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m.hony · 07-03-2013, 07:32 PM

In August of 2007 I hydroplanes a truck and trailer off of I-55 at mile marker 153 near St. Genevieve, MO. Several things could have prevented this wreck.
1. I was running bald tires. I had new tires waiting for me at home, but I tried to make one more trip...I should have installed the tires before the trip.
2. I was going about 60 mph which was still too fast for conditions...pouring down rain, the beginning of the shower when the oils on the road surface are loosened up. Studies have shown that hydroplaning will not happen at speeds under55 mph.
3. I was using cruise control...never use cruise control in the rain. If you are not using cruise and feel it breaking loose you simply let up on the accelerator.
4. Fatigue probably played a part...working long hours every day. There is a reason why the DOT regulates over the road truckers.

The truck and trailer were repaired, but my life was flashing before my eyes as I was slipping and sliding into the ditch. It took 2 trucks and 2 trailers to come get me and the mess I made.

And...I missed the Rush concert. I have the only un-torn Rush concert ticket I know of. A little shout out to my Canadian brothers...

m.hony · 07-03-2013, 07:33 PM

The state trooper was singing "Tom Sawyer" as he made out the report...

SteveSueMac · 07-03-2013, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m.hony

The state trooper was singing "Tom Sawyer" as he made out the report...

That's cold!

Sorry to hear about the accident an glad you're ok. Excellent replay of lessons learned. Thank for sharing.

Gene · 07-04-2013, 02:04 PM

Paula, just saw this thread and no time to read more than a few posts. Glad to hear you are doing ok.

New name: Re-Foiled Again.

Gene

slowmover · 07-04-2013, 08:42 PM

Today, I hit a severe crosswind going down a curv[ing] 7% grade

Worst conditions for a combined vehicle. Bar none.

.

carl2591 · 07-05-2013, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

Ditto.

Today I hit a severe crosswind going down a curvy 7% grade. I was trying not to exceed 50 mph, but started to fishtail. I immediately thought of Paula's accident.

Was able to correct, but it took some wind out of my sails. (No pun intended).

We often read/hear and experience how "easy" Airstreams tow - this relative newby was even starting to feel a bit smug. All it takes for those holes (crosswind, mountain driving etc.) in the swiss cheese to line up.

WOW going down a 7% grade at 50 is tough enough for sure.. mind saying what type of hitch you are using and which tow vehicle..

I have been blown around 18 wheeler in mountian passes same as you had.

good thing the speed was no 60 or better.. that can pinch the seat quick.

Fly at Night · 07-05-2013, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carl2591

WOW going down a 7% grade at 50 is tough enough for sure.. mind saying what type of hitch you are using and which tow vehicle..

I have been blown around 18 wheeler in mountian passes same as you had.

good thing the speed was no 60 or better.. that can pinch the seat quick.

TV: F150 XLT 4X4
Hitch: ProPride
Highway: The notorious Hope Princeton

Jaking down the Hope Princeton - YouTube

Silver Otter · 07-06-2013, 03:57 PM

Paula? Are you home? All went well, I'm sure . . .

Foiled Again · 07-07-2013, 09:37 PM

So... The best laid plans of mice and men... and women... and

I'm alive and healthy and nothing about the new truck/new trailer spooked me

until July 4 when I was going out the door to get into the truck and drive to NJ. I realized I had two or three little tasks I needed to complete. Then three more... then faced up to the fact that I was getting sick at the thought of getting into the truck and making it real. Basically it took about six HOURS to have a good cry, flop sweat twice, change clothes and shower twice and finally take off with the caveat that If it took three days to get there and a week to get back, I could and would just take that time.

