I survived a U-Turn

[Acheron2010]

I was leaving my campground for another, and viewing the satellite images of my future camp spot, I knew this was my first backing in from the right side maneuver.
All along the route on this pleasant Sunday morning, I was looking for a big parking lot where I could practice that blind backing maneuver. As I got closer, I reminded myself the park had a very large parking lot that should be empty, and I could go through it a few times and get to judge how much steering starts to move the back end around.
And hey! Full parking lot, as there is a weekend triathlon event.
So down the road I go, and there is quite a shapely jogger, and the GPS says make the turn for the campground entrance and I miss it completely. The road narrows, and she sweetly says make a U-turn, and I'm thinkin' oh no.
I continue down the road, and see a fairly wide 60 foot gravel driveway on the left, look both ways, and honey, I'm home, wave to the folks on the porch. Oh, this will be a blind right hand backup.
I can do this.
Center the wheels, hand at the bottom, use the trailer rear-view camera (thank you, Airstream) and the truck backup camera and the mirrors. Turn the wheel (projectile sweat) the trailer goes in the correct direction, slow, slow, slow. I'm taking up the whole street but the nice people in the nice cars are patiently waiting (or loading), and hey! nothing to this. I get the whole rig on the street, put her in drive, take a silent bow, pet the dog, and off I go to make the campground turn.
Well, it did take about five forward and back evolutions at the campsite, but, in my defense, I have none. I should have practiced.
Go practice.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

At one point our "psycho gps" took us down a dirt road to a locked gate across the road. Fortunately there was a nice big (recently harvested) field available for the u-turn .... . With the ever predictable mindlessness of a computer, it continued to route us that way any time we went to or from that state park. ( Yes, indeed there *was* another way in ...)

Bob

[steverino]

Well done! You made it, that’s what counts.

My most exciting u-turn was with only a few months with my 27FB.

We broke camp in Pismo Beach, and headed north on the twisty and narrow 2 lane Highway 1 in central coast, California, toward the beautiful Kirk Creek campground near Big Sur. Little did I know, and there was NO signage indicating, Highway 1 had closed that night, in both directions a few miles south of Kirk Creek, due to a landslide.

We got to the closure, only option was a u turn on the 2 lane highway. No way to make a 3 point turn within miles. I had to wait 15 minutes until some looky-Lou’s finished viewing the slide, and moved their cars from the shoulder. I then lined the rig to make the absolute most of the right hand shoulder (about 3 feet), swung into the tightest left turn I could, aiming for a 6’ wide pullout on the southbound, cliff-side dirt shoulder, and made it with maybe 12” to spare from the guard rail.

Without those shoulders I would have been stuck, but it was a learning experience how tight the F250 and 27FB could turn. I was fortunate that narrow pullout was there. Never have made it to Kirk Creek.

[airwoody]

I had my first U on the way to the rally. I was looking for gas i pull off the highway. Gas on the left have to make a U to fetch it. Few deep breaths and into the intersection I go. The car making a right pulls out of the way to make room for me. I exhale and U turn is now crossed off the list. Pull into a busy gas station and wait for the guy at first pump to finish so I can get the trailer out of the way. While waiting I realize that this station doesn't have diesel. Few deep breaths and telling myself relax we are on vacation. I wait for the guy to pay and pump and for his dog to finish whatever it was doing so I can pull through. What seemed like hours waiting with my trailer blocking 2 rows of pumps. He now can't start his truck. So after crossing off U turn the list , I got to cross off backing out of a busy gas station. The wife did such a great job didn't even need the newly installed backup camera. The cool thing was when we went to the gas station across the street a big Turkey walked right in front of the rig.