Check list

After picking up our trailer and spending two days at Castle Rock going over the unit I felt pretty competent and "in command" of my equipment. When we packed up to leave we went over the check list and drove home. I backed her into the garage first try,pretty proud of that too, and went about planning our next outing. One month later we went to a nearby SP, McCormicks Creek and spent a great week figuring out the side tent and other gadgets we collected while waitning for the trailer to be built. On our departure I stowed away everything hooked up the trailer and started to leave. We had forgotten the check list and I had also forgotten to raise the stabalizer jacks. I left two trenches about 15 feet long and six inches deep in the hard packed gravel while wondering if the transmission was falling out of my tow vehicle. I quess that is why raising the jacks is high lighted on the manual's check list and the reason there is a dedicated forum for "confessions"

 

Mike,

You are not the first Camp-Inn to plow furrows at Castle Rock county park. I will guarantee you will not be the last.

Cary

 

Hah! Been there, done that.....sadly, on our 35th outing! No harm done, and a lesson learned!

 

I kinda thought I wouldn't be alone on this one. Quality contruction saved me though. Put a slight bend in one of the jacks foot and can probably staighten that out myself. Everything is solid.

 

You are correct Alvaro. Pilots are certainly familiar with pre-flight, in-flight, and pre-landing checklists, however the commonality of one for the Camp-Inn trailer, and one for a Cessna 182 pretty much ends with the idea that they are both checklists. But, they are both important to follow. Do you really fly a 182 out Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport? What are the landing fees??

 

I seldom put the jacks down and when I do I place an orange painted 2x4x6 beside the drivers door as a reminder.

A dry mark pencil can also be used to write messages on the windshield.

 

We recommend not putting reminders in the tow vehicle like a message on the windshield or a bandana tied to the steering wheel. The flaw with that idea is you will drive your tow vehicle at various times while camped and would be staring right at the reminder the whole time. Then when you hook up to leave the reminder gets overlooked.

The orange block by the camper door would probably work well. Basically any object on the ground that specifically tells you to remember the jacks that you have to pick up as you break camp would be helpful.

Still, hard to beat a proper checklist. Most times when I hear of a mangled leveling jack there is a memory trick associated with it.

Cary

 

I used this when I drove long haul. Most often for another reason. Say I’m hauling and need to refuel. When I get back to the freeway which way do I go? When I pulled into the station I would write = or = with a line through it on the windshield. Equal meant I would not cross over or under the freeway but would immediately get on the freeway. A line through it meant I should cross it and then get on.

Sounds stupid but you do forget when you drive a lot.

 

One of the few things we haven't done (yet?!) If we use the jacks, we always put the jack handle on the driver's seat of the car. If we go somewhere in the car, the handle goes in the cup holder (we use a ratcheting handle with a socket in place of the big spinner that came with the camper). I think we got this tip from Bear.

 

After we have hooked up, always do a walk around the entire vehicle and trailer and Missy checks the lights and final check of campsite to see.that we haven't left anything. Always do a walk around when we fuel checking all hookups and door latches, plugs, tires and bikes if we have them...its just routine for us....

 

Truckers are required to do another inspection after 15 minutes of driving and anytime the vehicle is out of your sight.

One time I refueled and went inside to get something. As I entered the store I noticed a woman sitting on the curb with three children. When I came out I saw her but only two of the kids.

I got into the cab and kept thinking about where the third kid was? I stepped out of the cab and walked around the trailer to discover the child hiding behind and under the wheels.

And there are stories of people pulling the king pin so your trailer drops when you pull away so it’s a good idea to recheck if you ever lose sight even if only for a minute.

 

Dr. Haldanish gave me a good trick for remembering important things: "Remember important stuff!"

-Al (it's a joke)