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BillB44 · 09-14-2009, 01:35 PM

Hi folks. Over the years I've had a truck camper, VW Vanagon, and small Itasca motor home. But we just made the shift to trailering by ordering a 2010 23FB Flying Cloud. Very jazzed about it and the umbilical mobility it will allow us. My big concern is the obvious one: getting into a situation or predicament I can't back out of.

I'd love to hear if any of you have found yourselves in such a pickle. And what you learned from the experience. If possible, I'd rather educate myself here in the friendly forum than out there in the cold world.

Chief · 09-14-2009, 02:13 PM

Congratulations on the new purchase!

Be careful of gas stations where you can't clearly see your exit from the pumps. Some of the newer stations, especially Sam's club/Walmart, are easy to get into but difficult to get out of. Been there and done that (in reverse). If necessary, get out of the tow vehicle and survey the area before you pull in.

Be wary of trusting Ms. Garmin implicitly......she lies on occasion. If it looks like it's going to turn into a gravel road that deadends.......it probably is. The same applies to small streets in major cities. Ms. Garmin has taken me to some places where I was very happy that Mr. Browning was with us.

Ron

BillTex · 09-14-2009, 02:41 PM

Welcome.
Very funny, as we did the opposite of you. Have had the AS for many years and picked up a TC last year in part because we got in a very sticky situation. We camp on National Forest land most of the time, we had gone to one spot that we have been several times, so I know the area (somewhat) it was very late, and I had driven for 4-5 hours, the last 11 miles off paved road, up a very narrow, twisty, bumpy path to the top of a mountain with a beautiful, isolated Alpine pond. When you get to the top of the mountain there are several paths you can go down. When we headed for our favorite spot, we were disappointed to find some one else already there! Now I am very tired, was hoping to pull in, open a beer, and call it a night. This was not to be. So I circled around and headed down an alternate path that I was not so familiar with (I thought I knew the area well).This was a dead end, with no obvious spot to setup, and no good way to turn around. Backing up was not much of an option either. It’s about midnight now. I very slowly attempt to turn around with the Wife spotting, I can almost make it. Not quite though. The back of the Stream is hanging off the ridge, the front tires of the truck are in the woods, no where to go. (I can turn my TV/AS to a complete jackknife as I use an Equalizer brand hitch which allows you to do this. At this point the AS is maybe 1” from the truck body.). After much back/forth I come to the conclusion I have to unhitch, four wheel through some brush, and re-hitch facing the correct way to get out of this spot. This all took a long time, very late at night, with my elderly Parents, and young Son along for the weekend. After all this, we parked on the side of the road and crashed. A ranger came knocking very early the next morning and said we could stay-but not there! Fortunately, the party in our favorite spot was packing up that morning and said to stick around for a little bit. We ended up having a great fall weekend. But that was enough to convince me that some of the camping we do is just not suited to a TT, soon after that we picked up the TC and now have the best of both worlds! Of course, we already had a truck suitable for this, so it was an easy decision to make. Now we have the AS for luxury, and the TC for remote camping. When we go to the lake for a week or somewhere else accessible we take the AS. The TC goes deeper in the woods or on the beach down the Cape…can’t do that with the AS…. I don’t ever want to get in a situation like that, in such a remote area, with the AirStream again! We love the AS, but there are some spots that we camp, where it was not meant to go.

Bill

**Stefrobrts** · 09-14-2009, 02:51 PM

We've only been in two tight spots. Once when we pulled into a fast food joint thinking their parking lot had another exit (it didn't) and my husband had to take over and carefully back it up to where he could turn it around. And another time when we gassed up and he tried to get out by going around a building only to discover it was a dead end, so again he had to do a long back up with tricky little turns. It all worked out ok in the end.

Now if it's questionable we'll get out and scout it out ahead of time, or park farther away on the street and walk. A little footwork can save you from having to do some tricky maneuvers!

thecatsandi · 09-14-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillB44

Hi folks. Over the years I've had a truck camper, VW Vanagon, and small Itasca motor home. But we just made the shift to trailering by ordering a 2010 23FB Flying Cloud. Very jazzed about it and the umbilical mobility it will allow us. My big concern is the obvious one: getting into a situation or predicament I can't back out of.

I'd love to hear if any of you have found yourselves in such a pickle. And what you learned from the experience. If possible, I'd rather educate myself here in the friendly forum than out there in the cold world.

Had problems backing out of this one.... Anytime you loose traction major problem. You always unhook and re-postion the TV.

FreshAir · 09-14-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief

Congratulations on the new purchase!

Be careful of gas stations where you can't clearly see your exit from the pumps.

Ron

BEEN THERE DONE THAT

. Our insurance paid for the new side panels.....14'!! Our Trade Wind is polished and the reflection made it almost impossible to decern how far the trailer side was from the posts.

Neil.

Gene · 09-14-2009, 03:40 PM

When we first got the trailer, I pulled into a very busy gas station and saw little room to go forward. Now I might have tried it, but then I didn't have a good idea of how much I could turn the rig. It was Thanksgiving weekend and the place was packed with cars. I had to back out of the space and a lot of people in those little cars looked really nervous—as they should have been. But, I didn't hit anything.

Another type of gas station with little space are some supermarket ones—they put them in a corner of the parking lot and some don't have space to exit.

Backing is something that gets better with time. Sometimes a campground will have little space to easily back into a site and that's when everyone within 300 yards will be watching you, sometimes giving you directions. When I'm tired after a long day, that's when backing is most difficult. Haven't hit anything yet there either. When in doubt, get out and survey the situation even if you have a spotter.

