RE: Backing Up the PUP...LOL

[Starcraft Dad]

 
Well took the PU for a ride today.  Decided to take it to the car wash and give it a good scrubbing.  Washed it and then brought it home for a good old fashioned hand waxing.  Almost looks new now.  After that me and the two DS decided to go to the high school and do some " backing up"  practice.  I had the kids stand about 20 feet apart and pretend they were trees.  We did more laughing than anything.  Let me ask you this, have you ever seen " trees"  run? [] Until today I haven t.  But after awhile I didn t do to bad but I m not at the campground yet.  That will be a whole new ball of wax.[]

[Ab Diver]

 Starcraft Dad
Good for you, Harold! Keep up the practice. The more you do it, the easier it will become. Pretty soon backing up in a straight line becomes child s play. Then backing into an angled campsite will fall into place. Turning your whole rig around in a space too narrow to " drive"  the turn? A TV/Trailer " three-point-turn"  becomes second nature. And you ll be backing your trailer around two seperate trees in a figure-eight pattern, just becuase you can.[]
 
 The above is a true story: My brother-in-law managed the same step-by-step learning process in an afternoon of backing up in a deserted parking lot.

[C. Hains]

 Starcraft Dad
I have been practicing too with just about the same kind of luck!  I am going camping this coming weekend for the first time this spring and am looking forward to it except I am worried about getting backed into the campsite.  [&:]
 I was so worried I even called the campground and asked if there would be someone available when I arrive on Friday evening to help me back the camper in and they said there would be.  I was so happy at first because I had visions of some experienced person hopping in my TV and backing my camper into place when --  BINGO -- I realized what THEY were thinking was there would be someone standing behind me saying " a little to the right...... no, the OTHER right...... NO!!!! LADY, I SAID THE RIGHT!!!!!" []  It could be a long night on Friday, but I bet I ll enjoy the rest of the weekend!
 Good luck!

[JemJen24]

 Starcraft Dad
ROAR everyone...ROAR!!!!! [&:]

[whitestar505]

 Starcraft Dad
Starcraft Dad,
 
   Don t you worry about water getting inside the trailer at the car wash?[&:] I know they are water tight to some form when raining, but at the car wash at differant angles and pressures look out.

[AustinBoston]

 Starcraft Dad
The first rule of backing a camper is the Audience Rule.  The bigger the audience, the harder it is to back the camper.
 
 That s why some people arrive on Thursday for a weekend.  There are fewer people to watch.  Others arrive early Friday morning, and others after dark on Friday.  The worst time to back in is just after supper time on a Friday evening.  It will still be light enough for people to see you (but possibly not light enough for you to back in).  Folks will be well fed, maybe have a beer or two, and just looking for some entertainment.  Guess what...you re it!  
 
 With a dozen pairs of eyes, it will take at least six tries.  With 20 pairs of eyes, it will take 15 tries.  With 30 pairs of eyes, you d better go back to the office and give up that beautiful river front site for one of the shadeless pull-thru s with no hookups out in the open field.
 
 It s worse if the audience is scattered.  If they form into a group to watch, you might be able to block them out, at least out of your vision, as you try to back.  But if they all stay in their campsites, then you will make eye contact with someone no matter which way you face.  Of course, what do they do?  They stay in their campsites so they can be entertained by your suffering.
 
 If the number of people watching is large enough, then forest critters start to watch as well.  A hush comes over the woods as chipmunks, squirrels, and birds stop to gaze on your feeble attempts to back in.  This will soon become something you can FEEL!  It will get under your skin, and you will wonder how you ever got a driver s license. You will swear that you will never go camping again!
 
 Oh, and if you have never been to this campground before, you will discover the reason you got this site.  It is impossible to back into it.  There will be more trees and there will be large rocks and the whole thing will be steeply sloped.  You will try again and again, until a member of the audience (usually a short, burly guy in his 60 s with beer on his breath and a 5th wheel in his campsite) will offer to help.  Go ahead, accept the assistance.  Just to put the last nail in the coffin of your pride, he ll have it in the perfect place in one try.
 
 All of this is even worse if you and your spouse tend to raise your voices while under pressure.  It attracts attention so that even more people will watch.
 
