Comunications

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:o I have seen many vacations get off to a bad start [or maybe end] by bad comunications .:sad For instance our first trip with our new Scamp we stoppod at a campground the first night and had to back into a tree lined spot. My wife asked me if she should guide me in and I said yes. Now I have been on the farm all my life and have backed all most everything that can be backed. And have guided many others. Now she was talking about many things that didnt need to be discussed at that time like the dirty table and fire pit, when she said Okay. There was a jolt and a bang.:censor You see I didn't know Ok ment STOP. I thought it ment I was doing OK. No real harm done thet fiberglass will take quite a lot.:bh

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i thought i was the only one that happened to;)

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I think we've all had those moments where we wish we could get a re-do. When I bought the Allegro the one rule my dad told me and my friend, Tracey, to never, never break was: "The DRIVER should always get out and walk around before backing. Even if you think you know what is behind you, get out and walk around." The one time Tracey didn't do this when she was driving, bang, right into a tree limb. $600 in repairs! I got to pick on her for months afterwards. He he he he.

Then, this winter I had even more fun. She was fixing batter to bake a cake in our oven. She was warming up the oven when I came home and smelled this funky plastic burning smell. I asked what that smell was. She turned pale and said, "I sure hope the cutting board isn't in the oven" (it's always in the oven). We opened the oven and found the whole thing on fire, melted plastic seeping everywhere. I got to test my kitchen fire-extinquisher -- it works! I also got to buy a brand new oven. And I got to set a rule that for a month she wasn't allowed to critize anything I did at all. What a peaceful month that was! I think she just wants to get out of cooking, though, and that worked too. Since that I've been doing all the cooking as well.

LOL! Was getting to pick on my roommate of 12 years worth buying a new oven? You bet!

What's that commercial?

New Oven -- $500
New Cutting board -- $20
Getting to tease roommate and remind her of her latest folly -- Priceless

Got to have sense of humor about these things! After I put out the fire and saw that plastic drapped all over the inside of the oven, I laughed so hard I almost split a gut!

Jane

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Backing syndrome - yes Tom and I have it too. he backs toward porch and I'm to tell him if he is going right and when to stop. I'm yelling, the windows are rolled up in the truck, he can't hear me
bad ending, no damage.

next time windows are down, but he wants me to use my hands for signals - Ok it's working until stop time. hands go up for stop he can't see them in the mirror. same results, but still no damage.

so now I try to keep hands at knees, (I'm on the porch) and I yell a lot. so far it's working, most of the time If he remembers to open his window. :lol (porch could be getting a little punchy)

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For some odd reason -

I'm suddenly not feeling all that badly about not backing up the Boler much. Goof that I am I usually just unhook it and shove it wherever I want it to be. Suddenly that system is seeming better and better. :)

mkw

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Can't believe anybody would be foolish enough to back a trailer into a tree.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3ebbbd68c5f5amovtree3.GIF/><img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3ebbbd479ba12Reverse_moving1.GIF/>

Oh wait a minute, been there, done that.

Except, within a week of taking possession of my THIRD (3rd) brand new fiberglass rig, after backing into hundreds of campsites, I managed to back my brand new rig into a tree.

To this day, I blame the tree. It moved. I swear it moved.

Trees are dangerous. Which is why I support clear-cut logging.

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And while those loggers are out there, have them shoot all the wildlife so we don't run them over too (makes a mess of the undercarriage and wheel wells.)


;) <<<<< WINK !

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You guys are real naturalist. you naturally want everything out of the way. :crazy-ii

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Unlike the rest of you lucky ducks, after I hit the tree, the tree fought back, ... deeply gouging the fiberglass, shearing off a vent (which I fixed with white duct tape and silicone for the duration of the trip).

Like Lyndon and Thomas, I could easily have laid the blame on my wife, who was supposed to be guiding me into the site (but she'd wandered over to meet some Canadians camping in a neighboring site).

But I won't blame Pam.

I blame the tree.

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Now, since I'd been advocating for years, that folks make friends with their local auto or boat repair place, you should have heard my local Bubba roar when I brought the trailer in for repairs.

But after he worked his wonder, I would bet anyone $100 that they can't find the previously damaged area (and this is now two years later).

Complimenting Bubba on his fine repairs, he said "Ah shucks, it's only fiberglass. That stuff's easy to work with!"

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I highly recommend a pair of cheap FRS radios, so the guide can communicate direction without shouting. It works well, and it is less conspicuous if you don't wan't the rest of the campground watching what you're doing.

My dad used to be known as a master trailer backer. We'd pick the most ridiculous campsite in the park, and then back in in one smooth swoop, while the crowd watched, oohing and ahhing. It was always fun. I've since seen a couple guys who are just amazing (Dan Pritzel in Rome, WI, for one), who backed our 21' Nomad through the woods (not into a campsite - literally through the woods and down a hill).

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>>cheap FRS radios

Yeah, but Paul, my wife's left-handed, so her "right" is not always the same as my "right."

And a lot of her directions are:

"A little more over THAT way!"

"No, not THAT way, THAT way!"

"Ok, back up a smidgen."

"No, I didn't say back up THAT far!"

Prey tell how a FRS radio will help save this trailer-trash marriage?

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95% of the time I am solo on hooking up, backing, etc.......and sounds like I'll keep it that way!!!!

too many cooks...or some such cliche'........

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>>solo

Ah, but Phil, the nights are so much warmer ... and you know how I love my winter camping!

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<Prey tell how a FRS radio will help save this trailer-trash marriage?>

Charles - the main way is it keeps the voices lower, so it at least keeps it "in the family".

If right and left don't compute/translate accurately, could you use starboard/port?

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Hi All
I have been Married more than once.My wife Marie came fully trained for RVing and all its related duties.I lucked out and she is a keeper.I was really impressed on our first camping trip.She knew it all.No shouting or ill words.
Heavenly bliss on our first little campout.
:wave

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>>My wife Marie came fully trained ... no shouting or ill words

I agree, the woman shouldn't shout or use ill words. That's strictly the husband's domain.;)

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:lol2 :lol2 :lol2

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Actually in my experience it works better if Tom directs and I back. he doesn't know but I just aim the side of the trailer at him and ignore all those fancy hand signals except the stop one. He feels good that I followed his signals, and I feel good I didn't run over him. I works for us.

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Orginally posted by Thomas and Janifer

Actually in my experience it works better if Tom directs and I back. he doesn't know but I just aim the side of the trailer at him and ignore all those fancy hand signals except the stop one. He feels good that I followed his signals, and I feel good I didn't run over him. I works for us.

YOU are dangerous...wait till we tell Tom the truth.....:o