As it was I finally arrived at the dealership after only getting off track once - at about 2AM instead of my planned 4 to 6 PM. I hopped into the trailer and it was about 85 degrees hot - with oil all over the floor. The A/C compressor had blown. Was pissed for about 5 seconds, then realized it was a good thing it happened BEFORE I towed the unit all the way back to Virginia Beach. I got the front Fantastic fan on exhaust, and just opened the cover on the rear one so that air would be sucked in... slept on the side couch in fair to middling comfort until about 7:30 am, and took a cool shower. (I'd texted Patrick B. about the problem before falling asleep the evening before.) I assumed that I'd have to wait for a replacement A/C before it could be installed on my trailer. Instead they pulled off a new one from another Airstream - then installed the Hensley and I went on my way. Heading for the Garden State Turnpike and the Cape May Ferry.

Assumptions that worked against me:

I'll drive to Lakewood NJ to pick up the Eddie Bauer on July 4 - that will be the lowest traffic day of the holiday.

Yeah, but it's northern NJ - where everyone drives 30 mph above the speed limit and leaves their high beams on all the time, and regards blocking you into the wrong lane to be a cultural prerogotive. Even though the Garden State Parkway is only a couple of blocks from Colonial Airstreaam getting on proved impossible due to aggressive drivers. I finally just found a major artery and headed south, and caught the parkway about 20 miles down the road.

I also got the famous Hensley "bump" and some side to side swishiness that I wasn't ready for. Had a few very very bad flashes of my accident - and then just tightened up the brake controller several notches and it got better - not perfect, but better. I later pulled into a rest stop, tightened up the weight bars (I was about 1 inch nose down) and called to find out whether it was advisable to raise the gain on the brake controller still further. It was and with a gain of 6.0 the Airstream suddenly went to velvet smooth. Whew. (I was about to call it Eddie Haskell before that!).

I knew I'd miss the 6pm Ferry by then, so I called and they very nicely changed my reservation to 8pm. That was fun. I got there by 7:15 and conducted three tours as people wandered over and started looking it over.

Fairly uneventful except arriving well after dark and being one of the first 10 vehicles off, made a wrong turn and instead of getting onto 113/13 ended up on route 9 - and got an hour tour of Rehobeth beach and several other towns. Then took an "instinct" west turn and after about 40 miles found 113 and HI-HO silver!

I had a lot of nervous energy and wanted to travel while the traffic was light, so I went all the way to the big rest stop right before the bay bridge tunnel - which was about 20 miles further than I should have gone. Slept the night there and took the tunnel home on Saturday morning hoping for light traffic (HA!) That was spooky especially as I rubbed off my right mirror on the last trip through there due to cones down the center line forcing me a little too far to the right. I considered putting in the right mirror, but didn't. Heaved a HUGE sigh of relief when I came out into the sun just off the coast of Va. Beach. Got to a one night campsite and collapsed for about 12 hours.

Moved to Indian Cove this morning. Therein lieth another comedy of errors. Unhitching the Hensley for the first time - thank God for three neighboring campers. I had no chocks and seeing them hitch me at Colonial - I needed them. A couple of scraps of 2x6 fixed that dilemma. Then the jack quit on me, I checked the battery, the fuse, even hooked up the trailer to electric - nada. So I bravely went to the garage and promptly found the crank... that fits a different jack! I need a large female type crank, and had a small male one. My neighbors tried their cranks, then with some good diagnostics figured out that the connection where the jack was wired into the trailer batteries was intermittantly failing. They pulled the shrink tubing off and held the wire together to raise the trailer and take the pressure off the hitch, then we released the tensioners and freed the truck up. None of them (or I had ever laid hands on a Hensley before, but I had the manual so we got through it OK. They were all really impressed when I demonstrated the four point connection. But when I told them "this Airstream is a toy hauler" I was greeted with gasps - and opening the rear hatch caused near religious awe for everyone. Even me.

Last thought - BOY did I crap out on "what to take to the dealer when picking up your new Airstream." It's different when you're trading in, and I didn't want to haul 10 buckets of stuff to NJ and spend hours stowing the stuff, then make the trek back. I figured I can load it here as well as there. I'll give you a list of things I wish I'd brought tomorrow. Number one and two would have been chocks and cleaning cloths. The cleaning cloths for all of the oil the compressor spewed inside the Airstream. Chocks which are supremely necessary with a Hensley, and cleaning cloths - well about the compressor oil... colonial's people did an amazing job of getting the new AC in... cleaning up, not so much.