 Austin (hoping to be in the audience)
 
 p.s. The audience rule doesn t just apply at campgrounds.  There is no way to back our camper into the driveway without blocking our busy street in both directions.  I can get the Taj MaHaul into our driveway in one move at 11:00 PM, but it takes 7-8 if I am holding up a dozen cars.[:@]
 

[Gamecock Camper]

 Starcraft Dad
What a hoot.   The DW refuses to back-up any trailer at all.  She also refuses to pull into a gas station, but that s another long story.....  With the PU, a boat trailer and a large utility trailer I have had plenty of practice and don t have to back into any space more than twice..... and so far I haven t hit anything.  The last time the DW pulled the boat trailer (with the boat off) she demolished the lakehouse mailbox...... so I think I just need to keep her away from pulling any trailers for a while.....

[Starcraft Dad]

 Starcraft Dad
Thanks Austin.  Now that I know about the wonderful world of backing up, I cancelled the capground reservations and decided to just camp in the back yard.[]
 
 Just kidding........hmmmm.

[MPTDAT]

 Starcraft Dad
My DH has tried and tried to back up our PU. He just can t get it. I on the other hand, won t even attempt it!! He isn t very kind about my driving when it is just our truck!! " Slow down before you turn right" , " Why do you have to switch lanes so much??" . So there is no way that I will try it in front of him. It isn t like I could sneak his precious PU out of the garage for an afternoon either!! We have come to the point that we pull up to the site, he " attempts"  to back it up, we all get out, unhook it and push it into place! On the bright side, we can have it facing any way we want!!  LOL Maybe in time!!.........
 
 -Debby

[sandykayak]

 Starcraft Dad
sooo glad there are some other honest people out there...i ve been doing this for over a year and I STILL CAN T BACK THE DURNED THING!
 
 It reminds me of when I took sailing lessons...some people got the " if I want to turn to port push the tiller to starboard"  immediately but I never did.  I guess I m directionally handicapped.
 
 I thought that if I did it enough times it would automatically come easier with time...NOT!!
 
 It s cos it s an 8-footer, I m sure [] - I ve been told the wee ones are harder to navigate.
 
 In the meantime, I still use the " Excuse me, would you mind backing it in for me?"  ploy.

[luvourjayco]

 Starcraft Dad
We generally unhook and push too!!! Sure makes it easy to put in the spot you want it.... but man is it hard to get it up on those pieces of wood to level.  DH is getting much better at backing though and can generally get it to almost where we want it.

[jstaddwtr]

 Starcraft Dad
We can appreciate all of the sentiment expressed here.  Over spring break we went to Fort Wilderness, and if it was not for a kindly truck driver, we would still be there trying to get in the slot!   At the same time we saw a guy with a brand new trailer that he tangled up into a tree.  The disney folks had to come out and remove half the tree.  
 
 I guess that is just all part of the experience.  I bought a pair of fers radios and we place one on the dash.  DH likes to say that at least when I call him names, not everyone has to hear it.  []LOL  " Hermes"  is much too big to push, but don t think we have not thought about it......
 
 Bring on the sun.!!!!!

[Starcraft Dad]

 Starcraft Dad
The funny thing is that I took my best friend and he tried to back it also.  He didn t do to bad but like me, is no expert.  My oldest DS (17) no drivers licence, very little driving experience and has never ever towed a camper said he wanted to try.  I thought, what the heck, we were in this huge parking lot and nothing for him to hit so what the heck.  He pulled it around the lot a few times and then back in.  " Like a seasoned proffesional!!!!!!!"    He got it in the space with no problem at all.  I was flabbergasted.  So he tried a few more times and dern if he didn t back it in, no prob.  I asked him how he knew what to do, and he said he had learned from watching some camper show on the Outdoor Network on Sunday morning.   I guess he will be backing it in the campsite now.  And I will be having him tapeing those shows for me now.[]

[Ab Diver]

 jstaddwtr
Dee, Arthur--- I wanted to thank you for a good chuckle. I LOVE your handle: " jstaddwtr"  I was wondering what it meant, and the wife leaned over my shoulder and said " Oh, that s cute: Just Add Water" .  Nice choice. I agree with you 100%[]
 
 How s THAT for hijacking a thread? [] Sorry.

[tlhdoc]

 Starcraft Dad
This is just what I needed.  This weekend I had more trouble backing into a very easy campsite than I have had in years.  I didn t put the tow mirrors on the TV and I couldn t see the back of the trailer.  I ended up opening the door (seat belt on) and leaning out so I could see.  Next weekend I will put the mirrors on even though the CG is only a short drive away.
 
 PS: the bigger the audience the more trouble you have backing the trailer into the site, is true.  I had the whole Cub Scout Pack watching.