In any trip of this type, things are bound to go in unplanned directions…..some of them not good. It is the nature of things. No matter how careful, well prepped, or skilled you are, things can go wrong and you are then left to figure out a solution and a way to mitigate the risks next time.
So far, over the last 6000+ miles since leaving home, we’ve had trouble due to frost heaves, steep icy grades and slushy campground roads…..a bad map that lead us down a road that became a tractor trail with a failed bridge (necessitating backing up a half mile to find a not so suitable spot to turn the trailer around in a cornfield in the dark)……..and yesterday….worst of all (at least from my view point)……we smacked a parked car while I was turning and the no longer visible tail of the trailer that overhangs the rear most axle swung and the awning bracket (for a damn awning we don’t even use!) that sticks out 3 inches too far clipped the rear area of said car. Only minor sort of damage….but no doubt costly–at least to my feelings. I don’t hit stuff. Or at least not until yesterday. I am the one who slows smoothly and gradually, letting gravity and gearing do the work when possible so as to preserve the brakes (mostly because I don’t trust ’em even when they are newly serviced)…..I’m the guy who drives a truck and trailer like a limo. When I had a driving test for a company I once worked for I made note of the coffee cup that was sitting on the floor between the seats and made a point not to spill any during the road test. After which I pointed out to the examiner that he still had his coffee, which he had forgotten there, and told him he should pass me since I hadn’t even spilled it. He did so. At any rate, smooth and careful, considerate of the physics involved and the loading on drivetrain components, aware of surroundings…actively looking and scanning…finesse beats force….all that kind of stuff. All well and good…..but sometimes shit happens and I feel pretty bad about yesterday. Thankfully what I hit was not a classic or anything like that, but still…for me it is the principle of it.
These difficulties, aside from the individual actions that should have been taken (and WILL be taken next time…like having a spotter in tight streets!) all have one thing in common: The trailer. The BIG trailer. The HEAVY trailer. Not the biggest RV on the road by any stretch, but I have decided that for OUR intended uses it is just TOO big. It won’t fit in many parks we want to visit……it also won’t fit down the side trails to find places and things that are part of our business venture……and….many times….once you see a place to stop along the highway you can’t comfortably stop in time and then must turn around…….did I mention this thing does not do “turn-around” very well? Yes….it can be done, even in a cornfield after driving in reverse for a half mile. But it is a pain in the butt. Add to all this that the weight, about 10,000 pounds –aside from affecting fuel mileage and stopping, also makes for difficult mountain climbing and again limits the road surfaces you can use.
Don’t get me wrong–this is a great toy-hauler travel trailer with an almost ideal floorplan…you’d be hard pressed to find anything laid out this well without going to a model with slide-outs……it would make any hunter proud to use on a hunting trip or to stash at a remote property and will sleep said hunter along with 4 other buddies–more if they like each other. It is also a stable and well pulling trailer for the interstate…….If you can stay on the main roads, park it for a while and explore with the truck, then rehitch after a week or so then it is a good machine…..but we don’t often have that option, at least not right now….so it is not well suited to OUR needs. A great tool, but not the right tool for this job.
So…..We’ve decided that we should seek out something else. Maybe a smaller travel trailer in the 18-21 foot range. Maybe a smaller toy hauler where the garage intrudes on the living area…..maybe an enclosed cargo trailer pulled behind a small RV? …or even just the cargo trailer and doing camping/motels while hunting up stuff? I’m not sure what it will be…..but a change will need to be made either to the equipment we are using or our entire expectations and business/traveling model. And swapping a vehicle is probably the easier solution. Luckily we have a little time to think over the options and hunting seasons are also beginning to gear up in the regions of the country where we are visiting so prospective buyers should be available if we wish to trade it in for something else.
Wonderful prose!