Getting into a space in the dark can be challenge. We stayed in a very old campground near Santa Fe which had many piñon trees, narrow roads, and site numbers that were invisible in the dark. We had to drive around twice to find the site. I did get a 10 foot scratch from a tree branch I never saw in the dark. Subsequently most of the scratch has been covered by new trim at the beltline.

There will be predicaments and mistakes—we all make them—and they will make you stronger.

Gene

**moosetags** · 09-14-2009, 03:52 PM

We have had several of the same adventures at gas stations and restaurants where it appeared that the parking lot went all the way around the building, but it didn't. After encountering these situations several times, SuEllyn now does a reconnoiter prior to committing.

Gas stations can also be challenging. The situation is always changing. Sometimes you'll get a good gassing up spot on an end pump, and by the time you're finished. someone has parked at a spot in front of you that does not allow for enough clearance to make you turn out.

I notice you are from Sagle, Idaho. We camped in Lucy for a week at Bonners Ferry, just north of there in June. We had a nice time; it's really pretty country.

Brian

3 Dog Nite · 09-14-2009, 04:04 PM

I rely on my experience of driving tractor trailer, so there haven't been any incidents yet. I still get out and look (G.O.A.L.). It helps having a 2nd set of eyes while backing. The key to avoiding most situations is patience. Don't be in a hurry in anything you do, incuding driving. Dealing with the aftermath will always take longer than driving slower. The hairiest predicament has been living with 3 dogs on the road.

Ricky

Xbob2 · 09-14-2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecatsandi

Had problems backing out of this one.... Anytime you loose traction major problem. You always unhook and re-postion the TV.

YOU ROLLED YOUR TRUCK!!!!!!
Was the Airstream badly damaged?
Bob

mello mike · 09-14-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecatsandi

Had problems backing out of this one.... Anytime you loose traction major problem. You always unhook and re-postion the TV.

Yikes!!!!! Where was that and when? Hope everyone was okay!

Wingeezer · 09-14-2009, 05:19 PM

Once late at night, with our last trailer, a 27' Award, I entered a fast food place carpark - I think it was a Wendy's.

The carpark was pretty full, but I thought I could drive though the car park and around the back of the building where I hoped there might be more parking space.-

Turned out I was on a loop that ran by their pickup window! The curves got really tight and the trailer bounced over their landscaping, plants, little accent lights etc. I didn't have much choice but to keep on trucking at that point!

Amazing expression on the face of the girl taking orders as we rolled by!

Brian.

Airslide · 09-14-2009, 05:24 PM

One of our outings was a small campground across from a conference center we were attending in Santa Cruz. It was late when we were coming in and the place was so small and poorly marked we drove right by. As we continued up this tree lined road it turned into one narrow lane and was getting tight and twisting. I was thinking I would have to back down this entire road as I went deeper and deeper into the woods. After about a mile I saw a perpendicular driveway and had no choice other than attempt a turn around. I was nearly pinned up to the trailer and there were a few things creaking on the truck. I have never been so thankful for that stupid little road as each tire on the trailer passed over a drainage ditch (thank God for those independant axles as each tire came off the ground) and we made it out of there.

Vin

klattu · 09-14-2009, 05:36 PM

New Mexico, between Silver City and the Gila cliff dwellers...

Full story here...
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f465...uts-36924.html

SilverRanger · 09-14-2009, 05:40 PM

... that others may benefit from my misadventures.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ses-18570.html

overlander63 · 09-14-2009, 07:20 PM

I had one of those "Long, Long trailer" moments many years ago with a Holiday Rambler and my station wagon. I had to back almost a mile and a half down a narrow dirt road so I could turn around. In the dark. By myself. In the rain...

flamingo-kid1 · 09-14-2009, 07:41 PM

mechanically we have never had much of a problem, but turning on the furnace last year and having mouse fur fly across the room wasn't fun.. and that little thumping and squeaking noise was ewwwww....

thecatsandi · 09-15-2009, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xbob2

YOU ROLLED YOUR TRUCK!!!!!!
Was the Airstream badly damaged?
Bob

Yeah and I was ok except for a minor cuts on my hand and face. I pulled all the muscles in my lower back as well.

The Trailer faired pretty well. Mostly thanks to luck and the break away. THe trailer and I did a 180 in the road and were travelling backwards when we hit the side of the road. It was soft and the tires dug in. The truck rolled, seperated from the trailer and the trailer tire dug in and spun her 90 degrees. all the damage was confined to the right rear corner. you can see the rest of the pictures on my website. not many my camera quit working after three or so shots.
You will notice the tires are in the air.

thecatsandi · 09-15-2009, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mello mike

Yikes!!!!! Where was that and when? Hope everyone was okay!

It was October 06 just west of West Yellowstone. I had a long summer flying fires and was taking a break before putting the airplanes to bed for the winter. I had not intended to enter Yellowstone but the campground in Idaho I wanted to go to was closed. I was so close I continued on. I had a nice time in Yellowstone. It was cold and it snowed but it was beautiful.

BillB44 · 09-15-2009, 06:05 PM

Great--and enlightening--stories. Thanks to those who have contributed so far. I feel much smarter already, and our Flying CLoud won't be delivered for another four weeks. (I can see me unhitching before going into any gas station that looks a little crowded/iffy.) And avoiding anything close to snowy/freezing conditions while towing!