects of it....
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Old 03-16-2011, 03:46 PM   #19
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We had just driven for 8 hours pulling our Rockwood 2607 and pulled into Provincial Park in Summerside PEI. Luckily we found a site with a view directly on the oceanfront. Wow what luck. Well we no sooner got setup and the rain started. Torential downpour all night long and windy. Next morning after continuous power failures I stepped out of the trailer to find 6 inches of water surrounding us.
The firepit was completely submerged. The groundwater finally disappeared but the wind was steady.We decided to pull out of the campsite and head further along on our journey. Barely got going when we witnessed the hardtop roof of the Jeep coming towards us literally blow off and come flying across the road.
Unfortunately( but lucky for us) it hit the vehicle in front of us and did quite a bit of damage.
While continuing on our drive I don't think the speedometer ever went past 30 mph as the winds were unbelievable. Finally made it to next stop but the trailer was completely covered in the red clay of PEI. What a mess.
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Old 03-17-2011, 08:06 AM   #20
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Well i guess i have to chime in here.
About 15 yrs ago we were driving back from our trip out east, coming out of Monteal, and heading back home to Ottawa. As I round a large sweeping corner of the 417, just out of Montreal, I notice a early model soft top car/top down, with a little kid in the back holding on to a BBQ.
I pull back on the throttle, giving this guy lots of room, when the driver turns around to talk to the little kid, who then lets go of the BBQ to.... I quess answer his dads question.
The wind force, lifts up the top of the BBQ and lauches the entire thing out of the back of the convertable, and it starts rolling and breaking up infront of us at about 70 mph.
I dodge most of the flying parts, but almost ended up in the ditch ... as you can well imagine, but we came out it with no damage.
Ah ... la belle province ....

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