OH AND THE MATTRESS and pillows and sheets IN THE EB are WONDERFUL.... zrrrrk, night

Paula

Sum75 · 07-07-2013, 10:02 PM

I've never met you, Paula, but I have nothing but admiration for your guts in getting back up on the horse! So glad your trip was a safe one! Congrats to you on your new Airstream, happy trails to you :-)

DanB · 07-07-2013, 10:02 PM

Nice to hear that your back on the road! Sounds like your getting back on your feet. Just be sure to take it slow and enjoy the ride!

Mulligan · 07-08-2013, 01:22 AM

Well done Paula, you have shown great tenacity and courage getting back on the road again, really funny, as i was at a market in London yesterday and there was a "Rosie the Riveter" poster for sale and i immediately thought of you and how you were getting on with the EB. Glad its all going smoothly for you.
all the best
Tim

79nTOW · 07-08-2013, 01:26 AM

Paula,

So glad you and Mr.Ed made it back safely.

Predeta

Lily&Me · 07-08-2013, 05:27 AM

Good job, Paula! You did it!

You're a strong woman, an example for us all.

The thing about traumatic events is that they are always there, lurking, waiting to tense you up at the slightest hint of the event.

Take care, and take your time,

Maggie.

Sbb · 07-08-2013, 08:10 AM

Nice job, I admire you so much, amazing with all u have been tbrough. Parkways, Ferry, and Tunnel oh my, you hit so many interesting towing situations in one trip, not to mention new truck and AS. What toys do you haul? Good luck to you in you travels.

Silver Otter · 07-08-2013, 08:34 AM

Great update, Paula! We use the BAL chocks with our Hensley. Amazon.com: BAL 28005 Deluxe Tire Chock: Automotive

carl2591 · 07-29-2013, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

Ditto.

Today I hit a severe crosswind going down a curvy 7% grade. I was trying not to exceed 50 mph, but started to fishtail. I immediately thought of Paula's accident.

Was able to correct, but it took some wind out of my sails. (No pun intended).

We often read/hear and experience how "easy" Airstreams tow - this relative newby was even starting to feel a bit smug. All it takes for those holes (crosswind, mountain driving etc.) in the swiss cheese to line up.

Fly at night...

if you don't mind my asking what hitch you using.. I understand paula is going to hensley hitch..

glad to hear you were able to keep control of rig.. 7% is a good one for sure.

Fly at Night · 07-29-2013, 03:47 PM

carl, ProPride. I knew nothing about hitches, so asked the dealer to install whatever one they felt was best (and easiest for a solo newbie to manage).

Foiled Again · 07-29-2013, 04:30 PM

I really don't think I'm remarkably brave... rather the opposite, but I've figured out that I AM aging, and there are a few things that come with age. One is the simple knowledge that "This ain't my first rodeo."

Most of the things that would have put me into an emotional tailspin when I was in my teens and twenties ... and occasionally in my thirties... simply IS NOT going to throw me that badly. I've lived through worse.

I've seen people on this forum who've been through a lot worse situations than I faced - and they've confounded their doctors and probably themselves by just picking up their lives and enjoying them.

Frankly, my only REAL concern was "will I be able to remember how to hitch up the Hensley when I'm ready to move?" and thanks to a nice youtube video I've perused seven or eight times, I have delusions of adequacy.

Smile, it'll make people wonder what you're up to.

Paula

Silver Otter · 07-30-2013, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Frankly, my only REAL concern was "will I be able to remember how to hitch up the Hensley when I'm ready to move?"

Paula

Yes, Linda and I had the same "problem" at first. We encased the instructions from the booklet in a plastic sleeve, and used the "checklist" like a pre-flight, talking each other through it each time.