I am sure that once we get a little more practice it will go more quickly. But it took us nearly 2 days to pack for a three day trip. There are such monumental decisions to be made, like what kind of coffee pot to get.
These things are not easily decided. Because just as you think you have the perfect answer you think of another scenario where your first inclination just won't work, like, if we use our trusty drip coffee maker, but decide to get up early before the quiet (no generator) hours are over, how do we make coffee. Of course you recognize first off there is no assumption that coffee will not be made.
And it gets better. Who gets the top drawers and who gets the bottom drawers, where are we going to keep the baggies for sandwiches, why isn't the clock working.... We had a good time.
So we did get all packed, organized, thought out, planned, and supplied. Then I found out that great instructions I got for hitching up the truck and CC wouldn't work, the generator blocks the view of the hitch. So Barbara says she will help, so she gets between the camper and the truck to watch, when I lost sight of her I stopped the truck, got out and went to find her, thinking of course that I had run her over.
New rule: When hitching up no bodies (Moms, dads, kids, dogs, cats, turtles, nor parkeets) are allowed between the trailer and the truck.
After hitching up it was smooth sailing until I got to the end of the driveway, when promply dropped the CC's wheels into the drainage ditch because I had turned to soon. But being lucky (not good) it was shallow enough all it did was scare me.
When we got to Donald McDonald park near Sebastian Municipal Airport in Sebastian, FL, a whopping one hour drive from the house, the Park Rangers were quite enthusiastic about our arrival. It seems no one had ever attempted to put such a large unit in one of their camping spots, except that one couple from California. There rig wasn't quite as large as ours, they got to stay an extra week because they tore of their awning and had to wait for a replacement to be shipped. Ok, this should be fun.
They gave me real good advise, they told me to take it real slow and to make extra wide turns. They had trimmed the trees just two years ago so I should'nt have to much trouble with low branches.
Ok, this should be fun.
A turtle passed me while we driving around trying to decide which spot to take. Which is really good thing because about half way around I heard this rubbing sound. My heart was in my throat immediately, I have just ruined my brand new camper. I leaped out of the truck and walked around it, I couldn't see where I had "rubbed" anything, ok I can breath now.
The Park Rangers were kind enough to follow me, I think they really wanted to know if a 40' 5th wheel would fit in their park. One of the Rangers said it was good thing I had stopped, he was afraid I wasn't going to clear that 6" limb that had kinda grown downwards. I look up, sure enough, a large tree had decided to hug my 5th wheel.
A monkey would have been envious of the way I scrambled up the ladder. You know where my heart went, breathing had once again ceased to be important. As I approach the front air conditioner I notice this long brown streak down the side of the cover. Oh my gosh, I am sure that I have just destroyed my front AC. As I crawl through tree to get to the front of the CC I finally remember that breathing is important. As I get to looking at it, it became apparent that I had once again gotten lucky. I had caught the AC unit on a section of the branch that angled up, the branch had enough give to it, that when it slid across the AC unit, instead of catching, it slid over the unit, leaving a dirty tree streak, but doing no damage.
Whew!
But wait a minute, how am I going to get the CC out of the tree. Think about that statement a second, headline reads "7 ton camper stuck in tree". The Park Rangers are really being helpful at this point. Not only did they tell the other campers trying to get through that it may be while, they allowed them to go the wrong way on a one way trail. They also suggested that I could possible pick the branch up and walk it off the roof while someone drives the rig forward. This was a most excellent idea. So I ask Barbara if she wants to crawl up on the roof and pick the tree up, or drive our brand new 5th wheel ( really big new one) with me on top with the 5th wheel hugging tree? My wife really loves me, she didn't reply with words.
Fortunately one of the Park Rangers took pity on me and volunteered to pick the tree up. So he crawls up on top and we proceed at a snails pace to get the 5th wheel away from the tree. About half way through he calls a halt, one of the downward facing branches is now aimed at the sky light over the bathroom, and to proceed further wouldn't do the sky light any good. So the Park Ranger says no problem, they have been meaning to trim those trees anyway, he pulls out his chain saw and starts walking toward my brand new 5th wheel. There goes that heart/breathing thing again.
We go up together, and while I hoist up the limb he makes a very precise cut on the downward facing brach. He explains that had it not been dead he would not have been allowed to trim it. Lucky again.
We continue with the tree walking across the roof thing. And a few minutes later we are clear.
The Park Ranger then suggested that I take the next site, as it is the largest clearest site in the park. I followed his advise.
We got the rig back in and unhitched, generator set up and chained to the 5th wheels legs (dramatical pause), slides out, awning down, lawn chair out. Life is good.
On Sunday we got up and went for a lovely canoe ride in the Sebastian River, absolutely beautiful. Sunday afternoon we scouted out the Sebastian Inlet State Park and picked out a couple of good spots there. We couldn't find any beaches that would allow the dogs to run in the sand, it makes us so sad when the municipalities have to close off natural resources to our fury companions. Then back to the camper for a cookout with some friends.
Monday we once again went for a nice canoe ride, came back, fixed a nice lunch and started packing up to go home.
The only glitch that I ran into was unchaining the generator from the leg of the CC 5th wheel. I couldn't find the key to the padlock, it's a really nice BIG padlock. Very strong and pick resistant. I am thinking that it is a really good thing I am only an hour away from the house, and was wondering how I was going to break the news to Barbara. I got a brainstorm, I didn't have to unlock it, I could simply slip the chain under the leg. I thought about digging around the leg, but decided the CC would just settle into whatever hole I made. Then I thought about just jacking the legs up, except I don't own a jack big enough to pick it up. So I decided I had to hitch the 5th wheel to the truck, then lift the landing gear, slip the chain off. Good plan. It worked, the downside was that the generator rides in front of the 5th wheel hitch, that means I had to take the hitch off in preparation of putting the generator in, then put it back on to lift the 5th wheel and slide the chain off. Then unhitch the 5th wheel, take the hitch out, put the generator in, put the hitch back in and then prepare to re-hitch the 5th wheel.
It was only 92 degrees out, so it was a piece of cake. Barbara came out of the air condition 5th wheel when I hitched it the first time, I think she might have been worried about me dropping it on my toe. She spoke very little, but had a kind of quizzicle expression. Made some kind of comment about little kids and dumb beasts and went back inside.
We stopped at the Flying J truck stop. I remeber reading an article about them not being called truck stops any more, they are now "Travel Plazas". Which is a good thing, when I looked at the dump station in Donald McDonald park I recognized two 5th wheel hugging trees along that driveway. Now I am thinking that I am getting good, not lucky, so I avoid that. Flying J has some pretty cool things for 5th wheelers. Really big parking lots, big enough to 18 wheelers. Plenty of diesel for the truck, water hoses to fill the fresh water tank, and a dump station. Easy to get to and no camper hugging trees.
So I pull up and we get the "Complimentary Camper Kit" that came with the unit and contains the sewage dump hose and attachments. I open up the box and pull out the brand new sewage hose, it stretches out about 4 feet. I recall reading in the Cedar Creek RV Owners Club blog about how most RV'ers carry two 25 sections of hose. So after a little manuevering I finally get the connection close to the dump hole and proceed to get connected. It worked, I didn't even get any on me. I am so lucky.
We finally got home around three and got the rig parked after only the 6th try. It seems our traveling son had parked his equipment truck close to the drive way. He was unavailable. So I got to practice manuevering the CC around some more. I have the best neighbors. They were very nice when it came time to drive around the block while I blocked the street trying to get this jack knifed unit un-jacked.
I think I may be a little crazy, but I had a really good weekend.
Dallas
