The dumbest thing you have ever done

[fallsrider]

For those of you who forgot to chock your wheels, always, always, always, unhitch with your safety chains still attached to your TV. That way, if it starts to roll, it is not going far!

[AustinBoston]

http://www.popuptimes.com/archives/swaying.shtml

Dumb & dangerous, and immortalized in the magazine (and the archives) forever.

Austin

[fallsrider]

My dumbest SPUT was just a few weeks ago. I park our pup in the back corner of our lot. My neighbor's oak tree has some dead limbs, so he suggested that I move my pup so a buddy of his could climb the tree and cut out the dead limbs (hanging over our pup). I hooked up, walked around the pup to remove the chocks, then started pulling forward. After about 10' or so, the van suddenly jerked and there was a loud bang. Scared, I jumped out to see what was wrong. I had forgotten to unhook my 30' Kryptonite cable from the pup! It was coiled around the a-frame of the tongue and around a large pine tree behind where I park the pup.

To make matters worse, my DW and DS (1-year-old) were only about 15' or so from where I was. When the cable snapped, it flew under the pup and on up under the van (it broke at the base of the pine tree). The cable must have hit some debris because something hit my wife in the stomach. It hurt, but it didn't leave a mark.

Fortunately, no damage was done to my pup, TV, or to anyone. We were very fortunate! I learned that those security cables don't really do that much to secure your pup. All a thief has to do is hook up and drive off. Those cables will break! And in my case, the cable was the weak point. No welds or metal was damaged.

[sully349]

I once spent a week without being able to use the outside stove hook up. Couldn't figure out why the gas wouldn't flow. Had to use the stove inside and use my backup Coleman stove outside. Once I got back home I started to troubleshoot the problem and remembered that for the gas to flow you first have to turn on the outside valve.........:banghead:

[CC777]

OK......another sailing story. For those of you that don't like my sailing stories, click off now.

In 1996 we were in Christchurch, New Zealand with a lot of time on our hands to kill.......
At least I kept it down to the short version.... :p

Now THAT is an adventure!!!

[wavery]

Now THAT is an adventure!!!

I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had nightmares the night after I wrote that   .

It's the 1st time that I've allowed myself to think about it in years. Trust me........the long version is much worse.

[Kristenamber]

Last year after camping in a slightly unlevel pup for three days, I decided to enlist the help of my step-dad to level it from side to side.  I knew all I need was one little lynx leveler, so my step-father, not happy to be in the pouring down rain doing this, was eager.  He REMOVED THE WHEEL CHOCKS.  Then he started to raise up the camper for me to back up and line up with the hitch.  Welp, I bet you can guess what happened!  We were on a bit of an incline anyway, and once he raised the camper front to back, it started to roll down the hill!  I threw the van into park, kiddos inside, and went running after it with him.  He's a crazy nut, and pretty much threw his body behind a TIRE while I threw the chocks behind the one wheel.
PHEW!  My advice is to never level under stress or in the rain!

[Morin]

I was trying to get packed up and out of the CG as it was starting to rain and we had a 7 hour hike back home with a 3 and 1 year old.  While putting the camper down I lifted the stabalizer legs before removing the cnavas and putting the bunk ends away.  Well I got right into one of those bunkends and UP GOES THE CAMPER!  Good thing noone was standing by the tongue as someone defnately would have gottne hurt.

Lesson Learned : don't rush...

[Starryart]

Gosh what memories! Seems we have done most of these scenerios...forgot the chocks-runaway camper, lowered the roof on the door, raised roof with a latch on and popped a cable-$$$.
    The latest dumb thing...sigh...I needed to crawl on the back end of the roof while the camper was folded down to put sealant on a leak spot before we left for the lake. Caulked it and proceeded to hitch up and drive off.  Why does the camper feel like it is dragging? Oops! I forgot that I lowered one stabilizer to keep the camper from tipping when I was on the roof. I bent the stbilizer. Had to hammer it in place. Now it is a B*$#& to put down cause it sticks. Sigh!

[Kristenamber]

I just did this a few days ago.

I was about to head out on our latest camping trip, and backed my van into the driveway to hook up to the camper.  I looked down and realized I had forgotten to put the hitch on the van.  I always disconnect it and store it in the garage.  So I went into the garage looking for it.  It wasn't where I used to always store it....then I remembered I had relocated it a few months ago to a "smarter spot".  Well of course, I couldn't remember where!  I searched my garage, the inside of the camper, and I even went to my basement because I was so puzzled!  I went back outside and leaned against my van....just staring at my camper....very mad because how the heck can I go camping without a hitch to pull the camper with?!.....when all of the sudden, like a "Where's Waldo" picture, the hitch materializes!  It is laying on on the A-frame of the trailer!  DUHHHHHHHHHH.  And that really was a good place to store it!  I mean, right there, so handy!  But it being black and the frame being black, I totally missed it.
That is my stupidest thing to date, lol.

[MJohn]

Now THAT is an adventure!!!

I have to agree... sort of. That's like way beyond adventure! That was MAJOR dangerous!
I live in the far south of the US so we get very little sleet/snow etc.
So I really look forward to the bits of it that are left over when we head to CO in the Summer. Actually being able to have a real snowman or snowball fight is a rare treat! But that being said I don't think I would ever wanna see anything even remotely like snow had I been through an ordeal like that! At risk of sounding like a smart_ _ _, but when the coastgaurd told you that going was crazy.... ummm I think I'd have taken the hint! (atleast after the age of 30 I would have taken the advise pre 30 still stupid!) But we all have had someone with a bit more knowledge advise us against a plan or adventure and lived to wish we had taken that advise, self included!

[wavery]

I have to agree... sort of. That's like way beyond adventure! That was MAJOR dangerous!
I live in the far south of the US so we get very little sleet/snow etc.
So I really look forward to the bits of it that are left over when we head to CO in the Summer. Actually being able to have a real snowman or snowball fight is a rare treat! But that being said I don't think I would ever wanna see anything even remotely like snow had I been through an ordeal like that! At risk of sounding like a smart_ _ _, but when the coastgaurd told you that going was crazy.... ummm I think I'd have taken the hint! (atleast after the age of 30 I would have taken the advise pre 30 still stupid!) But we all have had someone with a bit more knowledge advise us against a plan or adventure and lived to wish we had taken that advise, self included!

:J  :J  :J  :J
ROFLMAO  :J  :J

I sailed around the world twice on a 45' boat and you think THAT was dangerous.......... :J

I should have been dead a dozen times before that stunt.. :p

If there is one thing that I've learned in life, it's....."Your time ain't up 'til it's up" and when it's up, there isn't a darn thing that you can do to stop it but you can sure make yourself uncomfortable  :eyecrazy:  in the process. :p

[Hargus]

I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had nightmares the night after I wrote that   .

Wavery,
I enjoyed reading your post. Your welcome to come sit around my campfire and tell stories anytime. You need to camp on the East coast.

Mike

[wavery]

I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had nightmares the night after I wrote that   .

Wavery,
I enjoyed reading your post. Your welcome to come sit around my campfire and tell stories anytime. You need to camp on the East coast.

Mike

That's another thing that I learned many years ago. When I start telling stories about far away places, violent storms at sea or anything else to do with sailing, peoples eyes just sorta glass over. It's difficult for anyone to relate so I just learned not to do it.

I get together with some of my sailing buddies on occasion, then the stories abound because we share similar experiences. It just isn't the same around the campfire so I don't do it........or at least I don't remember doing it  :p .

That's why I prefaced the story with, "OK......another sailing story. For those of you that don't like my sailing stories, click off now".  :sombraro:

[Hargus]

I get together with some of my sailing buddies on occasion, then the stories abound because we share similar experiences. It just isn't the same around the campfire so I don't do it........or at least I don't remember doing it  :p .

That's why I prefaced the story with, "OK......another sailing story. For those of you that don't like my sailing stories, click off now".  :sombraro:[/QUOTE]

wavery,
I know what you mean. But my offer still stands to come to my campfire. That story and some of your posts have been interesting. If you come East I'll get you a Celtic's T-shirt.